Buying Applecare on second hand purchase

[Mike Boreham]

I bought my 2016 MacBook in August 2016, second hand from CEX, a well known second hand electronics chain in UK.

In theory I have a month to buy Applecare for it, since the 2016 MacBook was released in April 2016, so there can't be any doubt about it being less than a year old.

Has anyone any experience of buying Applecare for a used product, with only the second hand proof of purchase? I have had hassle with Apple about proof of purchase even for new items bought from an official Apple Reseller.

OTOH CEX give a two year warranty on second hand purchases, so it is covered until August 2018 by that, but somehow doubt CEX would cover the battery, which seems to be the most likely item needing replacement.

I understand that a replacement battery costs £199, so I am somewhat torn about buying Applecare (£229) at all.

 

[SteveJUAE]

Never thought it was an issue with serial number etc. My son just added AC to a MB I gifted him

You should be able to check when laptop was 1st registered

 

[Mike Boreham]

Never thought it was an issue with serial number etc. My son just added AC to a MB I gifted him

You should be able to check when laptop was 1st registered

Thanks. Good suggestion. I have been through the About this Mac -> Support etc route which, after entering the serial number leads to the attached screen, which shows support until July 25th 2017, but does not have green tick against "eligible for Applecare" so not sure where I stand.

 

[SteveJUAE]

I think it's not green as you have not bought it

Then it would be eligible, just phone support to confirm

Sorry I never bought AC as I don't keep my Mac's that long

 

[Mike Boreham]

I think it's not green as you have not bought it

Then it would be eligible, just phone support to confirm

Sorry I never bought AC as I don't keep my Mac's that long

HaHa! Never thought of that! feeling a bit

I really need to decide if I want Applecare on this machine since I have the two-year warranty from CEX (but which will not be the no quibble cover that Applecare is).

 

[SteveJUAE]

HaHa! Never thought of that! feeling a bit

I really need to decide if I want Applecare on this machine since I have the two-year warranty from CEX (but which will not be the no quibble cover that Applecare is).

LOL

Get it as it will be easier to sell on

 

[Mike Boreham]

LOL

Get it as it will be easier to sell on

I have never found that, but I have usually been trading in or selling to dealers, not private individuals for whom it might be true.

Anyway thanks to this thread, I am happy now that I should be able to leave the Applecare decision until July by when a new MacBook might be announced which would affect the decision.

 

[SteveJUAE]

I have never found that, but I have usually been trading in or selling to dealers, not private individuals for whom it might be true.

Anyway thanks to this thread, I am happy now that I should be able to leave the Applecare decision until July by when a new MacBook might be announced which would affect the decision.

Your welcome

 

[coolbreeze]

Pretend you're going to buy it from here:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Apple-Care/ci/19240/N/4100635868

Enter serial. It'll tell you if it's eligible.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Pretend you're going to buy it from here:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Apple-Care/ci/19240/N/4100635868

Enter serial. It'll tell you if it's eligible.

Thanks for suggestion. Unfortunately it says I have not entered a valid serial number. Tried several times, manual entry and cut and paste. I notice that shipping restrictions say "ships to USA only", so maybe it knows I am in UK.

 

[ARK]

I bought an early 2015 12" MB from Best Buy as an open box. I called Apple on Feb. 2017 to check and they needed a valid purchase date for when I purchased the machine. By my calculation I called one year on the dot from when I purchased the machine Feb. 2016. By Apple's estimates it was originally purchased April 2015. Once I found the receipt and told them the date they took my word for it and added on the AppleCare. She was patient as I went looking for the receipt too. Had I not had the receipt they wouldn't have added AppleCare.

Original purchase 4/2015
My open box Best Buy purchase 2/2016
Called Apple 2/2017
Insured until 2/2019

 

[Mike Boreham]

I bought an early 2015 12" MB from Best Buy as an open box. I called Apple on Feb. 2017 to check and they needed a valid purchase date for when I purchased the machine. By my calculation I called one year on the dot from when I purchased the machine Feb. 2016. By Apple's estimates it was originally purchased April 2015. Once I found the receipt and told them the date they took my word for it and added on the AppleCare. She was patient as I went looking for the receipt too. Had I not had the receipt they wouldn't have added AppleCare.

Original purchase 4/2015
My open box Best Buy purchase 2/2016
Called Apple 2/2017
Insured until 2/2019

I had similar experience buying a new MBP a few years ago from an Apple Reseller, who must have had it stock for longer than Apple assumed, so when I bought it my purchase date was later than Apple had on their system. I had my purchase receipt which they accepted and allowed Applecare to run from.

My MacBook was a second hand item from CEX so not like your open box or my previous experience. OTOH I bought it second hand on August 16th 2016, and the Apple page above has it covered until July 25th 2017, so it was only 3 weeks old who I bought it.

 

[navaira]

I bought a rMBP from unauthorised reseller on Amazon UK. Apple refused to accept the purchase date. They requested an amended invoice. Reseller sent me one. Apple refused to accept it. Reseller sent me an invoice from an authorised reseller with purchase date of one day before I bought it from the unauthorised one. Apple refused to accept it. Finally they put my purchase date as January 2016 (I actually got it in June). The unauthorised reseller apologised profusely and gave me free Applecare.

One of those has very good customer service. One deflected me with template emails (the same three times) and dragged me for a week only to ignore all that I sent them. Guess which is which.

The lessons I got from that:
– if Apple's customer service has 95%+ satisfaction rate I never want to find out how Samsung's customer service works
– if you buy from an unauthorised reseller they will be super nice to you and give you free Applecare extending your warranty from 1 year (from them) to 2.5 years (from Apple)
– and, finally, Brexit is awesome if you don't live in the UK (total savings, including free Applecare, 1/3 of the price)

 

[iphonehype]

HaHa! Never thought of that! feeling a bit

I really need to decide if I want Applecare on this machine since I have the two-year warranty from CEX (but which will not be the no quibble cover that Applecare is).

What branch did you buy from? Get the care. I wouldnt want anyone apart from Apple reparing my machine should anything go wrong. The machines are new too, so we dont know what will happen / failure rate after 1 - 3 years.

 

[Mike Boreham]

What branch did you buy from? Get the care. I wouldnt want anyone apart from Apple reparing my machine should anything go wrong. The machines are new too, so we dont know what will happen / failure rate after 1 - 3 years.

Fair points. I suspect CEX wouldn't attempt a repair of a Macbook. More likely to do an exchange. Older Macs yes, and I wouldn't be very happy either, but newer Macs are so unreparable I can't see them trying. Everything needs a new motherboard and it wouldn't be worth their while.