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I bought an iBook G4 in 2005 and got AppleCare for an extra $250 that seemed from the salesman (or should I say "sales-highschoolkid") that it was a sort of insurance plan should anything ever happen. So, I didn’t read the fine print, which I should have because now that there is an issue (cracked screen), I learn that "accidents" are not covered under AppleCare. All that AppleCare seems to be after reading the official terms, is an extension of some lame warranty, which is usually on 1 year.
I am just venting because I paid $250 for something that I will never see the benefit of, but doesn’t it seem pretty outrageous that Apple makes you pay them so that in case there IS a manufacturing defect (the only incident covered under this plan), they will fix it? Does this seem slightly crappy to anyone else?
I guess the joke is on me because I will buy another Mac eventually, but damn man, really? Does anyone have anything positive about Applecare to say?
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So-so by markmcb :: NR8 :: Show
I have had one semi-good experience. I went to a third-party, authorized AppleCare service center. They get money from Apple for fixing broken computers, so they are a little more likely to not be too picky about "why" something broke. When I got back from Iraq my CD drive failed. This was due to the sand that had undoubtedly made it’s way into the mostly unprotected slot. The service agent even said to me, "man, there was a lot of sand in there." Anyway, he fixed it and it cost me nothing. This was about 2 years after I bought it, so it paid off for me.
My parents had a power component fail on an iMac G5 3 years into owning it. AppleCare paid for that.
Both repairs were probably roughly the cost of AppleCare, so it’s hard to say whether it was worth it.
I did not buy it on my most recent MacBook Pro purchase. I figure I’ll just use it heavily in the first year and if it’s going to break it’ll break then.
My AppleCare Experience by Anonymous :: NR0 :: Show
AppleCare came in handy for me on several occasions.
I had one of the G5 iMacs that was affected by the bulging and leaking capacitor problem from a batch of bad components that plagued the product line. AppleCare replaced my entire unit within a week. I had an iPod shuffle that stopped working from what I can only assume was sweat getting into it. I sent it off to Apple and they replaced it, too, without question. AppleCare also covered a dying hard-drive in one of my G4 PowerBooks after life in Iraq.
However, the first time I had a problem with a different G4 PowerBook, the unit was only days past its one year warranty (I did not have AppleCare) and it was rejected by Apple and basically never turned on again. That led me to get the AppleCare on my other products and for those items, was worth the money.
Just NEVER EVER go to an Apple store. by Anonymous :: NR0 :: Show
Go to a licensed store and not an Apple store.
I made the mistake of trusting an Apple Store employee when they said they would not be touching my hard drive. A licensed store would have called to ask if I wanted to back up my data. Apple’s corporate store? They just tossed my hard drive. Which had the majority of the research from my field season on it.
The Apple employee essentially talked me out of backing up my data because the system board was unstable and he promised that the drive would not be touched.
The best part of the deal is that Apple threw their hold-harmless agreement in my face the minute I asked for them to take some iota of responsibility.
I love their computers, but they do not care a damn about their customers data.
I think my next OS/computer will be an Ubuntu system, it seems to be coming of age right as Apple is becoming the next M$FT.