AppleCare: 90 days or 1 year?

matsu

The other day I was nosing around my campus store looking at some halfway decent (steeply discounted) iBooks. I asked about AppleCare and the clerk told me the price, no surprise. "But I have a year to sign up, right?" I asked.



"Nope, it's now 90 days."



Exsqueeze me! 90 days! When did this happen? Is it a Canada only thing, or is he full of it? I know the warantee period is still one year, bbut now you only have a 90 day window to sign up for extended coverage! This can't be right, can it?

stunned

Well, In my country (somewhere in Asia), the applecare plan is available as long as the mac is still withnin 1 year of purchase.



Well, maybe this is the catch for the steeply reduced price

eman

I don't think Apple changed it, so this guy's probably just full of it.

ghost_user_name

From <a href="http://www.info.apple.com/support/applecare_products/warranty/features.html"; target="_blank">http://www.info.apple.com/support/applecare_products/warranty/features.html</a>;

[quote]Apple One (1) Year Limited Warranty (U.S., Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean)



WARRANTY COVERAGE

Apple?s warranty obligations are limited to the terms set forth below: Apple Computer, Inc. ("Apple") warrants this hardware product against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ONE (1) YEAR from the date of original retail purchase. iPod is covered separately under a 90 day warranty<hr></blockquote>

murbot

It wasn't too long ago I went over this with the local guys... I think buddy was trying to get you to buy the AppleCare from him.

progmac

AppleCare extended provides 3 year telephone and hardware support.



The basic appleCare that comes with a new computer is 90 days phone support and 1 year telephone support, so the 90 days the clerk was talking about was simply for phone support

leonis

Well. iPod also now has 1 year warranty



All Apple hardware DO come with 1year warranty



The 90 day thing is regarding free telephone support.

murbot

He meant the time he has to sign up for AppleCare. You can do it 11 1/2 months after you buy the iBook if you want to. Sounds like the guy was saying he had 90 days to upgrade the warranty to the 3 year AppleCare policy.



I'm sure it's still a year. Some resellers will sell it to you cheaper though when you buy it right away - the guys here do.

leonis

[quote]Originally posted by murbot:

<strong>He meant the time he has to sign up for AppleCare. You can do it 11 1/2 months after you buy the iBook if you want to. Sounds like the guy was saying he had 90 days to upgrade the warranty to the 3 year AppleCare policy.



I'm sure it's still a year. Some resellers will sell it to you cheaper though when you buy it right away - the guys here do.</strong><hr></blockquote>



Same here. I can get 10% off on Applecare when I buy the machine with it at the same time. But I always choose to ignore this offer



[ 11-07-2002: Message edited by: Leonis ]</p>

nebrie

Anyone know what's better? Applecare or insurance such as Safeware?

murbot

AppleCare covers hardware issues... but if you knock it off the counter or dump a beer into it, you're on your own. That's what Safeware is for. Covers basically everything you can think of except theft from an unattended vehicle.



I bought a Safeware policy right after dumping some tea into a PowerBook. Luckily it dried out and I didn't have to use it. Still have the policy though... worth it with a laptop IMO.



[ 11-07-2002: Message edited by: murbot ]</p>

matsu

Safeware, would you recommend it over Applecare then?



Anyone know if they're good about honoring claims? Or do they give you the runaround untill you give up?

giant

Safeware is not a substitute for applecare, but I can't imagine owning a laptop without safeware since it covers even accidental breakage.



Safeware does not cover mechanical failure as the warranty does.



<a href="http://www.safeware.com"; target="_blank">Safeware</a>



[ 11-07-2002: Message edited by: giant ]</p>

paul