Extended Warranties on TV's etc.

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Simondo
Simondo
VIC
8025 posts
VIC, 8025 posts
11 Feb 2012 2:52pm
I'm glad I went for the extended warrantee. 3.5 year old LCD TV is starting to pack it in. I have a 4 year warrantee.

This flat screen TV technology is pretty new, and it would be hard for manufacturers to know how long these products will last.... But I wonder if these fancy TV's will only last 5-10years MAX. Not like the old days... My Grandpa bought a Color TV in the early 70's. It was still going strong in the late 90's when we gave it away... 25 years of good service....

In broad terms, my bought me the TV as a housewarming pressie for a little over $3k (yes, she's a good Mum - but a similar TV would be $1500 today!!). I paid maybe $200 maybe $150 for the warrantee.

Question: It's a 42" Sony through Harvey Norman, have people had experience on what usually happens... Do they attempt to repair them... Or are they more likely to just offer a replacement? (The problem, screen is quite "flickery" on warm-up, and pretty bad "dis-colouration" on warm-up - I'm talking 3,4,5 minutes for it to come good)....
pweedas
pweedas
WA
4642 posts
WA, 4642 posts
11 Feb 2012 12:01pm
Now comes the rude awakening when you find out what your 'you beaut extended warranty' is really worth.
My guess is,.. close to nothing. Specially if it's nearly run out.
The most probable result will be they will ask you to send your tv to some distant place at your expense where it will be held for a variety of reasons / lame excuses until the warranty runs out, and then send it back to you, also at your expense, when you discover to your amazement that it's no different than when you sent it. Or better still, has an entirely different fault on it because they swapped over the insides with someone elses faulty tv because they couldn't fix that one either.
By then it's out of warranty so it's all your problem.
Does that cheer you up?
You're welcome. Glad to be of service.
Simondo
Simondo
VIC
8025 posts
VIC, 8025 posts
11 Feb 2012 3:06pm
^ Gold!!

I'll actually touch base with OceanBlue64 from here. See what he says. I actually sold him a McTavish Malibu, but he works in electrical repairs, amongst his other hobbies of sculpting.

I'm pretty sure a Harvey Norman warrantee will be worth "slightly more than nothing!". But I will keep you all posted...

I take your point though.... there's a great risk that the TV sits elsewhere for a while, whilst we sit there without a TV!


PS - life with surfing is too fantastic to worry about stuff like this anyway.... worst case, I'll just walk into a store with a credit card and get another one (freaking throw away society! refer other topic of "a simpler time").... and the future result of this warranty issue will help determine whether I stump up for another extended warrantee!
Simondo
Simondo
VIC
8025 posts
VIC, 8025 posts
11 Feb 2012 3:09pm
Basic question further to above... Is the extended warrantee worth it.... ???

I seem to remember a similar topic on here in the past....
Smithy
Smithy
VIC
859 posts
VIC, 859 posts
11 Feb 2012 3:39pm
In my experience the extended warranty has be excellent.

We originally bought a dvd recorder which failed, the unit was not repairable, determined within 10 days, with the model no longer available we where offered the closet new product or the equivalent value to spend on what we wanted. We chose the later.

We also took an extended warranty on the second device which also failed about 20 months later. Same response again. This time we put the warranty money towards a HDD recorder, the price difference to us was under $50.

The warranty company had a network of approved repair companies all of which were within 15 minutes drive.
Ian K
Ian K
WA
4170 posts
WA, 4170 posts
11 Feb 2012 1:16pm
The companies that offer the extended warranties have done the statistics. They intend to make money. If you've got half a dozen appliances the stats will probably work your way if you cover the probability of a breakdown yourself.

I use the same logic with all other insurances. If you can cover the cost of repair or replacement without going into financial ruin don't insure. I've got the house insured, that's about all. I only get third party property damage on my car. I think I could write a newish one off now and still be ahead.
GPA
GPA
WA
2529 posts
GPA GPA
WA, 2529 posts
11 Feb 2012 1:23pm
I have used HN extended warranties twice - both for TV repairs. Both were done without any trouble.

I tend to not get an E/W on items under $1000 or those things that will get only occasional use - ie I would not get an E/W on a $400 multi-function printer - or a $500 camera - both of which only get short use once or twice a week. I did however get one for my wife's new $1,000 smart phone - as that gets used all day every day! .

Purchased a PC for my daughter from HN the other week... they now offer a full like-for-like replacement within a 3yr period. E/Warranty was $120 on a $790 PC. I declined.

oz surf
oz surf
WA
407 posts
WA, 407 posts
11 Feb 2012 2:12pm
Simondo said...
Question: It's a 42" Sony through Harvey Norman, have people had experience on what usually happens... Do they attempt to repair them... Or are they more likely to just offer a replacement? (The problem, screen is quite "flickery" on warm-up, and pretty bad "dis-colouration" on warm-up - I'm talking 3,4,5 minutes for it to come good)....



This is the exact fault my parents had with their Sony T.V
They also had an extended warranty.It took about 2 weeks to get someone out and they simply swapped the screen over. Took about 10 mins
OceanBlue64
OceanBlue64
VIC
980 posts
VIC, 980 posts
11 Feb 2012 7:14pm
As a repairer who does repairs for most of the extended warranties avail in Vic, I can not recommend them enough.

The system works like this: We have a look at the set. We then quote the warranty company. If the quote falls within a certain percentage of the retail price of a new set, we repair it. It it is above that percentage, the set is often changed over. If you want a better set, you can often negotiate with the warranty company and pay extra for the upgrade.

