Miscellaneous laptop discussions : ***Buy extended warranty or not?***
Batteries
by rc1005 - 4/1/05 8:24 AM In reply to: ***Buy extended warranty or not?*** by Tech_GirlI worked at one of the top retailers that had their "Service Plan/Extended Warranty" I wasn't a salesmen I was in their service department. Make sure you read what the extended warranty covers. Does it just extend the mfg warranty or do you get a bonus like covering the rechargable batteries. Some retailers do some don't. Batteries are a big deal with laptops. Even the Lithium-Ion go bad and it's $100+ for a replacement. Also the actual charging systems are very prone to failure.
Is there a no-lemon policy? What happens if your laptop is in repair constantly.
Hope this helps with your decision.
A warranty is "Insurance"
by clearlyf - 4/1/05 9:01 AM In reply to: ***Buy extended warranty or not?*** by Tech_Girland like any insurance carrier, the party offering the extended warranty has done the math and they know that they will make a profit based upon their own calculations of failure rates. Of course their calculation might take into account that a certain percentage of extended warranty buyers can't find the necessary paperwork, so if you're organized enough that you can find the warranty material (when you need it), and you dot all the Is and cross all the Ts in completing it, you might be able to save some money. That said, there's always the possibility that when a component fails, you won't want it replaced, you'll want it upgraded; or that the warranty offerer is no longer in business; or that the hassle of actually getting a component repaired/replaced (shipping, time delays) is so great that it's easier to just buy a new one.
Yes and No
by lwos - 4/1/05 9:44 AM In reply to: A warranty is "Insurance" by clearlyfIf you're a computer geek, and can diagnose and fix your own system...then dont buy the extension, but it's hard to repair laptops.
For the rest of us, I would strongly consider the pros and cons before you decline to purchase an extended warranty.
Would I pay $30 for a 1 year extended warranty on a $100 printer, or scanner?? No way. But I would plunk down $250 in a heartbeat for a 3 yr EW for a $1500+ computer & monitor I know I couldnt fix by myself in a million years.
I have purchased EW's on both my computers, and was GLAD I did. My Video card went bad after 2 years 10 months and prior to that, 2 modems needed replacing. I didnt pay one red cent, my warranty covered it all. Repair tech's charge upwards of $40-60 an hour around here, PLUS PARTS, plus a Diagnosis fee.
So, it's up to you. Remember the old saying, penny wise, pound foolish. My personal rule is, if it's under $500, skip the warranty unless it's dirt cheap.
Yes Always Get A Extended Warranty 4 years
by dean johnson - 4/1/05 10:09 AM In reply to: ***Buy extended warranty or not?*** by Tech_GirlYes you should always spend the extra cash and get the warrenty. The Manufacture warrenty is only good for one year and a computer may start to have problems after that.. It may seem expensive to shell out the extra monies, but you will thank yourself if something should go wrong like a DH crash or overheating should occur. I always tell myself If something should go wrong with this item do I have the knowledge to fix it on my own, and if the answer is no always protect yourself and spend the extra cash when you are spending nearly 1,000.00 on an expensive laptop anyway it is a good piece of mind..Enjoy your new laptop and spend the extra cash.
***Buy extended warranty or not?***
by Brongo - 4/1/05 10:29 AM In reply to: ***Buy extended warranty or not?*** by Tech_GirlI have never had an electronic item fail after the normal warranty period. I personally feel the retailers are making lots of money by playing to the masses fears.
Extended warranty or not?
by jjsweeney2000 - 4/1/05 10:36 AM In reply to: ***Buy extended warranty or not?*** by Tech_GirlI've never bought an extended warranty for any
electronic item, but when we bought a laptop for our
daughter, we did. Yet, I think I would be asking the
same question as you if I bought a Toshiba. We
bought a reconditioned eMachine (M5310) which looks
like it is turning out to be a wonderful purchase, but
I wasn't comfortable knowing that it was reconditioned.
Toshiba laptops are known for toughness...I guess my
decision would be based upon my expected use and of
course on the cost of the warranty. Warranty at
the place of purchase seem to run on the high side. I
think there are many online sources of extended
warranty programs that maybe cheaper.
