Re: Way OT: Extended Service Contracts (Was Re: u're my gods)

The answer is to buy everything you can from Sam's Club or Costco. They stand behind everything FOREVER (except some computer equipment). No questions asked. Extended service contracts (ESC)are usually not a good buy. If electronics are going to fail they usually do so before the 90 warranty runs out. I actually had a salesperson at Radio Shack try to sell me an extended warranty for $9.00 on a $3.00 item.

George

>From: STUART GOLDSTEIN <email_stuart@yahoo.com>
>Date: Thu Sep 15 10:07:23 CDT 2005
>To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
>Subject: Way OT: Extended Service Contracts (Was Re: u're my gods)

>Hi all,
>
>Regarding extended service contracts (ESC), I heard
>someone from Consumer Reports say that the ESC's are
>not worth the money that you'd be paying for them. I
>don't remember all of the particulars but the only
>thing that he said that you should buy an ESC (odd how
>that acrynym seems to imply escape as in run from
>them) is a plasma TV.
>
>Ok, having said, I make all of my hardware purchase on
>my VISA or Master Card. In the US, I don't know what
>it is other areas of the world or California (only
>kidding Californians), certain cards (platinum? gold?
>silver?) give you an extended warranty coverage for a
>year beyond the manufacturer's warranty (all included
>for free with the charge card). But check with your
>VISA and MC issuers to make sure you've got that kind
>of coverage on your card (I think that they call
>extended warranty).
>
>I've had to use this service a number of times: my
>monitor suddenly started smoking (I didn't even know
>that it had access to tobacco, and if it wasn't
>tobacco...well I won't even go there), my CD burner
>stopped burning (now if only the monitor hadn't
>started burning and the burner continued to burn --
>maybe it was a case of switched identities as in the
>movie Freaky Friday), and there was another case which
>slips my mind.
>
>You have to jump through a number of hoops to be
>reimbursed (original receipts, charge card statements
>showing that you purchased the item on the particular
>VISA or MC, proof that the item is no longer working,
>various forms, phone calls, etc) but I can't imagine
>that the procedure is any different than if you paid
>for an ESC (and it maybe worse with an ESC).
>
>But don't get me wrong, this is not a cash cow. They
>will reimburse you up to the purchase price, but no
>more (at least that's what I remember). And with the
>cost of computer equipment constantly falling, they
>will only cover the replacement cost (it may have
>changed since I had my last set of problems). For
>instance, I think that the monitor originally cost
>something like $500 (years ago). I found a similar
>monitor to replace the one that shorted out for $225
>and that's what the paid me. The burner was $159 and
>the replacement only cost $106 -- again you get the
>lower amount.
>
>And no I couldn't replace the bulky monitor with one
>of those sleek flat screen Apple Cinema displays --
>unless I wanted to pay the big difference. Ditto if I
>wanted to go from a CD burner to a DVD burner. You
>only get apples for Apples -- that's a little
>MacIntosh humor. Okay bad pun but I know some members
>live for them.
>
>But getting a replacement at virtually no cost saved
>my (nonexistent) budget. It gives me piece of mind
>knowing if something goes wrong 15 days after the
>manufacturer's warranty expires that I'm still covered
>by my credit card.
>
>Sorry about the length of this message. But I hope
>that I was clear and that this info will save some
>members some $$$.
>
>Stuart
>--- Dave Rose <cactuscowboy@bresnan.net> wrote:
>
>> Extended service contracts or extended warranties
>> are very common, whether
>> you're buying a car, a refrigerator, or a printer.
>> If you have any
>> questions or concerns, read the contract before
>> buying.
>>
>> Dave in Wyoming
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Adam.Waterson" <artistboi@speakeasy.net>
>> To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 12:13 PM
>> Subject: u're my gods
>>
>>
>> What is the deal with this warranty? When I was
>> talking with my friend
>> at Showcase they mentioned only to buy a US
>> warranty. Is this worth 60
>> bucks for a printer i'm scared is going to break.
>> Is this a real
>> warranty? Or is this a 3rd party attempt for some
>> extra cash, and
>> nothing to do with the Epson R2400 I'm buying.
>> Cheers!
>>
>>
>> Mack
>
>
>
>
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Received on Thu Sep 15 13:25:37 2005