Just purchased a Hitachi 43" 16:9 projection TV (43FWX20B); Circuit City offered a 4 year extended service plan for $399, which among other things, they will come to my home yearly and adjust the convergence.
Is this a smart investment?
Anonymous
Posted on
Nope...have you checked out Best Buy?? Their plan is also for 4 years, costs $299.00 and covers averything from heat,dust,wear and usage,power surge(you should be using the best surg protecter you can afford) among other things.
I would get an extended service warranty no question...just make sure the mgr. adds that the projection bulb will be replaced if necessary during the warranty period. Because they could not find anyone to make a service call on my Sharp, Good Guys got me a brand new Yamaha projector.
Shawn
Posted on
I used to service consumer electronics for Best Buy. They do have some of the better deals for extended warranties on the market. On less expensive products ($200 or less) I find these warranties useless. On a purchase as large as a big screen it can be a great investment. One service call will lighten your wallet by $150 or more, and if you have tube problems then you might as well turn it into a fish tank. It is well worth it especially if they will come out annually and tune your settings.
Darrell
Posted on
But what are the chances that you will have to use it? Other than the yearly tuneup. How reliable are projection TV's?
Anonymous
Posted on
Can someone tell me why or if you really need an annual tune-up of your settings,etc. on a RPTV. And for that reason should you buy the service contract or is it all a scam?
Marc
Posted on
Best Buy uses refurbished parts, while CC uses brand new factory parts. Many other benefits over the Best Buy plan to. Def. worth it
There are three (3) schools of thought when dealing with Extended Service Warrantee's:
1. You purchase the extended warrantee with every item you buy. 2. You NEVER buy a service warrantee with anything you buy. 3. You pick and choose when and on what item to purchase the extended warrantee.
Of those three, the last one is the worst possible choice. Extended Warrantee's are simply "insurance plans" in the event that something goes wrong with your purchase after the manufacturers warrantee has expired. In affect, it is simply a "Peace of Mind" purchase. By choosing to purchase it, with one item and opting out on another, dissipates the reason for your "Peace of Mind" to begin with. You've actually caused a great deal of apprehension and alarm after the purchase not knowing if you've made the right choice or not.
Secondly, and not much better choice, is that the reason those extended warrantees are sold is to make money! The consumer is ALWAYS the looser in this scenario. You will NEVER recoup the money paid out in extended Warrantee's if you opt for these on every purchase.
That leaves options #2. If you never buy the warrantee's, you'll soon realize that the money saved in opting OUT of them each time the situation is giving to you, would make it extremely easily re-purchase very large items, such as Televisions, Appliances, Tires, and the like over and over again as the small chance that something happens to them after the warrantee arises. (In most cases, you would have decided to purchase an upgrade or a totally newer technology anyway.)
Bottom line: Extended Service Warrantee's are the biggest consumer rip-off since the inception "junk bonds".
Timba
Jewcifer
Posted on
Yeeees! Couldn't agree more Timba!
Anonymous
Posted on
My husband use to be a salesman, and the warranties was where he made his commission. They gave him a script for sale of the warranty, what to do when the customer says this, this and this. Sheer utter waste. I've brought some but never been glad that I did. Like Timba said, you usually end up upgrading before the thing zonks out on you anyway.
Check into what Home Theater Magazine says about it. They say that you should consider it on big screen TVs. Here is why. Consumers demand 2 things, less expensive and more features. If you don't believe me go to any store that sells electronics and look at the people reading the tags. The customer may not even know what a ding-woozle is but if this one has it and that one doesn't then it's this one he wants. Manufacturers in order to stay competitive and not loose sales keep adding features, whether the customer can use it or not. More features means more things to go wrong. Also in order to be competitive in price the manufacturer has to cut corners and use less expensive materials. That is why a Sony projection weighs less than a Sony tube, less material. Now aside from this is the fact that you are forking over $2000-? on a TV that won't look as good in a year. I don't care how much you paid for your projection tv it will not clean its own lenses and mirrors for you when they get dirty and they will. This means diminished brightness, contrast and sharpness. Sure maybe you can afford to buy another tv easily every 5 years but you will have to put with sub standard picture till then if you don't have the service done. If the store policy is that they will clean and maintain the quality of the picture as often as needed and if they will replace your tv after so many times in repair then get it. Yes the store makes money when you buy the guarranty but that is because you guarranty that your service needs are handled by them. You know who will make even more money off of you? The TV repairman who comes to your house if you don't have a guarranty.
