Techsurvivors

Archives => 2008 => Topic started by: george on February 06, 2008, 08:43:05 AM

Title: Apple care
Post by: george on February 06, 2008, 08:43:05 AM
Ten minutes ago I received a phone call from Apple saying that my 90 day free help was due to expire and would I be interested in purchasing Apple Care.
The machine that I have is the iMac 24-ins Intel dual.
Since the store that I bought it from provide 1 year parts and labour, is Apple Care worth the money.
George
Title: Apple care
Post by: RNKIII on February 06, 2008, 09:13:10 AM
Short answer;  Yes, No, Maybe!!!  whistling.gif

Long answer;  If that were a laptop of some type that would get carried about and taken on 'holiday' I'd definitely say ,YES.
BUT, as it is a 'stay at home', safe on the desk, desktop that you've not had any 'problems with so far,  inspect.gif  I'd say, NO.

But as in all things $$, the final decision is yours.  Thinking.gif


Bob K.   rnkiii
Title: Apple care
Post by: Paddy on February 06, 2008, 10:23:47 AM
I tend to agree with Bob. I've never had AppleCare on a desktop and never regretted not having it. I've only had one issue within the first year - the defective G5 with thermal overruns, which went back to the Apple Store for exchange within 36 hours! Any other issues have been after AppleCare would have expired. And then only one problem - power supply on my G5 died at the 3.5 year mark, and was a $425 repair. On our laptops, I've bought AppleCare 2 or 3 times, but never actually used it either. (Again - on 4 Powerbooks/MacBook Pros, only one issue and that was a keyboard gone wonky and it went back after 3 days) On my last one, I didn't bother with AppleCare - no issues after 18 months.

I don't generally buy extended warranties for anything - one exception I made recently was the LCD TV we got for my parents. They offered total replacement, on-site, for 4 years, for $200. Since LCD TVs aren't generally fixable, this seemed like a good idea for my parents, who are in their 80s. For us - wouldn't bother.

So...it's highly dependent on your own circumstances/tolerances. If you are willing to take the chance (however small) of an expensive repair out of pocket then forgo the warranty. If you would be incredibly regretful if something happened and you didn't have coverage, then get the extended warranty. smile.gif

Do have a look to make sure that there aren't a whole lot of reported issues with this model too (Apple forums would be a good place to look).
Title: Apple care
Post by: chriskleeman on February 06, 2008, 10:57:01 AM
In my mind, only if you can get a discounted price. Are there educational discounts in the U.K.?

LA Computer Company sells at the discounted price, but I don't know if they will ship it out of the country.

IAW Bob and Paddy, however, that stay-at-home machines are probably a safer bet than a laptop. But as Paddy suggests, check out the reliability factor of that specific machine. If I'd done my homework, however, I would have gotten Applecare for my MDD G4, which eats power supplies for a living.

That's my two cents worth!

Chris K whistling.gif

Title: Apple care
Post by: gunug on February 06, 2008, 11:18:00 AM
The new iMAC's are said to be amongst the hardest things to work on and they're "very" fussy in things like the plumbing that goes out from the processor and the video cards (separate card for video).  I would say that you probably do want the plan.  I have two of the next size smaller (20") in being repaired right now!  These are not really desktops but laptops in a desktop case!
Title: Apple care
Post by: Xairbusdriver on February 06, 2008, 11:20:56 AM
I think the "90 day" part is just for free phone help. You still will have one year on the parts, although it may require taking it back to an approved dealer. What you really pay for, with AppleCare is another two years of warranty and the phone support, I guess. I've never called Apple about anything in the last 30 years. smile.gif YMMV.

The only AppleCare I've bought was for my wife's iBook and the mini I use at church (it's really a laptop machine and I can't watch it 24/7). And even in those cases, I didn't buy it through Apple.

cheapskate xABD
Title: Apple care
Post by: dakota on February 06, 2008, 12:54:12 PM
Definitely go for it.  If not for the hardware, for the software issues.  I have always carried it, and have never been sorry.  I got more than my money's worth from it!
Title: Apple care
Post by: Gregg on February 06, 2008, 02:31:10 PM
Jim is correct. You have 1 year from the date of purchase to extend the warranty for two more years with AppleCare. Do you use the free telephone support? If not, maybe you don't need AC for the reasons given above. But, if you run into a puzzle that the TS Geniuses can't solve within the next 9 months, maybe it would be worth it then.
Title: Apple care
Post by: Larry on February 06, 2008, 03:12:09 PM
QUOTE(george @ Feb 6 2008, 02:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Ten minutes ago I received a phone call from Apple saying that my 90 day free help was due to expire and would I be interested in purchasing Apple Care.
The machine that I have is the iMac 24-ins Intel dual.
Since the store that I bought it from provide 1 year parts and labour, is Apple Care worth the money.
George


I have a MacBook Pro laptop and I haven't taken out Apple Care, with Time Machine I'm backed up.

