Best Buy "Warranty"

[HoyaSaxa03]

an anonymous, very-real friend of mine bought an iPod from Best Buy in March of 2004 and also purchased a 4-year "performance service plan"
 
 my friend was wondering if anyone on here has experience with actually getting a brand-new product through these Best Buy service plans ... it looks like you need to have 4 separate service incidents before the product is deemed a "lemon" and you're offered a replacement product, there's also a general exclusion for "intentional physical damage" or "insect infestation" (damn! gotta go sell-back that ant colony!)
 
 any thoughts?

[TheDirector217]

Originally posted by HoyaSaxa08:
  an anonymous, very-real friend of mine bought an iPod from Best Buy in March of 2004 and also purchased a 4-year "performance service plan"
 
 my friend was wondering if anyone on here has experience with actually getting a brand-new product through these Best Buy service plans ... it looks like you need to have 4 separate service incidents before the product is deemed a "lemon" and you're offered a replacement product, there's also a general exclusion for "intentional physical damage" or "insect infestation" (damn! gotta go sell-back that ant colony!)
 
 any thoughts?

Yup.  Some of my folks have endured horror stories similar to this.  Same shit, different toilet.  My advice to you would be to buy an Apple Care warranty from str8 from Apple.  ("Gubment" employees, educators, & students get 20% off the $59.99 price.)  The warranty covers manufacturer's defects, & cosmetic damage as well.  Anybody who bought a Best Buy warranty might as well ask for Vaseline with that.  Avoid them at all costs.  Peace . . .

[HoyaSaxa03]

maybe i should have been more explicit: my "friend" is looking to replace his fully-functional 3rd-gen iPod (which looks like it should be put in a time capsule) with one of those new-fangled 15th-gen hologram iPods through the Best Buy "Performance Service Plan" ... any suggestions? SOL?

[beetsnotbeats]

Originally posted by HoyaSaxa08:
 my "friend" is looking to replace his fully-functional 3rd-gen iPod (which looks like it should be put in a time capsule) with one of those new-fangled 15th-gen hologram iPods through the Best Buy "Performance Service Plan" ... any suggestions? SOL?

Gooooood luck with that.... Getting his lemon replaced with a working unit is one thing but trading up to this year's model? I'm no fan of BB but c'mon!

[HoyaSaxa03]

Originally posted by beetsnotbeats:
  Gooooood luck with that.... Getting his lemon replaced with a working unit is one thing but trading up to this year's model? I'm no fan of BB but c'mon!

i know!! what an asshole!!
 
 i keep trying to tell him to respect our benevolent corporate overlords, but he won't listen to me

[chaz]

My advise to your "friend" would be to buy your toys at costco from now on.  Return anything, any time, for any reason at all, for as long as you own it.  Unless it's a pc or laptop, then you got 6 months.
 
 Warranties sold by retailers are a racquet.  Another way for them to get rich.

[Sir HC]

http://www.bestbuysux.org/

[gloriaabortion]

Circuit City's policy on iPod warranties is to have the product sent in and if found defective, a gift card is sent for the price paid to be used for a replacement or whatever you want.  I bought mine from Circuit City and had to use the replacement plan and it took me about a week to get the gift card but got to upgrade.  I'd assume Best Buy's is about the same?

[chokeychicken]

if you're going to talk about warranties, go with Circuit City if the Apple Store isn't an option.  Circuit City's full warranty, which includes accidental damage, is fantastic, and does not screw you over.  I used to be an employee of Circuit City a few years ago (sigh..), so I suppose I can speak from experience.  If you buy the full warranty, which it seems most do not, as long as you can bring the item into the store physically, they will either replace it or send you a gift card for the full amount.  
 
 I still prefer Apple's warranty, however.  On two separate occasions I have brought my ipod into the Apple store and within 30 minutes have walked out with a new product.  Hassle free.

[ratioci nation]

I bought a receiver from Circuit City about 7 years ago, and a 5 year plan, in those 5 years I traded up 3 times due to minor "problems" with the receiver, so unless their policy has changed I agree they were pretty decent

[Herr Professor Doktor Doom]

never, ever, ever buy a service plan.  It's a total racket.

[Frank Gallagher]

You mean to tell me there's people walking the streets who are gullible enough to fall for the old 'extended service plan' scam. My my...dear oh dear.
 
 Back in the day when I worked for Circuit City we used to call those policies "cheese", because we made a few extra bucks in commission and as for C.C......well, it was free money really.
 
 I suppose you could keep the receipt to wipe your bottom with if you want to get some use out of your policy.

[Herr Professor Doktor Doom]

Originally posted by Roadbike Mankie:
  You mean to tell me there's people walking the streets who are gullible enough to fall for the old 'extended service plan' scam. My my...dear oh dear.
 

I know.  I'm actually quite shocked that there are several people on this thread who fall for that, not just one!   Whether it's issued by the manufacturer or the retailer, it's a total rip-off.

[chaz]

Next thing you know people on this board will be telling me how great their bose speakers are, or even worse, about the ones they bought from a couple guys driving around in a white van.

[Herr Professor Doktor Doom]

Bose speakers are OK, not great, but not bad either.  They are over-marketed and over priced.  A pretty good analogy would be anything sold by Apple.