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Who's getting Applecare w/ new MP's?

I've owned 3 Apple Computers, and 2 of them have required major works by Apple - very near the cost of the laptop itself (or more once you add together the different things I've had replaced in it).

I'm a student, so Apple Care is only 50 quid. TOP value!
 
Jebaloo said:
I've owned 3 Apple Computers, and 2 of them have required major works by Apple - very near the cost of the laptop itself (or more once you add together the different things I've had replaced in it).
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Listen, you're going to hear a lot of things here, but you're better off just purchasing Apple Care and tossing it aside than not having it at all and having some kind of significant work later. There's no telling how many folks I've read/heard that have cried about not getting it when they needed it.

If you can get it during the purchase, great... but I suggest waiting before the purchase because (1) you have a whole year to purchase AppleCare and (2) the price is likely to decline.

'nuff said.
 
I am not much for extend coverage but Apple Care makes sense since so many problems could arise that could cost as much as the coverage. Plus I am in education so $199 is not that bad.
 
ErikAndre said:
If you can get it during the purchase, great... but I suggest waiting before the purchase because (1) you have a whole year to purchase AppleCare and (2) the price is likely to decline.
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The price is likely to decline? On what--exactly--do you base such speculation?

AC costs have gone up over the years, not down. Given the weakness of the dollar, that trend will certainly continue.
 
one difference that i'm seeing in this thread is the portable vs. tower form factor.

no question i'm glad i got applecare for my CD MB (which has had every problem under the sun), but it seems like the miniaturized parts and over all design (and the resulting increase in wear and tear) in a laptop make the extra insurance much more likely to be useful.

in the context of a pro tower, it doesn't seem nearly as likely to be necessary, but as extended warranties on electronics go (which are overwhelmingly nothing but a rip off), there are far worse investments than applecare.

anyone else?
 
I have bought many Macs in my time. My rule of thumb has been: AppleCare on laptops, no AppleCare on desktops.

My MacPro purchase is the FIRST time I'm buying AppleCare on a desktop machine. Why start now? Basically the cost of this rig and having been a witness to three other Apple desktop users who have needed their AppleCare. So this time I figured better safe than sorry.
 
I buy the protection most of the time, and for a nearly $3000 machine, you better believe I'm getting it.

CompUSA has all their Applecare at 30% off though (and may go down further as the weeks wind down), so that would be $175...not bad at all!

-Bryan
 
I think of it this way...even though it's a tower:

- it still has a motherboard

- it has twice as many physical processors increasing the likelihood of failure

- it separates the memory onto 2 additional pieces of hardware, the risers, which could fail

Basically...it's a computer...things can fail, whether it's a tower or a laptop. If you have the money, just like any other type of insurance, get it. Get it somewhere other than Apple to save some cash.

-Kevin
 
Jupeman said:
I have bought many Macs in my time. My rule of thumb has been: AppleCare on laptops, no AppleCare on desktops.

My MacPro purchase is the FIRST time I'm buying AppleCare on a desktop machine. Why start now? Basically the cost of this rig and having been a witness to three other Apple desktop users who have needed their AppleCare. So this time I figured better safe than sorry.
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That's my situation, too. This'll be my 7th Apple desktop, and I've bought AC for the first time of my desktops. $125 on a $3,000 machine after the problems the G5s have had aging? It's a no-brainer.

On my laptops I always get AC. I've never failed to benefit from it. From power adapters to cases to hinges, I've saved money each time. Not to mention improved re-sale value, too.
 
II wasn't going to bother but my brother is making me hesitate and thinks it's a must have. I personally was thinking that if a desktop doesn't go bang in the first year, you're probably OK. Laptops run so much hotter and are in a much more hostile environment, it makes me think it's worth it for them.

I mean, it's not insurance or anything. I get angry at the thought of having to pay for a 3 year warranty that everyone else offers for free.

My dell monitor comes with 3 years warranty - no questions asked.

Really angry about it - i'm a student and buying using ADC discount - but there's no student discount is you use the ADC option.

So i can save more money than edu price using ADC and pay full price for Applecare, or use edu discount and get a cheaper applecare...

Or i could just screw it all off. Not sure what to do. If i have to fork out the extra cash it'll mean waiting a while longer in order to mac...
🙁
 
Sharky II said:
I mean, it's not insurance or anything. I get angry at the thought of having to pay for a 3 year warranty that everyone else offers for free.

My dell monitor comes with 3 years warranty - no questions asked.
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Dell monitors might have a 3 year warranty, but not Dell systems. Those all come with 1 Year standard, and you have to buy 3 years.

EDIT: HP and Gateway also have standard 1 year warranties.

-Kevin
 
i'd never, ever by a mac without applecare: when my mbp's superdrive went funny a couple of weeks ago, apple replaced it for me within an hour when i took into an applestore. For piece of mind, its well worth it!
 
MikeL said:
If you do that, you're not getting everything you pay for. You give up the phone support during the time that you don't have AC after your first 90 days or whatever it is now. If you've decided to buy AC, there's no advantage to waiting.
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Sure there's advantage on waiting, you may not have the computer after the first year in which case you would have wasted the money for Apple Care. In my case I'm planning on getting it but closer to the end of the standard warranty. I have NEVER phoned Apple for any support even when I had problems and I'm not planning on doing it now so I don't care about the phone support.

You don't see an advantage to waiting, I don't see a reason to get it until 11 months have gone by...... so it depends on your priorities and what type of user you are.
 
well, i went ahead and got it, but only 'cause i was able to get it off ebay for a $100.

i think the one i got went for a little lower than the others on ebay because it said "power mac" rather than "mac pro" or "g5" or anything.

i called apple before i bid to double check, and they said any unused powermac applecares can be used since the policy refers to the systems spot in the product line rather than to a specific system.

if you're gonna get it, i'd say this is the way to go, no question.
 
HitchHykr said:
You don't see an advantage to waiting, I don't see a reason to get it until 11 months have gone by...... so it depends on your priorities and what type of user you are.
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This is my point of view as well. Further, I'm purchasing it with American Express, which doubles the manufacturer's standard warranty.

Everyone has their own previous experiences which they use to justify or reject warranty purchases. In my experience the first 8-11 months will give me a very solid sense of the reliability of all components of the machine. If it sails through those initial 11 months I will have no real justification for buying AppleCare (even if I didn't have AmEx's extended warranty).

Resale value, however, is another matter. With 3 years of AppleCare, I can get a higher resale price if sold within the warranty period, but I tend to keep my computers for 4+ years.
 
I'd go a step further and probably recommend getting ProCare.

My Logicboard replacement took a whopping 13 days. Sure it's a hedge but a 24hr turn around time is worth a lot of $$$ to those who rely on the machine for business purposes.
 
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