AppleCare Warranty

Is the Applecare Warranty really worth the investment at time of purchase or should I wait a few months and buy it then. I have the education discount, so I'm really pondering this decision. I want to get the free Nano, as I intend on using it with the nike package to get back into shape, because summer and college has seen that slip away.

Would you buy the warranty now or wait until later in the year? I mean I could invest the 250 dollars it is and get some return in the bond market or whatever and make some money off of this deal if I tried.

But that aside, is the warranty really worth it?

 

The warranty is definitely worth it. I've heard many people talk of the replaced RAM, hard drives, defective screens and such with the AppleCare warranty.

It doesn't really matter whether you buy the warranty now or later in the year (prices will most likely not change), but there is an advantage of getting it now is that if you have any issues you can call AppleCare anytime, unlimited times. After the first 90 days (and only one call during the first 90 days is free) you have to pay for calling AppleCare if you don't have the AppleCare warranty.

 

That stinks like a .... (I'm not even sure what)

 

True...I'd rather Apple have a free telephone line...but I guess the Genius Bar at the Apple Stores are for that..but no Apple Stores in Vancouver!! At least not yet .

But at least its good service. Call centers are all in Canada and USA (no Indian accents to try to understand), and most of the time the problem is solved, according to several polls.

 

Yeah, I have yet to call and get someone who doesn't understand what I'm saying... (I was once on the phone with HP talking to this arabian lady, I was trying to tell her the address to my school... she still got it wrong after I spent an hour spelling it out with the words that corresponded to the letters of the alphebet...

"A as in Apple, yes that's right, A, good... Okay, the next letter is S as in Sally. No, not Z as in zipper, it's S as in Sally. No, not F as in Falcon, it's S as in Sally..." (It was 1:45 AM in the morning before I was done... and then the package had to go back to Fedex because it had the wrong address...)

P.S. I was also wondering if there were any alternatives to Apple Care for a warranty that also covered accidental damage? (I got one for my T-Mobile cell phone...)

 

Well, some of the Authorized Reseller stores in my city offer their own warranties...of course at a price...but they will repair your computer (well, they're Mac stores but they accept PCs too).

I got that once too. I don't remember what was the incident but it was brutal customer support ...I had to read out the serial number!! "So sir, ees dat faife...chu...foh...foh...sefan...nai...wan...chu?"

 

I have had nothing but the best service from Apple with Applecare. I know it slightly seems unfair but Apple will bend over backwards for you if you have Applecare. Some things they have done for me include, replacement of unit instead of repair. Replacing the screen with only one dead pixel. Upgrading me to the next model up for free because it would take too long to order the part I needed and my current model was discontinued.

Notebooks need it the most. You will end up using it with a notebook but I buy Applecare on all my Macs.

 

A question, if the normal one year limited warranty valid worldwide, or just valid in the US ? I am asking this as i am getting someone to buy me a MBP from US and bring it over to Germany. So if something goes wrong with my MBP, can i take it to apple store here in germany, or i have to send it to US ?

 

One correction: It's not just one call during the first 90 days, it's unlimited calls during those 90 days. iPods used to be one call though.

At least you guys have Apple Stores to go to over there, no such luck for most of us here in Europe. (there's only a handful in the UK and one in Rome, so far)

And to answer the original question, it's not necessary to purchase it immediately but I do recommend buying it as soon as possible and to remember that you can only do so during the first year.

 

It is worth it and you should get it now instead of later

 

It may be unlimited calls, but it must be for the same problem.

 

What are the exact advantages to having applecare? My understanding is that it is just easier to deal with any problem that might pop up.

For some, like me, I am interested in buying a MBP but an extra $250 for applecare just isn't possible.

Am I wrong to feel comfortable if I just get the 1 year normal warranty, and then the additional 1 year added because of using an eligible credit card?

 

That's what I am doing! It is completely safe!

 

Thanks all for the replies. I know the Indian accent thing all to well. I had that with my Credit Card yesterday getting my limit raised (since I'm in college) so I could afford a Mac...I said my e-mail address like 200000 times and the guy didn't understand me. Dell's the same way, it was a refreshing thought getting the Apple Chat people to be named Robert. I don't mind people with different accents, but I think that Customer Service Reps should speak perfect and clear English when talking to a customer. I remember the Dell commercials from a few years ago, everyone was White in the commercial, but every time I've called, it's yet to happen.

I think I'm going to buy the warranty when I purchase my MB or MBP in the coming few days.

 

i usually consider the percentage of the device cost when i contemplate an additional warranty. so, for me, with taxes and everything a 2.4 mbp is going to come in at a bit over $3000 CAD. I can get the applecare for another 300ish, so about 10 percent. since there is no chance i will be able to fork over another 3k in the next couple years for a laptop, i reckon the 10% is worth it.

as a side note - i don't reckon White (any particular reason for capitalizing this word?) people in estonia, or even france generally speak the most clear and concise english either.