3 years Warranty really needed? - Page 2

Theres a lot less risk involed buying a 3 year warrenty waiting for a defect then there is not to buy a 3 year warrenty and not counting on a defect. The idea is actually what dell says it is peace of mind. you could bank on a system not falling apart a year down the line but what about 2 years? or 3 years? if you are content that you are extremely careful and 1 year is suited for you thne be my guest. I personally advise the longest option possible because paying a few hundred doesnt compare to a price of a few thousand.

My girlfriend had a Gateway 5150 with a 3 year warranty which she used three times, twice when the backlight went out on her LCD and once just to replace some damage to the outer shell and to the plastic cover for the ports. The motherboard has failed now (4th year) and no longer recognizes and devices attached to its IDE controller.

Her roomate in college had a 3 year warranty on her sony laptop, which she used 4 times, 3 times to replace the LCD which kept crapping out with vertical bars, horizontal bars and backlight dying... 4th time they replaced her laptop entirely with a new model because her old one was discontinued. Its still working fine for her now (6th year since purchase)

My poor Toshiba Satellite S3000-353 had only a one year warranty, which has since expired without me ever using it. I'm still using my laptop, with a cracked plastic exterior, fading paint, missing rubber feet, and missing clip so the laptop never really closes... and its still kickin it... so far...

I guess the moral of my story is that there is no moral.... o_O Get it if you want, or not if you don't care... Maybe you'll be one of the many who's electronics work exactly like they're supposed to... but then maybe you'll also be one of the lucky folks who take care of their stuff and it just sorta poops out on ya.

I guess Im just saying that if I don't have the confidance a product will be trouble free for at least three years, I would not buy it. I buy product based on public perceprtion of reliability and real world stats when available. Thats why I feel Toshiba is a great product as well. I would consider a warranty on a Gateway, but there you go. I would not buy one because of that!

I have heard Dell's reliability is superb and have found no evidance to refute that. However I have found much evidance their Customer Service is terrible as of late. That only re enforced the great reliability to me. With the terrible CS , if MOST of the Dell product was in need of that CS, there would be a HUGE wave of "bad press" against Dell. For now it's only a relative few who are bit y the CS bug.

I own a Toyota 4runner . I have had the car for 5 years. No warranty. Because it's a Toyoita and the reliability is KNOWN and proven in the marketlplace. I would never buy an extended contract on one. But a Ford or Chevy? Yes...BUt I buy the Toyotas! And I buy Dell...If it proves o be wrong....back to Toshiba. BUt I am covered for two years with the added value of a free year from VISA., even without carrying a balance! The "red tape" you have to go through in getting VISA to honor their "extended warranty" is meek compared to Dells own Customer Service from what I have gatherd lately anyway!

I dont think its fair to compare a $40k SUV to a $2000 laptop

I don't see the problem with that comparison except that it shows how costly Dell's warranty really is in relation to how much they are 'protecting' in real dollars

An automobile is much more complicated and with much more needed maintinance and hundreds of moving parts as well as computer systems under the hood exposed to all kinds of extreme heat, weather and road conditions.A much more coddled and simpler in technology notebook would never be in such conditions naturally. If it were and those conditions caused the issue Dell would not cover it anyway. Tell Dell you need a new LCD because a bump or freezing weather cracked it..No that comes under the "Duh Im an idiot" Complete care insurance which costs even more!

Many more major costly things could go wrong with a car over a five year period and usually don't . A laptop has two moving parts (spindles) The HD which rarely fail and the DVD/Rom which again rarely fail. maybe the hinges as well. My desktops run 24/7 for three years now with the occasion shut down and I have never seen either fail in any way or part in less than three years. I have owned a Toshiba laptop since 1999 and never had an issue. One of the desktops is a Dell refurb I bought four years ago (PIII 933) It's still running my audio studio never a hiccup and always on. I got a three year at home warrenty in the deal and never used it but once a day after I got my machine for a noisy exhaust fan which without a warraty I could have replaced for $15..

A three year warranty (which I beleive is really a two year extension ( I dont know I could not find any info on the site) for a $2000 notebook costs $300 20% of the cost of the product depending on the price of course. More if the computer costs less.

