Best Buy Service plans

[GoatHerderEd]

I have always bought them, but recent service makes me think other wise. What do you all think about them? Are they worth it?

 

[broon]

Parody of ???

 

[spacelord]

My theory with Extended Warranty/Service Plans is you either have to buy them all the time or never.
except for things which are fragile.. such as laptop plans that cover ANYTHING for 5 years.. including dropage.

I don't buy them. I would be way ahead of the game if I never bought any... and just replaced the things that broke with the money saved.

I like it when Best Buy asks if I want a service plan on a $14 item. what a joke.

 

[shoRunner]

if you know how to use them they are quite profitable

 

[Cleaner]

Something that I just learned was that per federal regulations all refridgerator's compressors must last 10 years. So the extended service plan is worthless as it has to last 10 years.

 

[Queasy]

I got one for my rear projection HDTV. It was worth it since one of the lamp mechanisms went out after the normal one year warranty. I would have ended up paying more than the service plan in that case. My general rule of thumb is not to get a service plan for anything under $1000.

 

[Fritzo]

I buy them on expensive stuff. A must on LCD and plasma TV's. Their screens only last a few years, so break something at the end of the waranty and go get a new more modern model since they can't replace the existing one

 

[Maximus96]

wouldn't they just weasle their way out of it if you do need to cash in on the warranty? horror stories like that made me avoid them all the time.

 

[GoatHerderEd]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
I buy them on expensive stuff. A must on LCD and plasma TV's. Their screens only last a few years, so break something at the end of the waranty and go get a new more modern model since they can't replace the existing one

I do know that BB honers MFG warrantees. I think you have to have a RMA or something from the MFG saying it needs to be replaced or fixed. Anyway, I bought an LCD from LG and it has a 3 yr warranty. I asked the CSR and they said they will fix it under warranty. So I asked why i should buy the PSP, she said she didint know.

 

Originally posted by: shoRunner
if you know how to use them they are quite profitable

Care to elaborate?

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: zaku
wouldn't they just weasle their way out of it if you do need to cash in on the warranty? horror stories like that made me avoid them all the time.

And bestbuy is really bad about that.

So no it is NOT worth it for any item at worstbuy.

 

[FlyLice]

Originally posted by: buck

Originally posted by: shoRunner
if you know how to use them they are quite profitable

Care to elaborate?

1. Buy Service Plan
2. ???
2. Profit!!

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: buck

Originally posted by: shoRunner
if you know how to use them they are quite profitable

Care to elaborate?

see Fritzo's post.

 

[AMDZen]

I used to work there, so you can imagine that I am biased. In fact I hate the place, and actually know some of the people who do stuff on bestbuysux.org.

However, PSP's and PRP's are frickin awesome on some things. Like Car stereo spearkers. First off I would never buy car stereo speakers from Worst buy because they carry crap, but if you do get the plan on them and just make sure they "blow by accident" before it expires. They will get replaced.

Also on Laptops its a must, and on eMachines. I know most people would never buy one of those either, but they are what BB calls "DEVO" which means that when someone brings in a broken eMachine, they don't bother to try and fix it they simply replace it. More then worth the cost because you can simply "make sure it breaks" before the plan is up and get a brand new eMachine thats way better then the 2-3 year old one. They have to replace it with its equivelant, so if you get a top of the line eMachine, you get the top of the line again which of course will be a lot better.

Also get it on Phones, my friend replaces his phone every year on a service plan. Also, its only smart to get a PRP on a Playstation and especially the PSP. Even if it didn't have dead pixels, if it ever does (even if you intentionally did it somehow) you get a new one. No questions asked. I would never get one on a TV, DVD player or video stuff. Plasma you should get it but its way too expensive. Plasma is crap and will break though, as long as you bare that in mind.

Also, you should definetely get it on Vacuums, one of my friends in appliances replaced several every single day.

I think that about covers it. I buy them on a lot of things, and then simply break them. Oops. Hey they screwed me over for the year I worked there, I owe them.

 

[Rudee]

I'm 38 and never in my life thus far have I ever bought an extended warranty on anything. I've been lucky and have never had any of my electronics fail before it's normal life cycle.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: Cleaner
Something that I just learned was that per federal regulations all refridgerator's compressors must last 10 years. So the extended service plan is worthless as it has to last 10 years.

That doesn't mean other components can't fail. Thermometers, ice makers, etc.

 

[AMDZen]

Originally posted by: Rudee
I'm 38 and never in my life thus far have I ever bought an extended warranty on anything. I've been lucky and have never had any of my electronics fail before it's normal life cycle.

