Never gotten Apple Care, worth it for the nMP? Details ...

[evilpaddy]

As others have said, it's an insurance policy. By definition, Apple gambles that more people will pay than claim. Statistically, you are right to say that the odds are against it being cost effective.

There is also the issue of Apple's somewhat underhand approach to warranties. I have had my rMBP repaired outside the 12mths standard warranty as products are expected to last a period of time that is proportional to it's purchase price. There are several well documented cases of Apple being found to be inappropriately selling AppleCare and fined accordingly. I live in Australia and the UK. Consumer law in both countries provides similar protection to AppleCare.

You might want to take a look at this. Just navigate to your country specific site...

Personally, I won't be getting AppleCare. I bought a max spec nMP and expect it to last at least three years. If it develops a hardware fault in that time, consumer law protects me. The only thing I get with AppleCare is techsupport!

As others have said, it may improve resale and you may not want the hassle of trying to make a claim.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Complain early and you may eventually get a new system if Apple can't fix it.

Complain late and you may get a single part replaced and that part itself may be refurbished and iffy. It may break 2 days after its own 90 day warranty after which you're out of luck.

I never bought AppleCare on any of my Apples (started on a ][+). Never had a failure on any Apple until my DP G5. Close to the end of its warranty period things went awry. It went in and out of the Genius Bar for 2 MB replacements, graphic card replacement, PS replacement, 2 RAM replacements, processor replacement, and a couple of other things I can't (don't want to) remember. When the warranty period was up, Apple wanted $1600 to try to fix it and wanted it up front, with no expectation that it could be fixed and no warranty on the repair if it did get fixed. I decided to use the G5 as a big doorstop and get a 1,1 Pro at that point, but I got AppleCare on that machine and never had to use it. Go figure.

 

[VirtualRain]

I've been buying Macs since 1985. I have never bought AC and never needed it. However, I always buy with a Credit Card that extends the warranty by one year. Again, though, I have never needed to use it.

Lou

I usually use my AMEX card which has this kind of protection as well, and often wondered how easy or useful this extended warranty actually is. I see you have no direct experience, but have you heard or do you know how it works? If you have a part or complete failure in year 2, do you pay the repair/replacement cost and then submit a claim for reimbursement or how does it work? How much supporting evidence does AMEX require to substantiate your claim?

 

[flowrider]

^^^^Again, as you say, I have no direct experience. But, as a condition of the warranty, I register the product with the Credit Card company when I buy the item.

I hope my luck holds out, and I never find out if I'm living in a Pipe Dream world or not

Lou

 

[gnasher729]

Not really answering here, but excluding Apple Care, isn't there a decent amount of time (e.g. 1 year) where you have free repairs/replacements for any apple product ?

Still, for such expensive machine it might worth it (especially considering that this is a 1st release).

Wait for 11 months. Check if you had any problems with your computer or whether it was solid. Then decide if you want Apple Care or not. If you had two or three free repairs, you probably want Apple Care. If you had no problems at all, less so.

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I never bought AppleCare on any of my Apples (started on a ][+). Never had a failure on any Apple until my DP G5. Close to the end of its warranty period things went awry. It went in and out of the Genius Bar for 2 MB replacements, graphic card replacement, PS replacement, 2 RAM replacements, processor replacement, and a couple of other things I can't (don't want to) remember. When the warranty period was up, Apple wanted $1600 to try to fix it and wanted it up front, with no expectation that it could be fixed and no warranty on the repair if it did get fixed. I decided to use the G5 as a big doorstop and get a 1,1 Pro at that point, but I got AppleCare on that machine and never had to use it. Go figure.

So Apple Care is like the umbrella that you carry with you to stop it from raining

As I said, after the warranty repairs you should have bought Apple Care.

 

[wonderspark]

I've only bought AppleCare once, and that was on an iPhone 3GS, because my then-girlfriend gave me such a hard time about not wanting it. It was worth buying it just to end the argument.

I never used that AppleCare, and the phone is still in pristine shape. I use it for my 'overseas' phone by getting a local prepaid SIM for it whenever I travel.

My 4,1 Mac Pro, 9,1 MacBook Pro and all other stuff like Airport Base Stations and Expresses... never got it nor needed it, but I'm a tinkerer/fixer guy, so I'd just repair or replace anything wrong myself anyway. I can thank Navy electronics schools for that, I suppose.

