Would you recommend Applecare with rMBP

[Philuk84]

Right so have you had a faulty macbook over the 1 year warranty and successfully gone to Apple and argued over the sale of goods act then? So far I've only bought Applecare for this current macbook, my black macbook before that had a 3 year warranty on it. I got an educational discount on it at the time and the extended warranty was free.

I'll bear it in mind if I get a new macbook, but I'd be pretty upset if the macbook went after 2 years and Apple refused to do anything over it.

No I haven't. But I know what I'd do if I had to.

They operate in the UK so they need to abide by the consumer legislation that is in place. If you had no AppleCare and went to them after two years begging for a fix they'd say you have to pay. If you quoted the Sale of Goods Act they'd have to do something at no cost to you, and if they didn't you would take them to the small claims court. But they won't volunteer the information, you need to be armed with the knowledge. Unless you know the legislation they'll just say no.

They don't teach their 'geniuses' every single piece of consumer legislation, especially if it'll lose them money, and they're not obligated to present you with the information either.

The have a repair facility at most stores right? So I'm pretty sure that you could legal talk them into it. Trust me, it's there for this reason. Here's a link.

http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/sale-of-goods-act/

If they refused I'd speak to the manager. If he refused I'd call trading standards there and then and put them on the phone to them, if they still refused it would be a call to a higher manager with a complaint, a letter and an application to the small claims court.

Often companies make you fill in an out of warranty form, but they nearly always cough up before it goes to court. Again, if they have repair facilities I doubt it would take that much to get them to repair a faulty item. But still, you may have to wait if they ask you to fill some forms in whole they process it and it might take a couple of weeks.

It's better than paying though and it hasn't failed me yet.

 

[88888888]

I recommend. I got a battery replacement, logic board replacement and webcam replacement with my applecare

 

[underblu]

Sometimes you can get lucky with a sympathetic genius and a paper trail of repairs while under warranty. Other than those rare occasions, we Americans get screwed by our capitalist society.[/QUOT`

Last I looked Britain was also a capitalist society.

You also might want to note that Macs are more expensive in the UK. Ie: 2799.00 for a entry rMBP 15" as opposed to 2199.00 in the US. Even after purchasing Apple Care we still come out ahead

So I guess if you look at it along those lines our horrid capitalist society doesn't suck quite so bad.

 

[KUguardgrl13]

Sometimes you can get lucky with a sympathetic genius and a paper trail of repairs while under warranty. Other than those rare occasions, we Americans get screwed by our capitalist society.[/QUOT`

Last I looked Britain was also a capitalist society.

You also might want to note that Macs are more expensive in the UK. Ie: 2799.00 for a entry rMBP 15" as opposed to 2199.00 in the US. Even after purchasing Apple Care we still come out ahead

So I guess if you look at it along those lines our horrid capitalist society doesn't suck quite so bad.

Huh wonder why they're not equivalent prices. Overseas shipping and tariffs?

And I meant a capitalist society in the sense that American corporations step all over consumers. We don't have the same protection laws.

 

[Erasmus]

Firstly, just so we're clear, here in Australia, Apple provides 2 years of free repairs to at least partially comply with our consumer laws. They do not advertise it; if you look around Apple's website, you will only see one year free. Basically it comes down to knowing your rights under Australian Consumer Law. So, if for example it breaks 18 months after purchase, they may ask you to pay for the repairs, but if that happens, you will probably just have to mention that the repairs are covered under ACL (which supersedes any and all disclaimers, declarations, and anything else a company might try to screw you with). If not, a written/e-mail complaint to the ACCC should do the trick.

So in that case, buying Applecare only provides one year of extra warranty.


However, as a general comment about buying extended warranties, I would suggest you ask yourself: "Can I afford to buy another one if this breaks?" If the answer is yes, then you'll be statistically better off not getting the extended warranty. After all, it basically is more or less a bet that the product will fail somewhere between 12-36 months after you buy it, and let's be honest, they are pretty bad odds.

