Is it after purchase, or aftering registering it?
Do you need to register for Applecare to be valid?
Do you need to register for Applecare to be valid?
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When does Applecare start?
- Thread starter Droooooj
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Your product is automatically covered for 1 year after purchase. Applecare extends your coverage for further years and has to be registered before the end of the first year.
It starts the day of purchase. If you buy the extended plan you just need to register it sometime in the first 365 days, i.e. before the original plan ends.
If you haven't brought your machine/apple care yet. I'd consider getting it from John Lewis. They offer 2 year warranty as standard on the majority of the computers, including Macs. The retail price is always the same as, sometimes lower than Apple's own also.
The warranty is the only worthy party of the Apple Care, as the technical support can be gained from anywhere on the internet at anytime, for free.
The warranty is the only worthy party of the Apple Care, as the technical support can be gained from anywhere on the internet at anytime, for free.
drooj got his answer, but I have another question.
What happens if you buy online and it takes 2 to 3 weeks to ship? Does your Warranty (and Applecare) start on the day it shipped, or the day the item was ordered?
Anyone know? I'm just asking, this doesn't apply to me. Also, I realize the laws are different around the world, and I'm thinking about the rules in the USA. I'm sure others would be interested in the laws in other countries.
What happens if you buy online and it takes 2 to 3 weeks to ship? Does your Warranty (and Applecare) start on the day it shipped, or the day the item was ordered?
Anyone know? I'm just asking, this doesn't apply to me. Also, I realize the laws are different around the world, and I'm thinking about the rules in the USA. I'm sure others would be interested in the laws in other countries.
I'm guessing a $1000+ computer would be sent recorded delivery by courier service. So maybe the date it is recorded as being delivered?
When I've purchased my AppleCare with systems from Apple, it starts the day of shipment.
As long as you have proof of purchase that you purchased AppleCare before the end of the first year, that's fine. It doesn't have to be activated before the one-year.
Why would anyone buy Applecare at the same time they buy their macbook?
If you slobber beer on the thing during the first year and toast your logic board your Applecare won't cover it - you just wasted $200.
Wait until the 12th month to buy Applecare.
AppleCare is prorated at a daily rate once it becomes active (after the first year warranty). I know this for a fact; I do not know but believe it will be minus the cost of any repairs already completed.
Apple can invalidate the contract by claiming user abuse but they can't legally keep your funds if they won't provide service.
But I suppose the user would have wasted their money if they didn't buy a new machine after they screwed up the first one, thus having an unused warranty.
So, if I spill beer and ruin my logic board... Apple will charge me the full cost to fix it minus what I have left on my Applecare? If that's how it works then this is good to know I guess.
But... that means in order to get any kind of credit out of my AppleCare I would need to have Apple fix it at their inflated prices. I'd rather do it myself.
I still insist the prudent thing is to wait until the 12th month. No reason to take money from your bank and let is sit idly in Apple's hands until the 13th month.
Well, the only reason I see to buy/activate Applecare before the 12th month is for free telephone support. Apple products come with a 1-yr warranty, but on 90 days of phone support. With Applecare, you get the free phone support for the entire 1st year, as well as years 2 and 3.
Hmm? No; that would be sweet if it did work like that.
Apple's prices may be inflated but I doubt you would find parts prudent to a spilled beer repair for less than the price of a new macbook pro. Many around here like ifixit and I find their prices pretty fair; the logic board for a new unibody alone is 900 dollars. You wouldn't save very much by doing labor yourself, although that might bring you at around break even price of a new mbp.
Gist: Don't spill beer on your macbook pro
That explains it. I always wondered why Apple offered coverage at the time of your sale when you had a year of free warranty.
The missing piece of the puzzle for me was I did not know that phone support stopped after 3 months. I thought this was one year as well. (I've never used it).
Some people like to do things ahead of time instead of putting them off to the last possible minute. Doesn't take very much thought to figure this out.
Agreed. There have been so many times people asking to purchase AppleCare after the one-year because they forgot. They range from 1-2 weeks after.
The one and only time I used phone support was on a 4-year-old PowerBook that never had AppleCare, and they made a "one time exception" for me. It wouldn't surprise me if that is standard policy. Either way, I agree with the earlier point that it is probably best to wait as long as possible to buy AppleCare.