Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Why Applecare is a ripe off.
- Thread starter furious
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Yeah, I agree it is better where possible, but in many places it is not. I would love to have an Apple store near me.
Not always, yeah I've had bad experiences with insurance, but providing you do your research and you know what you are buying into, you shouldn't be unhappy with excesses, etc...
David
EDU customers in UK and USA currently do get 3 yrs warranty as default. Limited parts and labour though..
David
Lol, no, I don't actually.
I hear waht you're saying about knowing what you're getting into and doing research but most people don't read every last small print, and indeed never have the option to choose otherwise.
What happens with insurance is that people claim once realise they get half of what they expected from the insurance company and then next time claim for more than they should.
I don't do this myself but it's understandable in some way. The insurance industry obviously suffers and then premiums go up.
ANyway...enough about insurance this is an Applecare thread
I hear waht you're saying about knowing what you're getting into and doing research but most people don't read every last small print, and indeed never have the option to choose otherwise.
What happens with insurance is that people claim once realise they get half of what they expected from the insurance company and then next time claim for more than they should.
I don't do this myself but it's understandable in some way. The insurance industry obviously suffers and then premiums go up.
ANyway...enough about insurance this is an Applecare thread
Agreed.
David
I know this is a bit off topic but then again it goes with it... But alot of "new to a mac" customers buy Applecare because they are under a assumption that it covers the machine if you break it (drop it, etc...)... Ive had to explain the difference to a few people who think it is insurance.
Do we use Euros?
I know where he's coming from
No, but we are still a member of the EU.
I meant that there's a good chance the UK got some kind of exception to this rule. I don't know the directive that governs this, so I can't say for certain.
The point is, don't label it then as the entire EU. The UK is one of the oldest member states of the EU, so the original concept about warranties in Europe was wrong.
Still waiting for that 0800 number for UK AppleCare David
Ah, there seems to be a confusion here. I was referring to the telephone support included in the warranty, as I'm sure you are aware.
However, when I call for support, I tend to call 08000391515, and speak to a sales adviser who has, on occasion transferred me to Applecare.
You are correct though when you say you have to pay for the cost of the call to them as it is an 0870 number.
David
can you buy the apple care after say 11 months and a few days after your purchase. I am remember recieving an e-mail reminding me i only had a few days left to buy apple care, but this was with my iPod. Getting a MacBook for xMas but after hearing of all the faulty items i'm not so convinced!
Really? Since when? I am a student worker for a state University in the US. We had a rev. b iMac that was experiencing the same shutdown problems as the rev. a's. When we took it to a nearby Applestore for repair they told us, knowing full well this is for a University, that it was over the one-year warranty and also not covered by the repair program because it is a 2.0GHz rev b machine. We ended up having to pay ~$900 to get the machine fixed. They perhaps "neglected" to mention anything about a 3 yr education warranty.
Also our apple area representative, has never mentioned anything about it when he has been around. Personally, I would say if this exists, he may not even know about because he has been awesome working with my university.
As a general rule of thumb, we get Applecare on portables, but not desktops. We are in the process of becoming an SSA/AASP so that will help us.
can you buy the apple care after say 11 months and a few days after your purchase. I am remember recieving an e-mail reminding me i only had a few days left to buy apple care, but this was with my iPod. Getting a MacBook for xMas but after hearing of all the faulty items i'm not so convinced!
The Rev B hardware, going on initial reports, seems to be way more stable. I wouldn't worry about this anymore.
Nope, not a free number.
Perhaps I am wrong on this after all? I know that you do get it here in the UK and I thought I had seen someone on MR say they got it in USA.
David
So if i bought my MacBook on the educational discount store i would get 3 years warranty for free??? the one year warranty is shocking. Paying a grand for a laptop and just one year warranty!! What a joke... Are MacBooks reliable when using as a main computer?
So if a company is making a profit on it then it is a ripoff?? So we should probably, by your thinking, stop buying anything they sell. I could deffinitely tell you that, Apple atleast, makes more margin on their accessories and software than they do on Applecare. So I guess we should stop buying those also. Its all about an individuals needs. To some it may be a "ripoff" or as it should be called an un necassary for them. However to alot it is something they need or feel they want to have. I dont need a Ferrari, doesnt mean they are a ripoff ... just something I dont need. Just because someone makes a profit off of it doesnt mean it is a ripoff. If it is, then your not going to be able to do much shopping.
As far as AppleCare, ill buy it on everything I get. Its been well worth it for me and many of my customers.
Kevin
If you are based in the UK and are a member of a Higher Education Institution, you are eligible for the 3 year limited parts and labour warranty.
David
This past summer I had my iMac G5 pretty much rebuilt -- new logic board, power supply, and fans -- on AppleCare, which cost me a lot less than it would have been to buy those components otherwise. So thus far for me, the Apple extended warranties have worked to my benefit.
Yes and no, or rather, no and yes. The very minimum charge for an 0870 call is 4p/min (plus a 3p connection charge), and most companies rates are higher. When much of the time spent on these calls is devoted to listening to Vivaldi, the cost can mount up very quickly.
Go to http://www.saynoto0870.com/ for details - you might even find an alternative (ie non-0870 number) for Apple.
If you've paid for Applecare AND have to call an 0870 number as well you've been shafted twice. In my opinion.