Speaker of the truth
Posted on
Miquel i think your full of BS..I have spoke with many an "expert" and they all conclude that buying extended warranties are a suckers game..I have recently purchased a RPTV, and on the advice of a Top notch service tech, did not buy the warranty..This gentleman is an instructor to several major brand tv manufacturers, and i asked him about lens cleaning, and he said unless you are living in ahovel, the likelyhood of dirt, etc affecting the picture is remote..Bottom line is DON'T buy extended warranties
Well I don't claim to be an "expert". But the people at Home Theater Magazine do and they recommend that if you don't want to or can't pay for a new TV in a few years that maybe the warranty is a good idea. Also service shops get paid more when you don't have a warranty. Good luck getting the truth out of them Speaker.
Anonymous
Posted on
i look at extended warranties this way, for me i look at the dollar value of the product i am purchasing also what kind of service will i get if the product fails, who will take care of me. i certainly do not want to ship my product anywhere so i just want to go one place and i know the company will take care of me, what i say is all these people who say extended warranties are a waste of time, i hope they will come to your house a fix the problem for you, or pay for a new product if it brakes...and just a heads up for u guys i bought a tv from circuit city and beacuse i had an "extended warranty" they were able to give me a new tv when my old one could not be repaired, just food for thought
Anonymous
Posted on
Have you checked out third party warranties? I just looked at Vikingwarranty.com and their cost is half of what the store wanted to charge me. 100% mark-up - I don't tink so!
You said, "what i say is all these people who say extended warranties are a waste of time, i hope they will come to your house a fix the problem for you, or pay for a new product if it brakes" and "i bought a tv from circuit city and beacuse i had an "extended warranty" they were able to give me a new tv when my old one could not be repaired".
Well, I'm so glad that you got that FREE TV! Good god! If people like you practice what they preach to the 'max' and purchased an extended service contract on every item they bought, and something dasturdly happens to EVERY item you bought, and you received a FREE replacement on EVERY item, then yeah, I guess it would be worth it. But, see...the point is, you can't base your assumption that extended service contracts are wonderful in terms of a single incident that happened with a single TV set. It's crazy to assume you'll recoup your money if you stand by the theory that extended contracts are worth the effort and money in every situation.
You might have one, or possibly two great experiences if you're lucky, about those extended contracts to share with family and friends, but...you'll never convince me, or yourself for that matter, that they are the wise choice for anyone!
Secondly, I ain't payen' for squat if something happens to your set if you don't buy an extended service contract. I could care less if it breaks on ya. But, what you CAN do, and will do, is pull out all that money you've saved over the years by NOT buying those pieces of contractual trash, and go out and buy SEVERAL new TV's!
Merry Christmas!
If extended service contracts save you time and effort, that's one thing. I'm happy for you if it does. But...don't even THINK to tell me that in years to come, you'll be money ahead by investing in them everytime the opportunity is given to you. That would be bad advice coming from anyone!
Timba
Anonymous
Posted on
Timba is very smart.
Think about it. If Toshiba products broke down all the time to make these warranties worth while, how much longer would Toshiba be in business?
Isn't this why you buy name brand to begin with?
Drake
Posted on
Well I think extended warranties are worth it. You are paying $l,000 plus for these tv's and it's only an extra 200-300 dollars for 3-5 years. I bought an extended warantee for my car amp and it went out on my twice and each time Best Buy replaced it with a new unit.
I think this is a do what you want kind of deal.
Anonymous
Posted on
Then Why purchase Auto insurance? Homeowners? In these days and times, it's worth the peace of mind!!
The reason you purchase Auto Insurance is self-explanatory. For one, it's against the law NOT to have it. Secondly, the downside in not having it outweighs the cost of maintaining it. The cost of bail, court fees, legal fees, fines, penalties, and judgments FAR exceed the cost of premiums in the event you need it.