A five year factory extented service contract on on a $40,000 Toyta costs around $1500 -$2000 around 5% of the cost of the product. Oh And when you need to use the auto warranty . you don't have to be pre qualified by a few calls to barely english speaking forigners reading from scripts.
If you are lucky after an hour or so of rudemental steps, (all of which you have already done, but canot convince them).you may (even on the same call if you have the time to hold) get to speak to an actual technician who will put you through a few more steps before finally asking you to send the machine in for a few weeks, or for a few more dollars a service tech will come out with a pre ordered part you both hope will solve the problem, If not another phone (the service tech is not allowed to order another part withut first calling in and being qualified agin for a second part and iit starts again. Been there. I was that tech (under Xerox contract) at one time! (And I was not busy with Dell calls at all I might add)

Now With a car you drop it off and pick it up the same day or get a loaner as part of the agreement you paid for until it is repaired. Not bad.

Your right Dell-Machina you can't compare a laptop to a car. The service contract on the car is a way way better value and relativly speaking only about an added 5% of the cost of the car for 5 years vs 20% of the cost of a notebook for two years. The first is ALREADY free!

Based on the fact that a $40,000 Toyota has thousands of parts including LCD's electronic computer systems for every area of the drive train and instrunentation in and out.As well as a CD player. I'd say the Dell warranty was a bit over priced. Dell claims "when problems occur, 50% of problems occur after the first year" so you have a 50/50 chance of problems according to Dell after the first year. Duh. That 50% could occur anytime after the first year, perhaps even the fourth year or sixth year. I don't believe they think its the second year or even third year or they would have stated so surely selling more warrantys. (and perhaps less computers)

I doubt Dell would or could back up with statistics that 50% of the purchasers of the warranty WILL in fact use it DURING the warranty period. I doubt they would dare publish that information to prospective buyers looking to drop a few thousand dollrs on their product. They are not selling warrantys though. They are selling "peace of mind' so I guess it's worth it. Paxil is cheaper!

Dell is a well known reliable manufacturer with a Toyota like reputation. I will bet out of all the auto makers Toyota makes the most off their extended warrantys. Nobody, no manufacturer anywhere loses money on them for the benefit of their customers. Bet on that!.


IF I felt I needed to buy a warranty, like on a Ford, or even a Gateway...well thats why I buy Dell, Toshiba and Toyota product. I save on the warrantys and get quality in the process. Win Win..

Call me an idiot but I saved $2000 on my now five year old Toyota and at least the same on my computer purchases over the past five years. Not to mention the refridge, Washer/Dryers, four TV's ( including a 60' Toshiba the sales guy nearly guarenteed would fail ( scare tactic #1:"you know how much ONE color gun is?}" and a host of other electronic and garden machines... All of which are now past the extended warranty periods originally offered. Jeeze Wal Mart is offering them on everything from headphones to answering machines! You cannot imagine how much I saved. Enough to replace a lot of those items.

And I did not have to burn cash in order to "sleep well" or enjoy "peace of mind' either..That was free of charge as well.

Many consumer advocate mags and sites agree. Most consumers do not ever benefit from the added expense of up to 30% of the original cost of the product. ANY product. Well they do get their "peace and sleep issues resolved in their lives!

Offer me a warranty after five years of use like refriderator and major appliance companies, I may reconsider. Well never mind that. Most computers although still running well are obsolete by then anyway. I will bet most people replace good computers with new ones. Not like replacing a dead TV,or appliance. I'll venture there are way way more running computers replaced by new ones than dead ones! Including lappys! I have a box of still good albeit obsolete Video cards P2 and P3 parts in my garage!

I did not hesitate to get the 4 year warranty! I was just in the situation where my cell phone died outside of the warranty. I'm a big believer in extended warranties.

Cars ar edesigned to live 3-10 years where as laptops were deisgned to live at most 2 years in mind having the security of a 3-4 warrenty on a product made mostly of plastics and cannot handle as much movement as a product designed to withstand harshe weather conditions and off road driving made of high quality alloys.

