Apple Care for Mac Book Pro

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AnthroAndStargate

Golden Member
Oct 7, 2005
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I have a Feb 2008 C2D Pernyn Mac Book Pro with 1 year of Apple Care on it.

My apple care is gonna run out in march so I would like to order the 2 year apple care extension. I was told I could find it for cheap on ebay but is this safe? also is there a specific type of apple care i need to buy or would any work? Some of them say Apple Care for Macbooks and Powerbooks and others say Apple Care for Mac Book Pros.

How much do you guys think is reasonable to pay for it?

Any help would be appreciated!
 
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dclive

Elite Member
Oct 23, 2003
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Originally posted by: AnthroAndStargate
I have a Feb 2008 C2D Pernyn Mac Book Pro with 1 year of Apple Care on it.

My apple care is gonna run out in march so I would like to order the 2 year apple care extension. I was told I could find it for cheap on ebay but is this safe? also is there a specific type of apple care i need to buy or would any work? Some of them say Apple Care for Macbooks and Powerbooks and others say Apple Care for Mac Book Pros.

How much do you guys think is reasonable to pay for it?

Any help would be appreciated!
Click to expand...

Do you think there's greater than a 1 in 5 chance the MBP will break in the next 2 years?
 
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Ichigo

Platinum Member
Sep 1, 2005
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Mine broke 10 days out of warranty. So yeah.

If you do have AppleCare, you really don't have much to worry about. Apple is pretty good with that kind of stuff.
 
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dclive

Elite Member
Oct 23, 2003
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The general failure rate for electronics is pretty low - and Macs are seen as pretty reliable. Add to that the fact that Vista/Mastercard typically double the warranty anyway, and AppleCare only buys you one additional year. So is there a greater than 1 in 5 chance that it will fail in year 2-3? (You're covered from 0-1 by Apple, and from year 1-2 by Mastercard/Vista...)

The reason I bring this up is because extended warranties are typically a ripoff and *huge* moneymakers for those selling them. Remember how Best Buy folks get shills whenever they sell a warranty? That's because for most electronics warranty sales are almost pure profit.
 
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TheStu

Moderator<br>Mobile Devices & Gadgets
Moderator
Sep 15, 2004
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Originally posted by: dclive
The general failure rate for electronics is pretty low - and Macs are seen as pretty reliable. Add to that the fact that Vista/Mastercard typically double the warranty anyway, and AppleCare only buys you one additional year. So is there a greater than 1 in 5 chance that it will fail in year 2-3? (You're covered from 0-1 by Apple, and from year 1-2 by Mastercard/Vista...)

The reason I bring this up is because extended warranties are typically a ripoff and *huge* moneymakers for those selling them. Remember how Best Buy folks get shills whenever they sell a warranty? That's because for most electronics warranty sales are almost pure profit.
Click to expand...

AppleCare gets you 2 additional years actually, as well as 3 years of phone support.

Base warranty:
1 year parts & labor warranty
90 day phone support

AppleCare:
3 years parts and labor
3 years phone support

I agree that most warranties are a ripoff, they usually never are needed. But, I know I would rest a little bit easier at night if I knew that if the screen failed on my MacBook, I was covered.
 
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dclive

Elite Member
Oct 23, 2003
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Originally posted by: TheStu
Originally posted by: dclive
The general failure rate for electronics is pretty low - and Macs are seen as pretty reliable. Add to that the fact that Vista/Mastercard typically double the warranty anyway, and AppleCare only buys you one additional year. So is there a greater than 1 in 5 chance that it will fail in year 2-3? (You're covered from 0-1 by Apple, and from year 1-2 by Mastercard/Vista...)

The reason I bring this up is because extended warranties are typically a ripoff and *huge* moneymakers for those selling them. Remember how Best Buy folks get shills whenever they sell a warranty? That's because for most electronics warranty sales are almost pure profit.
Click to expand...

AppleCare gets you 2 additional years actually, as well as 3 years of phone support.

Base warranty:
1 year parts & labor warranty
90 day phone support

AppleCare:
3 years parts and labor
3 years phone support

I agree that most warranties are a ripoff, they usually never are needed. But, I know I would rest a little bit easier at night if I knew that if the screen failed on my MacBook, I was covered.
Click to expand...

It's all a managed risk, and the OP has to do what he can live with, but chances are the extra year AppleCare actually gives him (please re-read what I wrote; Mastercard/Vista will double your warranty anyway...AppleCare only gives an ADDITIONAL one year...) will be profit straight into Apple's pockets.

