Ever regret not buying the extended warranty?

[wvjules]

I sure do. My laptop warranty expired on December 5th. Well guess what! It has a problem that needs to be fixed now and unfortunately it turns out to be a very expensive fix. Heck, it would almost be as cost effective to buy a new one than to get this one fixed.

The AC in connector on this computer is attached to the motherboard. Well the connector has come lose on the inside. The solution...replace the motherboard at approximately $500-600!!!!!!!!! I called a few PC repair places and the won't mess with soldering it to the MB b/c of potentially damaging it. I did finally find one place to attempt it at $50/hr. If it doesn't work or they damage the MB, I'll have to get a new laptop! Grrrrr....If they can't fix it, I'll just have to giggle the powercord like I do now and hope it connects until it finally breaks loose.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Sorry to here about your laptop.


We did stop purchasing them. However on our portable DVD player we bought over the summer--after a couple of years ago having 2 DVD Players in the first 30 days break--we made an exception and got it (4 years even). On our flight home from New Mexico 2 weeks ago--the darn thing broke. Just decided it wouldn't spin the disc anymore. .

 

[Louise-Montreal]

Like you, I did not buy the extended warranty on my laptop- it crashed and I had to buy a new laptop. I was told to never buy a laptop without the extended warranty. They are too susceptible. Needless to say, I bought the extended warranty when I bought my new laptop.

Good luck with the repairs

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Like you, I did not buy the extended warranty on my laptop- it crashed and I had to buy a new laptop. I was told to never buy a laptop without the extended warranty. They are too susceptible. Needless to say, I bought the extended warranty when I bought my new laptop.

Good luck with the repairs

Expensive and portable are our two criteria.

 

[smilingmouse]

I sure do. My laptop warranty expired on December 5th. Well guess what! It has a problem that needs to be fixed now and unfortunately it turns out to be a very expensive fix. Heck, it would almost be as cost effective to buy a new one than to get this one fixed.

The AC in connector on this computer is attached to the motherboard. Well the connector has come lose on the inside. The solution...replace the motherboard at approximately $500-600!!!!!!!!! I called a few PC repair places and the won't mess with soldering it to the MB b/c of potentially damaging it. I did finally find one place to attempt it at $50/hr. If it doesn't work or they damage the MB, I'll have to get a new laptop! Grrrrr....If they can't fix it, I'll just have to giggle the powercord like I do now and hope it connects until it finally breaks loose.

I had the same thing happen to my current laptop. Thankfully, I had the extended warranty, so it was fixed for free. My friend, who is the service manager at a computer repair chain, told me that this happens a lot to laptops...

Good luck getting this fixed

 

[DisneyTarheel]

IHMO, two exceptions to the general rule that extended warraties are not cost effective are: (1) laptop computers and (2) HDTV televisions.

 

[HayGan]

DH had a similar thing happen with his Dell laptop! A couple months afterhe bought it the motherboard died. $400 later at least it is still working now

 

[jfulcer]

DH had a similar thing happen with his Dell laptop! A couple months afterhe bought it the motherboard died. $400 later at least it is still working now

Most computers (And Dell included - I checked their site) have a 1 year limited warranty. Unless it was obvious negligence, your laptop should have been covered under that warranty. Of course you would had to ship it back to Dell anyway but I suspect you did that anyway...

 

[jfulcer]

Anyone have an old laptop they had to replace because it was crashed/broken? I'd gladly take them off your hands, I'll even pay for shipping.

 

[jfulcer]

IHMO, two exceptions to the general rule that extended warraties are not cost effective are: (1) laptop computers and (2) HDTV televisions.

(3) Digital Cameras. I bought the extended warranty on my camera - 4 years. In that 4 years, I've had to get a new one 3 times. The third camera is now in for repairs under that same exact warranty. That warranty has paid for itself many times over.

 

[mickman1962]

don't bring it to a pc repair shop, bring it to an electronics repair shop. it is a simple solder fix. If the electronics shop doesn't want to dismantle the laptop then have the pc shop do it, have it soldered, have pc shop put it back together. Or better yet find a PC shop that is not afraid to fix something.

 

[Banzai]

I have one for my G5 iPod and my Laptop. I would never buy another laptop without one, as i have used it twice in one year.

 

[arminnie]

I sure do. My laptop warranty expired on December 5th. Well guess what! It has a problem that needs to be fixed now and unfortunately it turns out to be a very expensive fix. Heck, it would almost be as cost effective to buy a new one than to get this one fixed.

The AC in connector on this computer is attached to the motherboard. Well the connector has come lose on the inside. The solution...replace the motherboard at approximately $500-600!!!!!!!!! I called a few PC repair places and the won't mess with soldering it to the MB b/c of potentially damaging it. I did finally find one place to attempt it at $50/hr. If it doesn't work or they damage the MB, I'll have to get a new laptop! Grrrrr....If they can't fix it, I'll just have to giggle the powercord like I do now and hope it connects until it finally breaks loose.

I had the EXACT same problem with a Compaq laptop. It also almost caught my hotel room on fire. I came back to the room and smoke was pouring out the back.

So when I bought a new one I got the extended warranty. When it conked out 18 months later (another Compaq) I thought I was set.

I took it back to Best Buy where I'd bought the warranty - guess what - after having it for a month they called me up and said it wasn't covered and that I owed them $107 for looking at it. What a total waste of money to get the warranty.

They told me that there was evidence of liquid inside which invalidated the warranty - I was inside a house with no liquids within 20 yards of me when it stopped working. There is NO way that there was any liquid damage when I took it in.

So I bought the cheapest laptop I could find and didn't get an extended warranty. And I also learned not to buy anything from Compaq or Best Buy.

I don't know why Compaq hasn't figured out that power cord thing yet. My first laptop that I got in '93 had a 3 year warranty from Compaq, and I had the motherboard replaced THREE times because of that power cord thing. All they've done now is just eliminate the warranty.

 

[MoniqueU]

I don't have one for the laptop I am using now, a sharp. I didn't know it was available I bought it online. It pays to ask. This laptops powercord went and I had to have it replaced for over 200 bucks. At least the hard drive works which is more then I can say for my dell that I DID get the warranty on. I had to have that computer replaired no less then 4 times before they finally gave me a totally new refurbished model. You guessed it it's probably the harddrive again and it is now our of warranty. My son needs it for school so I have to ship it in to get repaired. I know one thing for sure even with a warranty I will never buy another dell computer again. Their stuff isn't made very well in my experience.
I have had good luck with my camera, home built desktops, tivos, monitors, portable DVD players, home dvd Players etc.

 

[wvjules]

I did find one pc repair shop to do the repair so hopefully that will work. If it doesn't work I'll have to break down and get a new one or just do without for a while and confinscate DD's computer when I need/want on it.

BTW, back in February my pc stopped working so I sent it to them for repair. They had it for a month and had to replace the motherboard back then. If I remember correctly the AC jack was part of the problem since the lights didn't even come on when it was plugged in.

Oh and one of the reasons I didn't get the extended warranty is b/c I figured since I never take this thing anywhere but to my sofa I'd be ok. Big mistake. lol I'll chalk that up to a lesson learned.

 

[jfulcer]

I did find one pc repair shop to do the repair so hopefully that will work. If it doesn't work I'll have to break down and get a new one or just do without for a while and confinscate DD's computer when I need/want on it.

Hey, keep me in mind if it is hosed. I may buy it from you!

 

[HOGFAN]

just bought warranty for this laptop. $348 for 2 years. Seems like alot, but I guess repairs are so much more