Apple care for MB Pro when it comes with 1 year warranty

[flanamac]

What have you found that isn't covered on the one year warranty for a MB Pro that made you wish you would have purchased the Apple care (besides the addition two years of coverage)?

Is it more of a full coverage insurance package, vs the limited one year warranty?

Also, what is the limit to buying Apple care after you receive your Mac?


Thanks for the help.

 

[EricNau]

You have the first year to purchase the Apple Care warranty, which simply extends the same coverage to a total of three years.

You can read more information here: http://www.apple.com/support/products/proplan.html

 

[flanamac]

Ok, so you are saying the coverage is the same. Thanks for the link, but I am looking for real world experience and I have read that link already before posting this. Sometimes the fine print reads to the company one way and to the consumer another and you don't know this until you have a problem.

 

[EricNau]

The coverage is indeed identical, just longer.

 

[MattZani]

All Applecare does is extend the Warranty from 1 year to 3 years, and the phone support from 90 days to 3 years (Ends the same time your warranty does)

It does not add any extra cover etc, it purely extends the warranty.

I Dont think im going to take up the applecare, as my case has a small dent, and i want to upgrade the HDD myself, i've got until june to choose however...

 

[mgridgaway]

If you're wary of purchasing it because of the cost, look at ebay; they have a bunch on sale for way cheap. They bought them when CompUSA closed out and now they're selling them super cheap and somehow still for a profit.

Remember, it only takes one problem for Applecare to pay for itself. If it were a PC I'd just upgrade the part (well, not if it was a laptop but still) but it's a bit harder with a mac.

 

[jayman99]

excellent questions...

i used to work at apple so i know this topic very well.

every new mac comes with 1 year of parts and labor coverage, and 90 days for telephone support.

the 1 year parts and labor covers all the hardware on the machine. it does not cover any physical damage. so liquid damage and "dropping" the laptop are not covered. also, you are not allowed to open the computers. you can upgrade the ram and hard drive on select models, but before these new unibody systems you would have to physically open the macbook pro and upgrade the hard drive.

anytime within the first year of buying your mac, you can purchase the upgradeable AppleCare. keep in mind that the education discount for college students and for teachers will save you lots of money on the applecare of any mac. only within the first year of buying your mac can you upgrade to the applecare. you cannot upgrade after the 1-year.

i find it important to purchase applecare on any mac. it ensures your computer will work for a full 3-years (if you do not physically damage the computer). you have 3 full years of phone tech support (tech support out-of-warranty is very very expensive). also, if you plan to resell your computer after 1 year, people are way more interested in buying it if it is covered under apple care.

i'd recommend applecare for anyway. i haven't had any terrible experiences after the 1 year. hope this information helps. also, if you wait too long to upgrade within the 1 year, you can run into trouble. you can register the applecare over the phone or the internet. but if you order the box online for applecare, you have to wait for shipping, etc. so try not to wait until the very last minute! i did that once before and i wasnt able to call in until the next Monday (weekend you can't register if i remember correctly).

 

[Amdahl]

Same answer as the other thread: NVidia?

If it has an NVIDIA chip, get extended coverage.

 

[Tallest Skil]

If it has the 8600M GT chip, get extended coverage.

Fixed. The new ones aren't defective.

 

[flanamac]

Sounds like to me the only advantage for the first year is the phone coverage extends to the entire year vs the first quarter.

Additionally, if you find that phone coverage isn't all that worth the up front $240 (assuming ed discount on MBPro), then you should purchase in the last month of your one year warranty so that you are not out the $240 until almost a year later.

I am quite surprised (and pleasantly may I say so) that you can purchase for around the same cost Apple care almost a year after your purchased your Mac and get the same coverage for another two years.

I think it is worth it only to be purchased at the end of the first year.

Anyone disagree wtih that, I would like to hear the arguments.

 

[mgridgaway]

Sounds like to me the only advantage for the first year is the phone coverage extends to the entire year vs the first quarter.

Additionally, if you find that phone coverage isn't all that worth the up front $240 (assuming ed discount on MBPro), then you should purchase in the last month of your one year warranty so that you are not out the $240 until almost a year later.

I am quite surprised (and pleasantly may I say so) that you can purchase for around the same cost Apple care almost a year after your purchased your Mac and get the same coverage for another two years.

I think it is worth it only to be purchased at the end of the first year.

Anyone disagree wtih that, I would like to hear the arguments.

I purchased mine at the end of the first year, and unless you really need the phone support, I think it makes the most sense. At least, wait until you can find a good deal on it (like eBay atm).

 

[flanamac]

Well, if I can get Macbook Pro Apple care for $240 with the ed discount right now, is there somewhere else that sells it (besides ebay since I don't do ebay) for less than that?

 

[flanamac]

Well in checking BH photo (http://www.bhphotovideo.com) MB Pro Apple care is $349!!!

I am wondering if anyone can beat the ed discount for Apple care at Apple.

 

[mgridgaway]

If you don't use ebay, $240 is the cheapest you're gonna get.

You can get it eBay for $184 at this very moment though.

It's not very hard either.

 

[Batt]

Well in checking BH photo (http://www.bhphotovideo.com) MB Pro Apple care is $349!!!

I am wondering if anyone can beat the ed discount for Apple care at Apple.

I bought it - just before my one year was up - last November at LA Computer for $250.

 

[Abstract]

Additionally, if you find that phone coverage isn't all that worth the up front $240 (assuming ed discount on MBPro), then you should purchase in the last month of your one year warranty so that you are not out the $240 until almost a year later.

I am quite surprised (and pleasantly may I say so) that you can purchase for around the same cost Apple care almost a year after your purchased your Mac and get the same coverage for another two years.

I think it is worth it only to be purchased at the end of the first year.

Yes, but there's no downside of buying it when you purchase your computer. Whether you pay $240 when you buy the computer, or you pay $240 after 11 months of owning it, you still need to pay $240 to get 3 years of coverage.

In fact, the benefit of paying for it right away is that you get phone support for all 36 months, whereas if you buy AC after owning your MBP for 11 months, you only get phone support for the initial 90 days, no phone support for the next 9.5 months (until you buy AppleCare), and then you get phone support again for the last month of the 1st year, plus support for the 2nd and 3rd year.

 

[thomanjones]

If it has an NVIDIA chip, get extended coverage.

QFT.

I'm sending my 6,1 24" iMac w/ 7300 GT back to the genius bar for the 3rd time tomorrow relating to gfx issues.

ALWAYS BUY APPLECARE

(sorry, I hate capslock as much as the next person, but I cannot stress this enough. Macs are computers. Computers break.).

Check Ebay, or have a student in your family 'buy it for you as a gift.'

 

[BryanLyle]

If you don't use ebay, $240 is the cheapest you're gonna get.

You can get it eBay for $184 at this very moment though.

It's not very hard either.

I bought coverage for my MBP at $184 over the weekend (from ebay) and the registration number was sent via email within 48 hours. Registered perfectly.

 

[colmaclean]

If I buy AppleCare from a US-based vendor, is it valid in the UK/Europe?

If it is, then this is the way to go, as the US price is way cheaper...