Need advice on Macbook, Applecare, strategy

Pasha · Post by **Pasha** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:18 am

Hi I have a MacBook C2D since last November.
Soon I'll have to decide to go for Applecare or not (I've got 1 Year since the purchase date). Being new to Apple what would you suggest:

1.Buy a new model every two years
2.Get Applecare and peace of mind
3.Buy a new model now

The reseller told me that my Macbook is worth 900 Euros if I buy a new machine. Applecare is 319 Euros.

I have to say that I wasn't able to go over 60% CPU load with my MacBook and Live and it suits my needs for now. I saw the new iMacs and I'm thinking to give up with mobility (I used my Macbook only twice outdoor for now) for power but I've concerns sure about the iMac not having a Video in. Would you wait for Leopard and possibly new models?

- Thanks for help
- Pasha

The Mysterious Flying Pum · Post by **The Mysterious Flying Pum** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:22 am

Hi,

I bought an iBook G3 5 years ago (it is still my main computer!) and I had to use the AppleCare twice:
- one to change the screen (there was a flaw on this model and the internal screen cables were cut)
- one to replace the video card that just died one day.

It took 2/3 weeks each time to replace the hardware and got it back.

I was very happy to have bought the AppleCare. Now that I have no more any guarantee, I'll have to buy a new laptop the next time I have a big problem.

trip_out · Post by **trip_out** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:38 am

I was in a similar situation. My ibook was the last revision, had worked very well and so I figured why bother with Applecare. 4 months out of warranty the logic board went, I managed to get that repaired through lots of arguments, a solid understanding of uk consumer rights (lots of hassle), and shear luck I suppose. Now 8 months after that it is dead again. I've had to buy a new laptop.

If you want guaranteed peace of mind that you will have a working laptop for the next 2 years buy Applecare. If you figure that you can save for a new one, or would rather take a chance, don't.

You simply can't predict when or if it will break I'm afraid, so a guarantee is a bit like gambling - lots of manufacturers make a lot of money this way too.

I've bought Applecare with this new laptop - it simply isn't worth the hassle to me.

Geraldo · Post by **Geraldo** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:44 am

Its a gamble. I did not get Applecare with my iMac and the hard drive failed after 18 months. So I replaced it with a western digital drive for $99. which is less than I would have paid for Applecare. No trouble since. I say get the new iMac. But I'm waiting for Leopard to be included.

Brkhlk · Post by **Brkhlk** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:45 am

consider yourself lucky if you can afford a new mac every 2 years.

So if money ain't the problem, go for apple care.

i got apple care with my macbook pro. got it october 06.
there were 2 flaws where apple care helped out on the spot.

My battery died once, they exchanged it without any problems, got a
new one (199 sfr. retail price) for free
and 2 keys on my keyboard died. exchange. problem solved.

i think you got 2 options so far:

a) if you keep the macbook, i'd go for full apple care.

b) sell it, get yourself a shiny desktop mac when leopard is out,
also with "extended" apple care.

but i'd keep the lappie so far.
are you using a external interface or internal core audio ?

greetz,

adrian

freshdrumma · Post by **freshdrumma** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:49 am

were do you live? if you live in europe nevermind what they says, electronic stuffs are covered for 2 years. friend of mine did a claim to apple and got his macbook fixed for free. it`s a shame that my dvd burner is gone and i bought my machine in usa!

Pasha · Post by **Pasha** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:27 am

Brkhlk wrote:consider yourself lucky if you can afford a new mac every 2 years.

So if money ain't the problem, go for apple care.

i got apple care with my macbook pro. got it october 06.
there were 2 flaws where apple care helped out on the spot.

My battery died once, they exchanged it without any problems, got a
new one (199 sfr. retail price) for free
and 2 keys on my keyboard died. exchange. problem solved.

i think you got 2 options so far:

a) if you keep the macbook, i'd go for full apple care.

b) sell it, get yourself a shiny desktop mac when leopard is out,
also with "extended" apple care.

but i'd keep the lappie so far.
are you using a external interface or internal core audio ?

greetz,

adrian

Thanks for answer!
I use an FCA202 FW from Behringer.

- greetz (I like this...)

