Why get Apple Care?

[waywardsage]

So i'm waiting to get my Penryn Macbook Pro. Once I do, i'm confused on what Apple Care offers. Why should I get it? I've gotten screwed too many times on "extended warantees" for other electronic items. What makes Apple care so great vs not getting it?

 

[119576]

Well.

If you get it, and your computer breaks* then you can get it fixed for free**


* subject to terms and conditions
** YMMV

 

[MacDann]

Because it gives you a total of 3 years of 100% warranty & support. Even if you never need a repair, you get free phone support on the computer and apps. Otherwise, after 90 days you have to pay to play.

And if you buy AppleCare through the Education Store or on eBay you can find it a lot cheaper than buying it from Apple. You have up to a year from the date of purchase to buy it.

MacDann (with AppleCare on every Mac notebook I've ever owned!)

 

[Ryuukumori]

Because it gives you a total of 3 years of 100% warranty & support. Even if you never need a repair, you get free phone support on the computer and apps. Otherwise, after 90 days you have to pay to play.

And if you buy AppleCare through the Education Store or on eBay you can find it a lot cheaper than buying it from Apple. You have up to a year from the date of purchase to buy it.

MacDann (with AppleCare on every Mac notebook I've ever owned!)

So that means Apple Care is best worth using for real after you buy it and you see a problem? OR if there are no problems by the one year anniversary of your MBP purchase, you activate it, so you get the longest total usage of Apple Care, with up to 4 years completely protected?

 

[heatmiser]

Get Apple Care because Macs are more reliable than PCs, and less likely to break down or need service.

 

[MacDann]

So that means Apple Care is best worth using for real after you buy it and you see a problem? OR if there are no problems by the one year anniversary of your MBP purchase, you activate it, so you get the longest total usage of Apple Care, with up to 4 years completely protected?

No, and this is a common misconception. No matter when you buy AppleCare within the first year of ownership, it only adds two years on to the original warranty (from the date of purchase.)

So if you wait to buy it on the 364th day you own the computer, you still only get two more years. And - if something happens to it before you buy AppleCare, tough beans - it's not retroactive.

So you're really rolling the dice if you wait after the 90 days are up.

MacDann

 

[machspeed5]

wasn't there a note about apple's performance with applecare warranties at the retail level in comparison to compUSA (who they're using as a benchmark) recently? i think they're within 10% of compUSA's numbers, and they're pushing to be on par.

i mean that should be enough information not to get one. they're very high profit margin items.

 

[MacDann]

wasn't there a note about apple's performance with applecare warranties at the retail level in comparison to compUSA (who they're using as a benchmark) recently? i think they're within 10% of compUSA's numbers, and they're pushing to be on par.

i mean that should be enough information not to get one. they're very high profit margin items.

Any extended warranty is a high profit margin item for the seller, but in the case of notebooks, which are far more prone to problems simply because of the nature of what they are, and how they can get bounced and banged around, I think spending $175 over three years and getting free tech support is a good value.

No matter what it's a roll of the dice, but I would be more likely to bet on my MBP needing warranty before my iMac.

I have AppleCare on the iMac, too, but that's another story...


MacDann

 

[HLdan]

Get Apple Care because Macs are more reliable than PCs, and less likely to break down or need service.

Is that all you are capable of is smart alec remarks? Could you possibly help anyone ever? You always have sarastic negative comments.

.

 

[HLdan]

To the OP you will almost always end up using Applecare on a notebook. the opening and closing of the lid (which is daily) will result in a lose lid and moving it around a lot with turbulence causes a lot wear and tear.
Apple is very good about replacing your notebook if necessary and in many cases they will give the next model up. In my experience Apple bends over backwards if you have Applecare

 

[heatmiser]

Is that all you are capable of is smart alec remarks? Could you possibly help anyone ever? You always have sarastic negative comments.

Don't you have someone to berate for not liking Macs enough?

To the OP, I'd rec staying away from Apple care if you wouldn't buy it for a PC, and getting it if you'd buy it for a PC. Macs aren't built any better than other PCs, so use the same measuring stick to decide what to spend your money on.