Buying Dell from Best Buy Beware Warranty Service

To anyone who bought / want to buy a Dell from Best Buy (or for that matter, any retail outlet).

Be careful to demand to see a copy of the FACTORY warranty and READ it throughly before you buy.

The FACTORY warranty is not anything like a "standard" or "normal" Dell warranty, i.e. 1 year mail in service for a laptop at a minimum.

The FACTORY warranty basically require you to take it back to not only Best Buy, but only the Best Buy in the country you bought it from (USA, Canada) etc.

If you want a Dell bought at Best Buy serviced abroad (while you are traveling), you are out of luck WITH THE FACTORY WARRANTY.

Most other major brands have international FACTORY warranties.

I am not referring to the service contracts (extended warranties) that is sold by Best Buy for $$$.

I am referring to the warranty you would get from Dell.

 

If you purchase the "Black Tie Protection" aka extended warranty:

full text of the warranty can be found at BestBuy.com.

 

Thanks, I wasn't aware of this.

 

Having experienced Best Buy's "warranties" and "insurance policies" I will never be buying a laptop or anything of value from them.

 

Warranty services are money makers for stores. I rather deal with Dell for repair instead of in-house repair. Even Dell doesn't recommend them stating that it will take longer than if you just send it in to them. The one year warranty is sufficient, besides sometimes you have a choice to extend the warranty when you register your computer on-line and this includes HP.

 

Lol, duh. We never say though that "Yes you can take it over seas and you'll be fine, also, we'll come out to fix it". Most of the time, it's common sense that you have to bring it back......

Care to tell me why? Every customer that purchases extended warranties from Best Buy that I deal with are very happy that most of their parts/labor will be covered unless it's accidental damage/neglect, in which case they'd need an accidental damage warranty.

 

I have a rather different understanding of the warranties there because I used to sell them back when I was a young whip.

You have to understand that you are usually choosing to pay for repairs up to around 3 years after purchase, or you are paying for the right to replace the item for whatever reason for up to a year after you buy. Otherwise, you get about 30 days to decide whether or not you have made a horrible mistake.

Here are the issues that I found with this process. One, you are paying a huge amount for the additional coverage / right to replace. Two, the specific items usually NEVER cover any sort of wear and tear at all, and they also do not cover a lot of items that typically would fail. What this means is that you are at the mercy of the store really, and you are paying money for customer service. I didn't agree with that then, and I don't agree with it now.

The thing that saves most of us is the fact that electronic defects typically show up and screw up very quickly in the products life span. But I feel bad for those that invest in the policies and do not get immediate gratification when they show up with an issue.

Its all about adding some margin given that the products themselves are often too competitive to yield a good profit. They are playing the odds themselves and betting on never having to honor that warranty.

I'd like to know your happy people and know what was done for them, because I didn't see much of that going on in my experiences there.

 

For Computers, you are paying for repairs from 2-4 years (depending on which plan you get). You are NOT paying to replace the item. We do not replace the computer unless the cost of repairs exceed the product's value, or the unit is a lemon. You also only get 14 days to decide, and if the computer isn't the one you want, you have to pay a 15% restocking fee.

Yes, the plans do not cover wear and tear because that is the normality of the product. What do you mean they won't cover many of the items that usually fail? (BY REPLACE IT, I MEAN THE PART THAT DOESN'T WORK) CD-ROM doesn't work - they'll replace it. LCD Bulb burnt out - they'll replace it. CPU fan doesn't spin - they'll replace it. Motherboard fried - they'll replace it. Hard drive dead - they'll replace it (however, if you want data you will have to pay for data recovery). LCD just doesn't work at all - they'll replace it. Touchpad doesn't work - they'll replace it.

Want me to continue??

 

My mistake, I didn't realize that the 30 day period was even shorter than I thought, and that warrantied parts were 2 or 4 years. Forgot about the restocking fee. This is worse then I remember.

The emergence of the new "black tie" coverage does seem to change the rules. Since you are apparently an employee of the outfit, and vehemently opposed to any criticism of the company (from customer's whose experience will probably always be different than yours) I will try to examine this issue using the language of the company itself.

