Laptop extended warranty worth it ?

[Pardus]

Someone i know is purchasing a laptop but is not able take it apart if something goes wrong and they are over 1000 miles away from me to help them repair it down the road if something should go wrong beyond the manufacturers warranty. Local service centers can charge $100 easy just to look at it.

Was looking at an extended warranty with out without accidental damage, has anyone used any of these places and if so, which one did you choose and did you ever need to file a claim.

http://extended-warranty-services-review.toptenreviews.com/

Thanks

 

[RossMAN]

Do you know which brand(s) they're considering?

If an on-site warranty is important, I'd suggest going with Apple, Dell or Lenovo.

They might be able to find a SquareTrade.com 40% off coupon.

 

[Pardus]

We are looking for on-site warranty, not something where they send you a box and you have no laptop for a week or two while it's diagnosed. Brand name will be Toshiba, he works for them and get's a huge discount.

 

[Topweasel]

Dell and their next day onsite is pretty good and one of the top business options. But it really depends on what you are getting. If you are getting an $800 laptop it doesn't make sense to get a $300 service plan. Pocket it and use it for replacing the laptop when it breaks. But if your getting a 1400-$2000 business laptop like a Latitude. Then it would make sense.

 

[JWade]

I would also recommend a dell and their service is pretty good. I just went through the hassle of getting a sony repaired for a friend, and what a nightmare. the onsite service, joke, it is just a person from a local computer shop who is authorized to work on that brand. the person who came out, actually broke the laptop more. was a simple case of the backlight going out on the lcd, the guy who came out didn't even know how to take the screen apart (4 screws hold the bezel on, he broke the bezel taking it off by not undoing the 4 screws!) needless to say when he got done, it definitely had to be send in. 2 months for the whole ordeal. oh next day onsite service was more like next week onsite service.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

If you're the kind of person who has to save up for a while to buy a computer, then peace of mind and no risk of a large unexpected cash outlay for a repair is nice. If you could replace it any time you wanted, then the odds are in your favor if you skip the extended warranty.

Now, accidental damage coverage - that I would wholeheartedly endorse. Too much of that going around, especially with laptops.

And you should probably insure it against theft on your renters/homeowners if you can do so affordably.

 

[Pardus]

Apple, Dell or Lenovo not an option as he gets 40% from Toshiba, no sense buying another model.

He decided to buy the warranty through Toshiba directly, was $135 for 3-years including ADH. I called squaretrade to see of they offer local repair as an option, there rep put me on hold with every question asked, there customer service center is horrid.

Toshiba direct allows him to send the laptop in for repair, shipping paid both ways or be reimbursed up to cost of the unit at a local shop.

 

[Enigmoid]

The warranty on my lenovo was $104 for 3 years in home service. I thought that was well worth it on a $900 laptop.

 

[Zodiark1593]

I take care of my stuff, no need for extended warranty.

 

[Brainonska511]

I take care of my stuff, no need for extended warranty.

This. I picked up a Thinkpad T420i on sale in June of 2011 for ~$650. By default, it comes with the 1-year mail-in warranty. Good enough for me, and it was technically doubled because I used a CC that has that benefit.

 

[Topweasel]

I personally wouldn't get a third party service plan on a laptop. That's where the horror stories come from. I would use as a rule of thumb then to not buy a laptop that costs more then you would be willing to replace in 2 years. Not saying it will only last 2 years, but no spending 1600+ on a laptop that you will be kicking yourself in two years if it goes down, and trust me with a 3rd party plan, you will then as well. Better be prepared now to replace it then if it comes to it.

 

[Topweasel]

I take care of my stuff, no need for extended warranty.

That might be a good point if it was just the accidental damage. But Even when only dealing with 150 or so in warranty <2 year old laptops, I deal with at least 5 a year that I am calling in for problems that aren't the users fault. Not a significant percentage mind you, but the point is, It isn't always about how well you treat your device.

 

[Mushkins]

That might be a good point if it was just the accidental damage. But Even when only dealing with 150 or so in warranty <2 year old laptops, I deal with at least 5 a year that I am calling in for problems that aren't the users fault. Not a significant percentage mind you, but the point is, It isn't always about how well you treat your device.

The worst is when you end up with a model that just has a defect across the board. The company I was working for a few years back did a rollout of lenovo x201s and T410s for nearly 200 laptop users. By the six month mark about a third of the T410s went through warranty repairs for faulty wireless cards. After a while we jokingly assigned the empty desk in our department as the "lenovo service desk," someone was there at least once a week. The old T60s/T61s we were replacing were so much more reliable.

 

[Enigmoid]

I take care of my stuff, no need for extended warranty.

I'd agree with you on a desktop system but for mobile there is a lot less you can do, parts are propriety and expensive if you can get them at all.