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Old 07-25-2009, 01:55 PM   #1
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Does anyone buy extended warranty?

Recently purchased 505/LC and I have about 6 days left to decid if I want an extended warranty through Square Trade. (I purchased through buy.com datavision for $238). Coverage is 100% Parts & Labor - Zero Deductibles for 3 years for $34.99. (They fix item of refund full cost). I was always told not to worry about extended warranties in general for any product you purchase. Taking into consideration the low price for coverage and perhaps sony may or may not continue the "reader" portion of their business (hoping for continue) I have been considering an extended warranty. Does anyone actually buy these things, have needed to use one or know anything about Square Trade warranties?
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Old 07-25-2009, 02:03 PM   #2
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Here is a negative thread about Square Trade:

http://forums.ebay.com/db2/topic/Esc...=1162387036678

I also saw some positive opinions when googling.

I was curious to see if these warranties could be used multiple times or not.
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Old 07-25-2009, 02:15 PM   #3
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My wife purchased my Sony 505 through Circuit City a couple of years ago as a Christmas present. I purchased an extended warranty through Sony -- not Circuit City -- shortly after Christmas. I haven't had to make any use of the warranty but it gives me piece of mind. I suggest you contact Sony directly and ask about their warranty.
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Old 07-25-2009, 02:43 PM   #4
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I almost never buy the extended warranty on products, but I did for my 505. It was so inexpensive that it just seemed silly not to.
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Old 07-26-2009, 10:04 AM   #5
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I suggest contacting Sony and asking about their extended warranty plan directly. I did not buy my first two readers through Sony,bought them at J&R (separately ) ,they didn't when I bought them mention buying an extra warranty from them,nor did I realize that you could buy a product at another retailer and then buy the extended plan from Sony (somehow I just realized this recently-probably because I'd always bought at the Sony Style stores typically)...anyways...when my 505 broke,I'd wished I'd had the warranty- the cost they quoted me for repair was nearly as much as buying a new 505,so I ended up buying a 700- and I bought the warranty immediately..its a lot of piece of mind-*just in case*- at a comparitively low price.
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Old 07-26-2009, 04:54 PM   #6
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I didn't buy the extended warranty for either my 500 or 505 because the most likely thing to break is the screen, which is excluded from the warranty.
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Old 07-26-2009, 11:43 PM   #7
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I usually don't buy extended warranties (except for my daughter who is prone to breaking everything - printers, cameras, cell phones).

However, I did buy a square trade warranty for my Kindle because I was able to add accidental coverage and not having a history, it was hard to guess long-term Kindle reliability (unlike the Sony).

Also because the warranty is transferable, I thought it could increase resale value if I decided to upgrade. I know that when purchasing my used Sony, I would've paid more if it were still covered under a warranty.
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Old 07-27-2009, 10:02 AM   #8
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If it covers accidents, it is useful. If it does not, it is useless.
Electronic devices with no moving parts (like the Sony) break down very very very rarely.

If it works from the box, it should work for long years. Unless you drop it.
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Old 07-27-2009, 01:49 PM   #9
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In general, it's almost never worth it to buy extended warranties - BUT, if you expect to be rather rugged with it, and if the warranty covers accidents, it might be worth your while.

The reason retailers like Best Buy and Circuit City push(ed) extended warranties is because it made them A LOT of money. At the customer's expense.

Across all your electronic devices, it's really a losing gamble. I think you're probably better off buying a sturdy cover for it.
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Old 07-27-2009, 03:16 PM   #10
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No, I never buy extended warranties - they're a rip-off in the UK.

I think some stores are now offering lengthy cooling off periods to try to fend off the attentions of the Office of Fair Trading.
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Old 08-01-2009, 09:33 AM   #11
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The NEVER purchase extended warranties because they're ALL a ripoff view (which I used to espouse myself BTW) is really just the opposite extreme of always buying them. Better to consider cost/benefit on a case-by-case basis, do some research and ask around (as the original poster is doing).

Before purchasing my 505, I searched and found warranty/support feedback on several sites (I remember Amazon being a good one). There were numerous posts from people distraught over a broken e-ink display that Sony absolutely refused to fix without charging almost as much as the cost of a new reader (as someone else noted here). This is in contrast with feedback from those who did purchase the extended warranty and promptly received a fixed or new reader from Sony without any questions. That included cases of accidental damage. But don't take my word for it. Best to do your own research.

It's not just Sony. Unfortunately, the e-ink displays on most current ebook readers are fragile. Your reader will probably be fine if you're careful and protect the display with an adequate cover or shell when not in use. But one incident like dropping or accidentally leaning on it or something hard falling on it and you could be facing a new purchase.