Second hand parts are never put in to the sets as it is in our contract that we must use genuine new parts if available. If the parts are not available, we quote as such and the set is generally changed over.

Extended warranty repair can take a little longer as it takes a few days for the quotes to be processed.

When ever I buy any new electronics (over about $200) I always get an extended warranty.

Simondo: The fault you are describing is either a power supply issue or a panel. If its power supply, it will be repaired. If its a panel, the odds are it will be replaced.
Simondo
Simondo
VIC
8025 posts
VIC, 8025 posts
11 Feb 2012 7:39pm
Cool, thanks guys. Thanks OB64, and how's my old McTavish Malibu?

But feel free to continue the comments, experiences, etc.

Simondo
Simondo
VIC
8025 posts
VIC, 8025 posts
11 Feb 2012 7:55pm
It's funny that I can buy a very similar TV for $1200-1800. I think mum paid $3,300. Almost 2X-3X the price. I assume if they offered me money, it would be $1200-$1800, not the original $3,300 to spend on a TV.... ???

It's staggering how the TV industry just gets better and better.... These new LED's are so thin...
North
North
WA
104 posts
WA, 104 posts
11 Feb 2012 5:49pm
Only time I ever bought E/W was on my $800- front loader washing machine. Thought I got stitched-up as I only bought it cos the sales chick was so cute.
I've now used up the entire $800- allowance for repairs over the 4 years changing belts and the display panel.
But even with that I'd be hesitant to do it again...
clarkee
clarkee
WA
221 posts
WA, 221 posts
11 Feb 2012 5:51pm
simondo,have you had tv repaired or replaced ,my tv doing that flicking on warm up and getting worse wondering how you got on regarding repairing cheers
Ted the Kiwi
Ted the Kiwi
NSW
14256 posts
NSW, 14256 posts
11 Feb 2012 9:10pm
I guess with the EW its like insurance - its nice to have but you never really want to use it!!! The Harvey Normans of this word make a fortune on this - HN would most probably be acting as an agent who gets a fee from the finance company that provides the warranties. They know that if 10 sets in 500 fail it does not bother them at all - if it was 400 out of 500 there would be hell to pay - but they know the margins they require and build lots of fat in. If you can afford to self insure you will be better off. Insurers generally build a 30% margin over and above the actuarial fair value for admin and cost of capital as a rough and dirty guess-timate. When they are unsure the margin will be higher. As most people can not afford to self insure or are risk averse the EW is a great option. We had our vacuum cleaner fail before xmas - the EW did not even kick in for another 3 weeks (had a 24mth manufactures warranty) and the place I dropped it off to fix called me up to tell me it was ready and running like new - the problem was 10 mins before hand the store had rung up to tell us the new replacement one was ready for our collection!! Go figure. We took the new one obviously!! On the other hand the GF's laptop failed 3 weeks after it expired and after 5 calm phone calls and 2 emails they agreed that it would be fair to look at it.

I am surprised that your TV has only come down that much Simondo - we brought a new TV 15mths ago for $950 and you can buy similar ones for $500 now and its a 42 inch Toshiba.

landyacht
landyacht
WA
5921 posts
WA, 5921 posts
11 Feb 2012 7:56pm
I love extended warranty!!!!!

Our first DVD died and was relaced witha more up to date model , took out extended warrantty on that , same happened.
7 years of surround sound for under $600.
same with our good camera .
10/10 to harvry normans for honouring and trying their hardest.
no I dont work for them
landyacht
landyacht
WA
5921 posts
WA, 5921 posts
11 Feb 2012 7:58pm
I love extended warranty!!!!!

Our first DVD died and was relaced witha more up to date model , took out extended warrantty on that , same happened.
7 years of surround sound for under $600.
same with our good camera .
10/10 to harvry normans for honouring and trying their hardest.
no I dont work for them
Simondo
Simondo
VIC
8025 posts
VIC, 8025 posts
11 Feb 2012 11:40pm
Oops, it's warranty, and guarantee, not warrantee (^). Not sure why I don't get a red line under warrantee... Google... Oh, I'm the warrantee, the person to whom a warranty is given. They say you learn something every day...

lmgtfy.com/?q=warrantee
OceanBlue64
OceanBlue64
VIC
980 posts
VIC, 980 posts
12 Feb 2012 6:25am
Simondo said...

how's my old McTavish Malibu?



Its going great. Been a bit busy with a couple of exhibitions coming up but it was well used over xmas (even though the surf was very, very average).
red
red
VIC
741 posts
red red
VIC, 741 posts
12 Feb 2012 9:31am
Simondo said...

^ Gold!!

I'll actually touch base with OceanBlue64 from here. See what he says. I actually sold him a McTavish Malibu, but he works in electrical repairs, amongst his other hobbies of sculpting.



Also like collecting spores and fungus, nude limbo dancing, studying ancient mayan romance novels and making excuses not to windsurf with his mates..
OceanBlue64
OceanBlue64
VIC
980 posts
VIC, 980 posts
12 Feb 2012 8:42pm
red said...

Simondo said...

^ Gold!!

I'll actually touch base with OceanBlue64 from here. See what he says. I actually sold him a McTavish Malibu, but he works in electrical repairs, amongst his other hobbies of sculpting.



Also like collecting spores and fungus, nude limbo dancing, studying ancient mayan romance novels and making excuses not to windsurf with his mates..


You are just jealous cos I didnt invite you to the last naked mushroom picking session.
You should come for a surf sometime. I will come for a windsurf once the market season slows down and I get more time.
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