AppleCare shows it worth!

I generally won't buy AppleCare unless I buy a very high-end product.

In this case, it was my 27" iMac that I bought in 2009.

In early December, the optical drive began failing.  Discs would not

properly burn, and after a while, they wouldn't even eject.

Brought the iMac to the Apple store and it was repaired for free.

Today, my hard drive is failing.  Having a lot of problems with spinning

ball and feverishly-working, loud hard drive.  In Disc Utilities I am being

told that my S.M.A.R.T. Status is Failing.

So, thanks to AppleCare, my 3 year-old iMac will be getting a new

hard drive at no charge.

So, in this case, AppleCare was a good investment.

Ted,

That is great.

I just got my iMac back today.  It would have cost me $260 for

the 1TB 7200RPM Hard Drive replacement (with labor).  The optical

drive replacement I had done last month would have cost $150.

So, Apple Care can be a bargain for people who buy high-end

equipment -- especially if they buy it slightly discounted on Amazon.

I gotta tell you, as an aside, I have yet to go to the Apple Store in

my area (Freehold NJ) where it hasn't been jam-packed with people --

even during the workweek morning.  Though there had to be 70 people

in that store this morning, I could not believe how efficiently I was greeted

and taken care of the moment I walked in.  The Apple store always

makes certain there is an employee near the door to whisk you to the

exact location you need to be.  Was very impressed I got in and out of

the packed store so fast.

Apple rarely fails to disappoint.

Keith,

You make some very valid points.

Apple makes it nearly impossible to upgrade or replace

parts on anything they sell.

No doubt, they want you to use Apple Care.

On the other hand, if forced with a choice, I would never

go back to a non-Apple equivalent product even if it is

easier to replace a batter, hard or optical drive.

Keith,

You're going to smile by the end of my post.

Yes, your comment initially seemed negative.  But I'll be damned if it

didn't weigh heavily on my mind over the past day and actually make

me a bit negative in the process.

You are right....

Unless you own a Mac Pro or Macbook Pro, you are kind of forced

to buy Apple Care in order to deal with internal failures that cannot 

easily be repaired on your own.  This has been a common complaint

against Apple from Windows PC users.  You can't just simply switch

out an optical or hard drive.

So, while I first read your post and thought, "what a Debby Downer,"

I quickly realized you had a very strong point and it kind of pissed me

off that I was actually being forced into buying Apple Care just because

there was no other way to repair problems on my own inexpensively.

Don't take anything I say here the wrong way, Keith.  I really think what

you said needed to be said.  And you are right that the quality and design

of Apple products make it easy to accept the tradeoffs.

Keith,

Very cool.  

...if only the iMac could do that.