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krx · Aug 19, 2005, 12:33 AM

I wonder what people think about the value of Applecare for the new iBook - or is it too soon to tell? It came in very handy for my iBook G3, which went completely to sh*t on me twice and both times had to be completely gutted and rebuilt - all of which was free. I also got it for my current 1 GHz G4 but so far, after more than a year, have had no problems. So maybe I won't need it. I'm giving this G4 to my wife and getting a new one and thus will need to decide whether to put the extra bucks into insurance. Thoughts?

budster101 · Aug 19, 2005, 12:40 AM

Do you plan on buying a car in the future to replace your current one? Will you buy the warranty for that one too? Or will you expect it to be as good as your previous car without question?

If you had to use it just once before, then I think it is worth it. Unless of course you skip the extended warranty on every other car you buy...

krx · Aug 19, 2005, 09:44 AM

Well I drive a Camry - which makes up in reliability what it lacks in glamor. Most problems w/a Camry are going to happen right away, if they're going to happen at all. The manufaturer's 3 year warranty is therefore plenty in my experience w/ the typically problem-free Camry.

My G3 crashed and burned twice in the first year - still under original warranty. Since they wouldn't give me a new one on the lemon clause, I got Applecare to cover me after the original warranty expired. The G3 died shortly after the ext'd warranty expired. So I actually didn't use it. My current G4 has been running strong w/no problems for over a year. I have Applecare but suspect I won't need it. My feeling is that most iBooks, like most Camrys, are likely to break down in the first year if they're going to have serious problems.

Applecare, at $183, is over 19% of the cost, at $949, of a new 12" iBook. This is an exorbitant mark up for a little piece of mind - if that's all it's buying you. Also, if you buy a new Apple every 3 years or so, as I do, and bank the 19% or so you would otherwise put into Applecare, you'd have your own insurance fund to cover most problems.

budster101 · Aug 19, 2005, 09:53 AM

You make a strong argument here. I hope your logic board doesn't go out in 1 year and 30 days. That will cost you more than your 19% by a long shot.

Good luck with that self-insurance. I hope it works out well for you.

theJoy00 · Aug 19, 2005, 04:14 PM

some credit cards will double the warranty, usually up to 1-year, on purchases. that would be something to look into though i imagine there may be some restrictions.

Eug Wanker · Aug 19, 2005, 04:33 PM

Consider yourself lucky. Educational AppleCare for iBook in Canada is 24% the price of the iBook, at CAD$288 (US$238).

budster101 · Aug 19, 2005, 04:54 PM

At least you guys have a decent healthcare system. <ducks>

---

Credit Cards are very good for protecting your purchases.
I like Applecare for bigger ticket items, like Power Macs, PowerBooks, etc. maybe not a 12" iBook.

tooki · Aug 19, 2005, 05:37 PM

One single out of warranty repair costs the same as or more than AppleCare. Laptops get abused, they suffer wear and tear. AppleCare is worth it on laptops.

tooki

hldan · Aug 19, 2005, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by tooki

One single out of warranty repair costs the same as or more than AppleCare. Laptops get abused, they suffer wear and tear. AppleCare is worth it on laptops.

tooki

Thank you Tooki, the same words I was gonna say. Laptops get way too much abuse even if you think you will take perfect care of it. The hinges get loose and creak and so on. So much can happen to a laptop that has nothing to do with physical abuse. I have used it several times on my Powerbook 17".
Also Apple will bend over backwards for AppleCare owners.

Eug Wanker · Aug 19, 2005, 10:21 PM

Bah. I'll just sell this iBook before the year is up...

budster101 · Aug 19, 2005, 10:24 PM

The warranty is transferable and people dig that when you go to sell it...
Who wants a computer with weeks left on the warranty? If you are going to sell it, you just build in the price of the warranty, and if you don't sell it, you are covered.

Eug Wanker · Aug 19, 2005, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by budster101

The warranty is transferable and people dig that when you go to sell it...
Who wants a computer with weeks left on the warranty? If you are going to sell it, you just build in the price of the warranty, and if you don't sell it, you are covered.

It seems to me that warranty doesn't add a big amount to selling price often. Thus, if I'm going to sell in a year anyway, there's no point in me paying for AppleCare. So what if I sell it for even $150 less. At least I wouldn't have had to pay $238 for AppleCare.

