Dell - upgrade to 3 yr mail in service + 3 yr complete care for $230

[DealOManiac]

Just got a call from Dell. I had purchased an inspiron 8500 last week. Today I got a call from Dell offering me an upgrade to 3-yr mail in service + 3 yr complete care for $230 + tax. If you do this upgrade at the time of the purchase, it costs $320 + tax. So, it is a savings of about $100 (including tax) for me.

You can call 1-800-456-3355 Ext. 40141 (Desk extension - 5787)

This is not meant to be an advertizement for this particular CSR. Nor am I related in anyway to the CSR.

 

[sk3tch]

Sweeet...

My Dell Journal

Year 2 Day 364

I accidentally drop-kicked my already on-fire gasoline-soaked laptop down three flights of stairs, luckily my extended full-coverage warranty lasts until tomorrow.

 

[goodoptics]

Is this YMMV?

 

[DealOManiac]

No. This is not YMMV. The CSR told me that this is an offline discount, not advertized online. And the CSRs can make an offer to throw in this deal if the customers are bargaining or are looking for that *little extra push* towards making the purchase

 

[DealOManiac]

Originally posted by: sk3tch
Sweeet...

My Dell Journal

Year 2 Day 364

I accidentally drop-kicked my already on-fire gasoline-soaked laptop down three flights of stairs, luckily my extended full-coverage warranty lasts until tomorrow.

Nope.. it doesnt cover damage by fire. In fact, no complete care warranty (not just dell.. but also any of the stores).. covers damage by fire.

 

[alyosha]

Well, than they should at least fix damage from falling down stairs

 

[unsped]

it is YMMV, complete care is not available in some states such as CA because it is bad for consumers, and we have laws that prevent such programs.

 

[alyosha]

How can an optional warranty program be bad for consumers?

 

[ValsalvaYourHeartOut]

Originally posted by: DealOManiac
Just got a call from Dell. I had purchased an inspiron 8500 last week. Today I got a call from Dell offering me an upgrade to 3-yr mail in service + 3 yr complete care for $230 + tax. If you do this upgrade at the time of the purchase, it costs $320 + tax. So, it is a savings of about $100 (including tax) for me.

You can call 1-800-456-3355 Ext. 40141 (Desk extension - 5787)

This is not meant to be an advertizement for this particular CSR. Nor am I related in anyway to the CSR.

This deal doesn't sound very hot. What this boils down to is that you're gambling that during years 2 and 3 of ownership, you system will have a manufacturer's defect exceeding $230+tax...What this means is that if your system has a malfunction that occurs during year 1 or after year 3, costs less than $230, or is not mfr defect, you actually LOSE MONEY on this purchase. As usual, there is a lot of money to be made from extended warranties, and this one is particularly bad. If you think about it, most computer parts are likely to fail immediately or at least within the first year. Secondly, what computer part costs $230 to replace??? Almost all of the components (except maybe an LCD monitor) will likely be very inexpensive in 1+ years from now..this includes anything inside your computer: RAM, HD, cpu, whatever. Thus, you would have to have multiple device failure in order to even recover your $230+tax....very unlikely. On the other hand, you MIGHT be able to make an argument for a laptop, since laptop repairs which are generally pretty expensive because of labor and inflated part prices. Also, if you want to pay for the security of having a laptop replaced instantly in years 2 and 3, that might also make this deal better.

Valsalva

 

[edplayer]

Originally posted by: alyosha
How can an optional warranty program be bad for consumers?

[HomerSimpson] Extended warranty! How can you lose? [/HomerSimpson]

 

[MegaNerd]

Originally posted by: alyosha
How can an optional warranty program be bad for consumers?

One problem is that Dell will frequently send you refurb parts. My Inspiron lappie is on its 4th hard drive. The original lasted a couple of months, the first refurb replacement actually lasted almost two years, the second refurb replacement lasted three months.

I got tired of rebuilding the bloody system each time, and so the last time I paid for a new IBM drive that has lasted five months so far. When I get around to it, I will take a sledgehammer to the crappy refurb Dell sent me that failed after three months.

Most of the component failures on a lappie should occur in the first year. After that, your most likely failure is the hard drive and you're paying a premium price for a refurb. Not to mention they kept sending me 6 GB refurbs (the original size), where I ended up buying a 30 GB new drive for just over $100.

As always, YMMV!

MN

 

[yodayoda]

Originally posted by: edplayer

Originally posted by: alyosha
How can an optional warranty program be bad for consumers?

