Here is my two cents... One of the few times I will consider getting an
extended service contract for would be a laptop and an automobile through a
manufacturer (no 3rd party contracts) for my children (they are out of
state, so it is more for ease of mind on my part). But, the laptop coverage
would need to include provision for droppage or other user caused/allowed
damage.
Now for some background bad experience... On 2 separate laptop purchases
from Best Buy I was told their 3 year service contract covered replacement
batteries. "All you need to do is come in and show the Service Counter your
laptop, the contract, tell them the problem, and they will give you a
battery. If they have to order it you will get it in a few days." The
Sales Rep even showed me where the contract states the battery is covered
for inability to retain a charge as when new.
Well, 11 months into a 3 year contract on the 1st laptop the battery began
to hold only enough juice for 45 minutes instead of the 2.5 hours I used to
get. So I innocently zip on down with the laptop, and am told, "You have to
deal with the manufacturer on that. The extended coverage only takes over
when the manufacturer warranty is expired." The manufacturer warranty does
not cover batteries that stop holding their charge, only defective batteries
within 30 days of purchase.
So I wait a month until the manufacturer warranty expires, and see the same
person. "We have to send it out to our Service Center, it will take at
least 8 weeks to get it back. And there is no guarantee the data on the
hard drive will be intact when you do get it back." I asked about the deal
where I was told I only needed to bring the laptop in, ask for a battery and
go on with life. "That is incorrect. We only replace parts that test bad
at the Service Center."
Okay, so I got burned on that one. I ended up purchasing a replacement
battery via eBay, a higher capacity model at that, for just under $200.00.
I figured I must have misheard what the Sales Rep told me, twice. And for
$200.00 my time is worth more than the headache in filing a claim in small
claims court, dragging myself to court, dealing with the delays that would
ensue, etc.
Fast Forward a few more months. I am in Best Buy looking at a laptop for a
client. The Sales Rep comes over and tells me about this and that. I ask
about the extended service plan. He tells me the same old line of crap, and
shows me the same area on the Service Agreement I had been shown the
previous two times that states the battery is covered. I then tell him
about what I just ran into and asked if he would mind fetching the Store
Manager so we could discuss the matter. Long story made short, the Store
Manager refused to discuss "the details of the coverage." I asked if he
thought his company and employees would rather try to explain their
presentation, then lack of coverage as stated, to the Attorney General of
New York. That was the end of the conversation, and when I decided to never
purchase another laptop or major equipment from Best Buy. A series of
letters to Best Buy corporate offices resulted in being blown off with
general responses meant to frustrate folks, and closing with how they hope
they can keep me as a customer... They got my money, and were hell bent on
keeping it. I do very little shopping there now, except low cost/low margin
items that are often on sale. I send folks to CompUSA and warn them of the
Service Contract details to look for.
The next laptop will still get a service contract (for the droppage/spillage
protection), but I am going to insist on written pre-clarification, signed
by a store manager, so if/when I run into the same kind of grief I have
something to fall back on. I bet nobody will be willing to sign such
clarification. If that be the case I will go elsewhere, and state the
reason for doing so. I sometimes learn a bit slow, and am fairly trusting
of folks. But after getting mailed 2 times, and hearing the same old story
being told to other customers (I overhear it at times when looking at the
latest toys), I will never let it happen to me again.
So, get the contract if it covers droppage, etc. Prepare for a fight in
getting restitution. For the price of a replacing a damaged laptop it would
be worth going to court. For a battery it was not worth the grief.
Regards,
Gil
Gilbert M. Hale
New Freedom Data Resources
Pittsford, NY
585-359-8085
gil (AT) gilhale DO.T com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: profoxtech-bounces@leafe.com
> [mailto:profoxtech-bounces (AT) leafe DO.T com]On Behalf Of Steven Black
> Sent: Sunday, May 30, 2004 5:06 PM
> To: profoxtech@leafe.com
> Subject: [NF] 3 year extended warranty for notebook?
>
>
> >> The 15 inch Toshiba notebook (Celeron 2.4, 512, 40, Combo drive, XP
> >> Home) that I bought a while ago could have a 3 year extended
> >> warranty from Circuit City for $233.19. Should I get it?
>
> Pete, I wouldn't buy that. What you want is a 3-year *manufacturer's*
> warranty. IBM's medium and high-end Thinkpads, for example, all come
> with a 3-year manufacturer's warranty. These warranties are honored
> in all IBM's dealers and certified service centers worldwide.
>
> I wouldn't touch a notebook that didn't come with a 3-year warranty
> from the manufacturer. OTOH, what you're looking at here is a
> borderline-scam that all consumer advocate groups I know repeatedly
> advise to avoid. Those 3-year extended warranties are invariably
> overpriced and, moreover, if you need to bring it in you are never
> guaranteed prompt service, and certainly that service will be farmed
> out somewhere else, so you'll be 2-layers removed from the actual
> repair service. Also, think of those "sales rebates" they offer: mail it
> in, wait six-months, maybe eventually get your rebate. It's totally
> bogus. There's little difference between these two add-on schemes...
>
> **--** Steve
>
>
>
>
[excessive quoting removed by server]
©2004 Gilbert M. Hale |
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