APPLE CARE + is awesome

[FilmIndustryGuy]

for anyone questioning buying apple care, I just want to say how great it has been for me. I set in my 12 inch MacBook for repair yesterday and its on its way back today. Surprised, I called apple to ask what was done to it. Was told a new bottom case with battery and a new top case was swapped along with some audio cable. I originally sent it in due to warranty expiring in a week with battery moving between 75-85% life. Got a new display a year ago due to loose hinge which was loose from factory.

I also had apple care for a 2012 rMBP which expired in 2016. I took it to Apple 2 months after it expired and let the tech know I was on the road for work and couldn't bring it in. He talked to the manager and they swapped a new battery and swapped the speakers and fans saying they found some gunk on the speaker. I brought it in for fan noise as it seemed the fan worn a bearing and made noise.

Anyways, I got more repairs than I paid for with my MacBooks. Seeing how apple handles the warranty, I think I'll be loyal to Apple for life. I get to use this rMB for another 4 years if nothing fails. I put 760 cycles on the battery in 3 years. I'll be hauling the new 16" around without worry. No case needed.

 

[duanepatrick]

How does Apple Care work? Is it like a yearly subscription?

 

[simonmet]

How does Apple Care work? Is it like a yearly subscription?

No, it's an insurance policy you have to buy within the first 60 days since purchase (or activation for iOS devices).

 

[FilmIndustryGuy]

How does Apple Care work? Is it like a yearly subscription?

I guess there are options for full pay or monthly. From my understandings, you can do the full pay and down the road cancel it and get it prorated. If you call Apple Care, they can answer these questions but I'm just saying that the service has been beneficial on my end. the 2012 rMBP is still running fast and battery still good condition after the January 2016 parts swap.
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No, it's an insurance policy you have to buy within the first 60 days since purchase (or activation for iOS devices).

you can buy the regular apple care within the first year but if you want the apple care +, that needs to be added before 60 days from purchase. the + gives you accident protection at $100 per incident. $100 is less than $740 for a screen.

 

[Natzoo]

Luckily I haven't needed apple care+ except for keyboard replacements (but that is already covered). A good note is that many Credit Cards provide an extended warranty like Costco will provide 4 extra years to the apple limited warranty. So a blown speaker in year 3 would/should be covered by the CC.

edit: You do have to purchase from Costco and use their card to get 4 years. My Amex provides an extra 2 no matter what I buy. Their card also offers 2% cash back along with warranty.

 

[greenmeanie]

If the product was any good you wouldn't need Apple Care at all.

 

[FilmIndustryGuy]

Luckily I haven't needed apple care+ except for keyboard replacements (but that is already covered). A good note is that many Credit Cards provide an extended warranty like Costco will provide 4 extra years to the apple limited warranty. So a blown speaker in year 3 would/should be covered by the CC.

edit: You do have to purchase from Costco to get 4 years. My Amex provides an extra 2 no matter what I buy.

but do you get accidental protection?

 

[duanepatrick]

Luckily I haven't needed apple care+ except for keyboard replacements (but that is already covered). A good note is that many Credit Cards provide an extended warranty like Costco will provide 4 extra years to the apple limited warranty. So a blown speaker in year 3 would/should be covered by the CC.

edit: You do have to purchase from Costco to get 4 years. My Amex provides an extra 2 no matter what I buy.

Good guy Costco. It's sad that I do not live in US.

 

[0128672]

I've never needed to do a credit card or other non-Apple (like Costco) extended warranty claim, but I've wondered how much red tape is involved. Apple just makes it so easy ... and yeah, a couple accidental damage incidents coverage is worth the peace of mind to me.

 

[JBGoode]

If the product was any good you wouldn't need Apple Care at all.

So 'good' products are immune to broken screens and other damage? Nice to know.

 

[Natzoo]

If the product was any good you wouldn't need Apple Care at all.

True, but personally I am trapped in the Apple ecosystem so I cant purchase a reliable product. But you are correct that warranty should not be offered since it shows bad reliability. When the apple keyboard program ends, will definitely consider switching to the XPS lineup.
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but do you get accidental protection?

Nop, it just covers defects and stuff that shouldn't really break like the display connectors in the mac book pro lineup (something apple should be covering on the 2017's too). But alot of CC's offer it and its smart to purchase products with it.

 

[JBGoode]

True, but personally I am trapped in the Apple ecosystem so I cant purchase a reliable product. But you are correct that warranty should not be offered since it shows bad reliability. When the apple keyboard program ends, will definitely consider switching to the XPS lineup.
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Nop, it just covers defects and stuff that shouldn't really break like the display connectors in the mac book pro lineup (something apple should be covering on the 2017's too). But alot of CC's offer it and its smart to purchase products with it.

Dell offers 'DellCare' so you better not buy the XPS either as it obviously has bad reliability.

(So does HP, Lenovo, and pretty much all of 'em)

 

[Patcell]

I've never needed to do a credit card or other non-Apple (like Costco) extended warranty claim, but I've wondered how much red tape is involved. Apple just makes it so easy ... and yeah, a couple accidental damage incidents coverage is worth the peace of mind to me.

That's the key right there... Apple makes the process so easy. And, in my experience, they bend over backward to try and take care of your issue if you have AppleCare.

I have tried to make a warrantee claim through my American Express card and it was weeks of back and forth providing all sorts of documentation and was eventually outright denied. The claim was on a Samsung TV that was 3 months outside it's one year warrantee and had developed a cluster of dead pixels. The claim was denied because I bought the TV at Best Buy and at the time of purchase I had $10 in store credit from a prior returned product, which I applied to the TV purchase. Amex claimed that because I had used store credit, I did not charge the entire cost of the TV to my card. Eventually Samsung did me a solid and replaced the TV because there as a known issue with that particular model or some such thing.

 

[Natzoo]

Dell offers 'DellCare' so you better not buy the XPS either as it obviously has bad reliability.

(So does HP, Lenovo, and pretty much all of 'em)

Dell's is so expensive, you can option their premium support to over $500. I think dells are more user friendly in the sense of repairs, not sure if they made the ram and SSD nonupgradable.
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Eventually Samsung did me a solid and replaced the TV because there as a known issue with that particular model or some such thing.

Wow, I did not know Amex was like that, my only experience was with a chargeback situation and was really easy and quick.