[HomerSimpson] Extended warranty! How can you lose? [/HomerSimpson]

damnit, you beat me to it!

 

[wetcat007]

Originally posted by: DealOManiac

Originally posted by: sk3tch
Sweeet...

My Dell Journal

Year 2 Day 364

I accidentally drop-kicked my already on-fire gasoline-soaked laptop down three flights of stairs, luckily my extended full-coverage warranty lasts until tomorrow.

Nope.. it doesnt cover damage by fire. In fact, no complete care warranty (not just dell.. but also any of the stores).. covers damage by fire.

Hmm well insurrance does, , circuit city warrenties cover overpowerin speakers and blowing them out as a result, amazingly...

 

[DealOManiac]

Originally posted by: ValsalvaYourHeartOut

Originally posted by: DealOManiac
Just got a call from Dell. I had purchased an inspiron 8500 last week. Today I got a call from Dell offering me an upgrade to 3-yr mail in service + 3 yr complete care for $230 + tax. If you do this upgrade at the time of the purchase, it costs $320 + tax. So, it is a savings of about $100 (including tax) for me.

You can call 1-800-456-3355 Ext. 40141 (Desk extension - 5787)

This is not meant to be an advertizement for this particular CSR. Nor am I related in anyway to the CSR.

This deal doesn't sound very hot. What this boils down to is that you're gambling that during years 2 and 3 of ownership, you system will have a manufacturer's defect exceeding $230+tax...What this means is that if your system has a malfunction that occurs during year 1 or after year 3, costs less than $230, or is not mfr defect, you actually LOSE MONEY on this purchase. As usual, there is a lot of money to be made from extended warranties, and this one is particularly bad. If you think about it, most computer parts are likely to fail immediately or at least within the first year. Secondly, what computer part costs $230 to replace??? Almost all of the components (except maybe an LCD monitor) will likely be very inexpensive in 1+ years from now..this includes anything inside your computer: RAM, HD, cpu, whatever. Thus, you would have to have multiple device failure in order to even recover your $230+tax....very unlikely. On the other hand, you MIGHT be able to make an argument for a laptop, since laptop repairs which are generally pretty expensive because of labor and inflated part prices. Also, if you want to pay for the security of having a laptop replaced instantly in years 2 and 3, that might also make this deal better.

Valsalva

If the laptop has to be sent in for repair just once, it will end up costing me $150. I intend to carry around thiis laptop in my backpack daily.. to school, to camping trips etc.. So, I do need the security in case I end up doing a serious damage. Note that $230 is not just for extending the warranty to 3 years.. It covers accidental damage as well.. .and not just failure of parts. Extension to 3 years warranty was available for about $100 + tax. I thinkk that $230 is a good price to pay to safeguard against accidental damages (for instanace, spill liquid over keyboards).

 

[pete2002]

This deal doesn't sound very hot. What this boils down to is that you're gambling that during years 2 and 3 of ownership, you system will have a manufacturer's defect exceeding $230+tax...What this means is that if your system has a malfunction that occurs during year 1 or after year 3, costs less than $230, or is not mfr defect, you actually LOSE MONEY on this purchase. As usual, there is a lot of money to be made from extended warranties, and this one is particularly bad. If you think about it, most computer parts are likely to fail immediately or at least within the first year. Secondly, what computer part costs $230 to replace??? Almost all of the components (except maybe an LCD monitor) will likely be very inexpensive in 1+ years from now..this includes anything inside your computer: RAM, HD, cpu, whatever. Thus, you would have to have multiple device failure in order to even recover your $230+tax....very unlikely. On the other hand, you MIGHT be able to make an argument for a laptop, since laptop repairs which are generally pretty expensive because of labor and inflated part prices. Also, if you want to pay for the security of having a laptop replaced instantly in years 2 and 3, that might also make this deal better.

Am I missing something? Doesn't complete care cover accidental damage? As I understand it, thats exactly what it is for. While its true manufacture defects are unlikely, I will likely break my Axim (which i got the 1 year complete care when i bought the axim) by the time the year is up. I'd probably have the same problem with a laptop.

http://www.dell.com/us/en/fss/learnmore/learnmore_complete_care_desktops_dimen.htm

 

[Token Joe]

Ok, to summarize, You got screwed.

extended warrenties are for suckers, get your money back

 

[pete2002]

Lol. Your probably right.. It wasnt an extended warranty neways, just more coverage over the same timespan.