Can you buy AppleCare BEFORE you buy a macbook?

[orangemacapple]

my macbook c2d is 6 months old. i didn't buy applecare until today ($129) because i was thinking i might upgrade before the original warranty is up.

when it arrives, do i have to activate it then? specifically, can i wait until november and decide whether to upgrade or put the applecare on this macbook -- or buy another mb then and apply the applecare to it?

maybe i could just hold on to the applecare for a few years until i finally decide to quit upgrading and then apply it.

 

[MacDann]

my macbook c2d is 6 months old. i didn't buy applecare until today ($129) because i was thinking i might upgrade before the original warranty is up.

when it arrives, do i have to activate it then? specifically, can i wait until november and decide whether to upgrade or put the applecare on this macbook -- or buy another mb then and apply the applecare to it?

maybe i could just hold on to the applecare for a few years until i finally decide to quit upgrading and then apply it.

AppleCare is not "linked" to a specific machine until you register it. The only time this is not the case is when you buy it with the computer from Apple, and they register it as a part of the sale.

You could theoretically buy AppleCare and sit on it for a year or two, then register it to a machine you bought at that time, as long as it's the proper AppleCare for that product.

MD

 

[DaLurker]

my macbook c2d is 6 months old. i didn't buy applecare until today ($129) because i was thinking i might upgrade before the original warranty is up.

when it arrives, do i have to activate it then? specifically, can i wait until november and decide whether to upgrade or put the applecare on this macbook -- or buy another mb then and apply the applecare to it?

maybe i could just hold on to the applecare for a few years until i finally decide to quit upgrading and then apply it.

The applecare can be applied to any macbook that is still under the original 1 year warranty. It automatically extends the 1 year warranty to 3 years regardless of whether you do it from the first day of ownership vs. the last day of ownership.

So yes, you can hang on to the applecare until November and then apply it, but keep in mind once your original warranty is up, you can't apply this anymore.

 

[orangemacapple]

does the applecare have ANY sort of "shelf-life"?

i expect apple to make macbooks for several years. it's a hot product and most of their new products still sell for several years after initial introduction. and every year apple will have something new (santa rosa will be on them in a couple months and next year it'll be something else.)

the way i figure it, upgrading only costs a couple hundred a year because of the residual value.

 

[DaLurker]

does the applecare have ANY sort of "shelf-life"?

i expect apple to make macbooks for several years. it's a hot product and most of their new products still sell for several years after initial introduction. and every year apple will have something new (santa rosa will be on them in a couple months and next year it'll be something else.)

the way i figure it, upgrading only costs a couple hundred a year because of the residual value.

Not that I know of. But then again, why would you buy it now if you don't think you'll be using it 'till 3 years later? Why not buy it when you need it?

 

[orangemacapple]

because i'm a sucker for a deal!

i bought it today for $129. even though i swore i wouldn't buy it until i needed it. it was an impulse decision. i'm susceptible to bargains.


i don't regret buying it -- especially if i can use it in the future. my mb works perfectly and and just in case i decide to keep it i've got applecare at a good price. i don't foresee applecare getting much cheaper than that.

 

[itsme92]

One thing, you want to put something in iCal or something because you don't want to forget to register the warranty.