Do I need to buy apple care?

[peapody]

Yes I know there are many many threads on this...but I wanted to ask specific to the macbook air community.

I just got the 2.13ghz 128gbSSD off of ebay (for a great deal!). Just arrived today and everything looks great - works great etc. I wanted to see the age of my mba and when I entered the SN into the apple support site - it says that apple needs proof of purchase that whole deal. Well I don't have a legitimate proof of purchase from an authorized site (need to ask the seller), but the MBA is 11 months old according to coconut battery.

Questions are:
1. Should I even get applecare? Hinges can be replaced out of warranty, and I have an SSD that is failsafe. Any other issue would probably be my own fault.
2. I should be ok purchasing apple care through the customer support number yes? I think I did that for a powerbook and was able to buy apple care for it (a 12" G4 no less!)

 

[Hellhammer]

SSD is not fail-proof. What usually goes busted is the logic board. Replacing that can easily cost 1000 bucks. It's up to you. Some people say it's worth and others say it isn't. It offers peace of mind, that's why I bought it

 

[peapody]

SSD is not fail-proof. What usually goes busted is the logic board. Replacing that can easily cost 1000 bucks. It's up to you. Some people say it's worth and others say it isn't. It offers peace of mind, that's why I bought it

Thats for that. Didn't even think about that, Hellhammer.


Well I got word back from the seller and he gave me the date of purchase which allowed me to register the product. Now I can purchase apple care on ebay! I guess that wraps that question up.

 

[r.j.s]

Well I got word back from the seller and he gave me the date of purchase which allowed me to register the product. Now I can purchase apple care on ebay! I guess that wraps that question up.

Just remember, AppleCare must be registered before the 1 year mark, so don't sit on it once you buy it.

 

[tflournoy95]

applecare is useless. buy at bestbuy and get one of their protection packages.

 

[r.j.s]

applecare is useless. buy at bestbuy and get one of their protection packages.

AC is far from useless. It is more likely that BB will make the problem worse with any repairs they attempt.

 

[karohan]

Just remember, AppleCare must be registered before the 1 year mark, so don't sit on it once you buy it.

What do you mean it needs to be registered? I don't remember registering my AppleCare but I have invoked it (though its within the one year so it might just be the limited warranty).

 

[r.j.s]

What do you mean it needs to be registered? I don't remember registering my AppleCare but I have invoked it (though its within the one year so it might just be the limited warranty).

Registered. With Apple. You go to the Apple site and enter the AppleCare serial number and the item serial number.

If you buy the AC from Apple when you buy the product, it comes registered already.

 

[karohan]

Oh alright, thanks. I bought it with my computer from Apple, so it came pre-registered then. I was wondering if I had to register it when I first got the AppleCare package, but I couldn't find anything in the documentation, so I was just curious.

 

[matelot]

I just got the 2.13ghz 128gbSSD off of ebay (for a great deal!)....

is this brand new or used ?

 

[peapody]

is this brand new or used ?

Used. I'm going to be getting apple care just in case. Might as well since I saved so much to begin with.

 

[cleric]

It's insurance like any other kind of insurance its a gamble. You may save money you may lose money.

 

[matelot]

...but the MBA is 11 months old according to coconut battery.

wait, do you know when this MBA's original warranty started ?
I just read about coconutBattery so I have no idea how accurate it is on telling the age of the machine.

I'm wondering if you're still eligible to buy AppleCare....

 

[peapody]

wait, do you know when this MBA's original warranty started ?
I just read about coconutBattery so I have no idea how accurate it is on telling the age of the machine.

I'm wondering if you're still eligible to buy AppleCare....

Yes. I asked the seller. He said he bought it in Oct. 9, 2009, and when I submitted that date to apple, I was able to register the machine. Therefore I have until Oct 10 to purchase and register applecare. Knowing that, coconut battery is pretty accurate.

 

[manhattanboy]

applecare is useless. buy at bestbuy and get one of their protection packages.

For the MBA, I disagree. The MBA is very different in its engineering and most regular computer people don't have enough experience with it to adequately service it. The Apple care has been worth it for me on my MBA

 

[mangrove]

Anyone who says Applecare is useless is issuing a useless comment. Insurance is useless? Must be someone who has never had to use insurance YET.

 

[Scottsdale]

It is totally worth it especially if you buy it from eBay for $90 or something. Good luck and congrats on the new MBA!

 

[kryca]

AC is a must

I would never get a MacBook without AppleCare. I have gone through 2 complete repair cycles with each my last portables (NVIDIA etc.), all of which broke late into their AppleCares including a power brick.

When something breaks it is usually getting *abnormally* expensive. And ever since the TiBook hinges things do break now and then.

 

[bowlerman625]

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I would.