That isn't why you buy a service plan. On something like a cellular phone, its going to get a lot of punishment right? And you probably buy one every year any way, so why not get it for free. Its not like people at best buy look to see if it works. Seriously, around here you can take a cell phone that works in and get a new one, just run out the battery and say it won't turn on. They will simply send it off any way. Bam, you have a new phone.

 

[GoatHerderEd]

Originally posted by: Rudee
I'm 38 and never in my life thus far have I ever bought an extended warranty on anything. I've been lucky and have never had any of my electronics fail before it's normal life cycle.

The point is they cover the unit beyond the life cycle.

 

[Cleaner]

How do they know that. Break the compressor and its their problem to fix.

 

[shoRunner]

on laptops they cover all batteries and accesories(the power cord, etc) same on cell phones. I've had my laptop for about 3 months and i decided i needed a 2nd battery and another power cord, so i don't have to lug mine around everywhere. i just have one at home and one at school. So you just go in say my battery isn't performing at its best levels or my cord doesn't seem to be working all the time and boom...3 days later new cord and oem battery. paid $99 on a 2 yr laptop service plan and i got a $179 battery and maybe a $5 power adapter free.
My parents have also gotten 2 new computers from service plans on them. It covers surge damage on them, so...be creative. It doesn't say it doesn't cover customer stupidity..so unplugging from your UPS and plugging it into the wall during lightning storms can sometime result in profitable effects.

 

[edro]

Definitely!

I have returned my keyboard twice and my mp3 player once and my $800 digital camera once.

WAAAAY worth it for me!

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: GoatHerderEd

Originally posted by: Fritzo
I buy them on expensive stuff. A must on LCD and plasma TV's. Their screens only last a few years, so break something at the end of the waranty and go get a new more modern model since they can't replace the existing one

I do know that BB honers MFG warrantees. I think you have to have a RMA or something from the MFG saying it needs to be replaced or fixed. Anyway, I bought an LCD from LG and it has a 3 yr warranty. I asked the CSR and they said they will fix it under warranty. So I asked why i should buy the PSP, she said she didint know.

Had a SONY projection TV 4 years ago. It had a 1 year MFG warranty, and the guns had to be replaced every 3 years. I got the 4 year warranty on it and removed a part from the inside at the end of the 3rd year. Loaded it up and took it to Best Buy- they looked at it and I got a brand new TV since it was discontinued.

The LCD's I've seen only have a 1 yr warranty. If LG has 3 years, they rock!

 

[ProAm500]

LOL....well I was afraid to ask this on Anandtech for fear of getting blasted but since the post has started.....

I work for Circuit City and I know which things are good to get warrenties on and what not to get it on. On expensive TV's its worth it, the only thing is that it can take forever to get a service guy to come check it out, but its a performance guarentee so if you think it doesnt look good a service will come check it even though it may take a few weeks gor him to get out there, but the way lcd and plasmas are its worth it. Laptops ITS A MUST....Whenever I use the analogy "its like a car, when you have to bring it to the dealership for a speciality part, laptop parts come from the manufacturer, you cant just walk into CC and buy a new replacement motherboard, or hard drive or optical drive" customer's usual listen when I make that analogy. Plus, its a send out service, so if its messed up enough, i.e. power surge that fry's the motherboard, they will issue you a gift card if the laptop is more than a couple years old and its not worth fixing. Ive had people come in that got a laptop four years ago with inferior specs to what we have now with a gift card of like $2,500, so in that sense IT IS DEFINTELY PROFITABLE which brings me to my main question...tehe...

I found a laptop on Ebay that works great that was bought in 2001, but still has an extended warranty until October 2005. Seeing that I work for CC I asked the guy for ticket number and all that to check it out. Everything checks out, the warranty is indeed valid but heres the kicker, when he bought it it was $1949.99...I paid $400 for it!!!!! How can I surge the laptop enough without looking like I did it on purpose so that it can not be fixed. I know this seems somewhat dishonest but after what this company has put me through...lol...and knowing that CityDis-Advantage can give 90% of its customer's the run-around I think a little redemption is fair...lol..

 

[HombrePequeno]

I would say it is for laptops, cameras, and video cameras...possibly expensive TVs (depends on what type). Other than that it's a waste of your money.

 

[Kelemvor]

Depends on the item. I would do it like what Hombre says. Electronic equipment and portable items I would normally get it on. I have it on my TVs, Camcorder, Digital Camera, etc... but not my phone, answering machine, etc...