Warranty = Ripoff ????

No idea where to put this, o is here okay???

What are your opinions on warranties...like the really expensive Dell Accident Coverage one. I read some fine print about it, and it seems like it's not worth the amount of money.

Your thoughts???

 

I don't do ext warranties. I rarely have something break unless it breaks during the manufacturer warranty period. Now some will say to get for laptops only. I just can't agree with that for one reason, I'm a techie so in a year when my warranty is up I'll be ready to replace it anyway. I take the money for extended warranties and tithe it.

 

When it comes to Dell, I personally love their service. At home service is really very nice if they don't fix it over the phone. And if they can't fix it at your house (Which they usually do), you send it in and get it fixed for free. But, that's my experience with Dell. Other people have had worse.

 

I dont abuse my laptop alot(1 broken usb and "bent" ac adapter plug) and in general, i am careful around my laptop so i dont need or want accident coverage unless it really cheap/free(i would rather spend the money on upgrades). If i wasn't careful then there would be no way my "old" lappy(look in sig) would be running today.

 

I'm just overly cautious.

 

I personally don't get anything beyond the standard warranty. I agree with Wingsbr, if something on my laptop breaks after the standard warranty has expired, I'd much rather get a new laptop then fix my old one.

 

IMHO warranties are not really ripoffs, if you got a problem that warranty can end up saving you $$$. But with all my notebooks I have never had anything go wrong that I could not easily fix myself so I usually take the standard 1 year warranty. Those extended 3yr things for me do no good cause most of the time I would have moved on to a new notebook by then.
Also most of the time the tech support people are idiots and its them you have to convince that you did not do malicious damage and that something is truly wrong inorder for them to honor your warranty and fix your system for free...

Just treat your notebook well and you might be surprised just how trouble free it can be.

 

I wish I had bought the extended warranty for my laptop. It died about 1 month after my one year warranty expired. -_- It would have saved me about $1,000.
Tim

 

They're a ripoff until you need them.

 

In about 99% of all cases, faulty hardware will go bad within a few days to a few months tops, long before the standard 1 year warranty expires. Just make sure to keep your laptop clean and cool. I would personally recommend an external notebook cooler for when you use your laptop on your desk (especially during gaming) since excessive heat will accelerate your laptop component's life span.

If you plan to do any overclocking or modding (hardware and/or software), you probably shouldn't purchase extended warranties in the first place, which was another reason why I didn't purchase any extended warranty.

 

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but what does the completecare warranty include or disclude? can't a person say his dog jumped on his desk and hit the laptops over or something like that? who says it true or not, and how can they prove this?
I'm just wondering if someone got completecare, had a problem, and dell didn't fix it..

 

Ahh yes the warranty debate, I usually go for extended if dirt cheap (like 99bucks for another 2 years). But in my G1's case I got1 year because of the particular package PLUS another year of warranty through American Express credit card

 

Think of the extended warranty as insurance for your laptop. You probably won't need it, but in those instances you can't afford to be without the laptop then it is a worthwhile investment.

 

Unless you're one of those people that gets a new laptop every year, then I think extended warranties are good. I mean cmon, ~100 bux for an extra 2 years coverage isn't much, considering how much it would cost you to replace a mobo, or cpu, or hd or ram if they broke. Not everyone can just throw out a laptop when it dies and just get a new one everytime.

I mean, how many people go around w/o life or medical insureance, or drive around in a car with no insurance.

It's like saying, hey if I'm gonna get sick, it's gonna most likely happen in the first 20 years of my life when I'm on my parents coverage and don't have to worry about it. After that age, disease rarely occur, and if I happen to die I'll just get another life.

Oh ya another thing, an amish dude with a computer? When did this happen??

 

Actually lots of people go without medical insurance. Actually there are 44 million of us in the US.

 

Ok, but show me people that are financially able to afford insurance, but don't just for kicks.

 

There is another options to cover accidental damages along with theft insurance.

Depending on you use of your notebook computer (Personal, Professional) the cost to have this added to your home insurance policy can be quite affordable.

 

Good point.

 

Meh, I love warranties. Right now, I have a Compaq Persario 8000z desktop that I purchased from Besbuy, as well as the 4 year replacement plan. A month ago, I brought the computer back to the store, complaining that my DVD drive wasn't working properly (other things were wrong too). Well, instead of just replacing my DVD drive, they gave me a DVD Burner in its place. Also, awhile ago when my 9800 256mb died on me, they replaced it with a x1300pro 256mb. My friend has also had his laptop motherboard die on him after 3 years of use. Well, he had a 4 year warranty so they gave him a complete new laptop, which is pretty awesome.

 

I would've *****ed about that, it's more of a downgrade than anything.

 

True. I've also heard numerous other stories about people getting really shafted on bestbuy and futureshop warranties. Best ones are through the manufacturers themselves. Also, if you make your purchase on your Visa, they extend the warranty for an additional year beyond the manufacturer's.