In this case, I recommend getting the Sony extended warranty. It's not very expensive and, as others have said, the peace of mind is worth it--even if I never use it.

Enjoy your new ebook reader!

Last edited by spirit_wolf; 08-01-2009 at 09:35 AM.
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Old 08-01-2009, 10:07 AM   #12
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Like Spirit Wolf, I evaluate extended warranties on a case-by-case basis, paying particular attention to who is the warrantor and what the warranty covers.

Consumer Reports' general rule is that no extended warranty is a good buy and especially not if the warranty costs more than 20% of the purchase price.

The only extended warranty I have bought for a small electronic appliance is the one for my Sony 505. I bought it from Sony and it includes accidental damage. It will cover a broken screen, which is the most likely to break part, and the most expensive. I've now had my 505 for 1.5 years without a problem, so the extended warranty bought me peace of mind. And I've come to rely on my Sony 505 for my reading, so the warranty has really helped with the peace of mind.

The only extended waranty that I always buy is for my Subaru automobile. The warranty is from Subuaru, not a thrid party, and covers virtually everything (except routine maintenance). But I learned with my first Subaru that not having the extended warranty can be expensive (needed to replace a part that cost 50% more than what the warranty would have cost me at the time). But Subaru prorates the warranty, so if I trade in my car for another, I can cancel the current warranty and get a refund for the unused portion. I lose some money but not a great deal under this scheme. OTOH, it didn't cost me a dime (other than what I paid for the warranty) when the air conditioning unit had to be replaced. Subaru also lets me transfer the warranty to a new individual owner if I sell the car privately, which enhances the value of the car in the used car market.

I have also bought extended warranties from Sears for major appliances I have purchased form them, particularly for the clothes dryer. Every year Sears comes and does routine maintenance on the applicances at no charge.

I declined, however, to buy a Circuit City extended warranty for stereo equipment or a Staples warranty for a TomTom GPS. These I declined for several reasons, including that the warranties from third parties and didn't include inhome service.

My point is that I think one needs to evaluate the amount of risk one is willing to accept and who the warrantor is when making these decisions. Sometimes the smart decision is to buy the extended warranty.
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Old 08-01-2009, 10:24 AM   #13
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I didn't buy the extended warranty, but when I dropped my PRS-505 and the substrate broke (not the screen), it was covered under the 1 year parts warranty--I had to pay $29 for labor to have it replaced.

If I'd had the extended warranty it would've been free. Not sure how common broken substrates are, so I don't know if it's worth getting the warranty for that possibility.
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Old 08-01-2009, 12:00 PM   #14
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I went ahead and purchased insurance through Square Trade. Did more research online and not sure if that was the best choice but I did find good things as well as bad things about most insurance places....even sony. It will cover accidental which will at least give me a little peace of mind. (I am owned by a 12 pound handi-capped cat and things happen no matter how much care I take to "hide" fragile things...lol). If something happens to my reader seems Square Trade is more apt to refund the price of a reader than fix one, but at least that will enable me to apply the refund towards a new reader. The insurance will last for 3 years and is transferable. Thanks all for the input. As always you are all very helpful. I am off to build a new CP for a friend today and now that I have insurance for my reader I think it will be making the trip with me!
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Old 08-01-2009, 12:06 PM   #15
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I got a Sony extended warranty for my PRS-500, and yes it included accidental damage coverage. But it had a nasty limitation that I learned about the hard way.

I had reduced battery life problems after 1 year (which I now understand are standard) and they lied to me and said that they could fix it.

I got back a REFURB that had the same problem, and it took me a couple of months to verify it. By the time I called Sony back, it was after the 90-day warranty period of a REFURB. But wait a minute, didn't I have a 3-year extended warranty? NOPE, not any more. The warranty only covers ONE INCIDENT and then it's toast.

Then, 2 weeks after the 90-day REFURB warranty was up, the screen developed a microcrack in the E-Ink substrate. They said I was S.O.L. The only thing they would do for me is give me a trade-in deal (and I had to beg for that because of the battery-problem misrepresentation) which was ~$125 plus the broken 500 for a new 500. Aaack.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU USE YOUR WARRANTY FOR. IT'S A ONE-TIME DEAL. And it'll probably result in you getting a REFURB of questionable quality -- pre-stressed and pre-damaged internally.

It's a lot different than laptop service extended warranties.

The story has a happy ending, though. I got a shiny, new PRS-505 through Sony's credit-card deal where I got $150 credit back on the account, and I got $100 back for trading in my screen-cracked PRS-500 in a special upgrade deal. So the 505 ended up costing me only $50 extra. Much better deal than the original trade-in they offered me on the 500.

- The Inspector
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