Homeowners Insurance is quite the same with the exception that jail time won't be a problem. However, you might think a warm place to sleep, such as the county jail, might come in handy on those cold winter nights after your house burns down and you're looking for a dumpster to dive into.
So, to compare the cost of these much needed "peace's of mind" with that of dollar after dollar secondary-warrantee options for consumer products, is far from reasonable.
I challenge ANYONE to take a notepad around their home (providing it hasn't burned to the ground yet) and jot down every electronic, furniture piece, appliance, motorized vehicle, garden or exercise equipment, and carpet you not only HAVE, but have EVER had; and make a monetary adjustment to the value of this secondary-warrantee cost on all of those items. I've estimated you'll find that you could probably donate EVERYTHING you CURRENTLY own to charity, take the deduction off of your year-end taxable income reported to the IRS, and find you could replace EVERYTHING you own tomorrow with the money you saved by NOT buying extended warrantee's.
My point has always been, that the consumer...in the long run...is the looser in this market. There ARE exceptions to individual rules. There are those that seem to benefit (monetarily) from a negative experience after purchasing an extended warrantee on an item after it failed to work. I have no doubt that they feel they might have gotten their moneys worth on that particular item and therefore are happy they bought it. But, those people fail to realize that (if lived by the letter and concept of their belief in these extended services) they would have purchased an extended warrantee with everything else they've owned as well. And, if so...they are already behind the eight ball and will never see the light of being in the black again.
But, I do respect the opinion of those that opt for these purchases. I truly do. That is a personal choice and I wish them luck in their travels. I just know I'll have more spending money once I get there!
Timba
qdog
Posted on
These people who suggest extended warranties, probably also take out travel insurance...lol...As PT Barnum said "There's a sucker borm every minute"
G-Man
Posted on
I would only get the warranty if it included an ISF certified individual that had the proper equipment and knowledge to adjust everything to the proper levels on the rear projection set--and this especially includes the set-up.
If they can't or won't send an ISF certified individual to set-up your set I would pass on any warranty and would just do a google search and find out who is the closest ISF certified technician in your area to "TUNE" you in properly.
Susan Smith
Posted on
The only person who can answer the question as to whether to buy an extended warranty or not is yourself. If you can sleep at night knowing you have that protection on the item you bought, then a warranty is for you. If your worried about extra protection then there is no need to buy one. The thing to ask yourself is "If I need to buy a warranty with this item, do I really want this item?"
Anonymous
Posted on
What use is the extended plan warranty if the company can deny service based on e.g. "liquid spill", and keep repeating this even when returning an item in unusable condition that they received in working order (in my case, a Circuit City bought laptop). We had NO liquid spill. How a brown substance got to be inside only they can explain. But they only repeat their scripts. What power has the consumer against this? And what use is the service plan if they can refuse to service on any pretext they provide???
Bella Karas
Posted on
Big TV manufacturers are trying to reduce their standard warranty periods to compete on price. When comparing prices for your TV, also make sure to compare warranty periods. I never buy any warranties, instead I choose one of the best manufacturers which reduces the likelyhood of failure of the equipment. Most of the time it works. I had 52" Toshiba projection TV for 11 years and now something happen with picture, everything doubles. I do not plan to fix it after I went to the store and saw new TVs with much better picture quality. I am not planning to buy extended warranty on my new TV, will take my chances. I read reviews on Samsung warranty, it does not cover screen burn-ins. If you decide to go with warranty, make sure to read the fine print and find out what it does not cover before buying.
I just went looking to buy a Hitachi RPTV and got the usual song & dance from the salesman trying to convince me, even before I had told him what TV I was interested in, to buy the 5 year extended warranty. I never buy extended warranties. What I have found is that the manufacturers warranty is usually long enough to cover parts that were originally faulty. In my experience if it makes it past the manufacturers warranty it will usually last a number of years without a problem.
However, I am a little bit concerned about spending thousands of dollars on a big screen that will require yearly maintenance to maintain the original picture. Can someone familiar with the technology set me straight. Is it true that the TV will require annual tuning by a qualified technician to maintain the picture or is this just a load of crap?
