Apple Care question (1 Viewer)

[Mike Heenan]

Apple gives you a 1 year warranty on it's products like the MBP and MP desktops, etc. You can buy a 3 year extended warranty as well. My question is, if you buy the extended warranty the day you buy your computer, do you get 4 years of coverage (the included 1 year + 3 years on the extended), or do you get 3 years.

 

[Darren Lewis]

According to the Apple UK store, it extends the total to 3 years.

 

[RichP]

You get 3 years total. That's why one should never buy AppleCare until the end of the first year. If something goes wrong in the first year, you're covered by warranty, and buying AppleCare would be wasting money if nothing further goes wrong.

Wait till just before the end of the warranty period, then buy the AppleCare.

 

[DaveF]

So, are you saying buy AppleCare at the end of year one if nothing goes wrong, or if something goes wrong?

I bought AppleCare with my MBP straight off, having no experience with either Laptops or Apple.

 

[Garrett Adams]

Rich, I'm not sure I follow your logic. I'm not a Mac user (yet) so my knowledge of AppleCare is limited. Assume worst case scenario and what goes wrong in the first year totals the Mac (I know unlikely), wouldn't the replacement Mac still be covered by the remainder of the 3 year coverage?

Also your "nothing further goes wrong" comment could apply to all forms of insurance. If nothing ever goes wrong insurance would always be a waste of money by definition. A quick read over at Apple Discussions seems to indicate some people experience problems on occasion.

BTW, I always pass on an extended warranty, however if I purchase an iMac (a computer and display) I would seriously consider purchasing AppleCare. Not from Apple though, but instead a discount vendor.

Oops, an addendum. Does AppleCare only allow one free bite of the Apple (pun intended). IOW, if used once there's no further coverage under that particular contract.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

Rich is right. Applecare covers years 2 and 3 of a 3-year period. Why pay for Applecare at the start of year 1? The first year is covered anyway, there is no benefit to buying Applecare right off, unless you prefer Apple to have your money one additional year. I'm buying Applecare on my Mac Pro near the end of its one year warranty.

CJ

 

[Mike Heenan]

Ok, that's what I was thinking (4 years of total coverage if you buy towards the end of your included 1 year). I've read on various computer forums it's always recommended to have extended warranties on laptops rather than desktops because you move laptops around a lot, etc. However, with a Macbook pro, I definitely want it to be covered regardless, because I will be paying a premium for it (nearly $3k) so I want to make sure it's all good for as long as possible. For a cheapie $500 Dell laptop, I would be less inclined to buy coverage (depending on how much it was that is).

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

Regardless of when you buy AppleCare, your coverage ends three years from when you bought the computer.

Here's why you would want to buy it earlier than the end of your first year:

1) the machine only comes with 90 days of phone support -- AppleCare turns this into three years as well

2) if you buy a display with a MacBook Pro or Mac Pro, AppleCare on the computer also covers the display, but only if you buy all three together

3) many people forget to buy it or remember their purchase date wrong; if you attempt to register AppleCare on day 366, you're out of luck.

 

[Mike Heenan]

So if you buy it on day 364, you only get 2 more years of coverage?

 

[Darren Lewis]

Yep, that's what I take it to be. You will get a total of three years from the date your bought the machine.

Otherwise, if you can buy at any time, you could in theory buy it after four years, and then expect Apple to cover a machine up to seven years old, which I'm sure they wouldn't expect to do.

Best to check with Apple directly to be 100% sure.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

You're correct, Mike. No matter when you buy it, coverage ends three years from the purchase date of the computer.

 

[RichP]

No, there's no "one and done" rule like there is with some EWPs. AppleCare covers the machine totally for 3 years from date of puchase regardless of when you buy the AppleCare.

My point, as has been clarified, was why spend the $$ for the EWP while you're still under mfg warranty. Typically if something is going to go wrong with a machine it will happen during the first 6-9 months or so. So let the mfg warranty cover you for the first year. Then at the end, you can decide if you wish to spend the extra $$ for the additional 2 years.

The phone support is inconsequential to most folks because 1) it's awful (as is most 1st line phone support) and 2) The Internet has better information and at times is even more timely.

 

[DaveF]

Got it: keep the $300 in your bank account for a year, if nothing else. Or decide that, based on a year's experience whether you want the additional insurance.

Make sense. The AppleCare was the single largest cost adder to my system.

 

[Mike Heenan]

After a small hassle with my credit card and Amazon, I think my 15" MBP is being shipped later today for arrival tomorrow. I think I should have cleared it with my CC company first, but oh well... in any case, Amazon is running a killer deal now, you get a $150 rebate on the MBP, plus if you bought the Apple Care at the same time, you save $50 on the cost of that so all in all I think it was a pretty good deal.