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Is it worth it to purchase AppleCare?
- Thread starter mrhuynh94
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Normally I say no to extended warranties. But, I purchased it for my 2008 mbp and had a "catastrophic CPU and logicboard failure" in year 2 and AC saved me quite a bit of cash.
I purchased it on my rmbp also and even if I don't have to use it, I'm glad I have it.
If you plan on using your computer longer than 2 years I say get it. If you want to replace your computer after 2 years and say your current machine dies after a year and a half then you can just upgrade.
I purchased it on my rmbp also and even if I don't have to use it, I'm glad I have it.
If you plan on using your computer longer than 2 years I say get it. If you want to replace your computer after 2 years and say your current machine dies after a year and a half then you can just upgrade.
I've heard more than one consumer-advice expert say that extended warranties generally are a waste of money except in the case of laptop computers. The reason is that they get moved and banged around a lot, are often subject to temperature extremes (e.g., sitting inside a hot car), and are expensive to repair and replace, so they're more likely to fail than are most items. I bought AppleCare for my 2008 MBP. Three weeks before it expired, the logic board went out, so AppleCare more than paid for itself.
I bought AppleCare for my first iPod, using the same reasoning, but that iPod outlived its AppleCare coverage. I was talked into buying a Best Buy extended warranty for an expensive A/V receiver I bought in 2004. That receiver has been used heavily and is still going strong. Other than those items, I've never purchased an extended warranty. Being a gadget geek, I've bought more pieces of electronic gear and appliances in my 53 years than I can count. Not one of them went bad during what would have been the extended-warranty period; they either failed during the initial warranty period, lived long lives and died natural gadget deaths, or became obsolete while they were still working fine.
So I look at it this way: I would have spent many thousands of dollars in extended warranties if I'd bought them for every item for which they were offered, and all of that money (with the exception of my MBP's AppleCare) would have been wasted. In the long run, it makes more financial sense to me to take a chance that something will fail during the extended-warranty period. In the worst case, I'd have to buy a new item, which would be $1,000 to $3,000 in the case of an Apple computer. That's not pocket change, but it's not like failing to have health insurance or homeowner's insurance, which can bankrupt you. However, for people who don't buy that many gadgets, I understand that the peace of mind that comes from having an extended warranty is a value.
I bought AppleCare for my first iPod, using the same reasoning, but that iPod outlived its AppleCare coverage. I was talked into buying a Best Buy extended warranty for an expensive A/V receiver I bought in 2004. That receiver has been used heavily and is still going strong. Other than those items, I've never purchased an extended warranty. Being a gadget geek, I've bought more pieces of electronic gear and appliances in my 53 years than I can count. Not one of them went bad during what would have been the extended-warranty period; they either failed during the initial warranty period, lived long lives and died natural gadget deaths, or became obsolete while they were still working fine.
So I look at it this way: I would have spent many thousands of dollars in extended warranties if I'd bought them for every item for which they were offered, and all of that money (with the exception of my MBP's AppleCare) would have been wasted. In the long run, it makes more financial sense to me to take a chance that something will fail during the extended-warranty period. In the worst case, I'd have to buy a new item, which would be $1,000 to $3,000 in the case of an Apple computer. That's not pocket change, but it's not like failing to have health insurance or homeowner's insurance, which can bankrupt you. However, for people who don't buy that many gadgets, I understand that the peace of mind that comes from having an extended warranty is a value.
AppleCare is great, I had three repeat repairs and after the third one they offered me a replacement which I hadn't been expecting at all, given that my previous experience with HP left me with the impression that it'd be easier to squeeze blood from a stone than expect largess from a computer manufacturer.
Of course "YMMV", but bear in mind things like the display and logic board cost £300 to replace, one repair will have paid back the cost of the warranty.
They'll even replace cosmetic problems like uneven keyboard backlighting
Of course "YMMV", but bear in mind things like the display and logic board cost £300 to replace, one repair will have paid back the cost of the warranty.
They'll even replace cosmetic problems like uneven keyboard backlighting
I bought my Mac through the UK education store and it had 3 years Applecare included. However, I would have bought it even if it weren't free as I have seen my friend take her Mac into the Apple store time and time again.
If you are extremely averse to risk, and willing to pay for that failing, then yeah, go for it. It might make you sleep better at night, which is worth something.
Almost all consumer organizations will recommend against it. It's an asymmetric information classic: Apple knows the rate of return, and is willing to make a bet with you that in your particular situation you won't land in the margin somewhere. And math being what it is, they're right. So they profit off you. If most people used Apple Care it would not, of course, cost what it does.
