Probably the best thing to do is buy it near the end of the warrantee period assuming the extended warrantee allows that. And buy it from the pc maker not the retailer.

... you might find that a purchased extended warrantee is going to be difficult to transfer to the new computers serial number if you have an early failure and they replace the main unit before that extended warrantee kicks in.

Alot of them also offer the accidental coverage, but that must be purchased within 30 days of the laptop purchase

The down side of Accident coverage is it only allows you to drop in in the pool once per year.

From all my readings extended warranties are not a cost conscious investment regardless of the item protected. Also, they tend to overlap manufacturer's coverage; 3 years is really two and two years is really one.

That being said, I guess it is personal choice as to what makes a buyer feel secure.

The sole duty of the buyer is to read the warranty before purchasing. Do not believe anyone. Check for limitations, hidden costs, shipping fees, deductibles and anything that might make a bad situation worse. All promises must be in writing. I support the concept of purchasing from a maker before a retailer.

Also, if you have a credit card check into any privleges you might have. My Chase Platinum has a buyer protection program that allows for free extended warranties of up to a year on qualified purchases if the card is used. My HP system last Spring was placed on the card and the entire system's warranty was doubled to two years. A minor registration was all that was needed. When the bill paid I just paid it off.

I have been doing this for years, but fortunately I have never needed to use the service.

DA

Well...you learn something new every day. I didn't know that you had to purchase the accidental within 30 days, or that you can only have one accidental claim per year. Thanks.

damcoy...well..I would find it hard to believe that computers will fall into the same categories as other purchases that are warrantied. I have never had a computer that didn't need a lot of tech support, repairs etc.

My most recent computer, for instance, had just about every hardware part replaced on it in the 4 years it was under warranty. It more than paid for itself. It would have cost us a small fortune to fix it. It is $349. to extend the warranty and the accidental coverage for 3 years on a Lenovo that I am looking at. I just had to spend $125 for my child's laptop just to have data recovered and to diagnose it. In the end, they recommended it was not repairable. The reason? Because it was too expensive to fix. The cost of the motherboard to fix the computer was as much as what it would cost for extended warranty for the whole 3 years.

Plus I have had similar experiences with just about every computer I have owned.

Just my personal experiences... :-)
pm2

PM2.

Yes they were covered like other qualifying products. I even had a gas BBQ qualify once.

Never met anyone before who reported, "I have never had a computer that didn't need a lot of tech support, repairs etc." Is there a gnome throwing them against the wall while you are sleeping at night?

Again I state that the choice is what makes the user comfortable. I based mine on personal experiences and readings like Consumer Reports.

DA

I wouldnt bother with any accidental coverage if the laptop will be remaining at home and not being carried anywhere. If you like to drink coffee etc while on the laptop, then, it may be adviseable because of spills etc. If you spill anything on a laptop, big problems. You cant just unplug the keyboard like a desktop and replace it. Liquid spillage will go right to the systemboard (motherboard) and probably totally destroy it.

The point I was trying to make was not that my own personal computers have all needed a lot of repairs. Although this last laptop certainly has, but that in general, a computer compared to a microwave oven let's say, is more likely to need service over five years of it's lifetime than the microwave. In other words, an extended warranty on a computer may be more useful than on other appliances.

Tech support can be a very individual thing. Some people are very computer savvy, or they have a friend or family member who is. I have never had any close friends to help me work out an issue. When I first started on computers, I was having to call all the time to ask questions about how to do everything. Now they no longer cover you for software issues anyway. But you can't always rely on people in forums to help you work out a problem that is over your head, so for me, at least, tech support gives me peace of mind that I am not going to get stuck.

As for breakage, yes, I did think of the fact that I use my computer at home most of the time, but it really isn't that much more to add that to the coverage. I don't use it at a desk though and am always carrying it and picking it up and putting it down, and really, you never if over the life of a machine your needs will change and you will want to be taking it out a lot.

No, I don't abuse my computer, if anything I am too vigilant about being careful with it. Have never spilled anything even once on the keyboard in thirteen years. Or dropped a computer, etc. What has had to be replaced on my laptop were unprovoked hardware issues.

adam

My credit card doubles the manufacturer's warranty if it is one year or less. My Acer is past the year warranty and is non fixable. My Chase MC is sending me a check for the price of the computer.
Donna

I've tripped over my ac adapter a couple times only to watch my laptop jump up off the sofa and try to fly.. it always lands face down, on the floor.

I just switched my card from a ScotiaBank MoneyBack to a ScotiaLine card just because of the extended warranty offered (and other free nicies) as I plan on purchasing a new laptop next week

So Brian, you decided on the Lenovo? I still haven't made up my mind. I, personally, would get the accident coverage. I think laptops invite 'accidents.'

Good luck,
Jane

Genes if you see this before you buy your laptop there is a nice deal at Future Shop until the 6th of March.

Here is a link that might be useful: Laptop deal at Future Shop

I am not big on Compaqs, seen too many people with proprietary problems. Besides, its got a smaller processor, less RAM, not as good Video chip (GPU) and only 3 USBs.
Thanks anyhow