Are you saying Dell designs their laptop with a halflife of two years?They require their vendors to create components with only a two year life in mind? I don't believe you made such a statement. Computers are built to last "AT MOST" only two years??? I'd say the designers were screwing up in thei overkill department then.

So the same manufacturer of the CD mechanics and electronics are not of the same quality as those used in a car? They are on the line sending the inferior parts to the computer vendor and the good ones to the same venor who builds the auto CD players? The transistors and components in the chipsets in retail computers are "dumbed down" and/or are of lesser quality compared to those used in a car? I would bet the used LAPTOP stores that are selling 3,4,5 year old working notebooks WITH store warrantees would disagree. We have a few here in Las Vegas. I have visited them with that question weeks ago during my initial research into buying a new lappy.

Plastic cracks for a reason. Im not sure Dell will replace the case or LCD on a notebook because it cracked "naturally" .because it's expected to do so after two years.

I stand by my statement that MOST I'd even say 8 out of 10 computers including notebooks are still in working order when they are replaced because of obsolecene not QUALITY of workmanship or a "wearing out."

Most computer afficiandos would not want to work or play on over two year old technology anyway so a 3 or 4 year warranty is a waste. THey sell or give their good working machines away in favor of the next flavor and the cycle starts again. It has nothing to do with quality but more technology that gives computers a two year lifespan. Again.... sell obsolecense insurance instead!

Even Toshiba, Fujitsu, Sony will not garuntee problem free operation after 12 months. you cant garentee a non failure of any kind other wise we wouldnt need mechanics, technicians, doctors.

Of course not. No one can do that. Reliability is EARNED not bought!

Certain companies in the auto, appliance, computer and merchandise world in general have EARNED their reliability reputation based upon years of trouble free product consistantly over a long period of time. If Dell had a reliability issue they would INCLUDE a longer warranty at no extra cost, just like Hundai and Chrysler. Thats a sure sign of a sinking reputation.

That's why Toyota ONLY has to offer a standard 36/36 warranty. While Chrysler and Hundai has to offer much longer warranties. The reliability was earned over years of trouble free use(to MOST buyers). A reputation was put inplace and resale prices reflect that.Even years old, they still are considered one of the best car buys for reliability! Sony did it with TV's WhirlPool with washers and yes I believe Dell and Toshiba with Computers. I do not buy extended warranties on proven reliable brands. There a value added statement there. Will there be the exception now and then? Of course. I understand that and will pay for it. But the odds are way in my favor. Some people use a warranty just once and they are sold for life on them!

Sellers of those warranties LOVE those people. One should not need to pay for "peace of mind". That's a relatively recent phenomenom. The established reputation of a brand is what should provide that piece of mind.

Until Dell shows me that it's products are indeed designed with a two year lifespan in quality of build and/or parts....I would not consider paying an extra 20-30% of the product cost on a "just in case" basis! If they do prove that universally, I will again be a Toshiba buyer.

I do not think Dell will want to prove that..........so they gingerly offer a two year extension using the "peace of mind" banner rather than the "Hey folks!Our computers are only designed to last two years so this would be a really really good idea... BUY AN extended warranty for only 20-30% more!

Nope on all products, they are a total waste of money for most of the purchasers of such.
There will always be the "lucky" few who actually have the "opportunity" to use one. The balance sheets of all who sell them will prove that in spades!

Well i cant convince tombo the need for an extended warrenty its up to you the consumer to decide if your unlucky enough to annihilate your system after the first year then extended warrenty is for you! have faith in reliability in company to give them your definitive decision on the basic 1 year service? then go for it my advice still stands on assuming the worst and letting someone else worry about it.

Just keep in mind that if you have to send your Laptop in for repair you are looking at a minimum of around $700 in repair cost,and you will kick yourself for not having the warranty which figures out to less than 50 cents a day for peace of mind,so better safe than sorry,because things always go wrong when you don't have the money on hand to fix it......
Specs 8600 1.7
128Nvidia 5650 FXGO
768MB 333DDR
60GIG HD
15.4 WSXGA+
2100 Wireless
3YR Warranty

Yes that is a possibllity . an IF, a MAYBE . I don't want to pay up to 30% more for a product on those terms. May 5% like on a medicore car is more of a VALUE..