Since you didn't mention the type of 'Big-Screen' you've decided on, I can only say that it would depend on the set you end up with. I knew upfront when I purchased my 60" Sony LCD Grand Wega, that there would be a certain amount of money needed to be spent in order to "maintain" the best picture throughout its lifetime. Namely, my LCD will require a new bulb at roughly 3300 hours, or thereabouts. But, since the extended service contract does NOT cover these types of "maintanence proceedures", it left me wondering what the purpose of the extended service contract was for in the first place. Hence, any additional "annual tuning" that is "required" by the manufacturer to maintain a certain level of picture quality could very possibly not be covered as well.
I am very much like yourself in regards to purchasing these "contracts". If you've never bought one, you are already ahead of the game. Even IF something horrendous should happen to the set soon after the warrentee expired, you can be assured that the money you've pocketed on every other item you've bought in the past will be more than enough to cover the expense of repairing and/or replacing the lemon set you've then deducted you possess.
Once again, I can't comment on the type of set you're buying anyway. I'm simply trying to reasure you that, theoretically...and financially, you nor anyone else EVER needs an extended service contract. It's a all to common marketing ploy that has reached monumental proportions into the pocketbooks of consumers that is already shelling out dollar upon dollar for more up to date and exciting electronics that we feel we can't live without. This, in conjunction with the fact that "salespeople" are very much prompted and influenced by that same dollar in getting a larger paycheck at the end of the month simply by douping customers into feeling uneasy about thier purchase if they don't fall for the biggest "con" so far created by our mass retail establishment and its manufacturing artery.
Buy the set if like it...if you've researched it...and are sold on it. But...don't go to bed at night worring that the set won't make it past "Late Night with David Letterman" if you didn't shell out that extra cash for something you've not only never had or did use, but would never really miss even if you did have to use it that one time in the future.
Good luck,
Timba
SSeaW
Posted on
Big screens and extended warranty coverage:
I bought my first and only big screen back in 2000 at Best Buy. The guy told me about 'burn ins' and advised me, if nothing else get the extended coverage if you get a burn in, which is quite likely to happen if you use a big screen as a every day TV. These tubes inside these until are VERY expensive to replace! So I agreed because of this and bought it.
3 months later wouldn't you know it, I get a burn in! I call Best Buy to have it replaced and what do you think they told me? "We don't cover burn-ins on big screen TV's, this is a user error! When I told them that my salesguy told me that they did, they basically just laughed in my face.
I was totally screwed out of over 2 grand in a 3 month period. The TV was totally ruined.
NEVER again will I buy a big screen until burn in issues are a thing of the past.
Bottom line, extended contracts are a bunch of BS!
mr. depressed
Posted on
I have a samsung 42" hdtv (model hcm4216w) widescreen proj. tv I purchased 13 mths. ago. I read all the posts concerning buying warranties vs. not which I didn't. Samsung offers 1 yr parts & labor. Wouldn't you know it, 13 mths. and bam, I turn set on and now I have this weird curved effect on top and bottom of screen. I tried and can only adjust the blue not the red convergence as it wont even budge. Not being a rich person, I now wish I would've opted for the extended service plan. It's a shame a set that has been treated like a million dollar baby poops out this soon. Any suggestions on fixing it would be appreciated. I've managed to get into the service menu and adjust a cpl. of things in order to view the tv, but it still sucks and needs to be fixed. Sigh.....might as well get the vasoline.....'cause the repair guy will soon have to make an appearance.
First of all, I'm sorry about your TV. Those kinds of things are uncomfortable at best. And, it does cause a buyer pause when the device you've bought bangs-out right after the warrentee period expires. But, such is the nature of electronics.
But, with that said, don't hurt yourself or drag yourself through the coals until you actually find the problem and get it repaired. It could very well be that the repair cost will be very near the same, if not lower, than the cost of the extended service contract. But, therein lies the debate, doesn't it?
I wouldn't second guess your decision to forego the cost of the "Extended Concrapt" since the reason you, or most people' buy the things are to "prepay" for any problems they need addressed in the near future. This is a mere "window" of time as well. As, the coverage does NOT cover indefinatly either. It's a small period of time between the end of the warrentee period set by the manufacturer and forever. In terms of its importance it remains a mystery to me that most problems will either occur during the manufacturers warrentee or the period of time extended well beyond the extended service warrentee.
