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Should I AppleCare or not?

J

johnnyyt

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 22, 2013
67
0
my 1 year warranty is almost up on my rmbp 15 but i still don't know if i should get applecare

it hasnt showed any signs of slowing down or failing on me in the future. none of the IR issues has shown signs since i have the samsung display.
my drive is samsung and not toshiba or hitachi like some others may have
everything seems to be in good, stable condition

im pretty good with my electronics. i have never purchased extra warranty coverage on any fo my electronics and have had very good luck so far. not sure if its just me taking good care of them or getting lucky with the right products.

reading through the forums, it seems like everyone else has issues with theirs which makes me wonder if it'll ever happen to me..?
 
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 or renew it once it expires.
  • 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
As to whether AppleCare is worth it or not, that's a matter of opinion. You'll find lots of opinions on both sides, with roughly 75% saying it's worth it. You really need to decide if it's worth it to you. If you want more information, you can search the forum, where you'll find dozens, if not hundreds of threads asking "is AppleCare worth it?" The overall consensus seems to be about 75% in favor of it.
 
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AppleCare is recommended for rMBP specifically because everything is soldered or glued in. Say for example a RAM module were to go bad, unlike past MacBooks RAM is not a user-replaceable part. So if you needed service it would likely be very costly to fix out of warranty.

But before you do, there are other options out there. For example if you paid with a credit card like AMEX or Discover your warranty is automatically extended by the CC company by a year. People here have also mentioned stuff like Homeowner's Insurance. Might be worth looking into.
 
swerve147 said:
AppleCare is recommended for rMBP specifically because everything is soldered or glued in. Say for example a RAM module were to go bad, unlike past MacBooks RAM is not a user-replaceable part. So if you needed service it would likely be very costly to fix out of warranty
Click to expand...

I have AppleCare on my 15" rMBP because I thought the same thing. But since everything is solid state if after one year if everything is alright, well, what can go wrong really? Most things like bad RAM are usually apparent early on. I guess I'm just saying there is an argument that these new Apple solid state MacBooks might be the ones that don't need AppleCare.
 
swerve147 said:
AppleCare is recommended for rMBP specifically because everything is soldered or glued in. Say for example a RAM module were to go bad, unlike past MacBooks RAM is not a user-replaceable part. So if you needed service it would likely be very costly to fix out of warranty.

But before you do, there are other options out there. For example if you paid with a credit card like AMEX or Discover your warranty is automatically extended by the CC company by a year. People here have also mentioned stuff like Homeowner's Insurance. Might be worth looking into.
Click to expand...

i paid in cash so the extended warranty is out of the question. i guess i'm just really worried about if it will even die out within the next 2 years or not. electronics will fail over time but i don't wanna purchase the warranty and then have my rmbp die on me right after the warranty ends
 
johnnyyt said:
i paid in cash so the extended warranty is out of the question. i guess i'm just really worried about if it will even die out within the next 2 years or not. electronics will fail over time but i don't wanna purchase the warranty and then have my rmbp die on me right after the warranty ends
Click to expand...

Basically $10/month for peace of mind. Plus it will increase resale value if you want to sell it. I wouldn't have a laptop without it.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/582543-REG/Apple_MC247LL_A_3_Year_AppleCare_for_15.html
 
niteflyr said:
^^^^
Buy it at above link. Cheaper!
Click to expand...

i live in toronto and they don't ship to canada, unfortunately.
with the education discount, i get the applecare here for 259.99 so its not so bad, except for the 13% tax part :mad:
 
johnnyyt said:
i live in toronto and they don't ship to canada, unfortunately.
with the education discount, i get the applecare here for 259.99 so its not so bad, except for the 13% tax part :mad:
Click to expand...

Wow, 13% tax is crazy.
 
I didn't buy it for my rMBP and I'm wondering if I should have. My warranty expires today :eek: so ordering it now appears to be out of the question since I'll not be able to register it until I get my hands on the box.
 
maflynn said:
I didn't buy it for my rMBP and I'm wondering if I should have. My warranty expires today :eek: so ordering it now appears to be out of the question since I'll not be able to register it until I get my hands on the box.
Click to expand...

run out to the store and buy it?

i guess applecare is a good way to go. since these parts aren't really self-serviceable and if anything were to go wrong, it would probably cost more than the laptop itself to fix
 
If I have time, I'll see if I can do that. With kids, its difficult to find some "me" time to those types of errands.

----------
johnnyyt said:
run out to the store and buy it?

i guess applecare is a good way to go. since these parts aren't really self-serviceable and if anything were to go wrong, it would probably cost more than the laptop itself to fix
Click to expand...

I usually recommend it but my prior laptop (a 13" MBP) didn't have it and its still going strong. I'm playing the odds if I don't get it, but it does give you 2 more years of peace of mind if something fails. I have a couple of more hours to mull this over and see if my local staples store has it. I'm not sure I want to try to head to the mall to see of best buy has it at this stage.
 
The value of AppleCare became immediately apparent when my iBook G4 broke down about 15 months after the purchase date, and I had to get it serviced.

Normally I won't buy extended warranties because, given the likelihood of the stuff breaking down, they're just not worth it. For individual desktop components I'm fine with mfr warranties. For a laptop that already costs upwards of $3000, however, with no intention of selling it a year down the road, it's a risk I can't afford to play hardball with.
 
johnnyyt said:
reading through the forums, it seems like everyone else has issues with theirs which makes me wonder if it'll ever happen to me..?
Click to expand...
That's the nature of any discussion forum site. People post when they have problems and questions. They don't post to say "All is well".

maflynn said:
I didn't buy it for my rMBP and I'm wondering if I should have. My warranty expires today :eek: so ordering it now appears to be out of the question since I'll not be able to register it until I get my hands on the box.
Click to expand...
You can order directly from Apple and have it kick in immediately.
 
Gosh, just went to check on "About this Mac" and I seem to be using a computer that's more than a year old... how time flies. At least the "should I shouldn't I" question is out of the window.

Wonder how much longer I will love this machine for... a year is a long time for me with a computer...
 
johnnyyt said:
i live in toronto and they don't ship to canada, unfortunately.
with the education discount, i get the applecare here for 259.99 so its not so bad, except for the 13% tax part :mad:
Click to expand...

Buy it on Ebay from reputable seller, they can possibly e-mail you the code if you want (even if they don't ship to your address, you do not pay tax :). I paid $228 for mine, perhaps BH Photo can also do that
 
johnnyyt said:
i live in toronto and they don't ship to canada, unfortunately.
with the education discount, i get the applecare here for 259.99 so its not so bad, except for the 13% tax part :mad:
Click to expand...
Wait, what? B&H does ship to Canada. I bought my Panasonic GX1 kit and other bits from them last year because the camera shops here often don't sell below MSRP.
 
John Adams said:
Over the past five years, I've saved more than $2000 not buying Applecare on numerous products. It's ridiculously overpriced.
Click to expand...
A single MBPR display replacement costs $600+ out of warranty, labor costs not included. AppleCare is a downright bargain.

It might be a ripoff for a cMBP, but it isn't for MBPRs. Integration is not cheap re: repairs.
 
It's totally up to you, my 17 inch 2011 macbook pro has just displayed some issue on logic which is going to cost me like 575 $ for replacement fee although your macbook pro will not be broken somehow, you have to pay like 200 for per year as far as I know.
 
Never bought AppleCare for any device I have had before but a rMBP is gonna be different. I am spending £2000+ on a laptop that is very expensive to repair so for peace of mind it's no brainer IMO to get it
 
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