For an inexpensive machine like the MacBook where value will drop quite a bit by year 2-3 (the year he'd be not-covered for if he did nothing) it's certainly a managed risk, but it's one I think many people would be comfortable with. He can take that $250 he would've spent, add the parts he'd sell if the MacBook did fail ($100? $200?), and have enough for the next-generation MacBook down payment, and given that most MacBooks don't need repair, the majority of the time he'd come out ahead.

That said, again, the OP has to do what he can live with.
 
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AnthroAndStargate

Golden Member
Oct 7, 2005
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I have a Macbook Pro though. I leave it on 24/7 - I game, I do a ton of work, use it 10+ hours a day. I already fried a battery and got it replaced via Apple Care and the computer isnt even six months old so I think I probably need Apple Care.

I was just wondering if anyone knew what type of Apple Care I need to buy. there are a lot of Apple Care things on eBay for like 150 USD as opposed to the 350 in the Apple store. Are these legit? Can I buy a Mac Book Pro / Power book one or do I just need to get a Mac Book Pro one?
 
Tyranicus

Tyranicus

Senior member
Aug 28, 2007
914
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Originally posted by: dclive

It's all a managed risk, and the OP has to do what he can live with, but chances are the extra year AppleCare actually gives him (please re-read what I wrote; Mastercard/Vista will double your warranty anyway...AppleCare only gives an ADDITIONAL one year...) will be profit straight into Apple's pockets.
Click to expand...

That assumes he bought the machine with a credit card.
 
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dclive

Elite Member
Oct 23, 2003
5,626
2
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Originally posted by: AnthroAndStargate
I have a Macbook Pro though. I leave it on 24/7 - I game, I do a ton of work, use it 10+ hours a day. I already fried a battery and got it replaced via Apple Care and the computer isnt even six months old so I think I probably need Apple Care.
Click to expand...

The battery warranty, IIRC, is only 1 year, regardless of AppleCare 3 year purchase. (That's correct - http://www.apple.com/batteries/replacements.html)

I was just wondering if anyone knew what type of Apple Care I need to buy. there are a lot of Apple Care things on eBay for like 150 USD as opposed to the 350 in the Apple store. Are these legit? Can I buy a Mac Book Pro / Power book one or do I just need to get a Mac Book Pro one?
Click to expand...

You need to get the one specific to your machine type.
 
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dclive

Elite Member
Oct 23, 2003
5,626
2
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Originally posted by: Tyranicus
Originally posted by: dclive

It's all a managed risk, and the OP has to do what he can live with, but chances are the extra year AppleCare actually gives him (please re-read what I wrote; Mastercard/Vista will double your warranty anyway...AppleCare only gives an ADDITIONAL one year...) will be profit straight into Apple's pockets.
Click to expand...

That assumes he bought the machine with a credit card.
Click to expand...

(shudder) Some people don't? :) Kidding aside, it's wise to use a CC for large purchases due to the 1-year extended warranty alone.
 
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dclive

Elite Member
Oct 23, 2003
5,626
2
81
Same here (actually a bit over that, but who's counting?) with my early 2006 MBP.
 
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TheStu

Moderator<br>Mobile Devices & Gadgets
Moderator
Sep 15, 2004
12,089
45
91
Originally posted by: Tyranicus
Originally posted by: dclive

It's all a managed risk, and the OP has to do what he can live with, but chances are the extra year AppleCare actually gives him (please re-read what I wrote; Mastercard/Vista will double your warranty anyway...AppleCare only gives an ADDITIONAL one year...) will be profit straight into Apple's pockets.
Click to expand...

That assumes he bought the machine with a credit card.
Click to expand...

No, that assumes that he bought it with a credit card that offers the warranty extension. I for example have a Visa Debit Card, I can use it as a Visa Credit Card, but it ultimately gets extracted from my bank account. So, in my case, even when I had my older bank account that did have a Mastercard, i would not have been covered.
 
sourceninja

sourceninja

Diamond Member
Mar 8, 2005
8,805
65
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I'm glad I bought the applecare, I have a nvidia video card in my mbp. It's only a matter of time until it fails.
 
