AppleCare

[IronMac]

keep in mind that almost all credit cards double your warranty. So you are really getting two years when you buy the computer. So your really only getting one extra year. Plus by then your computer has significantly deprecated in value. AppleCare, really any extended warranty is a huge cash cow for manufactures.

Yeah most credit cards do extend your warranty but I was under the impression that they didn't do repairs.
Personally I'm a firm believer in extended warranties. I went through 6 PS2's on a extended warranties. I look at it as an insurance deductable you pay up front. Isn't there something about worldwide service included with the portables applecare. It will cover any display you purchase with you system too.

 

[climbguy]

They cover repairs, you take it in for servce and they cut you a check. I have gotten a computer, cell phone, and some other random stuff replaced from that.

Yeah most credit cards do extend your warranty but I was under the impression that they didn't do repairs.
Personally I'm a firm believer in extended warranties. I went through 6 PS2's on a extended warranties. I look at it as an insurance deductable you pay up front. Isn't there something about worldwide service included with the portables applecare. It will cover any display you purchase with you system too.

 

[IronMac]

They cover repairs, you take it in for servce and they cut you a check. I have gotten a computer, cell phone, and some other random stuff replaced from that.

Nice, I thought it was theft or homeowners type insurance.

 

[climbguy]

any extra they try and push on you when you buy something is a rip off. Retailers ALWAYS try and push extended warranties.

 

[eon.]

Retailers ALWAYS try and push extended warranties.

While this may be true it doesn't always mean it's a ripoff.

Look at it like this: if your iMac breaks, will you know how to fix it? How about your friend or neighbor? Any of you have spare iMac parts made by Apple? Didn't think so.

If I were buying a normal desktop PC I wouldn't bother with a warranty because I know how to fix my own stuff and parts are relatively cheap when shopping online. An iMac however is completely different. Not to mention the fact that it's an entire computer smashed into one single device, monitor and all. Unless you have a bad stick of ram, you're pretty much out of luck trying to fix it.

 

[climbguy]

I'll give my scenario as an example. I bought the 2gz macBook from apple for $1099+tax (I negotiated on the price). After I sell the iPod and printer the computer will cost ~$950.

Now, I get 1 year of coverage from Mac and another from MasterCard. So I have two years of coverage. Now I would have to pay $183 to get the third year which is a rip off for several reasons.

By year three the computer will significantly decrease in value. So paying $183 in today's dollars to cover something that may happen more than two years out is horrible. Take a look at what two to three year old macs sell for today then to a net present value of their appleCare plan from year one. Your getting screwed.

Also, If a big enough repair is needed during the second year odds are mastercard will just give me money to buy a new computer. I'll just charge the computer to my card again and start over. I bought a computer in 2001 and had it replaced twice. Each time I get a new computer I buy it with my card and get two more years. Granted you have to have enough repairs that it comes within about 75% of the original cost.