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Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
10/08/09
Recently, I had some problems with my almost 3 year old laptop(end of life as far as I'm concerned, just over a month left on warranty.) Dell tried several times to repair my laptop. In each instance, a part was overnighted and a tech sent out the next day, save for the instance that I requested the part sent to me so I could fix the problem to my satisfaction.(if I can't fix it, there's really a problem) Dell basically bent over backwards trying to correct the problem.
After unsuccessfully repairing the problem, despite having replaced virtually the entire machine, Dell decided to do a laptop exchange. The rep informed me that it would be a newer model. Despite the fact that any newer model would likely be an upgrade, especially with regard to the basic specs, I politely voiced my concerns about the resolution of the screen and a couple of my other requirements(bluetooth, I HATE dongles). I was assured that I would be satisfied with the replacement. Less than a week later, I had a new computer.
What did Dell send me?
A completely loaded Studio 15. And, when I say completely loaded, I mean completely loaded... as in EVERY single upgrade. $1900+
I believe that's called "hitting one out of the park."
10/08/09
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07/31/09
Accidents happen. You never know.
(e.g. Dell Complete Care is a bargain if your ever damage your laptop. However, Applecare will not cover accidental damage so either have a good homeowners policy, or coverage for that baby).
Oh yea, and Xbox 360 (RRoD could happen to you!)
07/30/09
It also includes a free extra battery.
07/30/09
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07/30/09
Appliances on the other hand...I always get extended warranties and I've always got my money back through service.
FYI: I bought an expensive Sager notebook and a three year extended warranty. At about two years and 11 months the mainboard died. The warranty company couldn't find a comparable replacement so they gave me 2500$ in cash. I win.
07/30/09
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07/30/09
The black Macbook I had had a few problems that took a great deal of time to develop. The first case was within its complimentary period, which was the random shutdown syndrome that plagued many a Macbook during the rev A days, but the notorious display flicker didn't hit until my second year with the machine.
I may or may not purchase the extension for my MBP. I'll decide at like the last month or so of my built-in warranty, like I did for my blackbook.
07/30/09
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07/30/09
I bought Complete Care on my wife's Latitude...over various times got the MB replaced (4x) and the HD replaced (2x) because of various issues -- drops, spills, etc. None of those would be covered by a normal warranty, whether extended a few years or not.
07/30/09
No company wants to take a verdict on its products or on whether its disclaimers are, in fact, valid.
Often, I explain that it costs very little to commence an action and I can appear pro se, whereas a corporation is required by law to appear through counsel. Even submitting an answer costs about $300 for attorneys' fees. It's cheaper and easier to simple waive the fee.
Even if it is an expensive purchase, I still won't. A $3000 computer should last at least 3 years without failing. And I'm fairly certain that I can get 4 out of 6 jurors to agree with me.
Finally, I pay with a credit card to get the warranty match that my card gives me.
Ultimately, it's a waste of money.
07/30/09
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07/30/09
Let us say I buy a $2000 MacBook Pro. It is a computer that is made by a company whose advertising slogan is "It Just Works". I am personally of the belief that a $2000 computer should be able to function for four years without a component failing. The drive should not fail, nor the motherboard, the memory, the monitor, the keyboard, the ports, or any other part.
Basic economic theory states that the value of an item is determined by what a person is willing to pay for it. It also states that additional information leads to greater efficiency in the marketplace and more reliable valuation of a particular good.
Now, if I "know" that my $2000 computer is likely to have some component fail at some point after the one year warranty period but before four years (which is what an AppleCare extended warranty will get you), why would I then pay MORE for the computer?
The additional information is that the computer is likely to have a component failure between 13 and 46 months after purchase. That detracts from the claim of solid engineering or good manufacturing practices and leads me to believe that the computer is not, in fact, durable or reliable.
The information that the computer is likely to fail anywhere between 1 year and 4 years after purchase does not generally enhance its value.
What "savvy" or "experienced" AppleCare customers are saying is that they know that their computer is going to fail within four years and that Apple will refuse to repair the defect for free. And with this knowledge, they will pay an extra $300 to get Apple to fix something at no cost that it should fix at no cost anyway.
Even if you have AppleCare, accidental damage is not covered. It's not insurance, it's an extended warranty whereby you pay them so you don't have to pay later for things you never should have had to pay for.