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dclive

Elite Member
Oct 23, 2003
5,626
2
81
Originally posted by: TheStu
Originally posted by: Tyranicus
Originally posted by: dclive

It's all a managed risk, and the OP has to do what he can live with, but chances are the extra year AppleCare actually gives him (please re-read what I wrote; Mastercard/Vista will double your warranty anyway...AppleCare only gives an ADDITIONAL one year...) will be profit straight into Apple's pockets.
Click to expand...

That assumes he bought the machine with a credit card.
Click to expand...

No, that assumes that he bought it with a credit card that offers the warranty extension. I for example have a Visa Debit Card, I can use it as a Visa Credit Card, but it ultimately gets extracted from my bank account. So, in my case, even when I had my older bank account that did have a Mastercard, i would not have been covered.
Click to expand...

All I can say is everyone should get a gold or platinum credit card. To use a card that doesn't give this benefit level, to me, seems untoward given the benefits - essentially it's worth 1/2 the value of the AppleCare - but for every single item one buys, rather than a qty:1 benefit.

For example, Mastercard: http://www.mastercard.com/us/p...etobenefits/index.html
...
"Gold MasterCard® & Platinum MasterCard® Benefits:"
...
"# Shop & Go - Includes Baggage Delay Coverage, Extended Warranty Coverage, Hotel/Motel Burglary Coverage, Lost or Damaged Luggage Coverage, Purchase Assurance Coverage, Master RoadAssist Service, Travel Assistance Services, and MasterCard Global Service
# Smart Shopper - Includes Extended Warranty, Purchase Assurance Coverage, Satisfaction Guarantee Coverage, Master RoadAssist Service, Travel Assistance Services, and MasterCard Global Service "

The "Extended Warranty Coverage" is the deal I'm speaking of.

http://www.mastercard.com/card..._smartshopper_2005.pdf is the current (as best I can tell) guide. Basically no limit except/up to the value of the good purchased.

I just picked up the phone when my HP laptop had a hinge problem, started a case, got my HP laptop fixed ($313 for new MB, new hinges, new case, new video card) by HP, and I await my check.

At the moment I can't find Visa's offers, but they're usually similar.

 
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Parasitic

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2002
4,000
2
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I don't think every card does have the extended warranty though. I don't think my Citi cards do, for instance.

And to the OP: I paid $189 for my AppleCare MBP on eBay. Exercise buying cautions like you usually would: check seller feedbacks and read listings carefully. The one I purchased after I checked out with PayPal emailed me an activation code instantly, then I just registered my serial directly with Apple. It's very easy.

Apple is now offering to cover Nvidia GPU failures even for out-of-warranty machines. There was a posting about this on Macrumors.
My MBP is working fine, so I'm sorta regretting having purchased the warranty. Hopefully they wouldn't give me any grief if I ever had to send the machine in since I replaced the RAM myself and don't know what happened to the original modules.
 
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dclive

Elite Member
Oct 23, 2003
5,626
2
81
Originally posted by: Parasitic
I don't think every card does have the extended warranty though. I don't think my Citi cards do, for instance.
Click to expand...

If it's gold or platinum it should - that's done via mastercard (and administered via mastercard) so if you're wondering, just call Mastercard. (Read the PDF I posted above for the #).

BTW, my Citibank card does.
 
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dclive

Elite Member
Oct 23, 2003
5,626
2
81
Originally posted by: Parasitic
Hopefully they wouldn't give me any grief if I ever had to send the machine in since I replaced the RAM myself and don't know what happened to the original modules.
Click to expand...

They won't - RAM is a user-replaceable part. The only issue would be if it caused the warranty call, in which case Apple wouldn't cover it.
 
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TMoney468

Senior member
Nov 24, 2005
203
0
0
I got my applecare on eBay and it was activated fine, so I don't see why there should be a problem. I'm debating whether or not I should send mine in, it has about 8 dead pixels, but then I think I could get an even worse screen in return so I'm hesitant to do so.
 
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TheStu

Moderator<br>Mobile Devices & Gadgets
Moderator
Sep 15, 2004
12,089
45
91
Originally posted by: TMoney468
I got my applecare on eBay and it was activated fine, so I don't see why there should be a problem. I'm debating whether or not I should send mine in, it has about 8 dead pixels, but then I think I could get an even worse screen in return so I'm hesitant to do so.
Click to expand...

If you have an Apple store even on the long side of driving distance then go there and see if you can just get a straight up replacement, depending on how old the machine is of course. They also may have spare screens in the back, not sure though.
 
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