I have never bothered with Apple Care.

Larry
Title: Apple care
Post by: george on February 07, 2008, 06:39:59 AM
It seems from the answers given that Apple Care is not the way to go.
Having a G4 MDD for five years and no problems (that TS did not cure) and having a 17 ins  PB (three years old) and store extended warranty (not used yet) I think TS is my Apple Care.
Please tell that I am thinking intelligently.
George.
 whistling.gif whistling.gif  
Title: Apple care
Post by: Gregg on February 07, 2008, 07:20:49 AM
Yep. It's still a fall-back for 9 months. smile.gif
Title: Apple care
Post by: Mayo on February 07, 2008, 12:09:17 PM
Another Thread, More Opinions...

Me?  When my white 24" Intel gets close to the one-year mark I will be getting AppleCare. AppleCare is the only extended warranty I have ever bought. The L.A. Computer Co. price works out to $5 per month for the extra 24 months. The retail price works out to a little over $7/month. That is roughly the cost of a couple McStarbucks Crappuccinos  getsick.gif  per month...

BTW, I am really enjoying this iMac... 24" is the Sweet Spot for me when it comes to screen real estate. The strange screen flashing went away on its own weeks ago. I had noticed an interesting fan-type noise that changes when I slightly tilt the iMac, but even that seems to have disappeared... Or I haven't moved the thing in awhile... I guess it just needed to be broken-in a bit.

Once I get my hands on an Intel MacBook Pro me thinks I will be good hardware-wise for at least five years. I won't be trading-up unless I snag another Really Good Deal that makes financial sense...
Title: Apple care
Post by: kcourt on February 08, 2008, 04:47:46 PM
With all of the macs I have owned, probably about seven, I never purchased Apple Care until the last one, and never had a problem. I purchased the dual (not Intel) 2.5 with liquid cool (because of the new technology I purchased Apple Care) and I never used it.  verysad.gif  

If I had to do it again, I would say no.  I think when there is a problem, it generally happens within the first few weeks, and it is still under warranty.  thumbup.gif

Just my opinion.

Kathy flower-smilie.gif
Title: Apple care
Post by: Gregg on February 08, 2008, 09:26:47 PM
I pulled the trigger on my new Mini after only a month. I was convinced by the "it's built like a laptop" angle, and the old "rule of thumb". The downside to my advice above is that if you have problems before a year is up and decide that AppleCare is needed, you might have to wait awhile before you can get it, or might end up paying full retail price for it when you could save $ but not time.
Title: Apple care
Post by: jcarter on February 12, 2008, 08:11:20 AM
I bought it on both of my iMacs.  The first one didn't need it, and I bought it from a little local store, so I was pretty sure if something had gone bad, they would have fixed it.
But I bought a re-furb from Small Dog, and it had that power supply issue, it burned out. Small Dog would have fixed it for free, but I would have to get it up to Vermont.
So I asked my local store and they fixed it for free, and then the logic board fizzled and they fixed that also and had to install another new power supply because the logic board and the ps should have been replaced together.  Didnt cost me a cent.
I did find that the Apple Care was half price if I got it within a time frame of buying the new computer.
Hope that helps.
Jane
Title: Apple care
Post by: antony on February 12, 2008, 08:40:13 AM
Just one more point, you can buy your AppleCare Protection Plan to extend the warranty to 3 years anytime during the first year of the Mac. It does not have to be within 90 days.
Title: Apple care
Post by: RHPConsult on February 12, 2008, 11:58:57 AM
Everybody's cvorrect, George!     toothgrin.gif

You have a year to decide, AFAIK

My personal experience(s):
I've always let any new electronic equipment run 24/7 for 30-40 days after getting it home, on the presumption that if anything will go wrong, it will likely  do so within that time frame. My only question would be would John Lewis, Ltd. replace your InteliMac under their policy?
Title: Apple care
Post by: george on February 13, 2008, 07:09:48 AM
Dick, after a long association (50 years) as a customer with John Lewis we have parted company in that I pre-ordered in July '07  the new 24 ins iMac and by November it still had not arrived.  The excuses that I was given did not hold water  as far as I was concerned so I went next door to specialist dealer ( Micro Anvica) who supplied said item on the spot. I asked the question of regarding replacement and they tell me that if Apple are unable to repair they will replace.
George