Apple Care Protection Plan - To buy or not to buy?

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
I have decided to purchase the MacBook and the question becomes, is this warranty a must have?



I would assume if anything goes wrong it happens within the 1st year, but I have never had a Mac before so I need some direction here.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    Anyone?
  • Reply 2 of 15
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    IMO, get the Applecare. I tend to be a bit cynical and I like the insurance. Especially with the laptops which had their share of problems. My 2 cents.
  • Reply 3 of 15
    galleygalley Posts: 971member
    The general consensus is that extended warranties should be avoided. AppleCare is the exception to the rule.
  • Reply 4 of 15
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Galley View Post


    The general consensus is that extended warranties should be avoided. AppleCare is the exception to the rule.



    1. Why is Apple Care the exception?

    2. What problems have you heard about the MacBook line?
  • Reply 5 of 15
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Buy AppleCare. Twice I bought it, twice within the past 5 years it paid for itself in the repairs needed in the 2nd or 3rd year of my parents' iBook (screen died), now my MacBook Core[1]Duo (DVD burner died).



    Normally with Macs one or two componens might fail, this can be anywhere between 1 month old and 3+ years old. Most vulnerable in this order: hard disk, screen, motherboard, otherstuff...



    My 2 cents.
  • Reply 6 of 15
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by austintx05 View Post


    2. What problems have you heard about the MacBook line?



    The Rev A Core[1]Duos have been problematic, though workable... Core[2]Duos Rev A and current Rev B are pretty decent, still, hard disk generally across the PC world is vulnerable. Next, motherboard... Memory usually OK. Screen and battery [outside of mass recalls], rare but possible issues.
  • Reply 7 of 15
    aryayusharyayush Posts: 191member
    I am in a dilemma about this too. I have a 17-inch first generation MacBook Pro that I bought nine months ago. The SuperDrive has already failed once and I got it replaced.



    APP is pretty expensive in India. It costs somewhere around Rs. 15,000, i.e. US $375 approximately. Should I or shouldn't I?
  • Reply 8 of 15
    aplnubaplnub Posts: 2,605member
    Buy it.
  • Reply 9 of 15
    I am



    Going into the Apple Store tommorrow to get my 2.16 MacBook w/ AppleCare



    I am so excited!
  • Reply 10 of 15
    ryukyuryukyu Posts: 450member
    I would advise you to buy it.

    Laptops in general (not just Apple) seem to have more problems than desktops.

    All of that heat generating electronics packed into a tight space I guess.
  • Reply 11 of 15
    bergermeisterbergermeister Posts: 6,784member
    Speaking from experience: GET THE APPLE CARE PROTECTION PLAN.



    I am not kidding.



    Do not think twice about it. Buy it. Any repair after the warranty expires will be more expensive than the cost of the plan.



    iMacs have a plan that costs ¥22,000 (I live in Japan). Repairs for the iMac start at ¥49,000 (motherboard, which is the most likely component to need replacing), whihc is more than double the cost of the plan. My friend just had a two-year-old iMac that was not covered die on him and he ended up buying a new (much faster and with iSight) machine for only about 300 US dollars more than the quoted repair price (multiple failures: power supply, motherboard, HD- quite literally the whole computer up and kicked the bucket).



    I repeat:



    GET APPLE CARE.
  • Reply 12 of 15
    do you have to buy the apple care when you buy the hardware?



    Thanksx

    Chris
  • Reply 13 of 15
    ryukyuryukyu Posts: 450member
    No. You can buy it anytime before the default 1 year warranty expires.

    If you need phone support after 90 days, you'll either need to ay on a per case basis or buy Applecare.
  • Reply 14 of 15
    crentistcrentist Posts: 204member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aryayush View Post


    I am in a dilemma about this too. I have a 17-inch first generation MacBook Pro that I bought nine months ago. The SuperDrive has already failed once and I got it replaced.



    APP is pretty expensive in India. It costs somewhere around Rs. 15,000, i.e. US $375 approximately. Should I or shouldn't I?



    Call your Apple Support for details, but I seem to recall that unlike desktops, because portables are portable, you can buy their Apple Care Protection Plan anywhere in the world. You could get away with paying a little less (US$340?) unless you were a student, and you would only pay in the US$270's.



    Worth looking into?
  • Reply 15 of 15
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ryukyu View Post


    No. You can buy it anytime before the default 1 year warranty expires.

    If you need phone support after 90 days, you'll either need to ay on a per case basis or buy Applecare.



    Sweet thanks heaps. well it would be my first mac so i think i might need that phone support... lol
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