And if you can't afford to buy another one if it breaks, then perhaps one should be looking at buying something cheaper.

 

[Yahooligan]

Buy a Squaretrade

Why? That costs more than AppleCare.

 

[red321red321]

seems like it doesn't make sense to get this if you
a) live in a country where 2 year warranty is standard
or b) purchased your computer with a credit card that automatically doubles your warranty anyway

you're essentially paying tons of money for 1 year of coverage?

 

[Robster3]

Firstly, just so we're clear, here in Australia, Apple provides 2 years of free repairs to at least partially comply with our consumer laws. They do not advertise it; if you look around Apple's website, you will only see one year free. Basically it comes down to knowing your rights under Australian Consumer Law. So, if for example it breaks 18 months after purchase, they may ask you to pay for the repairs, but if that happens, you will probably just have to mention that the repairs are covered under ACL (which supersedes any and all disclaimers, declarations, and anything else a company might try to screw you with). If not, a written/e-mail complaint to the ACCC should do the trick.



From my experience last week Apple Care phone support told me about the 2 year warranty under Australia consumer law. I never mentioned it at all.

 

[Erasmus]

From my experience last week Apple Care phone support told me about the 2 year warranty under Australia consumer law. I never mentioned it at all.

Good. Clearly you got a nice Apple representative to talk to.

If you look through the Apple website, I doubt you will find anything about the two year warranty. Apple even have a page about ACL, where it clearly states 1 year warranty. Which is also clearly a lie.

A nice Apple representative can make magic happen. But if you get a jerk who insists on enforcing one year warranty, you will have to either talk to someone else, or complain. In any case, there is no excuse for being forced to pay for repairs that you didn't cause on an Apple computer you bought less than 2 years ago.

 

[devilcm3]

I have noooo idea who actually voted for the third choice.

either they switch machines every single machine or what

 

[Erasmus]

I have noooo idea who actually voted for the third choice.

either they switch machines every single machine or what

Huh? You mean the third choice that basically says DON'T BUY APPLECARE???

Me.

 

[devilcm3]

Huh? You mean the third choice that basically says DON'T BUY APPLECARE???

Me.

yeah, you

Hmm ... well actually the choice is the bit weird

"No, because its a retina (?)" ... like seriously?

does that mean everybody would buy applecare if its not retina? strange

 

[Erasmus]

yeah, you

Hmm ... well actually the choice is the bit weird

"No, because its a retina (?)" ... like seriously?

does that mean everybody would buy applecare if its not retina? strange

Indeed. It should just say "No, I don't buy* extended warranties."

*informal, accept the truth of.

As I stated before, betting on a product lasting more than 12 months (or 24 months in AUS), but less than 36 months seems a bad bet.

And I don't spend my money gambling.

 

[Spartanator]

No Apple Care for this guy. I've owned many Apple products over the years and have yet to have a failure or malfunction of any kind. Apple TV, 2 iPod Touch, 1 MBP Late 2010, 1 MPB Late 2011. No issues at all.

Had I bought Apple Care for all of those products, Apple would have been laughing all the way to the bank with my money.

Apple makes a good product as is. If they start breaking and dying within 3 or so years, then I'll stop buying Apple products and choose something else.

 

[Philuk84]

The poll does suck. Where is the basic 'no'?

America is great, if you're rich. No money and it seems you're largely **** out of luck.

But that's a different thread.

 

[Yahooligan]

I don't know why people think it's the government's job to protect them, a warranty is a contract. If you want a longer contract then why should it be free? Why should any company in any country pay to fix something after a contract to do so expires? Do you people work for your employers for free after you clock out? Why not?

Not digging the sense of entitlement some people have.

 

[alphaod]

Your poll is the missing the part where I buy AppleCare for the peace of mind and don't really care if it's new or not… not I that I buy used anyways. Or really care if I didn't have AppleCare.

