Sony Warrany for Vaio Z

I'm planning on purchasing z790 Cto model. I'm going with the high end options so I want to get get an extended warranty but there's no wording on accidental damage for the ones in canada. Is this included or can I get this somewhere from third party.

I've also noticed I can pick up an onsite warranty from frontierpc.com http://www.frontierpc.com/ProductDetails.aspx?eId=10687343
It's cheaper and it looks like a better deal than purchasing from sonystyle but again doesn't mention accidental damage.

Can anyone comment on their experience with warranties in canada. Any problems sending it in and are you paying for shipping during the first year.


thanks

Dianne
Toronto, Canada

 

Funny you should mention this. A friend of mine has had extended conversations with Sony in the U.S. concerning the Sony extended warranties (ESPs) in the States which are administered not by Sony but for Sony by Service Net.

In Canada, I see the following on SonyStyle Canada:

Sony Care Extended Service Plan - Is Sony’s very own Manufacturer’s Service Plan. That means you are fully supported by a network of Sony owned and Sony authorized service centres nationwide, and that you will receive the same efficient, quality treatment you have come to expect from Sony.
http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/SonyCareSearchView?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001

Dear old Service Net, as I and others have posted elsewhere on this forum, actually seems to sell its identical Sony warranties through third-party vendors like Provantage who allow accidental coverage after the purchase of the computer -- and charge much less than Sony does for the same access to the same Sony techs, etc.

SonyStyle USA, on the other hand, requires that the accidental coverage be purchased WITH the computer -- a distinction with a real difference. My friend informs me that Sony in the U.S. is in the process of preparing a more extensive Webpage with more clarifications on these warranties.

So it seems that Service Net in the States is funding its post-purchase Sony ESPs with accidental damage coverage for its third-party vendors in part from the higher rates that SonyStyle charges for the same services. Piggy-backing on the Sony name, in my friend's assessment of the situation.

In Canada, or so it seems from the SonyStyle Canada Website, Sony takes complete charge and control of its own ESPs and fully extends its own original warranty. Not a bad idea, in my opinion. Service Net is more likely to fold than Sony is so I'd rather have Sony than a third-party. The downside is that since Sony does not have accidental coverage in the original Canadian warranty, when it extends its own (as opposed to a third-party administered) warranty, there is no accidental coverage there to extend, of course.

Perhaps consider an alternative means of accidental coverage to supplement (or even replace) a true Sony warranty in Canada. Someone posted that they put a rider on their homeowner's (or tenant's) insurance policy to cover the computer. These sorts of riders often/usually cover the item throughout your extended use (in your car, etc.).

I look forward to hearing from more forum members on your post. This is clearly an important area of concern for all Vaio owners in the U.S. and Canada.