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AppleCare or not?
- Thread starter stanw
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applecare is basically insurance. If you need it, the price easily pays for itself. If you don't need it at least you don't need it.
I have had a few Macbooks throughout the decade and have gotten applecare. There was a time when I needed it badly. Apple replaced my logic board on my ibook G4 for nothing! That was very much worth the price since to buy one outside of apple was around $500. That purchase of applecare easily paid for itself, and then some. Other times it was just phone support for a year.
I have had a few Macbooks throughout the decade and have gotten applecare. There was a time when I needed it badly. Apple replaced my logic board on my ibook G4 for nothing! That was very much worth the price since to buy one outside of apple was around $500. That purchase of applecare easily paid for itself, and then some. Other times it was just phone support for a year.
AppleCare AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac or Apple Display
- You can buy AppleCare any time during the first year warranty period, so you don't have to buy it at time of purchase.
- You can check your remaining warranty and/or AppleCare coverage here
- AppleCare will extend the 1 year warranty for an additional 2 years, for a total of 3 years coverage from the date of your Mac purchase. It also extends telephone support from 90 days, which is included with your original warranty, to a total of 3 years.
- AppleCare follows the device, not the owner. When a Mac changes hands, the AppleCare coverage still applies to the computer. There is no need to "register" the new owner in order to receive coverage.
- You cannot buy AppleCare again for the same device or renew it.
- Neither the Apple Warranty nor AppleCare will cover damage from accidents, spills, etc. They only cover manufacturing defects.
- AppleCare+ provides some coverage for accidental damage, but is only available for the iPad and iPhone, not for Apple computers.
- Neither the Apple Warranty nor AppleCare will cover batteries that have worn out. They only cover defective batteries.
- You can buy AppleCare from Apple or from other sources, such as Amazon, B&H Photo Video, L.A. Computer Company and others. Exercise caution when buying from sites such as eBay, as some AppleCare offers have been scams.
- For more detailed questions, read the AppleCare Protection Plan (pdf) agreement.
- Apple to Update AppleCare with Subscription Service and In-Store Repair Options
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Free in UK for online purchase from HE store.
http://appleagreement.procureweb.ac.uk/media/1781/Warranty_Statement.pdf
There was a time when Apple would just fix things free even if your computer was off warranty and you didn't have AppleCare. I have MANY instances in the past 10 years or so where they just fixed things no questions asked.
But now things are different.
Personally I wouldn't get AppleCare right away. Your mac is under warrenty for a year. I would wait until the year is almost up...and THEN buy AppleCare if you think you need it. Why buy it right away when your product is covered for the year? Makes no sense to shell out that money now, when you could do it later.
But now things are different.
Personally I wouldn't get AppleCare right away. Your mac is under warrenty for a year. I would wait until the year is almost up...and THEN buy AppleCare if you think you need it. Why buy it right away when your product is covered for the year? Makes no sense to shell out that money now, when you could do it later.
Applecare is peace of mind. I have it on all my Apple products over the years. It does pay for itself if you need it. You spend a lot of money on Apple computers. I only ever needed it once on a problem iMac I had. Over 2 years I would have paid for the iMac again for the repairs that needed to be done. Logic board, screen, video card and power supply were the repairs done. And still not working. Add that up out of pocket.
In the end Apple replaced my iMac because it was too problematic and costly to repair. So just to have to use it on one iMac was well worth the price.
In the end Apple replaced my iMac because it was too problematic and costly to repair. So just to have to use it on one iMac was well worth the price.
I've bought 12 computers since 1994 (not all were Macs). I've never purchased an extended warranty and I've never needed one. I've saved at least $1300 by not buying extended warranties. As far as I'm concerned, they are overrated and are a profit center for manufacturers.
I'd say it depends where you are - check out the link below:
http://www.apple.com/legal/warranty/statutoryrights.html
In the UK, you have 6 years statutory warranty but if the product fails, you must prove that it is defective and has been since manufacture.