My opinion? You still made the right decision. Staying away from those extended warrentees in every item you buy will more than pay for several new TV's in your future. Just fix the set and be happy that you're now in a position to pay for something you're actually getting; a fixed TV.
Timba
tony gedaro
Posted on
So check this out...I bought a 50" Proscan Rear projection TV back in 1998, and got the extended service contract for 60 months, well the tv worked great,for 70 months, now its dead, and the warrenty is up. So now I'm out the $299 I paid for the extended service contract when I bought the TV, and still have to pay a repairman come and fix it. Not sure if I'll buy another Big screen TV again, they sure don't last very long
Dang, that IS depressing! However, I think the REAL lesson learned instead of "...not sure if I'll buy another Big screen TV again..." would be "I will take the lesson of buying an extended service contract and not do THAT again!"
However, you do have my condolences Tony. I would never make "lite" of your situation. But, the lesson is well taught to the rest of us; tuition free, I might add. Thanks.
Timba
Anonymous
Posted on
Has anyone purchased a TV via internet with an extended service contract? If so, what are your experiences?
mr. depressed
Posted on
Thanks Timba for enlightening me being that I was so down about my "busted" tv that I never thought of the actual pros & cons of an extended contract. When looking at it that way it does make me feel a little better. I called Sears Repair and it will cost $105.00 just to have the guy come out and give me an estimate. So I then called a local but very trusted tv and sat. co. and they referred me to another trusted electronics repair store because they didn't have the service manual to my Samsung 42" Widescreen, HDTV (course its sick now). A faint light bulb went off above my cranium as I thought, "Hmmmmm wonder if I could order the manual on the net?" I've already gotten into the service menu and adjusted some controls giving a semi-seeable picture less red color in a 4:3 ratio. Basically I have an hourglass turned on its side shape and the red convergence wont budge, weird to say the least. So I thought if I had the service manual would if give me exactly what all the options in the service menu are and would oh only if I clicked my red ruby sneakers thrice make my tv whole again. Which I know is a long shot as I'm sure its some other problem which would involve replacing something. I've already peaked behind via a thick sticker easily removed designed for focusing the lenses. I would say that whatever controls the red convergence is not functioning otherwise the red works fine. But yikes what about the hourglass shape doned in black top to bottom. Anyhow I still have some mfg warranty left covering the tubes so I better leave it alone. Last but not least the other repair place gives free estimates if I can bring it. Haven't got a truck but will borrow one soon and give it a go. If anyone has any ideas about the problem I'm having let me know. By the way anonymous, this is my second big screen experience, the first a Toshiba 50" whiched I purchased off the net and which again I didn't buy the warranty and for over 2 yrs. it work great, then I sold it to my friend, he had it for nearly a year, then bam, black & white occasionally. The guy at his chosen repair shop couldn't find exactly what was wrong but thought that a new tv was in order as the bill is getting bigger. Peace
angelo
Posted on
well i work at best buy (yep, expert here....sarcastic) and we have to push the plan on everyone like if they don't get it there dumb, we HAVE to, so don't get mad at us when we do.
i know 2 days ago the 4year psp on projections dropped to $250 at best buy. there are only a few things id get the plan on, portable dvd players and projection tv's. since i work there i pay 5% over cost on everything, includind the plans, so i definatly get the plan. but i can tell you the "cost" of the plan is about $155, they sell it for $250. so yeah, they do make money, but i think its definatly worth it. we've had our remote replaced since we got the tv a year ago, those go for $125-$200. no universal remote is going to do all the things the original will on a widescreen projo. (unless you buy a $150 universal remote).
Sh*t happens, the plan protects you from that, chances are it won't, but if it does, your protected. you spend $2000 on the tv, id get it
Mark
Posted on
At some stores, you can make the fact that they push the warranty so hard work in your favor. I bought a Sony 36" Wega in 2000 from BestBuy. They did the usual push to buy the warranty. I acted interested, but said I couldn't afford it with the cost of the TV. After going back and forth a bit, they discounted the TV an additional $60, then tacked on the $120 cost for the warranty. The warranty, just like the TV, has a 30-day return policy. Because they will always show the warranty at its normal retail cost on your receipt, then make a deduction on the product you purchased, you just have to go back to the store within 30 days, and return the warranty paperwork and ask for a refund. They'll try to get you to keep it of course, but be firm and they have no choice but to refund it. I did, and got the TV for $60 less than I would have otherwise.