 

[CoMoMacUser]

I usually use my AMEX card which has this kind of protection as well, and often wondered how easy or useful this extended warranty actually is. I see you have no direct experience, but have you heard or do you know how it works? If you have a part or complete failure in year 2, do you pay the repair/replacement cost and then submit a claim for reimbursement or how does it work? How much supporting evidence does AMEX require to substantiate your claim?

I asked AMEX when I bought an MBA in mid-2012, so I recommend checking to see if anything has changed from what I'm about to tell you. But at the time, they said you would pay for the repairs and then submit a claim for reimbursement.

We didn't get into supporting evidence, but I would think that a copy of the invoice/bill/receipt showing you purchased the Apple product with an AMEX would be one part. Ideally both the purchase invoice/bill/receipt and the repair invoice/bill/receipt should have the product's serial number to prove that it's the same device.

 

[JmanInSF]

To me, AppleCare on the nMP is a no brainier.

AppleCare has kicked in on my various desktops and laptops in different ways over the years, including completely replacing a G5 with a faster/more processors version. They even went so far as to match the 3rd party memory I'd added to it.

The nMP is Rev1, and while I love Apple products, its more likely to have 'issues', and on a $6000 purchase, $249 is less than the tax.

 

[gmanist1000]

I always buy AppleCare with my Macs. Recently, the display on my iMac went bad - it would've cost $500 to repair without AppleCare.

 

[mostro900]

I've had AppleCare once before for my MBP and can recommend it. When I ordered my nMP, I was ashes about AppleCare and I told the rep that I could always buy it later, which he agreed to, but asked if he got a good price for it now, would I consider it? I said OK, so he went & checked with his manager. They ended up charging about $250AUD for AppleCare but gave me a $300 discount, so overall I got AppleCare and an effective $40 discount! Definitely worth asking about!

 

[golf1410]

Got mine for $170 at B&H.

How?

 

[Cubemmal]

Yes I'd say that the comparisons to other types of insurance (not specified) such as health, life, dental, auto and house is a poor one. Insurance is useful when what is being insured against is a catastrophic event, or one extremely expensive to treat. This is just a depreciating asset with reasonable repair costs.

I was sure that Apple is making money of Apple Care, otherwise they wouldn't offer it. Looking at the posts it seems that the answer is that it's a crap shot. You can buy it, and it would be worth doing so if you have an expensive repair. Or not, and you saved money.

I think the most convincing case is the point about resale, except that I'm not planning on reselling. The second best case is that it's a first generation Apple product. However, in this case, whether I have any basis for this or not, I have a good feeling about it. It's not that radical a product, just being a small box (or cylindrical) computer, something Apple has sone many times before. And, it was in development a long time.

Well at any rate I'll think about it and decide at 11 month mark. Turns out I get a small discount for it through my workplace too which is nice.

 

[Irishman]

For what it's worth, this i my take on it.

If there was ever a time to get Applecare on a new Mac, it's now, when Apple has offered such a departure from traditional MP form factor and design. New engineering and new design yields new problems that will not be immediately apparent. Problems don't stop happening outside of a warranty period (whether it's 1, 2, or 3 years), so at some point, you will be taking on that repair cost yourself. The question is how early are you comfortable doing so?

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Yes I'd say that the comparisons to other types of insurance (not specified) such as health, life, dental, auto and house is a poor one. Insurance is useful when what is being insured against is a catastrophic event, or one extremely expensive to treat. This is just a depreciating asset with reasonable repair costs.

I was sure that Apple is making money of Apple Care, otherwise they wouldn't offer it. Looking at the posts it seems that the answer is that it's a crap shot. You can buy it, and it would be worth doing so if you have an expensive repair. Or not, and you saved money.

I think the most convincing case is the point about resale, except that I'm not planning on reselling. The second best case is that it's a first generation Apple product. However, in this case, whether I have any basis for this or not, I have a good feeling about it. It's not that radical a product, just being a small box (or cylindrical) computer, something Apple has sone many times before. And, it was in development a long time.

Well at any rate I'll think about it and decide at 11 month mark. Turns out I get a small discount for it through my workplace too which is nice.

Extended Warranties ARE profit centers for those who offer them, or else companies that sell nothing BUT EWs - like Square Trade - could not exist. That doesn't mean you won't find value in them. The value will be in how liberal resolution is offered.

 

[jasonvp]

Well at any rate I'll think about it and decide at 11 month mark. Turns out I get a small discount for it through my workplace too which is nice.