(Taken from Bestbuy.com)

A description of what a couple hundred dollars entitles you to:

c. Personal Computers / Home Office
Equipment:
• One (1) battery repair or replacement,
when the original battery is defective as
determined by us, in our sole discretion,
for notebook computers, MP3 players and
iPods.
• You may be required to return your
original defective battery to us to receive a
replacement battery.
• Repair or replacement, in our sole
discretion, of chargers or cradles that were
included with your product at the time of
purchase.
• One (1) bulb replacement of your original
bulb for desktop projectors during the term
of this Plan.
• Repair of image burn-in for computer
monitors.
• If you have purchased the Premium Plan
for Computing, this Plan also provides
for preventative maintenance, telephone
trouble shooting, Vi-Spy Coverage and online
data back-up for notebooks and desktop
computers. The Premium Desktop Plan is
not available for Apple Computer Products
or All-In-One Desktop Computers.
• The preventative maintenance checks are
recommended but not limited to one (1) per
year. The maximum number of preventive
maintenance checks is two (2) for the two
(2) year Plan and three (3) for the three (3)
year Plan.
• The preventative maintenance checks
may be performed on a carry-in basis or
by a remote process by calling 1-800-
GEEKSQUAD. You must have a broadband
internet connection to receive this remote
service.
• The maximum number of telephone
troubleshooting is four (4) per year.
Telephone troubleshooting is defined
as a telephone call to inquire as to basic
fundamental product usage or connectivity/
installation questions.
• The maximum allowable space allocation
under the on-line data back-up coverage is
five (5) gigabytes. It is your responsibility
to activate this coverage by calling 1-
800-GEEKSQUAD. Separate terms and
conditions apply to this coverage. This
can be viewed at http://utility.geeksquad.
com/backupterms/ or by request from your
sales associate.

That sounds great until you catch words like "sole discretion" "determined defective BY US" ect. Premium plans actually include wear and tear items! WOW! That 5 dollar fan got replaced hassle free! I am so surprised Parts are expensive, but I have paid for them in advance. Another point of interest: There is nothing here that even my basic 1 year Dell warranty will not cover. And there isn't even a stated limit to how many times either.

Lets look at the exclusions:
(Again this is the newfangled Black Tie coverage)

6) Exclusions to Coverage: This Plan does not cover:
(i) damage to your product caused by accident
(unless you have purchased the optional ADH
Coverage), abuse, neglect, intentional physical
damage, misuse (including faulty installation,
repair, or maintenance by anyone other than
an authorized service provider), unauthorized
modification, viruses, extreme environment
(including extreme temperature or humidity),
external condensation, lightning, static
electricity, fire, flood, insect infestation, rodents,
war, terrorism, computer software related failures
(unless you have the Vi-Spy Coverage) Acts of
God or other external causes; (ii) products that
have been lost or stolen. This Plan only covers
products that are returned to us in their entirety;
(iii) cosmetic damage to your product including
but not limited to scratches, dents and broken
plastic on parts, that does not otherwise affect
its functionality or materially impair your use;
(iv) products with a serial number that has been
altered, defaced or removed; (v) problems caused
by a device that is not your product, including
equipment purchased at the same time as your
product; (vi) consumable parts, such as batteries,
unless expressly provided for herein; (vii) damage
to, or loss of any software or data residing or
recorded in your product. When providing repair
or replacement service, we will use reasonable
efforts to reinstall your product’s original software
configuration and subsequent update releases,
but will not provide any recovery or transfer of
software or data contained on the serviced unit
not originally included in your product; (viii)
failures or parts and/or labor costs incurred as a
result of a manufacturer’s recall; (iv) fees or costs
related to third-party contracts, consequential or
incidental damages, including but not limited to
loss of use, loss of business, loss of profits, loss
of data, downtime, charges for time and effort,
“no problem found” diagnoses, or failures that
occurred prior to the purchase of this Plan; (x)
products used for commercial purposes unless
expressly stated on your purchase receipt that
this is a Commercial Plan; (xi) damage to your
xBox 360 due to Microsoft’s “Red Ring of Death”;
(xiii) personal items left in the product. You are
responsible for removing all personal items from
the product before service is performed; (xiv)
parts and services covered under your product’s
manufacturer’s warranty; (xv) remote control
reprogramming; (xvi) damage due to contact
with any human or animal bodily fluids.