Read the fine print as always
by Willy - 4/1/05 11:06 AM In reply to: ***Buy extended warranty or not?*** by Tech_GirlAn extended warranty on a laptop makes alot of sense. Its still the one computer device that a typical user can't repair on the h/w side. Plus, if you attempt to open, you void the warrarnty. Thake note of that, if you call some support website and they suggest you open or fiddle with the insides and you break a seal, just don't do it. Send it back or request a home call*(if applicable) 
. However, most laptop vendors don't fix batteries if older than the initial warranty period, so make sure a clause explains what it does in such instances. 
enjoy 
-----Willy
Do it yourself
by peleg - 4/1/05 12:23 PM In reply to: ***Buy extended warranty or not?*** by Tech_GirlWhat is a warranty, anyway? It's an insurance policy on my equipment. And an insurance policy is just a bet I am making against myself with some company -- I am betting that my computer will break and the company is betting it won't. The bet is not in my favor.
Computers are like most other electronics these days. That is, if they work right out of the box, and they keep working for the next 6 months, then it will probably be good for at least 5 more years (except perhaps some of the mechanical parts, but maybe not). Whoever is insuring your computer knows this. They know that they can just pocket the money they get from most people and never look back. (Remember, the manufacturers usually cover the part for the first year or so.) They may have to actually fix a few machines, but they set aside a bit of money for this, but most of the money they collect, they know they can keep.
Instead, what I suggest is this. Figure your most expensive repair, including parts. Let's say that would be $250. So, every month, put $25 dollars into a savings account until you've saved $250. Now, if anything breaks, you've got the money to cover the repair. If nothing ever breaks, well, you've just saved $250 (plus a few years interest). If you are ever a little short on cash, well, you can borrow from your insurance policy -- at 0% interest!
So, that is my "Roll-Your-Own" computer and electronics warranty.
Extended Warranty
by ByeByeNorton - 4/2/05 9:03 AM In reply to: Do it yourself by pelegI just purchased a new HP laptop from Best Buy Canada. The purchase price was $1400 and the extended warranty was $360. I pulled out my cell phone and calculated the price. With the warranty it brought the total cost to just over $2000 with tax. I told the salespeple that this was more than I could afford. They continued to pressure me. (They brought in another guy for the hard sell on the warranty.) Finally, I told them that if they felt that the laptop was that much of a piece of junk that was more than likely going to break, maybe I shouldn't buy it. They backed right off. This will end the extended warranty hard sell!
Off topic a bit, but something else to consider. They always offer "insurance" on your credit card in case you become unemployed or unable to work due to accident or illness. I had this insurance and was hurt in a car accident. They accepted the claim, but never made the payments. I couldn't make them because I had no money coming in. They relentlessly hassled me on the phone for payments. Nine months later, I had to threaten to report them to the government agency responsible for insurance here in Canada. They made the payments VERY quickly after hearing that. Unless your monthly payments are very high, this insurance is NOT worth the hassle.
I can repair almost anything myself and if I can't, I have friends who can. Extended warranties are not worth it for me.
To Buy an Extended Warranty or Not....
by rpjunghans - 4/2/05 12:15 PM In reply to: ***Buy extended warranty or not?*** by Tech_GirlI believe implicitly in buying extended warranties on major pieces of hardware. My E-Machine is covered, between, BestBuy and E-Machine under full service warranty, through 2007. I have 3 HP Inkjet printers and scanners, all of which are near or at the the top of their line, and I use them A LOT!!! I can tell you that I have not bought a new printer since about 1993, and I have had 5 or 6 printers in that time. All of my printers were replaced under the terms of the extended warranty, and I otherwise would have paid out many times what the extended warranties cost. I also believe in this in respect to digital cameras, as I have 3 digital cameras, and 2 analog video cameras costing from about $250.00 to just over $1,000. They are all under the most extended warranty that I can buy, and the middle one of the digital which cost about $650.00 was completely repaired at no cost to me under warranty. You bet I believe in buying the warranty. I have spent about $500 or $600 for extended warranties and I have received many times that back in protection already, and I am still covered on most of my equipment for at least the next 2 years. Having said that, if the item costs less than $100.00, no, the extended warranty is generally more than the replacement is worth. However, it the final analysis, it all boils down to how much you feel you can pony up when you buy the product, compared to how much you feel you want to risk over the years. Personally, I don't like to take the risk, and experience has proven right for me!