And if the buyer wants AppleCare, they can just buy it themselves.

budster101 · Aug 19, 2005, 10:30 PM

Good luck with that logic. I disagree.

volcano · Aug 20, 2005, 01:43 AM

I agree with budster. I wouldn't buy a used laptop computer without at least a few months of it's warranty left. Apple computers retain their value quite well - and without that extra incentive (like a good amount of time left in a warranty), it's hard to justify the cost of a used machine over a new one, especially if the new one has better specs. I had the chance to buy a used 12" 1Ghz Powerbook that had no warranty - and instead I purchased a new iBook (with somewhat better specs than the PB) simply because I could have the warranty (and the "free" iPod mini and printer, of course).

krx · Aug 20, 2005, 11:09 AM

I've been shopping for an iBook on eBay and elsewhere the last couple weeks and, like volcano, I don't even consider the ones w/out several months remaining on warranty. However, it is clear to me that others do. The iBooks w/extended warranty sell for roughly $50 - $100 more than those w/out it, significantly less than the cost of Applecare.

IMO, if Eug is going to sell w/in a year it makes better economic sense for him(?) to NOT buy Applecare - he doesn't need it & won't recoup the cost.

brettcamp · Aug 21, 2005, 12:36 AM

I keep my computers for about 3 years, so I think AppleCare is worth it. It's saved me twice on hardware failures (logic board, hard drive), and also prompted attentive help when dealing with non hardware issues (e.g. getting the whole cablemodem/airport thing to work in the face of an uncooperative cable company). Apple customer servicers are nice to customers with applecare.
OTOH, here's a recent article that advises against extended laptop warranties.

Rob van dam · Aug 21, 2005, 09:15 AM

Also Apple will bend over backwards for AppleCare owners.[/QUOTE]

Im sure many applecare customers will find that quote debatable

Ji Eun · Aug 21, 2005, 12:36 PM

well worth the money. if you can even marginally afford it, buy it.

sminch · Aug 21, 2005, 05:18 PM

any kiwis out there who are considering getting applecare should remember that the consumer guarantees act covers you automatically - you're covered for any manufacturing fault that shows up over the 'reasonable life' of a product. a computer should last a couple of years at least, so if your hd fails after three years it doesn't matter if you paid for applecare or not, as the retailer is legally obliged to fix it. you won't be getting phone support etc, but hardware is covered.

all good! though i guess that may explain why our ibooks cost about 1/3 more than they do in the us...

sminch

Eug Wanker · Aug 21, 2005, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by krx

I've been shopping for an iBook on eBay and elsewhere the last couple weeks and, like volcano, I don't even consider the ones w/out several months remaining on warranty. However, it is clear to me that others do. The iBooks w/extended warranty sell for roughly $50 - $100 more than those w/out it, significantly less than the cost of Applecare.

IMO, if Eug is going to sell w/in a year it makes better economic sense for him(?) to NOT buy Applecare - he doesn't need it & won't recoup the cost.

Yup, exactly my reasoning. No point in spending $200+ on AppleCare if I'm only get $100 of that back, on a machine I'm going to be selling with still part of the original one-year warranty left.

I just hope the Mactel laptop I want will be out by summer, cuz otherwise my plan doesn't work.

Steve · Aug 21, 2005, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker

Yup, exactly my reasoning. No point in spending $200+ on AppleCare if I'm only get $100 of that back, on a machine I'm going to be selling with still part of the original one-year warranty left.

I just hope the Mactel laptop I want will be out by summer, cuz otherwise my plan doesn't work.

Same here Eug, although I have another computer I can use if the new laptops don't come out till the Fall.

Spidey79 · Aug 22, 2005, 01:52 AM

hell i got my applecare for about 83 dollars.. I got it with the 30 gig hd and I might haxor the hard drive because 30 gigs is not enough for my demands. So I feel like adding the a 100 gig 5400 hd and a 1 gig stick of ram.. sounds good to me does it to you'? haxxor ur mac, void the warranty.. its fun!!!

production_coordinator · Aug 23, 2005, 07:15 AM

I think it is a very personal thing. If the price of Applecare is 1/4th the price of the computer, you really need to ask yourself... is it worth it. If you buy a $999 iBook... is it worth paying 25% ($16% education) of the cost for a guarantee that Apple will fix the problem after the initial 1 year is up?

I've decided to give it 6 months and make the decision at that point in time. It does get a good bit of wear and tear... but in 2 years from the purchase date... if it's still working strong, that $250 is a push in the right direction for a new Mac.