Phew, that is a long list. Notice that the exclusions make it possible, on paper, to refute or deny service for even the most basic damage caused by accident, viruses, or peripherals. Things that seem to be covered in the warranty. It's awesome that the 'Red Ring of Death" is mentioned in there. What is my recourse thus if the "sole" discretion deems the problem to fall within any of that ambiguous language? I will mention again that while many warranty's are flawed or "imperfect" not many companies are ballsy enough to charge the customer a "restocking fee" after only 2 weeks of evaluation. In the case of a computer, that "restocking" fee makes the consumer pay for the open box loss of value - because lets not pretend that the thing doesn't basically get plopped right back on the shelf somewhere and resold. While I am at it, wouldn't it be great if the extra money you paid for a warranty was refunded if you never used it for any reason during that 2-4 year period?

I think its great that in your experience people seem to have benefited from paying for coverage which cretins like me consider their basic right as a consumer ponying up for a high priced and complicated electronic object. There are consumer laws in Maine that specifically state that an electronic good that malfunctions for any reason up to 4 years after the purchase date must be replaced by the merchant. I sometimes wonder how companies can thus even charge for "coverage" legally in some areas thus. This warranty game is famous for basically sticking an elbow to the consumer and allowing companies to avoid taking a service role alongside their sales role. Bestbuy sells a warranty on top of a warranty. And no, your list of things covered is not enough to make see any value in that.

 

1. Warranties do not cover accidents unless you buy one that explicitly states that it does. That's true for all warranties.

2. No computer warranty ever covers software (except for the new Vi-Spy warranty from BestBuy). When you buy a computer and a warranty, the warranty ALWAYS covers the hardware only.

3. No where in that contract does it say that malfunctioning peripherals are not covered.

That's because the maximum warranty you can purchase on an Xbox 360 is 2 years, while Microsoft warrants the RROD specifically for 3.

Companies that charge a restocking fee: Dell, Amazon, Newegg, TigerDirect, XoticPC, PowerNotebooks, BestBuy, Circuit City, do you want me to continue?

An open box item does get put back on the shelves and resold - AT A DISCOUNT. Restocking fees are standard, to prevent people from abusing the return policy.

Warranties are insurance policies (aka legal gambles). Wouldn't it be great if you get your car insurance fully refunded if you don't have an accident. How about your health insurance if you don't use it for a set period of time?

That's not how insurance policies work. Everyone knows that.

Any other points you want to bring to my attention?

 

More than once I've seen people buy these and have best buy not honor them. Simple as that.

I myself dont believe in extended warranties but that's just me

 

Umm . . . YES.

You may not question the 'legal gamble' of warranties, but I do. This is because laws, like opinions, are possible to change. I did not imply that peripherals were covered, I implied that they were not as defined by the exclusions. Despite that, If the design of a computer were such that it short circuited when you plugged in a USB mouse, should you not be serviced?

Xbox - So because Microsoft's warranty supports the issue, BestBuy's sale of a warranty is irrelevant? Denying their customer service is ok? On the contrary, a customer might have bought the 'legal gamble' completely ignorant of the red ring of death. But hey, that's their problem right?

Restocking Fee: I was trying to suggest that because you paid the restocking fee, you thus paid for the discount available to the next person. At the least you subsidized it. Again, an example of business shoring its costs onto the consumer. Please do list all the companies you like. I suppose if so many do it that makes it 'right'.