My take: Like you, I've never purchased Apple Care for any of the Macs I've owned. Basically because I've modified them immediately after purchasing them, thereby nuking Apple's warranty. Be it new CPUs, different SSDs that aren't authorized, non-factory RAM, etc. I've done so because A)I'm pretty sure I can fix whatever breaks, and if I can't, B)I can afford to have Apple fix it for me.

Are you going to modify your new Mac Pro? Are you handy with a screw driver? Do you have enough confidence in yourself to tear it apart and fix it if something goes south? If the answer to any of these is "No", then you might want to reconsider AC.

I don't know how long my nMP is going to stay stock. It'll certainly have aftermarket RAM installed in it before it's even turned on for the first time. After that... perhaps a CPU change. Either way, I'm not interested in AC.

 

[snouter]

How?

I have no idea how they do it, but it was $174 (price moves around a few dollars) and I had no problem enrolling my nMP.

AppleCare for nMP $174 @ B&H
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/784688-REG/Apple_S2971LL_A_3_Year_AppleCare_for_Mac.html

 

[flowrider]

I don't know how long my nMP is going to stay stock. It'll certainly have aftermarket RAM installed in it before it's even turned on for the first time. After that... perhaps a CPU change. Either way, I'm not interested in AC.

Good point. My 5,1 had a graphic card change, new RAM, my old USB PCIe card and added three of my old HDDs before I ever turned it on. Since then I have upgraded the CPUs, upgraded the Video card again, installed a Velocity x2 with an SSD, replaced one of my old HDDs and put in a USB3 Card. My Machine just turned nine months old.

Lou

 

[Cubemmal]

My take: Like you, I've never purchased Apple Care for any of the Macs I've owned. Basically because I've modified them immediately after purchasing them, thereby nuking Apple's warranty. Be it new CPUs, different SSDs that aren't authorized, non-factory RAM, etc. I've done so because A)I'm pretty sure I can fix whatever breaks, and if I can't, B)I can afford to have Apple fix it for me.

Yes I've been a heavy modder - in the past. That's why I don't buy anything except a Mac Pro anymore, too difficult to mod. Another reason why I didn't buy Apple Care since I was swapping out RAM and drives from my MBP's.

Are you going to modify your new Mac Pro? Are you handy with a screw driver? Do you have enough confidence in yourself to tear it apart and fix it if something goes south? If the answer to any of these is "No", then you might want to reconsider AC.

Yes. RAM & Flash, both of which are covered under AC if you install aftermarket . I'm easily capable of swapping out the CPU but am very unlikely to do it, preferring instead to buy a new one.

 

[maplingstorie]

IMO, if my mac pro's hardware fails once or more within let's say a time frame of 9 months, then i'd certainly buy one. According to my experience with my rMBP 15", the only I had replaced was the LG screen. Other than that, everything performs flawlessly. P.S I did not get any applecare for my Mac Pro yet or maybe never. I mean, it's a workstation, it's suppose to take all the "abuse" for hours and hours.

 

[electonic]

I don't really get these discussion about Apple Care.

It is plain and simply a "business decision". In quotes, because this, of course, also applies to consumers.

You get one year warranty.
So, say you buy a 3999$ Mac Pro.

That means you pay 3999$ and have one year of guaranteed operation without need for any service expenses.

Now add 249 $ and you get 3 years of warranty on everything(!), all the components inside the Mac Pro, plus the Apple peripherals that came with it, even AirPorts you bought later and Displays bought on the same day. And you get On-Site-Pick up for it.

That means:
4248 $ for 3 Years of operation without service expenses, instead of 3999$.

Now, if nothing happens, you could be angry and say "I lost 249$".
No, you didn't you invested 249$ to have three years, two years more, of guaranteed(!) operation of your investment.

That's 124,5$ per additional year. If you add the On-Site-Support and the convenient one service number, service in store for all components you get for three years, you could say it's 83$ per year.

That is such an easy decision, at least for me, because it is a business decision.

And now, please don't say things like: "It's so expensive, I expect it to last longer than a year." Even if true, and Apple Computers in general have fewer defects than most other brands and last longer than any other brand, that has nothing to with this decision.

These decision are simply based on your investment per year and about if you want to "gamble" or want to have a calculated, secure investment.

Also: Apple Care is registered on the Mac, so if you sell it the new owner get's the Apple Care as well. So resell value is obviously a lot higher, if you sell your Mac still on Apple Care.

Hope this helps.