It's sort of a reverse lottery logic: I bought it cuz somebody has to lose! (well yeah, it's even worse here because I guess Apple could make something where absolutely nothing breaks...).
Almost all consumer organizations will recommend against it. It's an asymmetric information classic: Apple knows the rate of return, and is willing to make a bet with you that in your particular situation you won't land in the margin somewhere. And math being what it is, they're right. So they profit off you. If most people used Apple Care it would not, of course, cost what it does.
It's sort of a reverse lottery logic: I bought it cuz somebody has to lose! (well yeah, it's even worse here because I guess Apple could make something where absolutely nothing breaks...).
If I put an SSD in my drive and actually sold the 500GB that was built in can I still benefit from Apple care or will Apple reject a claim?
Value for me is derived from price of the insurance policy against purchase price of the item in question. Would I spend roughly 25% of the product's purchase price on insurance for the Air? No. Maybe if it was custom configured and I paid closer to $1800 I may consider spending the money on Applecare. Would I spend $100 on Applecare on a $469 iPad 3 purchase? Not likely either. I see value in Applecare, but it's not worth the money outlay considering the price I paid for the product itself.
I'd much rather set that money aside, and before my year of warranty is up sell the said product and use the money I didn't put towards Applecare towards next year's model, and have a brand new warranty. That achieves two things, it help alleviates the cost of depreciation and the cost of purchase of a new in-warranty product. To me that makes sense if you're an annual upgrader.
Considering the market value of your said product after its 1yr warranty has expired, and compare that to the cost of Applecare then it doesn't even make more sense to me financially.
In the long run, if you're the type of person who always buys Applecare and buys Apple products frequently, you're the type of consumer to stand to lose and Apple stands to gain financially. In contrast, if you buy often and never buy Applecare you stand to come out ahead with more money in your pocket.
Emotions or not, peoples decisions consciously or subconsciously may be based on their risk tolerance levels. Apple is a business and everything a business attempts to do is minimize cost and maximize profit, Applecare on a whole is not structured for the benefit of all consumers, it's to help Apple maximize opportunities and profits.
I'd much rather set that money aside, and before my year of warranty is up sell the said product and use the money I didn't put towards Applecare towards next year's model, and have a brand new warranty. That achieves two things, it help alleviates the cost of depreciation and the cost of purchase of a new in-warranty product. To me that makes sense if you're an annual upgrader.
Considering the market value of your said product after its 1yr warranty has expired, and compare that to the cost of Applecare then it doesn't even make more sense to me financially.
In the long run, if you're the type of person who always buys Applecare and buys Apple products frequently, you're the type of consumer to stand to lose and Apple stands to gain financially. In contrast, if you buy often and never buy Applecare you stand to come out ahead with more money in your pocket.
Emotions or not, peoples decisions consciously or subconsciously may be based on their risk tolerance levels. Apple is a business and everything a business attempts to do is minimize cost and maximize profit, Applecare on a whole is not structured for the benefit of all consumers, it's to help Apple maximize opportunities and profits.
If you replace the hard drive with a hard drive or SSD, it will not void your warranty unless you damage something in the process. The replacement drive won't be covered.
Fully agree with you.
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Most of the big yes for AppleCare I heard from this forum are people with 2007 or 2008 MBPs, they seem to be defective products and Apple should have offered a recall program rather than doing it via AppleCare.
Like one person has said before, it depends on the product. Extended warranties are by no means a simple choice, but when you have a product that costs over $2000, with everything soldered to the motherboard, it's a much smarter choice.
Its very unlikely that something catastrophic will happen to your computer, and you'd like to believe your computer is 100% error resistant, but this is life. Things break, you get bad breaks, etc.
And if you have a Macbook Air or Retina Pro, it'll pay for itself and more in case anything ever happens.
The whole point of warranties and insurance isn't that you expect something to happen. The point is you want protection in the rare occasion that something does happen.
Its very unlikely that something catastrophic will happen to your computer, and you'd like to believe your computer is 100% error resistant, but this is life. Things break, you get bad breaks, etc.
And if you have a Macbook Air or Retina Pro, it'll pay for itself and more in case anything ever happens.
The whole point of warranties and insurance isn't that you expect something to happen. The point is you want protection in the rare occasion that something does happen.
i also would not buy it.
For the price of the Apple Care you can buy a third party police that will include accidental damage - that you are considerably more likely to use (and abuse).