As to the last part about car, health, and other insurances: This is really more of a red herring - after all, insurance and warranties are not the same thing. But if I must, sure, why not make them at least partially refundable for low / no usage? Refunding my good behavior may make the bad behavior of others more expensive. Keep a portion to signify my desire to help other people that fall on hard times. Do you remember hurricane Katrina? Funny how millions of people suddenly were not 'legally' covered by their insurance. I guess you are right then, and that is the point: These legal gambles are about taking money from people, not giving it back. I honor my end, you choose if you want to honor yours.

I appreciate the ideas you brought to the discussion. I have to say that it is getting scary however, the number of people that seem to think one has no right to question a business or their business practices.

 

Restocking fee's also pay for the labor of formatting/restoring a computer to it's original factory condition - we need $$$ to be able to work.

Lithus basically typed everything that I was going to say before I could say it.

mgh_a1: Why the HELL would any company refund you the money you paid for extended warranty service if you never used it? 1. Many companies make money off of that. 2. That's like purchasing a computer, never using it, then wanting to return it after 4 years. Every single company that sells these would nearly go bankrupt. That's the stupidest idea I've heard in a while.

 

The entire point of that clause is that if YOUR mouse caused a short, then it is not covered. If ALL mice cause a short, then it is a defect of the computer, not of the third-party peripheral, and thus it would be covered.

You don't get it do you? Microsoft covers RROD problems. That means that it would be stupid of BestBuy/AIG to pay to have a RROD problem fixed, when Microsoft will do it anyway. What the hell does this have to do with denying a customer service?

I laugh at your notion that a restocking fee "shores its costs onto the consumer". You don't think companies without a restocking fee also pass along their costs? Of course they do. Money lost due to returns is ALWAYS factored into the equation. Either by explicit restocking fees, or by marginally increasing the prices of products to make up for the loss. Companies can't print money. They will pass ALL costs to their customers.

It's one thing to criticize a business or business practices. However, you make it out to seem like Best Buy is the only company with these practices, and that their warranties go above and beyond "normal" warranties in order to screw the customer.

Warranties are warranties. There are upsides and downsides to purchasing them and we can go all day arguing for or against them. I couldn't care less for doing that. However, unlike how you make them out to be, Best Buy and their warranties are no different than the industry standard.

 

Ok. This is getting somewhat hostile. I am going to leave my posts as they are because I am not sure that they were read with the same nuances that I was trying to write them with. Its also a lot of work trying to hash it out with two different people.

Suffice to say, I disagree with you both! : )

 

I don't know what you could possibly disagree about. We are arguing facts here, not opinions. Whether you or I or anyone else think warranties are worth the money, I don't care. If you don't purchase a warranty, more power to you.

All we're talking about are facts. You cannot just disagree with facts.

 

i feel i should throw in my 2 cents, while i agree buying a warranty is a gamble and if you never use it thats your problem because honestly its just like a safety net, i will say that the warranty you would get through an actual computer company like dell or hp will offer better coverage for their own products than a warranty from somewhere like Best Buy or Circuit City will. Also about restocking fees, dont get me started about Best Buy and their restocking fees, i can see why they are there, so people cant just buy every laptop they have and return them a week later til they find one they life, i understand that would be bad, but i had a problem where i returned a computer i had just received and they did go ahead and resell it as out of the box but the cost was barely lower than a brand new one, less than the 15 percent i paid for a restocking fee, but i had other problems about that cause a worker who sold me the laptop told me they just stopped having restocking fees for laptops in the first 14 days which was a blatant lie to get me to buy the laptop and then of course when i tried to return it to the store i was denyied and practically called a liar by the store manager, but thats neither here nor there, but Dell doesnt usually charge a restocking fee. I had a studio laptop from dell and about a week later i saw xps laptops on sale so i called dell and told them nothing was wrong but i wanted to return it and it was a very easy process with no restocking fee. O yea and the reason i was returning the Best Buy laptop was to buy another one from them that was on sale too, youd think maybe theyd work about the restocking fee seeing as i was spending even more on a more expensive laptop but of course not. I just know for a fact that when u buy from the companies themselves they are usually much more lenient and more helpful working with warranties and returns without fees. Best Buy sells more than just laptops and they gotta make money and people just have to learn the hard way to buy computers straight from companies and not through them.

