Thanks Beric, I MIGHT know if I've been accepted to the colleges I applied to by the time I get my macbook. Would that count or do you have to be currently attending a college to get the discount?
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Is applecare fairly priced?
- Thread starter sharky05
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Thanks Beric, I MIGHT know if I've been accepted to the colleges I applied to by the time I get my macbook. Would that count or do you have to be currently attending a college to get the discount?
in 3 years on my macbook I've replaced...
the screen
the keyboard
the motherboard
the graphics card
the hard drive
on my new imac in 1 year I've replaced...
the power supply
on my old Mac Quicksilver in 4 years I had replaced...
the graphics card
mileage may vary but it's worth it to me
technically you don't even need to be in school to get the discount but to legitimately purchase it you should be. Apple uses the honor system here and probably random audits which I've never (and when I worked at Apple nobody had either) heard of someone getting called out on.
the screen
the keyboard
the motherboard
the graphics card
the hard drive
on my new imac in 1 year I've replaced...
the power supply
on my old Mac Quicksilver in 4 years I had replaced...
the graphics card
mileage may vary but it's worth it to me
technically you don't even need to be in school to get the discount but to legitimately purchase it you should be. Apple uses the honor system here and probably random audits which I've never (and when I worked at Apple nobody had either) heard of someone getting called out on.
Wow this turned out a very popular thread...
To be honest, i probably will end up getting applecare - the price is probably worth it for me considering the cost of replacement components.
My original post, however was more focused on the question - is applecare set at the right price? I think apple are taking advantage of the fact they're selling piece of mind, and could actually make applecare a lot cheaper. This, after all, should be a service they offer to existing customers, not a separate product where competition means their price is fair. They should have the responsability of setting a fair price, given there are no rival services for mac warrenties.
To be honest, i probably will end up getting applecare - the price is probably worth it for me considering the cost of replacement components.
My original post, however was more focused on the question - is applecare set at the right price? I think apple are taking advantage of the fact they're selling piece of mind, and could actually make applecare a lot cheaper. This, after all, should be a service they offer to existing customers, not a separate product where competition means their price is fair. They should have the responsability of setting a fair price, given there are no rival services for mac warrenties.
I suppose technically the answer has to be no. Apple wouldn't do it if it wasn't a big money spinner for them.
However, should your Mac have a problem the chances are the cost of a single repair job will easily make up for the cost.
As others have said, go with EDU discounts or eBay.
However, should your Mac have a problem the chances are the cost of a single repair job will easily make up for the cost.
As others have said, go with EDU discounts or eBay.
i bought a refurb iMac g5 2.0Ghz 20 inch white model. It has problems from the beginning. Hard Drive I/O errors and Video board issues, power supply issues. All taken care of under the 1st year warranty. one the final day of the 1 year warranty I purchased Applecare for the unit i think it was like $149 or $200. I used the machine for a few months then all of the sudden the user RAM slot stopped recognizing the RAM i had in it. I called apple and explained the past issues and told them that the closest Apple Store was 15 miles away and i didnt want to have to keep driving back and forth to get this thing repaired. Well apple dispatched a tech to my house to swap out the logic board. He came out and fixed it. A Few months later, the same issue. I called Apple again (by this time i had a contact at apple customer relations that new me) I spoke with her and she reviewed my case with me again and i was expecting yet another Tech to come out, and instead she said, "Just pack it up and make one final trip to the apple store (15 miles up and 15 miles back) , they will test the RAM slot, if it is in fact dead they will REPLACE the iMac for you on the spot!!!!!!" HOLY *****, i was shocked. This machine was 2 years old and by now they had the aluminum iMacs out. I didnt think they would actually SWAP the machine for a BRAND NEW aluminum iMAc, thats CRAZY! But i went to the apple store and they tested the slot. Reviewed my case # and SWAPED it out on the spot for a BRAND NEW SEALED iMac aluminum 20 inch 2 Ghz. I was in total shock! I got home and a few days later my Apple Customer Relations contact called me up and check on how my new machine was! She actually called me just to see if everything was to my satisfaction. SHOCKED again! Then she said she needed to confirm my mailing address. I confirmed it with her and just asked her why she needed it out of curiousity. Well she informed me that since it had only been half of the Applecare warranty duration when they machine was replaced, they were going ot send me a check for the difference of the remaining applecare duration based on what i paid for the applecare... I ended up with a check for like $85! AMAZING JUST AMAZING! AppleCare is definetly worth it. without a doubt.
What a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing.
I too have had wonderful experience with Applecare. Well worth it IMHO.
Not to mention applecare also includes three years of 24/7 tech support and also covers your apple periphrials...otherwise, I wouldn't be messing with the mighty mouse again.