Or rather all the responses are your opinions... I would choose not to buy AppleCare if I was upgrading at the next release, but that has nothing to do with whether or not it's a Retina MacBook Pro or not.

 

[Erasmus]

I don't know why people think it's the government's job to protect them, a warranty is a contract. If you want a longer contract then why should it be free? Why should any company in any country pay to fix something after a contract to do so expires? Do you people work for your employers for free after you clock out? Why not?

Not digging the sense of entitlement some people have.

That's fine, just stay in the USA, and your wish to be shafted by people who earn every day more than you will in your entire life will no doubt come true.

I for one actually like having a government that tries to stop corporations from shamelessly taking advantage of their customers. Therefore I like living in Australia; a nice place with warm sunny beaches, cute fuzzy animals, and reasonable consumer protection laws.

 

[Philuk84]

I don't know why people think it's the government's job to protect them, a warranty is a contract. If you want a longer contract then why should it be free? Why should any company in any country pay to fix something after a contract to do so expires? Do you people work for your employers for free after you clock out? Why not?

Not digging the sense of entitlement some people have.

You're joking right? You think it's fair that you spend £2000 on a product and then after 366 days the graphics card overheats, melts onto the motherboard and renders it useless and that the company responsible can tell you that you're out of luck and need to pay £1500 for a repair?

A product should last for a reasonable amount of time and if it doesn't you shouldn't suffer for poor workmanship. Your government is there to protect you, what do you think they're supposed to do?

Grow up.

 

[~~Hello~~]

So if my logic board went after 4 years I could take it in to Apple and quote the act to them? And they would fix it?

 

[Philuk84]

I can't say for certain whether or not you'll get a fix there and then, but that isn't an acceptable time for a product to fail at. If a product is made to acceptable E U standards then it should last for 6-8 years. That's what the act states.

You may have to argue it a bit, take them to the small claims court. The longer it has been since purchase the more they'll be difficult.

But yes, I'm pretty confident that the law is on your side and that you would get a fix. Most companies buckle once they realise you're intelligent.

I've had an xbox replaced by Currys 4 years after I bought it when it got the Red Rings of Death.

A TV from Tesco broke 18 months after I bought it, it cost £400, they gave me £350 in store credit.

A guitar pickup that broke 2 years out of warranty was replaced.

Sometimes they may require proof that the fault wasn't yours so you might have to pay to have an engineer to review it, but often they pay for that themselves and if you know that you have used it as you should have the court will award you costs. I'm not saying that it would be a walk in the park but the law is on your side.

Again, mostly they abide by the law and have followed in some out if warranty forms which you send off with your proof of purchase, credit card statement or whatever.

Trust me, stuff shouldn't break after 2 years and thus act protects you. If you've used it as it should and it breaks you will win if they don't do the right thing and replace or repair it promptly.

 

[Philuk84]

Here's a discussion on it.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/751459/

 

[inscrewtable]

Sorry about the poll sucking. It was my bad there should have been a plain 'no', as well as a retina qualified 'no'. However maybe it doesn't make much difference judging by the answers, it seems more polarised than I thought. Sort of 'definitely', or 'definitely not'.

I guess I just assumed that a mechanical drive and a mechanical optical bay with extra concomitant heat they generate as well as being mechanical, would be much more tempting to get Applecare for. But this seems to be an erroneous assumption.

 

[takeshi74]

I guess I just assumed that a mechanical drive and a mechanical optical bay with extra concomitant heat they generate as well as being mechanical, would be much more tempting to get Applecare for. But this seems to be an erroneous assumption.

Like any other extended warranty/insurance it's about the individual consumer -- not the hardware itself.

 

[iDutchman]

Since I bought my rMBP in August 5th, I have 2 months left to purchase Apple Care. Unfortunately it's a high price to pay but I will do it within the upcoming weeks.

Then again, I've had good experiences with Apple Care. Before my rMBP, I received a completely new computer (MBP 15 2012 model) to replace the MBP 15 early 2011 I had. I already had multiple repairs done to it.