[pockets]

Flying with (or without) a net.

Whenever I buy electronics from a Circuit City or a Best Buy-type of store I have always passed on the warranty. I figure if it is an at-home electronics item and it works for the first 90-days it is going to work for a good while.

On the other hand I have taken AppleCare on my Mac mini and MacBook. (Might have missed the window for my iPod.)

Anyway, while waiting for Apple to offer an AppleCare for the iPhone I got an email from the Square Trade folks saying they are now offering coverage for non-eBay electronics items.

Here's part of the email I got back from them asking if the iPhone was covered:
"...eligible electronic items must be: 

1. must be brand new
2. purchased from a store (not a friend)

3. have a valid receipt

4. purchased in 2007

5. still under manufacturer's warranty (90% of items have 1 years manufacturer's warranty)

You can read more here: http://www.squaretrade.com/buyersvcs/getRetailWarranty.do"

Back in January I decided to go for a smartphone and got a Treo. About the time I got it the iPhone was announced and I returned the Treo during my 30-days. I bought a Motorola cell phone and a Palm T/X with wifi on eBay to bridge me to June/July when the iPhone was released.

When I got the offer for a Square Trade warranty on them I opted in, it was cheap and it gave me a sense of having some sort of warranty.

Here's the question(s): Square Trade seems to have a pretty good reputation and their iPod coverage includes battery coverage. I have never used it so I have no idea how good the coverage really is. At this point it would be possible to get three-years of coverage through Square Trade warranty for 59-bucks for the 8g phone or 69-bucks for two-years of AppleCare.

Any thoughts? Anyone used Square Trade? I was ready to pull the trigger on it until Apple released their plan. With Apple it would be $10 more, for one-year less, but it would come with full Apple support. It would be great to have some feedback.

[BRussell]

Don't know about square trade, but consumer groups almost always advise against these types of extended warranties. It's covered by the regular warranty for a period of time, and after that, in the unlikely event there's a problem, you can just pay for the repair yourself. Mathematically, you come out better without the warranty. I suppose some people just like to pay up front, though.

[msuper69]

Originally Posted by BRussell 

Don't know about square trade, but consumer groups almost always advise against these types of extended warranties. It's covered by the regular warranty for a period of time, and after that, in the unlikely event there's a problem, you can just pay for the repair yourself. Mathematically, you come out better without the warranty. I suppose some people just like to pay up front, though.

I would make one exception to that general rule:

Take the extended warranty on your new HDTV. Replacing the logic board or the light system can easily make it worthwhile. I just had a light system go bad on a 1-1/2 year old Sony SXRD 60" LCD HDTV. That would have set me back over $1k.

[pockets]

I appreciate the input.

Clearly it is a cost vs benefit question and the cost outweighs the benefit for, say, a clock radio, but not for an HDTV.

The question remains for the iPhone. It is a 500- or 600-buck item that is going to be carried everywhere and exposed to a lot. Do the costs outweigh the benefits for THIS item? And, if so would you go for Apple or perhaps this Square Trade offering?

[::maroma::]

I look at extended warranties as this: at best it could save you a lot of money, and at worst it gives you peace of mind. I get the extended warranty on all of my expensive electronics (although I don't have many of those). I got it on my iMac, I got it way back in the day on my first iPod, I'll get it for my iPhone,

[BRussell]

Originally Posted by msuper69 

I would make one exception to that general rule:

Take the extended warranty on your new HDTV. Replacing the logic board or the light system can easily make it worthwhile. I just had a light system go bad on a 1-1/2 year old Sony SXRD 60" LCD HDTV. That would have set me back over $1k.

It depends on the odds of that happening and the cost of the insurance. It would suck to have to pay the $1000, but on the other hand, if it costs you $100 for the warranty and there's only a 10% chance it happens, it would be an even bet. And if it costs more than $100 and/or the chance is less than 10%, it's a bad bet. And with these warranties, it's always a bad bet.