I did something similar at GoodGuys several years ago. I bought a demo pair of surround speakers. They gave me a good price on the speakers, then tacked on their 5-year warranty at its normal cost, saying they were giving me a great deal by throwing in the warranty for free. I would have ended up paying MSRP for an open-box speaker with their extended warranty. Plus, like most speakers, they have a 5-year warranty from the manufacturer already.
Went back a few days later with the receipt and warranty paperwork, and told them to refund the warranty. They didn't want to do it, saying the sales rep gave me a deal based on buying the warranty. I insisted they refund it, and they did, very reluctantly. (They probably knew I'd have returned the speakers otherwise, and they'd never get rid of them)
When I bought a Toshiba 50HDX82 RPTV last year, I did buy the extended warranty, after getting them to knock the cost of the TV down a bit more, and give me their 5-year warranty at their normal 3-year price. This time, I intended to keep the warranty. (It's the only product I've ever bought, and kept, an extended warranty for.)
There was (and still is) quite a lot of comments about HD RPTV reliability in the forums, I thought it might pay off. It hasn't yet, but the TV did develop the flickering problem that is so common to the Toshiba HDX82 series. It's still under Toshiba's warranty, so I won't have to use the extended, though it should still provide a replacement after 3 repair attempts.
M Ramsey
Posted on
I am purchasing a entry level Philips HDTV. Best Buy sells it between 900-1000, and offers a service contract for 250. I found the exact same set at Costco for $100 less, they told be that they cannot offer me an extended service contract, but instead I can return the Set anytime in the future should I have a problem, as long as I have the receipt and the materials that come with it.
Hmmmm $250 for something a may or not use. Save $100 and be able to get a full refund till the end of time...
Deepak
Posted on
I bought 53" HTDV and watch it a lot. I plan to have it as my main TV for next 4-5 years till i buy next generation TV. some extra $s a year is ok for me since i will watch many movies i missed in theater in my "home theater" (and i miss a lot because of my year old). Yes i know it might very well trun out wasteful. ( i had extra warrany on car for 500$ and i used only for around 350$). But again its your choice. It might very well trun wasteful but after 4 years i don't think you are going to miss few hundred bucks. At least i am not.
mike
Posted on
normally i do not buy them...however, when i bought my 61" panasonic last year i took it..for 200$canadian it gives me another 2 years on top of the 2 years from Pan...i just moved from a house to a condo and because of all the steel in the building my convergance was way off....this is covered in the factory warranty but in 2 years if i need to get it done again, it won't cost me the 300 bucks they charge to do it....plus if something happens within those 4 years and it cant be fixed, i get a new TV...for 200$ i would say that is a great deal...
Anonymous
Posted on
what the fuc# is wrong with this timba guy? leave it alone dude.
if someone buys a warranty, and is happy with that. they made the right decision.
your opinion doesnt really matter, does it?
go do something worthwhile rather than wallow here!
Thanks for the suggestion Anonymous. I would suggest that your input would be exceedingly more important to me if you had mentioned it NINE MONTHS ago when this topic first started. However, seeing that you bring it up: Do you own a calculator? If you do, can you use it? If so, you've probably calculated that extended service contracts are by far the worst form of consumer investment ever devised! THAT, it a nutshell, is the jest of my comments.
And, again...for you and others who haven't noticed buried deeper within some of my comments, I have said that those that gleam comfort in purchasing such contracts along lifes merry way, are free as any to do just that; not to mention commenting on that investment. The whole idea of the forum itself is showing its true colors in laying out the opinions of all those that choose one side over the other.
Your comment is taken for what it's worth. In reference to "being happy with a decision" making it right? If that were the case, we'd would never learn anything from the mistakes we make. Plus, my opinion only matters in relation to those that haven't made one yet. Thus the purpose of my input.
