AppleCare necessary?
Hi all!
I'm new! Both to Macs (just ordered a 15" MBP 2.33) and to the Forum (although I've been following it intensively over the last couple of weeks). Here I am, writing on a dying Dell laptop while hoping for a swift delivery of the new baby.
Anyway, I have a question that I have not found answered in the Forum so far and maybe the pro's can help me make up my mind: as I said, I'm using my laptop professionally and not being able to use it even one day, is a major problem in my line of business. When I bought the Dell, I bought some Gold service package, etc. and was VERY happy I did (2 new mainboards, 1 new screen, new WLAN adaptor, 1 new keyboard, etc. in 3 years and free of charge).
Looking at the details of AppleCare on the website, I could not find real details of what is included and what isn't (what kind of repairs, how quickly, how does the on-site service work and where it is available). Therefore, I wanted to ask you guys the following things:
- What does the AppleCare package include exactly?
- Has anyone needed it and what was the experience?
- Has anyone not purchased it and regretted it?
- Is it better to buy it with the MBP or wait for the first year?
Thanks for your help, comments, suggestions, etc.
Best regards,
Martin
I'm new! Both to Macs (just ordered a 15" MBP 2.33) and to the Forum (although I've been following it intensively over the last couple of weeks). Here I am, writing on a dying Dell laptop while hoping for a swift delivery of the new baby.
Anyway, I have a question that I have not found answered in the Forum so far and maybe the pro's can help me make up my mind: as I said, I'm using my laptop professionally and not being able to use it even one day, is a major problem in my line of business. When I bought the Dell, I bought some Gold service package, etc. and was VERY happy I did (2 new mainboards, 1 new screen, new WLAN adaptor, 1 new keyboard, etc. in 3 years and free of charge).
Looking at the details of AppleCare on the website, I could not find real details of what is included and what isn't (what kind of repairs, how quickly, how does the on-site service work and where it is available). Therefore, I wanted to ask you guys the following things:
- What does the AppleCare package include exactly?
- Has anyone needed it and what was the experience?
- Has anyone not purchased it and regretted it?
- Is it better to buy it with the MBP or wait for the first year?
Thanks for your help, comments, suggestions, etc.
Best regards,
Martin
Comments
Get the AppleCare Extended Warranty always if you purchase a laptop. I can't tell you how many times it's come in handy to fix something or other. The good thing is that you don't have to purchase it until just before your standard one-year warranty is up-- but make sure you don't forget. Usually if you call Apple and express at one point a desire to purchase AppleCare, they'll call you to remind you just before the standard warranty expires, but don't count on it.
In 2004 I bought a PowerMac G5 Duo 2.5. At about the six month mark the power supply failed and was replaced under warranty. Given that the G5 was a new unproven design and based on the one problem already, I bought AppleCare at the 11 month mark. The computer worked perfectly until July of this year when it started have major problems. In all I made 4 trips to an AppleStore for servicing, they replaced both processors and the motherboard before deciding that the computer was unrepairable and I had put up with enough. They replaced it with a brand new MacPro 2.66. Total cost to me for the repairs and new computer: $0.00. I WILL be buying AppleCare for the MacPro at about the 10-11 month mark.
If you're making monry with your computer, then buying AppleCare is a no-brainer. I think Apple also offers a more expensive option of AppleCare that gives you priority on appointments and repairs. Someone else may know if they do or not.
All of this info was very valuable. The overwhelming response was to take the safe option which is what I had planned anyway. It's good to know that there are many helpful and experienced people out there, willing to share their experience with a newbie.
Best regards,
M.
I'm also new to this forum & to macs. I've finally given up on pc's and windows and will shortly buy a MBP 13". However I'm in the same pickle as 'magicmartin' was in a couple of years ago. The thread answers most of the questions, but the remaining question is: Is it safe to wait until the 10th/11th month of the first year before I buy applecare so as to maximise the length of the warranty?
Further to that; do you get preferential treatment if you have applecare in the first year if the MBP breaks, or would they treat you the same as if you had the normal 1 year warranty remaining?
I'm very excited about the prospect of a computer that will work consistently - to put you in the picture, it took 4.5 hours to update my iphone to 3.0! Crashed half way through update, then restored to factory settings and then crashed half way through the backup restore! I hate pc's!
Thanks for your help
The main advantage of buying AppleCare with the purchase of your computer is you have free telephone support for the whole three year period. The computer's original one year warranty provides free telephone support for only the first 90 days. If you live close to an Apple Store that might not make any difference.
Thanks to codger - I thought that that might be the case but I hoping it wasn't. In hindsight my hopeful thought of a four year warranty for the price of a three year was a bit stupid!
If companies were losing money on extended warranties, they wouldn't offer them.
Most problems with computers will occur during the first 12 months and during that time your standard warranty will apply.
That being said, some people still want extended warranties just for the peace of mind and that's okay.
Just remember it's a roll of the dice and the odds are that you will lose the money buying the extended warranty.
i have always purchased applecare for all my apple products except ipod shuffle
my most recent experience makes a great point
mb c2d 2gb ram, optical drive went out
went to apple care on line, filled out the form and got a reference fixit number
called applecare in less than 30 seconds got an nice lady who went through some things
well since i'm over 100 miles from nearest service she
sent me fed ex next day box to ship it to apple
that afternoon sent it out
tracking emails told me when it arrived and repaird and sent out the same day
got it two days after i first called apple care.
my friend who saw all this was just mesmerized at how well apple took care of me, because she has to find "friends" to fix her windows machine.
had a similar experience when my niece dropped my wifes MB, and messed up the hard drive
even though it was dropped then said no problem and replaced the hard drive and using superduper rebuilt the hard drive and bingo hassle free and up and running.
so for me its well worth the price, and the hassle free relationship with apple is wonderful
apple since 1984 and the above are the only times i've had to get apple to fix my machines, presently i have 5 macs, 2MB's and 3 imacs. (my g3imac use as a print server)
also if you purchased refurbished from apple the cost of apple care makes the total as if you bought new. so you can save money.