Find it on ebay or craigslist from a reputable source if you don't qualify for student discounts. As long as the box is unopened, you simply have to register the number in the box online to your machine.
The difference between applecare and no applecare is spending two years praying every day that your machine doesn't break and spending the same time praying that it WILL...
Find it on ebay or craigslist from a reputable source if you don't qualify for student discounts. As long as the box is unopened, you simply have to register the number in the box online to your machine.
The difference between applecare and no applecare is spending two years praying every day that your machine doesn't break and spending the same time praying that it WILL...
for myself I look at it from a "piece of my finances" standpoint as opposed to a "peace of mind" outlook........but I can understand how others would feel differently
I think a lot of people are misreading my initial post - i'm not asking if you think applecare is worth it for you, or how much it's saved you - I'm questioning the high price tag they put on a service that is cheap for them to run.YES applecare is a nice thing to have for your mac, YES it gives piece of mind, YES the cost of repairs are often much higher than that of normal macs, YES it could be financially beneficial in the long run...
Yet still, when you do the maths, applecare should be a lot cheaper - I reckon they could provide the service for under $100. Just because there is no consumer alternative to applecare, like there is to a mac or ipod, apple choose to charge what they like.
Yet still, when you do the maths, applecare should be a lot cheaper - I reckon they could provide the service for under $100. Just because there is no consumer alternative to applecare, like there is to a mac or ipod, apple choose to charge what they like.
There's pros and cons, but MBP Applecare is overpriced. Decent for a macbook though. Even better when you can just go on ebay and pick one up-cant do that with other companies. Also, I think it's worth it considering you can go to an apple store in almost any major city in the u.s. and even some foreign countries and have your computer repaired. I think it's like a VIP plan. Now...if only I didn't have to go to Safeware to provide theft or accidental damage coverage.
You've asked a question which is fundamentally impossible to answer in one way. It costs what it costs, and the price is set by Apple. Strictly on a financial basis, that makes it a "good deal" for them but not for you.
Very true. I just feel Apple should have some moral obligation to give its customers a fairer deal, seeing as they have already purchased big bucks from them.
I think it's fairly priced. Imagine replacing the CPUs in a MacPro because they overheated.. as long as it's after the 12 months warranty period the costs of fixing it are up to you.
What about replacing a logic board? look on ifixit.com those things aren't cheap! The best bit is you don't have to buy it on the day you purchase the machine, just wait until you have a month or so left on your original 12 months warranty, just don't forget about buying apple care!
What about replacing a logic board? look on ifixit.com those things aren't cheap! The best bit is you don't have to buy it on the day you purchase the machine, just wait until you have a month or so left on your original 12 months warranty, just don't forget about buying apple care!
If you buy it from Apple, then yes, it is overpriced. But worth it if something does happen. In fact, it's worth it if ANYTHING happens to your computer as it's bound to cost an arm and a leg (my girlfriend's mother replaced the hard drive in her G5 iMac through apple before I got a chance to tell her I could do it, and she paid close to $200 bucks!)
However, if you get it off of eBay or at a reduced cost, I think it is a very fair rate considering the level of service you get and the fact that you can take it into any Apple store and they'll know exactly what to do (testing, taking it in for repair, etc). 3 years is a long time for something to go wrong, especially if you have a Rev. A model or a notebook (I have the prior, and I'm eying Applecare as we speak since my warranty is up in February).
Hell, in the 3 years since I built my brother's computer, the motherboard and the video card have both flat out died, and they were both quality components. That alone cost him ~$400 (not to mention a new processor since he went from AMD to Intel), and that's only because I did the install for free. Compound that with the fact that you can't even buy new parts to forego labor costs when it comes to Apple, and you're looking at hefty maintenance fees should anything go wrong.
In a broader sense, it is very unfair, because we're at Apple's whim should anything happen to our computers. For some people, that's ok because they wouldn't know regardless how to fix it. But for people who know their way around a computer, it sucks big time. But we knew that before we signed up for the Mac Fan Club we'd have to abide by certain rules. This is, unfortunately for now, one of them.
At any rate, like someone before me said, you can argue this many ways. There isn't a clear answer. For the person whose laptop broke 40 times under Applecare, it's a godsend; likewise, for the person who never had a problem, it was an expensive piece of mind. If you think you can achieve any one objective consensus through experience and a worthy opinion, you're in for a rough ride.
As one final thought: after three years, are you really going to looking at your still perfectly functioning MBP and shout, 'dammit, what a waste of money!'?" Probably not. At most, you'll probably say "oh well."
If, however, your computer breaks after two years, will you say either 'gosh, I'm glad I got that applecare,' or 'dammit, i wished I bought that applecare!'? Almost certainly.