Laptops are replaceable first through obsolecence, second through disrepair. Unlike a car. Like I said before MOST Laptops and (computer parts in general) are still running well when they are replaced

I paid $1300 for my refurbed lappy. In a year (or two since VISA carrys another year for me) if I need a (at that time perhaps a min of $800) repair. I' just buy another more current one at that time. MAny of those who are spending $2500-$3000 for today's bleeding edge notebooks with a warramty will be far behind their cutting edge of game playng then , they will have to buy another just to keep up anyway or spend another $200-300 to upgrade a machine where they will lose their precious peace of mind anyway as Dell may not support upgrades or overclockers under their expensive warranty program. I on the other hand will have another two year warranty on a newer machine slightly behind the bleeding edge then, but well beyond whats out there today.

I don't see the failed logic there! It's not that I cannot afford to pay for the best. In most cases I do, I just don't see the point in this area. Im not 24 years old, Im past the d**k measuring contests with the boys. I spend sometimes 3 months on the road where I need the lappy. At home it sits in a case, unless I want to use it in my Media room or yard to surf the net. Its all good. When I want to "play" on the net I use the desktop with the 19' screen anyway. I don't go to LAN parties.

8600 1.4
DVD/CDRW (external DVD writer so I can use it after the lappy is replaced used with desktops as well.)
40GB 5400 ( external 7200 rpm 120 GB again so I can use it later again also used with desktop allowing the 40 Gig on the lappy plenty of space for programs only at the same time able to carry all files common to all PC's)
Nvidia 5200 Go 64MB (runs everthing just fine for now)
512 333 RAM ( maybe a salvage later, maybe not)
WXGA 15.4 ( Again use external for critical hi res situations)
Win XP Pro (My copy)
$1268 shipped ( I figured I saved around $1300+ vs the TOL and will use that to buy another in a two to three years anyway!)

YOu see I don't want to buy all the extras that will be trashed with the lappy when I do move up. ANd I may still get $300 for it if it's in good shape and buy maybe a 9600 or better refurb at that time for the same money with a better V card and faster processor.

After being in this field for years I have discovered how to enjoy the same or slightly lesser experience with the minimum outlay.

1. Buy the refurbs just under the tecno wire. They are fine machines and mostly the result of "buyers remorse"
2. NEVER buy the fastest processor ior Video card n any given time.
3. Build your own desktops.and keep the HD's Optical Drives, RAm and only upgrade what you need to. (Warranted by self!!!)
.4. Do not buy extended warranties on a product that will be obsolete before the warranty expires (Especially for an added 20% -30% of the initial cost of such product. Tylenol PM will help you sleep at night much more economically!!

Desktops:

Primary use :AUDIO Recording)
Dell PIII 933 refurb (been running for 4-5 years old never a hiccup)
2X 80 GB 7200 rpm
1 GIG SDRAM
NVIDIA MX 400
19' NEC CRT ( What can I say? If there is room I prefer a CRT over LCD!
(This machine runs a recording studio)

Primary use: VIDEO editing/Games)
Asus P4Pe MB 2.4 Mhz 533 FSB
1 GIG 2700 RAM
3 x 80 GB HD (one inside with Op sys and Programs not connected (spare)
Ge Force TI 4200 64Mb (GREAT CARD)
SB Audigy 2
4X DVD +/- R Pioneer Ao6
24 X CDRW Acer
19' MAG Crt/ 27' Sony TV

EXTERNAL 4X DVD +/- RW
EXTERNAL 120 GB WD 7200 firewire/USB 2
Netgear router for DSL wireless

Currently moving second machine's MB/RAM and VCard to Studio machine
Adding Asus P4 800 Deluxe/ 1 GB Crucial Dual DDR 400 / P4 3.06 Processor/ Radeon AIW 9600 pro to second machine and a new case for all!

TOTAL OUTLAY IN for All including Lappy 4 years less than $5000 including current upgrades being done

Gonna salvage enough to keep Dell intact and give away to needy family.