Applecare/Circuit City or Best Buy warranty?

[amycishere]

Hello,

I've noticed that it looks like Best Buy has this warranty protection plan online as well as Crcuit City. Once I see the white and black books up close I will be buying mine through apple.com because of the student discount and to upgrade the hard drive.

I love the service you get at Best Buy but they said tey only sell macs online. Wouldn't that mean they wouldn't be great with repairs because they only work with PCs? And Mom and Dad hate Circuit City but it is alot closer to us then the Apple Store and wouldn't I get it back alot sooner than sending it to apple? The Apple Store is at least 1 hour and a half away. How is the mail in care?

Just any feedback would be great...thanks!

 

[SolrFlare]

I work at Best Buy myself so here is the deal with Best Buy waranty's in relation to apple.

Best Buy/Geek Squad is actually somewhat limited in their ability to service Apple computer hardware except in select stores that sell it due to them not being as commonplace. Best Buy's service plan is actually quite good however, especially their accidental damage coverage for laptop computers.

But, if we were to take in a Macbook for service, all we would end up doing would be sending it off to our main service center anyway with a 2 to 3 week turnaround. As such, you really won't be saving any time with a Best Buy service plan for apple laptops. You're better off going with Applecare for sure.

The same can not be said about iPod products though, a service plan with Best Buy is a really god idea on those. We actually have a new policy in effect now that went active this Sunday. If you have a service plan on an iPod and it is after the 30 day exchange period, you have two options:

1) Send your iPod in for repairs with a 2 to 3 week turn around but you will get your exact iPod back unless it is unrepairable, at which point the store will do an exchange for you.

2) The new option is the Rapid Exchange program. you can turn your iPod in then Best Buy will get you a cleaned up refurbished replacement iPod sent direct to you within 3 business days.

In both cases your service plan will carry over to the replacement, and Best Buy will still maintain their no lemon policy(if you have come in for repairs/rapid exchange on your iPod 3 times, then on the 4th time we'll replace your iPod with a brand new one).

So, basically, yes to Best Buy service plans, especially on PC Laptops, TVs, and iPods, but Applecare is a better solution for Macbooks/Mac desktops.

 

[e12a]

eh...there was something on digg a while back about Best Buy not properly handling a Projection TV when it was sent in for repair during the extended warranty period. It was a real hassle.

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=393838

 

[holamiamigos]

go for the applecare... better go the direct route

 

[kill-your-tv]

I have "incidental" insurance, fire,theft,damage ect. $44 dolars a year. Not a bad deal eh? As far as Apple Care goes.... I just got mine back, some of the issues are resolved. Very quick turnaround. But I have a few new scratches, very small, only me and "Monk" would notice. The machine left with 0 scratches. Came back with a bunch of fingerprints too. So much for "cleaning" your Mac when it gets serviced. Any warrenty you purchase threw a mass retailer, Apple included, is a crap shoot.