Applecare

doctormo · Mar 18, 2007

What exactly is applecare?

Is it worth the extra $ ?

Kash · Mar 18, 2007

Applecare is essentially an extension to your standard Apple warranty.

Many consider it unnecessary for a desktop Mac because if nothing serious has gone wrong within the first couple of months, chances are you have a solid machine for years to come.

However, it can be quite useful for a portable Mac as there is a higher chance of something going wrong. The simple fact is that the packed components are more likely to fail from heat or blunt trauma, both of which can happen at anytime, which is why an extended warranty is a good idea.

The good news is that if you're a student, you can get a significant discount on Applecare :black:

KoDorSean · Mar 18, 2007

this link will give you all the info you need on applecare.

http://www.apple.com/support/products/

in my opinion its worth every penny.

XMARLTONX · Mar 18, 2007

Applecare is awesome!

Its an extended warranty option, comes available on all Apple products. I have one for my iPod and when it died a few weeks ago I brought it to the Apple store and they said "It'll be about two weeks until we can get a new one".

They had a new one for me NEXT DAY!

I'm ordering my Macbook in less than two weeks (and the wait is killing me lol) and I'm definatly spending the extra $183 bucks on Applecare because hey, you never know.

XMARLTONX · Mar 18, 2007

Kash said:
The good news is that if you're a student, you can get a significant discount on Applecare :black:

How so buddy? I know of the education discount, is that what you mean?

Kash · Mar 18, 2007

XMARLTONX said:
How so buddy? I know of the education discount, is that what you mean?

That would be the one :black:

Kilted1 · Mar 18, 2007

Another thing about Applecare is if you decide to upgrade to another mac and want to sell your old one the Applecare follows the old one. Which can make it more attractive to a potential buyer.
Maybe not your situation at the moment but something worth thinking about

johncarvill · Mar 18, 2007

What I've been wondering about Apple Care - aside from are they kidding with that £200 price tag? - is if you, like me, just bought a MacBook a few weeks ago, why shell out for Apple Care now when you've got a year's warranty? Surely the time to consider paying for Apple Care is when your warranty is about to run out? Or is there more to it than that?

Anyway the gigantic cost, and the evangelistic zeal with which every Apple employee you talk to tries to sell you Apple Care, is one of the more off-putting and, dare I say it, Microsoft-esque aspects of Apple.

Kash · Mar 18, 2007

There's absolutely no need for you to purchase Apple Care along with your computer. Like you said, you have a one year warranty with 90 days of phone support. As was stated earlier, you can get Apple Care up till the last day of your standard one year warranty.

I guess Apple does this to ensure you don't forget about and regret not getting it when the time ran out. So it's not like they're strong arming you, just making sure you have the insurance that will give you a peace of mind. Plus, it's not like you gain or lose anything from getting the warranty early or late. It's just easier to get a customer to buy the warranty up front than months down the road.

As for the cost. Practically every computer retailer prices their warranties like Apple does. It just seems to be an industry standard.

XMARLTONX · Mar 19, 2007

WOW!

I thought you had to buy it right away, I am so psyched! I definatly want the Applecare, thats for sure. But right now I am a student, and although I could afford the Applecare, I'd be a little strapped for cash right now.

Knowing that I can wait a little bit until I get it, gives me a chance to put some more money together, because dropping nearly $1700 on a computer is a little rough.

I <3 Apple.

KoDorSean · Mar 19, 2007

XMARLTONX said:
WOW!

I thought you had to buy it right away, I am so psyched! I definatly want the Applecare, thats for sure. But right now I am a student, and although I could afford the Applecare, I'd be a little strapped for cash right now.

Knowing that I can wait a little bit until I get it, gives me a chance to put some more money together, because dropping nearly $1700 on a computer is a little rough.

I <3 Apple.

just make sure you buy the applecare within the first year that you have it and you should be set.

TechieMaiden · Mar 19, 2007

sorry to piggyback on your thread- but I had a similar question- does applecare cover dropped damage? my powerbook got dropped, after the warranty expired and the repairs were 1300$!! (hence my new MBB) if I had applecare would that have been taken care of?

KoDorSean · Mar 19, 2007

TechieMaiden said:
sorry to piggyback on your thread- but I had a similar question- does applecare cover dropped damage? my powerbook got dropped, after the warranty expired and the repairs were 1300$!! (hence my new MBB) if I had applecare would that have been taken care of?

it does not coer user damage or dropped damage.. sorry.

doctormo · Mar 19, 2007

applecare-new macbook?

lets say i have applecare and 2 years down the road i start having problems over and over with my macbook....ive lets say sent it in 5 times for the same problem. What does apple do from their?

do they just keep trying to fix and unfixable problem?

do they give me a new macbook?

i ask because my dad is hesitant to buy me macbook....he wants to get it from bestbuy because here in FL we have the lemon law (if the same problem persists 4 times they will junk out your laptop and give you a new one, which happened to me with my hp so i now have $1000 to spend)

Stretch · Mar 19, 2007

I think its 3 times of the same problem and they will replace it.

caribiner23 · Mar 19, 2007

There's no hard and fast rule within Apple as to when a machine will be replaced. If there's a serious problem that gets escalated to the right level the computer will be replaced. I speak from first-hand experience.

Regarding the lemon-law: isn't that a statewide law? If it is, that means that Apple would be bound by it as well.

NanoBite · Mar 19, 2007

Ditto the 1st hand experience.

The first thing Apple do after opening up a Case for you is to request all the job reports from your local Apple Store or whomever has repaired your mac in the past (needs to be fully authorised by Apple to effect repairs).

Then they assess the situation and if so, authorise a replacement for you.

I had 4 problems in 4mths, so my iMac G5 was replaced. Lucky for me the current model was a core2duo so it was a big win for me.

doctormo · Mar 20, 2007

allrite cool. Yea i just wanted to make sure because my dad keeps worrying about making the switch to mac and then having all these problems and not being taken care of.

D3v1L80Y · Mar 20, 2007

NOTE: Merged common threads

skye · Mar 20, 2007

StretchR said:
I think its 3 times of the same problem and they will replace it.

yup, that is the rule i have seen used.

another point that most people forget is this.

the applecare is great on a laptop. it is something you are carrying with you places and such. the portability of it means that the chances of there being hardware problems are higher than a 'box' that just sits. the extra warranty is an amazing thing and i would not have ANY laptop without some sort of extended warranty if possible. but then again, i also wouldnt have any other laptop than a mac.