Timba
amy
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Hi guys, I have a Sony 44" projection big-screen bought 6 years ago. Today I tried to turn it on like I'd been doing everyday, but the red power indicator would come on and then off after a second before the screen showed any picture. Who had any experience of this and what is the best/cheapest way to fix it? Thanks!
I've got a Hitachi in another room that has experienced that same issue from time to time. Usually when I loose power in the house with some electrical storm or something along those lines. I usually end up just unplugging the set and wait a few minutes, replug it back in, and all is well. What causes this, I have no explainable idea for your purposes. But perhaps if you give it a whirl you might get lucky. Who knows.
Timba
.:ME:.
Unregistered guest
Posted on
HI GUYS!
tarzud
Unregistered guest
Posted on
I bought Best Buy's service plan for my projection TV mainly because I heard that the lenses would need to be cleaned periodically and that was included in the plan. Since I have it, I figure I should go ahead and get the lenses cleaned frequently (say, every six months or so). Wise or not? Are there any reasons why I shouldn't do that?
Anonymous
Posted on
Working for BBY you get a feel for what you probably should and should not get a warranty on. Someone posted earlier that you either get them on everything or nothing but picking and choosing was nonsense. Thats b.s. Most products i'd not buy a warranty on. Tube televisions are built so solidly that you never need it. But, if your a do it yourself carfi guy who blasts a lot of bass, cover your amps and subs, you'll need it. If you buy one of those E-Machine budget CPUs, your gonna need it, and you'll probably get an upgrade when you use it. Product that are "brand new" technology don't have a great reliability track record and you should consider it. Most of the other stuff, forget it.
One more thing. NEVER EVER take the salesman's word for what is covered under these. To make the sale he'll tell you that someone will come out and dust the thing whenever you want. READ the warranty fully and if you still have questions call the 1-800 number in it and ask the person at the warranty center. Bulbs in LCD bigscreens are not covered but all the salesreps will say it is. And you won't get too far telling them "well, joe salesman said so."
You made several goog points in considering the option of buying extended service contracts when purchasing electronic items, whether it be from Best Buy or anyplace. Trusting a salesperson in regards to what is covered or not covered would certainly be mistake #1 when buying these things.
However, as a clearification to the verbage of "you either get them on everything or nothing" was taken out of context in assuming that some items need them more than others. I would agree that some items are more suspect to needing them more than others. The example of "E-Machines" is good in support for that comment. However, the realm in which "you either get them on everything or nothing but picking and choosing being the worst mistake you could make" comment that was made still holds true in respect to the monetary payout throughout a consumers span of experience. There are two different topics here. Mine is based on pure mathmatics in the sense that money is being made 'hand over fist' at the expense of the consumer over the long run. (And, most likely over the short run for most people.)
And, once again...the obvious facts of money alone aside, the "peace of mind" factor is something that can not be overlooked either. I only speak of the money saved in my argument to avoid Extended Service Contracts. That is NOT B.S.! It's mere reasoning. The ease at which someone can sleep at night after buying them, on the other hand, is something that I would never take away from someone if they opt for such a purchase. That is a personal decision by all means. (I just wanted to clear that up too while I was at it.)
Timba
dubz
Unregistered guest
Posted on
yeah, there there to make money, if they didn't make money off them, they'd raise the price or stop offering it.
but there are a few things they will pay for themselves on, like portable dvd players for example, the 4y is $80, your going to go through 1-2 batteries each one about $130
BB offers 4y on everything (excluding dlp bulbs) for $250, i personally feel, thats a good deal. if it was $400+, then i may have to think about it. btw, the "cost" to offer that product, last time i checked was about 200, employee's pay 5% over cost on everything, including plans, which is how i know (oh no! im letting out there secrets....hahahah like i care)
Kirupa
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Make sure you read the fine prints. I purchased a 51" Sony at Best Buy with the warranty. I was not planning to get the warranty but, the salesman talked me into getting it. He told me that it's worth it because they will allign the guns and clean the TV when needed. I was told that they will even replace the remote if ever broke.
Well, none of that is true. The plan states under terms and conditions that it will not cover preventative maintenance on TV nor cover cleanings and alignments.
I returned the plan within 30 days and got my money back.