HE Warranty & Buying Apple Care. Worth it?

[allanibanez]

The HE store in the UK gives a 3 year warranty with every mac computer you buy, but it still offers Apple Care. From my understanding, Apple Care is the three year warranty plus phone support along with a guranteed courier service from your doorstep to Apple if it blows up.

Does this mean that when buying Apple Care from the HE store you are effectively paying £50 for phone support and a courier service that lasts the three years?

I have never dealt with Apple Support as I've never owned a Mac, so I'm finding it hard to justify the money being spent. Is it really worth it? Also, if I already have a warranty for free, does it mean I could just take it to my local store and say "hey, this is broken, fix it please" without Apple Care?

...that £50 could be spent on a mighty mouse you see

Many thanks guys...this is my last query before saying goodbye to £1700 of my savings!

 

[techound1]

The HE store in the UK gives a 3 year warranty with every mac computer you buy

I think I'm thick - I don't see that anywhere. The AC page talks about the standard warranty being 1 year.

 

[danielbriggs]

Yes - you're exactly right.

Here's my chat log with a guy from the Apple education store this afternoon, as I was asking exactly the same thing.

Me: Does the Apple Care (£45 version) cover parts and that? Or is it JUST phone support? Does it differ in any way from the Normal £185 apple care?

Apple Guy: For university discounts, you can the 3 years of hardware coverage anyway, so the £45 uplift is for 3 years of phone support.

Me: So if I didn't buy the £45 Apple Care, I get 90 days phone support and 3 years hardware support?

Apple Guy: That's correct.

 

[allanibanez]

I just found this...

https://store.apple.com/Catalog/uk_inst/Images/salespolicies_individual.html

"10.1.1 All Apple-branded desktop and portable computer products shall be subject to a 36 calendar month warranty period commencing from the date of purchase (the date of your invoice)."

It's pretty cheeky of Apple I think. Yes, AppleCare gives you phone support, but what it implies that it gives you 3 years worth of warranty and phone support, when in actual fact you already have it the warranty for free!

Im in two minds still. If my mac hickups and some wizard on the phone can guide me through some steps to fix it, then it will save me an 80 mile round to my nearest apple store. Hmmph, if only i was a millionaire.

 

[Blambu]

Dammit! I bought AppleCare last night, the guy on the phone was persistent in making me buy it.

I got it for £50 as I'm an HE student. Damn!

 

[allanibanez]

Dammit! I bought AppleCare last night, the guy on the phone was persistent in making me buy it.

I got it for £50 as I'm an HE student. Damn!

Well you have got something, they were just cheeky in how they sold it to you. I reccomend ringing applecare everyday for the next three years, just to get your moneys worth

 

[Blambu]

Well you have got something, they were just cheeky in how they sold it to you. I reccomend ringing applecare everyday for the next three years, just to get your moneys worth

Oh that could be fun.

 

[allanibanez]

Oh that could be fun.

Don't forget you get diagnostic software too, which will mean it can tell you in detail where its buggered up. Warranty's are good for hardware, people are good for software, so you're covered on all bases now my friend. For the small cost you've incured, I'd say it's the sensible thing - if you're left without a computer for school/work, the inconveinence of it is much more costly than a mere £50

 

[new2macx]

Ah, this is interesting! I'm buying a MB tomorrow from an Apple store (they have them in stock, I phoned ). I was thinking of buying Applecare, but then noticed this at the bottom of an email I'd received from UCAS:

"Apple is pleased to announce that as part of the negotiated extension to the HE agreement all current Apple desktops and laptops are now provided with a 3 year limited parts and labour warranty at no additional cost. This includes an on-site collect & return service for laptop and desktops."

Sooo- I don't think I'll buy Applecare after all- all I'm missing is the phone support, and I'm prepared to take the gamble on that for the sake of £47! (I'm tight you see...I can usually buy a lot with that when Macs aren't involved ). I know someone who's good with Macs and software stuff anywho, but hopefully it won't come to that.

 

[Ripmax2000]

You don't get the 3 year cover if you buy from the Apple Store, you only get it if you order for the Higher Education online store, or if you buy it over the phone.

 

[ladytonya]

Plus that is a 3 year LIMITED warranty. It is my understanding that AppleCare is more than a limited warranty. Am I wrong about that?

 

[logana]

Plus that is a 3 year LIMITED warranty. It is my understanding that AppleCare is more than a limited warranty. Am I wrong about that?

Well, the "normal" 12 month warranty is described by Apple as a 1 year LIMITED warranty.

The 3 year HE warranty is the same as AppleCare with a few small exceptions -

HE warranty has shorter phone support (see postings above),
HE warranty, in theory, is not international,
HE warranty, in theory, does not cover the cost of getting the Mac back to Apple for repairs (I don't know anybody who has ever had to pay for this though). With more and more Apple Stores though then perhaps this is less important than a few years ago.
HE warranty is free - AppleCare is not

Both warranties are transferable if the Mac is sold within the warranty period.