However, if you get it off of eBay or at a reduced cost, I think it is a very fair rate considering the level of service you get and the fact that you can take it into any Apple store and they'll know exactly what to do (testing, taking it in for repair, etc). 3 years is a long time for something to go wrong, especially if you have a Rev. A model or a notebook (I have the prior, and I'm eying Applecare as we speak since my warranty is up in February).
Hell, in the 3 years since I built my brother's computer, the motherboard and the video card have both flat out died, and they were both quality components. That alone cost him ~$400 (not to mention a new processor since he went from AMD to Intel), and that's only because I did the install for free. Compound that with the fact that you can't even buy new parts to forego labor costs when it comes to Apple, and you're looking at hefty maintenance fees should anything go wrong.
In a broader sense, it is very unfair, because we're at Apple's whim should anything happen to our computers. For some people, that's ok because they wouldn't know regardless how to fix it. But for people who know their way around a computer, it sucks big time. But we knew that before we signed up for the Mac Fan Club we'd have to abide by certain rules. This is, unfortunately for now, one of them.
At any rate, like someone before me said, you can argue this many ways. There isn't a clear answer. For the person whose laptop broke 40 times under Applecare, it's a godsend; likewise, for the person who never had a problem, it was an expensive piece of mind. If you think you can achieve any one objective consensus through experience and a worthy opinion, you're in for a rough ride.
As one final thought: after three years, are you really going to looking at your still perfectly functioning MBP and shout, 'dammit, what a waste of money!'?" Probably not. At most, you'll probably say "oh well."
If, however, your computer breaks after two years, will you say either 'gosh, I'm glad I got that applecare,' or 'dammit, i wished I bought that applecare!'? Almost certainly.
Insurance is always over-priced. Until crap happens. And then suddenly you blame yourself for being an idiot.
As for AppleCare in particular.... NO, I don't think it is overpriced. I worked at CompUSA for a while long ago. And during my time in sales there, management ALWAYS told us to push push push push sales of computer extended warranties. Pushing customers into purchasing extended warranties was very profitable for the CompUSA store.
I knew that in many cases, those warranties were difficult to redeem. If you purchased one, and you finally needed to invoke it, in some cases the 3rd Party Warranty company would have already closed their offices months ago. And it's a hassle getting tech support then! In retrospect, Apple has a pretty good track record of repairing/replacing products that are validly covered under their warranty (or AppleCare). The AppleCare pricing is really not that much more compared to the cost of the exended warranty plans from other PC companies.
Extended warranties are not for everyone. For example... if you are the type of person that gets bored of your Mac/PC after only 3 years, then chances are that the extended AppleCare or warranty will do you little good. Maybe, statistically, your computer will operate just fine in those 3 years, and you will sell it away or give it away before it starts to malfunction. Hence, the purchase of an extended warranty would not have been a good investment.
Again, extended warranties are not for everyone. But for certain situations, and if you can afford it, then it's at least worth a consideration.
As for AppleCare in particular.... NO, I don't think it is overpriced. I worked at CompUSA for a while long ago. And during my time in sales there, management ALWAYS told us to push push push push sales of computer extended warranties. Pushing customers into purchasing extended warranties was very profitable for the CompUSA store.
I knew that in many cases, those warranties were difficult to redeem. If you purchased one, and you finally needed to invoke it, in some cases the 3rd Party Warranty company would have already closed their offices months ago. And it's a hassle getting tech support then! In retrospect, Apple has a pretty good track record of repairing/replacing products that are validly covered under their warranty (or AppleCare). The AppleCare pricing is really not that much more compared to the cost of the exended warranty plans from other PC companies.
Extended warranties are not for everyone. For example... if you are the type of person that gets bored of your Mac/PC after only 3 years, then chances are that the extended AppleCare or warranty will do you little good. Maybe, statistically, your computer will operate just fine in those 3 years, and you will sell it away or give it away before it starts to malfunction. Hence, the purchase of an extended warranty would not have been a good investment.
Again, extended warranties are not for everyone. But for certain situations, and if you can afford it, then it's at least worth a consideration.
from my personal experience (and only that) buying applecare doesnt seem to be worth it.
I bought my ibook just under 3 years ago and opted not to buy the protections. Unfortunately my hardrive has died, but replacing it will cost less than 350, and from my understanding replacing most independent components will usually cost less than 350. If you are looking at chances, then the chances of various components dying and the cost of replacing them coming to more than 350 seems relatively low.
I bought my ibook just under 3 years ago and opted not to buy the protections. Unfortunately my hardrive has died, but replacing it will cost less than 350, and from my understanding replacing most independent components will usually cost less than 350. If you are looking at chances, then the chances of various components dying and the cost of replacing them coming to more than 350 seems relatively low.
LA Computer. No ebay scam worries. MBP coverage cost me $250. iMac coverage was $120.