Extened warranty details
by tweakerxp - 4/3/05 6:40 PM In reply to: To Buy an Extended Warranty or Not.... by rpjunghansThat's great that extended warranties have worked so well for you. I'm interested in how you've been able to not buy a new printer since 1993. Did you just buy a new extended warranty with the printers you had replaced? I've never seen an extended warranty last over ten years, so I'm guessing that's what you did. Also, where did you buy your extended warranties from?
Buy extended warranty
by zue_z_q - 4/2/05 8:07 PM In reply to: ***Buy extended warranty or not?*** by Tech_GirlI bought I desktop computer 3 years ago and I also bought an extended warranty and I am SO glad I did. Last year my video card went twice and also my hard drive crash because of a common fault found in my series of computers (it was past manufactures warranty) and it would have cost me $1000 to fix if I didn't have an extended warranty plus I have a few other things fixed too. If you can't afford to get the computer fixed yourself if something does go wrong; have peace of mind and get an extended warranty.. Highly recomended.
Thanks!
by Tech_Girl - 4/3/05 7:31 PM In reply to: Buy extended warranty by zue_z_qThank you everyone for all your replies. You've all been very helpful. You've convinced me to go for an extended warranty for sure. Since I posted this topic, I decided to steer clear of the Toshiba M40. Now I'm looking at possibly going for a Dell. They're much cheaper, and so are the extended warranties. Now my question is: should I go for the extended warranty with at home service or the extended warranty with complete care? I'm thinking I won't get the complete care...but not entirely sure. Any suggestions? (By the way, I live in Canada). Thanks again!
Extended Warranty: Thoughts from Geek Attorney
by curio55 - 4/3/05 10:51 PM In reply to: ***Buy extended warranty or not?*** by Tech_GirlHi Tech-Girl,
I am a "computer geek" as well as an attorney. My thoughts re warranties are that the more moving parts, fragile, prone to problems, and expensive a piece of electronics, the more likely I am to buy the extended warranty. Example, a "yes" for the following: PDA's, laptops (PDA's and long drops to cement floors don't make for a happy face. Desktops and laptops actually have surprisingly few moving parts save the hard drive and fan/s, but a dead fan can result in a fried CPU, a defective motherboard can end it all,long drops and unprotected laptops are bad news, and a dying or dead hard drive can be a major headache and xtra expensive to replace in a laptop.
A "no" for the following: inexpensive ink jets (few moving parts, most are fairly sturdy, few prone to any serious problmes if they survive normal warranty period, and most very cheap b/c companies make real money on the cartridges). A "no" for desktop LCD displays (few moving parts, and although relatively fragile, a stable desktop protects fine. Furthermore, studies have shown that most LCDs will either be defective right out of the box, ex. too many dead pixels, or fine if properly maintained (good air circulation, no liquids in the electronics, no extended direct sunlight, heat or excessive dust buildup) during normal lifetime. Although quality LCD's are still relatively expensive, the normal one year warranty period is good enough protection for me. Most of my electronics have lasted me many years w/out issues. How many people do you know who have had serious problems with properly maintained LCDs right after the warranty ran out and during normal product life?
Finally, I always read the warranty to see exactly what I'm getting. I have personally asked sales clerks if certain things were covered under the "extended" warranty and been given a too quick "yes," "of course," etc. However, after a little slower review it turned out that the "yes" should have been a "no." Sale clerk reaction? A quick shoulder shrug and mumbled "sorry."
I hope my two cents helps you!
Extended warranties depend upon your circumstances . . . .
by AussieCol - 4/7/05 8:34 PM In reply to: ***Buy extended warranty or not?*** by Tech_GirlThe way I look at it is - the manufacturer's warranty is only there to protect the consumer from manufacturing defects. Any repairs under the warranty are managed to the minimum possible cost. This is a key reason as to why overseas call centres have been set up.
Extended or uplifted warranties are designed to protect you, or your business, over and beyond the base warranty. The more pain it will cause you to be without the PC, should influence your decision on the chosen response times and the ultimate cost of that service.
All manufacturers have these schemes and, while none of them are perfect, they mostly meet their commitments - otherwise the customer backlash would severly impact future sales.
Manufacturer's schemes are invariably more comprehensive than shop bought ones, which are mostly based around simple insurance plans. Manufacturer's and their authorised repair agents typically have better parts availability and more resources to respond to your cry for help.
In the long run you usually get what you pay for.
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