If you have Apple Care and a product is dodgy, I reckon they will swap it over with no issues, but if not, you'll have to argue with them and state your statutory rights etc.
I bought Applecare anyway as for the sake of £139 on a £3000 machine, I would rather not have to sit and argue with Apple Store staff should something go wrong.
At least free AppleCare in the UK for students makes up for the overinflated prices when compared to US products!
Whereas some of us have had different experiences. The repairs I've had on my Apple products over the past 12 years would've cost me over double what I've spent on AppleCare in that time. So for me, AppleCare is worth it.
I'm on the side of buying AppleCare. I always buy it and I've used it twice - once for a monitor and once for an Airport Extreme. They were automatically covered at no extra charge as I had purchased AppleCare for my MacBook Pro.
Look at the refurbished iMacs. The discount is more than sufficient to cover the cost of AppleCare.
Look at the refurbished iMacs. The discount is more than sufficient to cover the cost of AppleCare.
I like having AppleCare on an iMac due to the large potential repair cost without it. So far, its only benefit has been the extended 3 year technical phone and genius support at the store which I have used a few times.
Another benefit which some people don't know about is that if you purchase AppleCare with an iMac, all Apple "peripherals" you purchase during the 3 year coverage are also covered both for repair and technical support. For example I purchased a new Airport Extreme router a couple months ago and it is covered. It is working fine, but could envision needing technical support for it with future networking issues, etc.
Another benefit which some people don't know about is that if you purchase AppleCare with an iMac, all Apple "peripherals" you purchase during the 3 year coverage are also covered both for repair and technical support. For example I purchased a new Airport Extreme router a couple months ago and it is covered. It is working fine, but could envision needing technical support for it with future networking issues, etc.
duh, but that dont mean from time to time consumers use it and get value from it. later.
So far I've had 3 different Apple computers and have bought AppleCare for only one (my most recent iMac). I figured if anything broke in that AOI I would want it covered and it was not that expensive relative to the overall price of the computer.
That said, I'm not sure I would get it again. I am already covered in the first year by Apple's standard warranty and my credit card will extend this warranty for up to 1 year for free. On the other hand, what if something really expensive broke in that 3rd year?
I believe you can transfer your AppleCare so if you decided to sell your computer in the future and it is less than 3 years old you could use the continuing coverage as a selling point.
For a new Apple user, you may want to get this just for the phone tech support alone. You'll likely run into situations where you need to get some questions answered.
That said, I'm not sure I would get it again. I am already covered in the first year by Apple's standard warranty and my credit card will extend this warranty for up to 1 year for free. On the other hand, what if something really expensive broke in that 3rd year?
I believe you can transfer your AppleCare so if you decided to sell your computer in the future and it is less than 3 years old you could use the continuing coverage as a selling point.
For a new Apple user, you may want to get this just for the phone tech support alone. You'll likely run into situations where you need to get some questions answered.
I would recommend AppleCare. Here is why...
I once purchased a MacBook Pro and had issues with it from day one. The keyboard was replaced, the motherboard was replaced and the display was replaced twice. When the sound failed on the machine, which Apple said would require another motherboard replacement, they simple replaced the entire computer. The computer was almost two years old at the time, so they upgraded me at no cost to me.
Also, don't forget that AppleCare extends the software support for three years. I'm self employed and like the idea of having someone I can call if there is a problem or if I have a question, so this is a huge plus for me.
I once purchased a MacBook Pro and had issues with it from day one. The keyboard was replaced, the motherboard was replaced and the display was replaced twice. When the sound failed on the machine, which Apple said would require another motherboard replacement, they simple replaced the entire computer. The computer was almost two years old at the time, so they upgraded me at no cost to me.
Also, don't forget that AppleCare extends the software support for three years. I'm self employed and like the idea of having someone I can call if there is a problem or if I have a question, so this is a huge plus for me.