 

the dell extended warranty will pretty much cover everything on your computer that wasnt broken from accidents or misuse or theft, and if you add on their accidental damage and theft protection youve pretty much secured your laptop from anything that could happen to it. and as was stated before, some things Best Buy or other retailers will give you a limit of how many times it can be repaired or replaced but for dell for instance they seem to be pretty lenient on repairing parts as many times as needed. Im not saying Best Buy is in the wrong necessarily, people just do need to pay more attention when they buy laptops from them and have warranties, cause some things youd think would be covered on a laptop arent when its bought from a retailer as opposed to the website.

 

The facts you presented were related to actual policy. Pretty much everything else you said was just part of what you think is logical after the fact. You defended warranties (and then insurance) as industry standard. I actually posted the stores literature so that there might be an accurate picture of said policies. Did I miss something?

I disagree with the way that many warranties are used, I disagree with the way that many stores handle the policies that come out of their warranty bits, and I disagree with stores that sell a 'warranty on top of a warranty'. Best Buy makes a great case in point. If you listen to the stories of many people that have bought in to the warranty only to be hassled, much of this becomes clearer. Face's post - being called a liar? Its not ok to keep trying a computer until you find one you like? You should just pay the restock fee for them and settle? If that's not bad customer service, I don't know what is. I have used my Dell warranty through Dell, and so far so good. I would never expect a store like Best Buy to actually help me in any meaningful way. Their warranty literature makes it too easy to say no. This is coming from someone that worked there, and shopped there. My best friend actually worked at two other of these 'types' of stores: Circuit City and Sears.

Shall I start a new thread about rebates to stir the pot some more? Or do I have to sit here and listen to another defense of poor business decisions?

 

Here's an interesting link:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/extended_warranty.html

 

Oh, not to mention... with Best Buy Service Plans, you also get 1 new battery and 1 new AC adapter. Manufacturer warranties don't do that

 

Taken from my original post (Which was taken from Bestbuy's own literature):

• One (1) battery repair or replacement,
when the original battery is defective as
determined by us, in our sole discretion,
for notebook computers,

That's not a freebie. That's DEFECTIVE. Determined by the store. That does not mean you get a new one when the original has worn down. That's no better / different then what Dell would do for me. With the caveat that Dell doesn't put a limit on it.

 

Basically, it does.

When was the last time you sent out a computer for repair? I'll send them out with the tags "Battery does not hold a charge anymore", and they'll replace the battery.

Edit: Oh, what's this?

OWNED. Learn about what you're talking about. Perhaps you should take a look at this page: http://www.bestbuy.com/olspage.jsp?id=pcmcat61200050033&type=category

 

I'm confused, are you describing Best Buy in that first part, or Dell? The answer will help me decide if that is fraud. Or even possible.

Please use the following link to understand the warranty that applies to computers:

http://www.geeksquad.com/gslibrary/.../terms_and_conditions/20080914/20080914TC.pdf

You really should look at that link. The PSP link you gave me was great, but it did not "own" me. This is because you failed to read the fine print. If you go online right now and buy a computer, you can add a 'black tie' extended warranty . . . NOT a PSP. Not only that, but the PSP states clearly that those benefits are for "qualifying" items. Those are GENERAL statements that do not apply to ALL products. Let me give you the relevant parts of the warranty that DOES apply to COMPUTERS:

• This Plan is inclusive of your product's manufacturer's warranty; it does not replace your product's manufacturer's warranty, but it does provide certain additional benefits during the term of the manufacturer's warranty.
• Parts and services covered during the manufacturer's warranty period are the responsibility of the manufacturer and are not covered under this Plan.
• After the manufacturer's warranty expires, this Plan continues to provide the benefits provided by the manufacturer's warranty, as well as certain additional benefits as listed within these terms and conditions.