Pasha · Post by **Pasha** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:33 am

freshdrumma wrote:were do you live? if you live in europe nevermind what they says, electronic stuffs are covered for 2 years. friend of mine did a claim to apple and got his macbook fixed for free. it`s a shame that my dvd burner is gone and i bought my machine in usa!

I bought mine in EU/Italy but Apple reseller keep on saying that I got 1 Year warranty only, that the EU/Italy 24 months warranty covers 1 Year from the Manufacturer and 1 Year (the second) where you have to prove that the goods were defective since the beginning. Being difficult to determine if it's the case or not, Apple chose to cover 1 Year and it's perfectly legal to do so.....
Did your friend got it in Italy? How he claimed? Did he need legal help?

- Best
- Pasha

Pasha · Post by **Pasha** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:52 am

Brkhlk wrote:consider yourself lucky if you can afford a new mac every 2 years.

So if money ain't the problem, go for apple care.
i

I forgot.... I used to build my own PC every 3 to 4 year, I don't know what the average usage of a Mac could be. They change OS frequently and I'm not used to it. I jumped on the Apple bandwagon without considering a lot of matters so now I have to get into account those extra bucks for Applecare. I have made a simple math and here's the result:

When I bought my Macbook I was stupid and bought RAM from the Apple reseller and so I wasted some money. Moreover to get more space I got the Black one. Stupid myself!

Now we got 1049 Euros for the Combo model with 1 GB Ram and 80 GB HDD. I got an external DVD Recorder that works fine with my MacBook so a combo drive is enough. Alternatively we got a MacBook at 1249 Euros with 1 GB and 120 GB HDD. If I retain my RAM and the reseller gives me 900 Euros for my MacBook (is the value right?) , I can add 400 Euros (AppleCare costs 319 Euros) and have the same machine I have today with 2.16 Ghz CPU instead of 2.0 Ghz, iLife 08 (79 Euros) and still no AppleCare, but 1 Year more to go. What I learned from being an Apple Customer in these months is that Apple ends to lower prices a bit or give you more stuff for the same price or both (more stuff -less bucks) as long as the product line goes.
If I can save some money with this 'trick' I can always have a new machine with less effort, especially if it's true that in EU we have got 24 months warranty....I could jump to an iMac for less (1'199 Euros)

- Best
- Pasha

Sales Dude McBoob · Post by **Sales Dude McBoob** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 3:47 pm

I would try not to get sucked into the whole "I need the latest Mac" shit.

I would keep the MacBook and buy the Applecare.

You may not need the mobility now, but who knows what you might need in the next two years...

I used to not take my laptop out of the house very much. Now I don't leave home without it. My G5 tower is getting really lonely.

robbmasters · Post by **robbmasters** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:02 pm

How much would you pay for AppleCare?

I bought a nearly new MacBook Pro for £950 (about $1,900) a few months ago. In the US, AppleCare for this would cost $349 (about £175). In the UK, it costs £279 (about $540). Still worth it? Sounds very expensive to me (three times what some PC manufacturers charge for a similar service...)

Although we have some additional legal rights in the UK (things have to last a "reasonable" length of time - i.e. significantly more than a year for a premium laptop) these only apply to the original purchaser, so they don't apply to me...

Sales Dude McBoob · Post by **Sales Dude McBoob** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:37 pm

I'm about to have the screen replaced on my 2005 PowerBook.

How much is a new screen going to cost in the UK in 2009?

petetweq · Post by **petetweq** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:37 pm

maybe it isn't worth paying alot more than I would for a pc of the same power?

llama_taboot · Post by **llama_taboot** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:42 pm

applecare for peace of mind and ease/quickness of repair -

also, you aren't really gaining power between MBP/imac -- the imac basically has laptop components in a larger shell - if you want desktop power, have to switch to Mac Pro

Sales Dude McBoob · Post by **Sales Dude McBoob** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:48 pm

petetweq wrote:maybe it isn't worth paying alot more than I would for a pc of the same power?

Need advice on Macbook, Applecare, strategy

Need advice on Macbook, Applecare, strategy

sounds like a fair amount of hardware problems

Re: sounds like a fair amount of hardware problems