UK Higher Education Contract: Free 3-year warranty - has anybody had any experience?

[ddiogyn]

Hallo,

Has anybody had any experience obtaining a repair with the UK HEC free 3-year student warranty (aka 'Applecare Base Warranty')? Is the process just as efficient as with the standard, paid, Applecare (bar phone support beyond the first year, of course), or is the process longwinded, requiring extra paperwork, etc?

Am undecided whether the 'contract uplift' to standard Applecare is worth it...

 

[j.earnshaw]

Do it - Don't hesitate

I got my protection and it was automatically applied when i bought it online. All i did was simply added the applecare to my order and they do the rest - and it is covered when it arrives.

I had to claim on mine as well when my macbook top screen broke the palmrest. I took my macbook to the nearest apple store with a copy of the applecare certificate (emailed to your account once your order is shipped), and that was it... not only did they repair that but they noticed small imperfections on the casing elsewhere and replaced all of that too. It didn't cost me anything and the repairs were perfect. It took 1 day to repair and arrive back in store to collect.

I cannot recommend this highly enough...

 

[ETID]

I only heard about this the other day off an ebay guy but supposedly you have to pay for the postage etc but the repair will be done for free under a 3 year HE warranty. If you google it there are quite a few pages about it but seems to be kept quite quiet.

 

[MacFanUK]

I got my protection and it was automatically applied when i bought it online. All i did was simply added the applecare to my order and they do the rest - and it is covered when it arrives.

I had to claim on mine as well when my macbook top screen broke the palmrest. I took my macbook to the nearest apple store with a copy of the applecare certificate (emailed to your account once your order is shipped), and that was it... not only did they repair that but they noticed small imperfections on the casing elsewhere and replaced all of that too. It didn't cost me anything and the repairs were perfect. It took 1 day to repair and arrive back in store to collect.

I cannot recommend this highly enough...

Your comment is in relation to AppleCare in general and doesn't really address the OP's question.

I only heard about this the other day off an ebay guy but supposedly you have to pay for the postage etc but the repair will be done for free under a 3 year HE warranty. If you google it there are quite a few pages about it but seems to be kept quite quiet.

Under the HE Warranty, you get everything that AppleCare offers apart from the phone support. Therefore, if you have any problems with your computer, you can take it to an Apple Store and they will take care of it for you. The uplift isn't really worth the money.

 

[L0s7man]

Your comment is in relation to AppleCare in general and doesn't really address the OP's question.



Under the HE Warranty, you get everything that AppleCare offers apart from the phone support. Therefore, if you have any problems with your computer, you can take it to an Apple Store and they will take care of it for you. The uplift isn't really worth the money.

Is three year warranty offered only in UK? I'm currently in Switzerland and it would be slightly cheaper to buy a MBP here; but I don't know about the warranty and they charge full price on AppleCare; not like UK where AC for students is cheaper...

 

[MacFanUK]

Is three year warranty offered only in UK? I'm currently in Switzerland and it would be slightly cheaper to buy a MBP here; but I don't know about the warranty and they charge full price on AppleCare; not like UK where AC for students is cheaper...

As far as I know, the three year warranty is something agreed between the UK government and Apple and is designed to make a computer last an entire 3 years of a HE degree. The three year warranty is for Higher Education (universitys) only and not for the Normal Education store (colleges, etc).

 

[rileyt]

I just got a MBP 13" for uni.

I was told by the apple salesperson via the phone store that its only for select universities and that my uni is not one of them

 

[MacFanUK]

I just got a MBP 13" for uni.

I was told by the apple salesperson via the phone store that its only for select universities and that my uni is not one of them

I've not heard that before...

I bought my MBP from the HE online store last week. I have checked the warranty status and it says it's only covered for 12 months (not that I care as it's faulty anyway),, but if my replacement says the same, I'll be on the phone to Apple straight away.

 

[instaxgirl]

I only heard about this the other day off an ebay guy but supposedly you have to pay for the postage etc but the repair will be done for free under a 3 year HE warranty. If you google it there are quite a few pages about it but seems to be kept quite quiet.

I talked to someone on the Apple chat thing who told me it's 3 years free labour and parts.

So basically if it breaks and you have to post it to them I think you pay for that, but that's it.

 

[GolfBravo]

Apple HE warranty

So basically if it breaks and you have to post it to them I think you pay for that, but that's it.

Yes, that is correct.

You need to decide for yourself whether the extra £40 for the HE uplift is worth it or not. How much would it cost you to post it to Apple? Or how much would it cost you to drive to an Apple store/service centre?

Another thing to consider is the resale value - if you're planning to sell you computer in a years time, the full Applecare definitely adds extra value to your computer.


Cheers,
GB

 

[rileyt]

I talked to someone on the Apple chat thing who told me it's 3 years free labour and parts.

So basically if it breaks and you have to post it to them I think you pay for that, but that's it.

Anyone know who I should contact as I have clearly been ripped!

 

[ijyt]

Anyone know who I should contact as I have clearly been ripped!

It applies to all proper UK Universities. It doesn't matter if it's in Kent or Edinburgh, you get 3-years warranty.

But even if you get the 3-year HE warranty, Apple's system will sometimes incorrectly display it as 1-year, which is why the person you talked to on the phone might have said you only get 1-year.

 

[rileyt]

It applies to all proper UK Universities. It doesn't matter if it's in Kent or Edinburgh, you get 3-years warranty.

But even if you get the 3-year HE warranty, Apple's system will sometimes incorrectly display it as 1-year, which is why the person you talked to on the phone might have said you only get 1-year.

Thanks.

I have called apple care and have been on the phone for about an hour.

Long story short, I now have a 3 year warranty

 

[paulbeattie87]

The extra £40 or so provides you with telephone support and an uplift from Apple. Without that you have to take the computer to an AASP or Apple Store to get it fixed.

Bought two Mac's under HED but with both of them I purchased the extra warranty, it displays on Apples systems as a custom warranty. Not sure without it, it's not the most expensive addition at the end of the day, plus it gives you telephone support.

 

[RedTomato]

I have it on my much beloved macbook. All I had to do was to go show a university card at the Apple Store at Regent St. They didn't check it, tho they might have photocopied it - I can't remember - it was nearly 2 years ago.

I paid for the uplift (I think) as I think it makes it easier to sell, though if you ask me, I couldn't say what the uplift is or what it does.

I will be taking my macbook in soon before the 3 years are up to get the cracks in the white polycarb repaired, then will sell it.