Applecare on new PowerBook 17"

bostonmerlinbostonmerlin
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
have already purchased my 17" powerbook but still have a chance to get the applecare protection package. What are you thoughts? I'm thinking i should go for it (Even at $349 for the powerbook). Being a fragile laptop, first iteration 17" etc...



Thoughts? Should be a good idea but if the concensus is that applecare sucks.. i'll reconsider!



tks

bm
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    Do it. Look at what happened to Fran (his story is in a thread in General Discussion).



    If anything breaks, as it will, after a year, you will have to pay outrageous prices to fix it. Your only options if your computer breaks are to either buy a repair from Apple (expensive), buy a new computer (expensive) or live with it (which sucks). For example, the slot loading drive doesn't seem like it's all that durable could easily break. If it breaks more than a year after buying the computer, you're out of luck, you would have to buy a replacement from Apple for something like $800, or you could get an external firewire drive.



    I'd recommend AppleCare. Apple's support might suck sometimes but they have to follow through, it's part of the warranty. I'm going to have to use my tax return to fund my AppleCare... bought my iBook in December, I'll have to get AppleCare sometime soon. Unless, of course, I want to replace the iBook before then.
  • Reply 2 of 21
    fran441fran441 Posts: 3,715member
    I bought the AppleCare Protection Plan for my PowerBook G3/500 (Pismo).



    At first, I regretted it because Apple's support was so lousy and I felt I had thrown the money away.



    But now I'm getting a brand new 15" 1 GHz PowerBook G4 just because I had the plan (and because they didn't have the drive I needed).



    Just so you know, I'm also buying AppleCare for this machine as well.
  • Reply 3 of 21
    escherescher Posts: 1,811member
    Definitely get AppleCare! It's expensive, but worth it. I had to pay $300 to replace the Reed Switch on my out-of-warranty iBook. More than it would have cost me to get AppleCare. Also remember, you can wait until the 12th month after purchase to buy (and register) AppleCare. So you can delay the additional cost until just before the included 1-year warranty expires.



    I've sworn to myself that I would never get a Mac without AppleCare again!



    Escher
  • Reply 4 of 21
    bostonmerlinbostonmerlin Posts: 28member
    great replies... looks like i'll get it!!!



    tks all!
  • Reply 5 of 21
    alcimedesalcimedes Posts: 5,486member
    yeah, i got it on my machine and even though there wasn't that much wrong with it (funny color shift on the bottom of the LCD) they sent me out a brand new machine and transferred all my data over for free.



    i've been very impressed with them. (although not the phone folks, they're morons)
  • Reply 6 of 21
    fuzz_ballfuzz_ball Posts: 390member
    FYI - Applecare doesn't protect you if you spill coffee on it or drop it, or it gets stolen at your office or while travelling; however, your personal property/homeowners insurance does, for likely an extremely cheap price (I only have to pay an extra $20 per year). So 3 years of this protection costs me $60 vs. $349. Of course it doesn't cover manufacturers defects, but it does cover my clumsiness which is much more likely than a 1 in 10,000 defect (I don't know if that defect rate is accurate, I'm just trying to make a point).



    So keep in mind that other things besides a part-defect could cause you just as much headache and trouble that your Applecare won't cover...
  • Reply 7 of 21
    serranoserrano Posts: 1,806member
    Duh.



    Apple Care is a necessity on all portables.
  • Reply 8 of 21
    jobesjobes Posts: 106member
    question...



    applecare comes with tech tool deluxe. it only boots off the CD in OS9 afaik. the new powerbooks (and probably the forthcoming imac revisions) only boot in os x.



    anyone heard anything about micromat releasing a cutdown deluxe version of tech tool pro 4, which is a cocoa app?



    i've just bought a 12"PB with applecare, and i expect to have the option of getting a boot cd for my machine should i need to run those diagnostics...



    this could affect quite a few new PB users in the near future ...
  • Reply 9 of 21
    i-bent-my-wookiei-bent-my-wookie Posts: 326member
    Always buy the extended warranty with laptops. there is almost no user-servicable parts so everything is an extremely expensive repair.



    If you plan on keeping it for more than a year... buy it. Plus it is fully trasferrable so it helps you book keep its value.
  • Reply 10 of 21
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    For the very spotty service record AppleCare has shown (one need only look at Fran's ordeal or other like him) AppleCare costs way too much. If you use your machine heavily, any problems will crop up in the first year of ownership. Dell provides much better service for the same money as what Apple charges for the PB protection. 3-4 years on-site/next day. Myself having seen that level of service provided, I think they do the best job, by far. If AppleCare cost about as much as it does for the iMac on all models AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHATSOEVER WHY IT SHOULD NOT! then I'd say it's a fair deal, but they insist on reaming you in the ass when it comes to powerbooks. For what they charge PB's should include on-site/next -day service and 24/7 tech support for the whole 3 years.