Sounds good so far right? Maybe an extra year of coverage, and "additional benifits"
But, wait! What's this? A caveat?

c. Personal Computers/Home Office Equipment:

* One (1) battery repair or replacement, when the original battery is defective as determined by us, in our sole discretion, for Notebook Computers, MP3 players and iPods.
* You may be required to return your original defective battery to us to receive a replacement battery.
* Repair or replacement, in our sole discretion, of chargers or cradles that were included with your product at the time of purchase.
* One (1) bulb replacement of your original bulb for desktop projectors during the term of this Plan.
* Repair of image burn-in for computer monitors.

Thanks for playing. But I you are just wrong. It says right in the PSP that all those benefits are for QUALIFYING products. Do you want to guess why a laptop battery might not qualify? That's right! They're as expensive as the coverage!

Boy, I feel like a broken record here. This has to be the 4th time I've said the same thing. When you are done catching up on your reading, do follow that other person's link: "5 reasons NOT to buy an extended warranty". Then join us in our crazy warranty hating! Haha.

 

I am not sure if I made it clear.

The post is about the FACTORY warranty from DELL, and not about Best Buy's extra cost "extended warranty".

The FACTORY warranty from DELL require you to take it back to a Best Buy store in the USA for it to be serviced.

That is your default warranty and if you are not near a US Best Buy, you are out of luck... with rare exceptions.

 

If that's the case, it's unfortunate that the Dell rep you dealt with or the store you dealt with was unwilling to help you, but no offense, they were breaking the rules and this isn't how things are normally done.

I am a former Best Buy Geek Squad agent, and while I don't work at the tech bench anymore, I am still with the company and regularly aware of their practices and SOP.

Standard SOP is that anything bought from Best Buy gets full warranty coverage from any Best Buy in the world. You buy a Dell from Best Buy in San Diego, you can get it serviced at the Best Buy in New York. Even if it's not a "paid" service plan.

You can even return something you bought at another Best Buy to a different Best Buy, no matter how far apart.

The customer service rep at the front desk might try to persuade you to return it to the store you bought it from, because the return hit in revenue hits the store you returned it to and not the store you bought it from, but they'll take it none the less if you're adamant.

You merely were lied to or mistreated. A phone call to 1-888-Help - BBY will resolve that issue. A dissatisfied customer calling corporate has a habit of making managers bend to your will.

As far as service plans/paid warranty/Black Tie Protection goes, I'm a man of mixed words really. I've been on all sides of this argument: The guy selling it, the guy buying it, and the guy refusing it. On a given day, if I really feel like it, I can sell as high as 18% a day in extended warranties.

I'll say this: The big warranties like the Premium and ADH/Advanced are really flashy and everything, but entirely unnecessary. I know maybe one person out of 20 personally that has actually dropped their laptop and she did that crap on purpose just to get it replaced for free. Sure, if you buy the accidental coverage, you can drop your laptop and get a "spec for spec" replacement, but there's a HUGE asterisk next to that agreement. Working in the computer department directly, I can tell you that a Dell XPS 1530 with an 8600GT can be replaced by an entry level Gateway a couple years from now, if the performance is "equivalent", even if it's not really equivalent. Again, this is a situation a call to Corporate will resolve if you're patient, but all the hassle you'll go through will really give you a headache. It's also not replaced "on the spot". You'll have to wait until a service center clears it for "junk out", which means the repairs outweigh the value of the laptop and you are given paperwork that you turn in to a Best Buy to claim your new laptop.

The good thing is, you can also purchase another plan for the new laptop. Essentially, one could argue, if the laptop replacements keep bricking on you, you could have a new laptop every other year for the next 10 years or so, all for the price of an extended warranty.

I don't believe in fraud and I don't like abusing my products. I also don't like "mystery bag" laptop replacements, so I'm down the middle road.