Yes it's likely to be less consumer friendly... however the bottom line with all insurance policies is that it is weighted in favour of the company. The second or third poster summed it up well. I'd never buy it. If i had a manufacturing defect after the first year then I'd be polite to Apple and express my dissatisfaction with the longevity of the device. Staff can always exercise discretion in such matters and you'd be surprised what a smile and friendly face can do.
The manufacturer will cover any defects. Insurance should be for accidents that you cant foresee...
For the price of the Apple Care you can buy a third party police that will include accidental damage - that you are considerably more likely to use (and abuse).
Yes it's likely to be less consumer friendly... however the bottom line with all insurance policies is that it is weighted in favour of the company. The second or third poster summed it up well. I'd never buy it. If i had a manufacturing defect after the first year then I'd be polite to Apple and express my dissatisfaction with the longevity of the device. Staff can always exercise discretion in such matters and you'd be surprised what a smile and friendly face can do.
The manufacturer will cover any defects. Insurance should be for accidents that you cant foresee...
Always buy APP the average cost of a repair is for most Macs like 3 times more expensive than APP
The math is very simple and I'm not sure why people find it hard to grasp. The simple solution is that Apple allows you a full year to make your mind up.
If you have had no problems with the first year then statistically you are safe in refraining from Apple Care. If you've had problems then you might want to consider it. The odds are always that you wont claim.
saving the money for an insurance fund that covers accidental damage is better logic...
If you have had no problems with the first year then statistically you are safe in refraining from Apple Care. If you've had problems then you might want to consider it. The odds are always that you wont claim.
saving the money for an insurance fund that covers accidental damage is better logic...
Definitely buy Apple Care! My 2009 MBP started experiencing problems 18 months after I bought it, the graphics card started failing and my superdrive broke. Thankfully I got a new logic board and superdrive because I had Apple Care. I'd recommend buying it from eBay though since Apple charge ridiculously high prices. I bought mine from eBay for £75 where as apple charge around £250.
The new macs probably have less opportunity to fail, considering its all solid state with no moving parts and disk drives, but I'd still recommend it.
The new macs probably have less opportunity to fail, considering its all solid state with no moving parts and disk drives, but I'd still recommend it.
Tricks? My experience was that the seller had a legitimate Apple Care package and he simply emailed me the code. I entered it and I was able to use it for 2 repairs. There may be some bogus ones out, you just have to make sure the seller has good feedback.
I personally believe Applecare to be worth it at the very least for simply increasing the resale value. I will not buy a secondhand mac that doesn't have it, simply because I haven't been looking after it from the beginning and can't 100% trust the previous owner.
My late 2008 MBP received a new optical drive, a new display assembly (complete), a new battery and 2 new logic boards (fans replaced both times) near the end of the extended warranty period. All replaced under applecare that I paid $185 for. Just gave that MBP to my mother which ended up being essentially brand-new. So, she'll likely get about 2 or 3 more years out of it.
That said, I tend to keep systems (laptops/desktops) reserved for personal use approximately 3-4 years. This makes extended warranties more appealing as a risk-mitigation method for me.
To each their own though.
In Europe it's probably not, as you get a 2-year warranty on everything anyway.
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It never actually worked.
Warranties are where companies make their money, not so much the product itself. It's a similar situation with pizza franchises like Dominos or Pizza Hut. They don't make money from selling you a pizza, they make money when you purchase a soda with wings or bread sticks to go along with the pizza. For Apple, selling those extended warranties is where they make their profits which means you as the consumer ultimately lose in the long run. They wouldn't push so hard to sell Applecare if the returns were marginal, they know it's a net positive for them when a customer purchases it.
Most of the problems I see with laptops occur within the first year. My brother bought an HP laptop and after about 6-7 months a part came lose on the hinge of the screen and he had to send it to be fixed. Two months later his hard drive failed and that had to be replaced.
As for me I've had pretty good luck with my products. Nothing major has ever gone wrong (running through a list of products I have purchased and I can't think of anything catastrophic happening). With that in my mind I am willing to take my chances with the free 1 year of Applecare. Maybe I'm due? I don't know but to me it's a semi calculated risk that I am comfortable taking.
Most of the problems I see with laptops occur within the first year. My brother bought an HP laptop and after about 6-7 months a part came lose on the hinge of the screen and he had to send it to be fixed. Two months later his hard drive failed and that had to be replaced.
As for me I've had pretty good luck with my products. Nothing major has ever gone wrong (running through a list of products I have purchased and I can't think of anything catastrophic happening). With that in my mind I am willing to take my chances with the free 1 year of Applecare. Maybe I'm due? I don't know but to me it's a semi calculated risk that I am comfortable taking.
