Check the 2nd bullet point in post #12. If you still have warranty coverage remaining, you can buy AppleCare. If your warranty is expired, you can't. It makes no difference when you take your Mac out of the box or turn it on.
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Should I purchase AppleCare?
- Thread starter amyylouise
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On the B&H issue, click "buy together & save." AppleCare is 50% off. 20% off Crucial Memory. Free software. And for those who aren't familiar, they are reputable. I've bought most of my DSLR gear from them.
My finger is hovering over the go button now for a 17".
My finger is hovering over the go button now for a 17".
Anyone have expierence in buy AppleCare in a country they did not purchase the Mac in? I have family in the states and B&H does not ship apple care outside of the states but they do ship other items to Canada is the reason they don't ship to Canada because AppleCare won't register properly?
You can call Apple and ask for mercy - they most likely will do it - you may need to ask for another department if they say no at first. Well worth the call.
The UK price for an 11 MBA is $1100 ex-VAT versus $999 in the US so all EU consumers pay for an extra year's warranty; the expected warranty costs are simply included in the base price. While you get great consumer protection it is not free since you wind up paying more whether or not you want the longer warranty. It's no doubt a bit cheaper on a per year basis because pile can amortize the warranty costs over a larger sales volume. I do agree buying Applecare to get 1 extra year is a waste.
I wonder how Apple handles post 1 year warranty claims on non-EU purchased machines owned by EU residents. I'm guessing only the 1 year warranty would apply since it was a US purchase and it clearly comes with a 1 year worldwide warranty.
My $.02
I've always bought AC with every Apple product I've owned. Even when I buy used I always make sure there's at least a year or two left on the AC. I like having the peace of mind knowing that I can always bring it in to the Apple Store and know it'll get fixed. I never buy from a store like Best Buy or Apple. I'm always searching on eBay. The last one I bought for my 2009 uMBP, I bought that one from B&H.
I've always bought AC with every Apple product I've owned. Even when I buy used I always make sure there's at least a year or two left on the AC. I like having the peace of mind knowing that I can always bring it in to the Apple Store and know it'll get fixed. I never buy from a store like Best Buy or Apple. I'm always searching on eBay. The last one I bought for my 2009 uMBP, I bought that one from B&H.
I'm not as sure as you are that the higher prices are (only) due to a difference in consumer protection (and in Belgium, the price difference is only 65 USD after deducting the 21 % VAT). Just look at what Apple charges for their products in Brazil... Also, I was under the impression that products from European brands were more expensive in the states?
US-bought Apple products that are not on sale in Europe are not covered at all by Apple in Europe, and if I remember my old professor correctly, warranty is bound to place of purchase. Which would mean that if Apple in Europe checked to see where the product was bought, they could legally deny post 1 year service based on the product being bought in the US that only offers a one year protection.
I didn't mean to imply all of the difference was due to consumer protection, just that Apple probably includes higher warranty repair costs in the pricing - so part of the costs go to covering that in order to maintain margins. Of course, Apple will also charge what the market will bear so the EU pays more overall.
Of course, the VAT really adds to the price.
Actually, not always. I have often seen things sell for less in the US, even ex-VAT. In addition, Apple ships from China so shipping costs are probably about the same for the US and the EU.
Interestingly enough, Apple offers worldwide service for portable products (those that can operate without a power cord) and says they may limit proaction to others to the country of purchase. Pretty liberal terms compared to many companies.
^ This. Any question of worth on any topic is highly subjective. The OP, as is typical for threads like this, does not provide enough information for anyone to make a recommendation in line with the OP's sense of worth. If it wasn't subjective we'd either all have AppleCare or we all wouldn't have it.
The question is ...Punk... do you feel lucky??
haha
Seriously though. Any issues with laptops and also my iMac ocurred within the mid to 2/3 through the second year. I had a video card replaced free by Dell and I had my LCD replaced by Apple for my iMac. I shudder to consider the cost to replace them myself.
The question really is, if something major goes wrong within the second year, can you afford to replace it or repair it yourself? It may cost 279.00 or whatever the cost is now, and you may never need to use it. Front end it costs you a bit, but who is to say what financial position you may be in the next couple of years.
The catch with insurance on anything is, it's a waste of money if you never have to use it, but it is worth more than it's weight in gold if you do.
WW
haha
Seriously though. Any issues with laptops and also my iMac ocurred within the mid to 2/3 through the second year. I had a video card replaced free by Dell and I had my LCD replaced by Apple for my iMac. I shudder to consider the cost to replace them myself.
The question really is, if something major goes wrong within the second year, can you afford to replace it or repair it yourself? It may cost 279.00 or whatever the cost is now, and you may never need to use it. Front end it costs you a bit, but who is to say what financial position you may be in the next couple of years.
The catch with insurance on anything is, it's a waste of money if you never have to use it, but it is worth more than it's weight in gold if you do.
WW
I'm pretty sure that the weight of an AppleCare box in gold would be comparable to even the most expensive Apple repair.