    Don't get it unless you give the machine a thorough workout first, then, if anything at all looks fishy, get it in the 11th month, not before.



    There are also cheaper insurance alternatives to Applecare, I would look at some of those first.
  • Reply 11 of 21
    escherescher Posts: 1,811member
    [quote]Originally posted by Matsu:

    <strong>If you use your machine heavily, any problems will crop up in the first year of ownership.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I use my iBook very heavily. The backlight cable didn't break until well into my second year of ownership. Replacing the Reed Switch (which is hardwired to the backlight cable that needed to be replaced) cost me $300. Wish I had gotten AppleCare.



    Personally, I've only had good experiences with Apple repair service. It's pricey, but efficient. I've never owned or serviced a Dell myself, but have heard horror stories of 2-hour hold times on Dell's help line to address both hard- and software problems. Both friends with those horror stories had to dump their Dell laptopss after less than two years of use. YMMV.



    Escher
  • Reply 12 of 21
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    AppleCare is still much too expensive on all but the iMac and eMac. You can get similar coverage from other sources and I would look into those rather than AppleCare. It should be there for your piece of mind, as a quality assurance, not to make Apple fat. There's no reason why it should cost as much as it does. It's over 500 here in Canada, ridiculous. An insurance plan through your credit card will cost you a lot less. I have over 60K insurance on mine, and I plan to use that before I think of giving Apple any free money.
  • Reply 13 of 21
    der kopfder kopf Posts: 2,275member
    [quote]Originally posted by Escher:

    <strong>YMMV.

    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    That's an abreviation I have not oft seen. What does it mean? 'You make me vomit'? Honestly, I have no clue.
  • Reply 14 of 21
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    Your Mileage May Vary.
  • Reply 15 of 21
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    I liked, "You Make Me Vommit." Know of any good eating disorder forums?
  • Reply 16 of 21
    dviantdviant Posts: 483member
    I've been having all kinds of problems with my PBG4 550's combo drive (purchased March 2002) and am very very glad its still been under warranty. As I speak they are sending me yet ANOTHER box to send my damn laptop back. I'm pretty fed up but at least its free.. (except for my time).



    If you plan on keeping the book for more than a year than I think you MUST get Applecare. However in my case I almost think its just as well to sell the darn thing before it runs out and put that $350 towards a new book (plus some more $$$ of course) which is what I intend to do...
  • Reply 17 of 21
    escherescher Posts: 1,811member
    [quote]Originally posted by der Kopf:

    <strong>That's an abreviation I have not oft seen. What does it mean? 'You make me vomit'? Honestly, I have no clue.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    der Kopf: Luca is right, YMMV means "your mileage may vary," which means that you might see different results under (your) different circumstances. Mileage refers to the fuel efficiency of a car, expressed in miles per gallon (of fuel), thus the term "mileage."



    PS regarding your interpretation of YMMV: I've never tried Kopvlies [sic], but I don't think it would make me vomit. I've been brought up to eat (and like) whatever I am served.



    Escher



    [ 01-27-2003: Message edited by: Escher ]</p>
  • Reply 18 of 21
    wacwac Posts: 2member
    For $350 I should be able to have a hot spare shipped out to me with a credit card deposit of some sort, along with a cable to move my data if the machine is still servicable. Instead my laptop disappears in a box to Texas for a week and a half. Doesn't seem like a worthwhile venture.



    Particularly when the two reed switch examples we've heard about so far cost $50 less than the extended warranty.



    I lost hard drives 3 times while still under original warranty and each time my Pismo disappeared for 10 days. Very aggrivating. The 4th time the hard drive cooked itself to death (thanks IBM), I bought a replacement myself and installed it.



    But the extra money does help the company so I'm not sure if its a bad idea anyway.
  • Reply 19 of 21
    tomjtomj Posts: 120member
    [quote]applecare comes with tech tool deluxe. it only boots off the CD in OS9 afaik. the new powerbooks (and probably the forthcoming imac revisions) only boot in os x.



    <hr></blockquote>



    just wait until the grey apple screen shows up (like when you know it's found x instead of 9) then press the "c" key. I mean, it works for me so give it a try.
  • Reply 20 of 21
    jobesjobes Posts: 106member
    [quote]Originally posted by tomj:

    <strong>



    just wait until the grey apple screen shows up (like when you know it's found x instead of 9) then press the "c" key. I mean, it works for me so give it a try.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    bzzzzzt! wrong answer. read the question. <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[oyvey]" />



    you're suggesting something that only works on dual boot machines. after yesterday and introing new PMs this question is a lot more of a pressing issue for people.
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