Apple care for Demo hardware

[Sqadush]

Hi,
With the new Mac Pro coming, my local apple premium reseler will get rid of the demonstration Mac Pro, the base version of the 2009 model : 2,66 Ghz quad with 3 Gb of memory. They will probably sell it for half the price; so they told me.
However they said I would not get warranty and could not take Apple Care on it. That seems very strange to me.
Any one has experience or know where I could find out ?
I read that some people contact Apple directly by chat or something. I am not in the U.S and never saw the possibility to do that.

Help ? Please

Thanks

Nicolas

 

[spillproof]

Once the default/included one year warranty on a Mac expires, Apple Care will not work. It is just policy (as with most all warranties) to prevent people from breaking their computer/device then running out to buy the warranty to get a free fix (warranties are generally cheaper than repair+parts costs).

 

[Sqadush]

Thank you.
I understand that, but then does it mean the shop is considered as the first user ?
Because in a way this computer has not been bought by anyone, so why would it not have the normal warranty ?

 

[amoda]

It depends on if the store activated the warranty on it or not.

If they registered the device then you'd be buying it as if you bought it from some guy in the street. Odds are after taxes you'd be paying around the same street price, but at least you bought it from a reputable dealer vs some guy you don't know.

If they didn't register the device then you'd have the full year warranty. I bought my MBP, which was a floor model at BestBuy and I have the full year warranty on it and am eligible for Apple Care.

 

[spillproof]

I think technically for insurance purposes, the store is the first owner. (Their name is connected to the Mac Pro).

Regardless of you being the second owner (or 600th owner), since the Mac Pro was updated last March, the first year of warranty as expired, thus rendering that Mac Pro's serial number invalid for Apple Care.

 

[amoda]

Regardless of you being the second owner (or 600th owner), since the Mac Pro was updated last March, the first year of warranty as expired, thus rendering that Mac Pro's serial number invalid for Apple Care.

As far as I know, you're allowed to register Apple Care within one year of your purchase date. Several stores continue to sell old stock for several weeks past an announcement of a new Mac, it doesn't affect those people's ability to purchase Apple Care.

What will likely happen, as it did to me, the Apple system will know that your serial is old. So you'll have to send in proof of purchase (receipt), once you do that and verify your purchase date you should be a-okay.

 

[patrick92260]

If the store is an authorized retailer Apple should update the warranty. I just bought an open box 17" MacBook Pro at Best Buy last week for $1400 which was the last model of the Core 2 Duos (mid 2009). All I did was email the receipt to Apple and they updated the warranty to give me a full year. So now I basically have a full year to buy AppleCare for it.