I buy the regular Joe entry level extended warranty. Did Consumer Reports say they're not worth it? Sure. But since when do people who write articles reviewing hardware they receive for FREE to demo, understand the financial status of anyone in the real world? I can't afford to buy a new laptop every other year or so. And as a technician, I know for a FACT that problems could span out over a course of two years. People say, "Oh if anything is going to break it's in the first year." Utter crap. My mom's Extensa 4620 Acer is biting the bullet as we speak, and I'm sad to see her without a laptop. She can't afford a new laptop to replace it and it's likely the motherboard is gone bad. The repairs will cost me $300 if it's the motherboard, and there's no guarantee something else won't break a few months down the line after that. And she got it in 2006. Because I love her so much, I'm going to see if my brother in law and sister will chip in $100 each and I'll chip in the other $350-400 to get her a nice Inspiron 1525 with a 3 year warranty from Dell Outlet.

But as an employee, I'll be honest and outline you the pro's and con's of Best Buy's warranty service myself:
Pro's:
They send it out when you bring it in. No remote diagnosis, over the phone trouble shooting. You take it in, they check it out, they ship it out. They do this as fast as possible because of the line of about 12 people behind you with problems with their computers.
Their service center doesn't keep old parts on hand to repair laptops regularly. They have very generic parts like hard drives, ram and optical drives, but they're not a manufacturer so they don't have stockpiles of motherboards, GPU's, processors for specific models. When you get a warranty with a manufacturer, there's a much higher percentage you'll get your same laptop back from an extensive repair in frankenstein mode.
No deductibles, no lemon policies, they cover heat and dust damage.

The con:
The price. The standard plans are nicely priced. The accidental plans get excessive. For laptops under $700, they're decently priced. As you get to the $1000 and up, it's very very expensive.
You have to be somewhat a haggler to get your money's worth out of the plan. If your laptop is bricked, they'll offer you really shoddy replacements, like offering to replace a Dell XPS with an entry level Gateway machine.
When you send it in to get repairs, if it's a hard drive repair, you get it back with NO operating system. And with today's laptops, that's pretty much a death sentence, because most laptops today have a built in recovery partition and no OS disks. So if you lose your laptop's hard drive, you lose your restoration disks and have to order replacements from the manufacturer. Those aren't cheap. It's also a catch 22, because when you tell the Geek Squad, "Hey ***? I gave this laptop to you with Windows on it, like I bought it. Put Windows back on it." They conveniently slap you with the, "Well the warranty doesn't cover software, but you can pay us $129 to restore it" line. I took a girl's laptop in, sent it to get the hard drive replaced. I was there the day it came back, called her to pick it up and I had to look her in the face, with my service manager behind me and tell her, "I'm sorry, we can't restore Windows to it. If you can get the CD's, we can restore it for $129." The sad thing? We don't say things like that to the customer when we're trying to get them to buy the freakin' warranty. We say, "If it breaks 3 times or we can't fix it, we replace it with a new laptop!" when the fine print says, "We replace it with a laptop with similar specs, but not the same brand or screen size, just ram and hard drive size." We say, "No deductible, you pay nothing to get it fixed!" But we don't say, "Oh if your hard drive is replaced, we do all the labor but we give it back to you with no operating system."

So in closing: Buy an extended warranty if you know you can't afford a new laptop in a year and some odd months. It's a LAPTOP, not an MP3 player or a Playstation 3 controller. You wanna turn down the extended warranty for a USB flash drive? Fine. But don't turn it down for a $1000 personal mobile computer with over 120 different parts in it worth $50 each plus labor to fix that you depend on for work on the road or at school.

But read the fine print!

 

Essanar, thank you for a well laid out and thoughtful post. Thank you also for clarifying with experience what I was trying to show: That the fine print matters!!!
+1 Rep.

 

Is that the warranty still provided from DELL? Actually, I'm going to purchase a laptop at Dell online..

 

Dells sold by Best Buy have a Dell Factory Warranty that is provided by Dell, but it ask you to "carry in" the laptop to Best Buy for service.

The claim is for "any Best Buy" for service, but when I tried to do that yesterday to a Best Buy in Canada, I was refused and told that they are Best Buy Canada, not Best Buy.

So basically, if you need service, you are out of luck.


I do not know if the Best Buy sold extended warranties change this equation.

But that is an optional extra that costs $$$.