Yesterday I replaced my old, big and noisy Sony PCG-FRV26 laptop with a new, fast and slim Toshiba Satellite A105-S361 and I didn’t pay a penny. Thanks to the BestBuy extended warranty!
Here is the story. It started about 4 years ago when I bough my first laptop from BestBuy. It was Toshiba Satellite 1800 and I paid for it $1099. It was a good computer for that particular time. The sales man offered me to buy an extended 3 years warranty to “protect my investment” for $249. It was a tough call for me because I was kind of short on money but I bought it anyway. I am so glad that I did it. Toshiba Satellite 1800 was not a very reliable laptop and during first 2 years it was repaired 3 times. After it broke the fourth time I took it to BestBuy and politely mentioned about “No Lemon” policy and they granted me a laptop exchange. They applied $1099 toward my new laptop. I bought Sony PCG-FRV26 and paid only the difference $1349-$1099=$250. They offered again to buy an extended warranty and this time I didn’t think a lot and paid $249 right away. Sony laptop worked fine for a year but then it started to break. First the CD-ROM drive stopped spinning, then the AC adapter stopped working and finally the laptop didn’t boot at all. I took it to BestBuy for repair and left it there. After that I was calling on status every 2 weeks trying to get my laptop back. Every time they were telling a different story why it is not repaired. Finally, after 2 months they called me and explained that my laptop would be replaced. The same evening I went to BestBuy and picked up my new baby Toshiba Satellite A105-S361 for $1199. It was cheaper then Sony laptop, so they just exchanged it and I didn’t have to pay anything. I love it! They tried to give me a cheaper laptop, but after I explained them how much I suffered during these months without my laptop they gave up.
Do you know where I go tonight? You are right; I’m going to buy an extended warranty again!
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July 27th, 2009 at 9:15 am
After 3 year of my 4 year System Guard warranty, and only having repairs in the last 6 weeks, Toshiba’s System guard offered me a check for $1300 for a computer I bought for $2300 in 2006. they said they have to subtract all the things they did to it in the last 6 weeks. THE WARRANTY SAYS, they will replace the computer if they cant fix it. Well they cant fix it and they are not giving me a new computer.
TOSHIBA CORP, in Irvine called me today, and said “what do you expect,they you have a 3 year old computer” and basically said, they they have nothing to do with the computer after the initial one year warranty. My concerns, he says is all with System NET, from System Guard.
CRAZY. Somehow I have to fight this. Anyone having any ideas how to help me, please write me at jaspiere@hotmail.com
thanks
Jim
June 5th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
The extended warranty for a laptop is well worth it. Laptops can have a lot of problems especially if you use it a lot.
I purchased an HP laptop (with extended warranty) a few years back from Best Buy. It was sent out for repair 3 times. On the 4th repair, they offered a replacement. I purchased an extended warranty again on the free replacement. It was sent out for 3 repairs and it was determined that it could not be fixed. I am in the process of picking out a new replacement.
I will DEFINITELY purchase another extended warranty.
April 27th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Richard,
That’s a good idea. I’m doing exactly the same and buying all stuff on my Visa but I’ve never tried making a claim through my card. Does it work? Is it easy?
Yep, if they replace the laptop covered by the extended warranty, you’ll have to buy it again for your new laptop. But I can’t complain. It worked for me two times.
Now I’m running a Toshiba Satellite laptop and my 3 year warranty is almost over, but this thing just doesn’t break.
April 27th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
I always pay for everything with a gold/platinum/AMEX, etc. credit card because they double the manufacturer’s warranty.
Also, know that warranties may expire when you are given a replacement product. I would like to think that if I buy a 3 year warranty, I get 3 years of computer use with no further expense, even if they have to replace the item.
March 13th, 2009 at 10:01 am
I have NEVER had an issue with Best Buy or their Geek Squad protection plans. My husband and children bought me an MP3 player a few years ago. After about a year, it completely died. I didn’t know that my husband purchased the protection plan. Fortunately, I had saved the receipt and saw that he did purchase the plan. Needless to say, I took the thing to Best Buy and walked out with a brand new MP3 that was better than the first one I got, along with an extended warranty. Guess what, I accidently broke the new one and went back to Best Buy to replace it. Presto! I walked away with a NEW MP3 again.
We purchased a fully-loaded Sony Vaio with 17″screen in September 2007. Since that date, the hard drive crashed twice, the LCD screen cracked after being dropped, and the hard drive died after the computer was dropped. Guess how much it cost me to have all the repairs done….ZERO! We wisely purchased the protection plan. The LCD repair was $963 alone. The protection plan cost less than $300. Do I think the protection plan is worth it? Hell yes!!!!!
February 4th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Same thing happened to us with our Toshiba laptop. I think it is a screen malfunction as I am finding more and more people who have had this issue. After two months the screen goes. Bestbuy geeks say it is due to physical abuse. We do not abuse our computers. This laptop has never been taken anywhere – sits on a table.
They want $369.+ tax to fix it. We bought three year extended warranty – accidental damage warranty was never mentioned to us. Needless to say I am very frustrated with Toshiba, Bestbuy and the Geeksquad, who basically just want to charge again.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
dhanasekar,
If you purchased a basic 2-year warranty, the broken screen will not be covered. Broken screens, liquid spills, dropped laptops are covered only if you purchase Accidental Damage Protection Plan.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
i bought a toshiba Satellite L-310 2 weeks back and my monitor is cracked by my mistake. I have 2 yrs of international warranty but they are asking to pay to replace.
Pls suggest will it not be covered under warranty. pls provide me some ideas to recover the problem.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:30 am
Sarah,
The System Guard warranty covers accidental damage and your broken screen should be covered too. I think you are fine, they will replace the screen at no charge.