Jon: There is a little known law in Maine - an Implied Warranty Law - that makes purchase of an extended warranty unnecessary. Please see this chapter from the Maine Attorney General's Consumer Guide ( which I put online for them as a volunteer when Bucky was in Augusta)
http://www.state.me.us/ag/clg4.htm Everything purchased (both new or used) in Maine is, by Maine law, under warranty for 4 years, no matter what the warranty that comes with the article says. If you have trouble convincing a manufacturer or store to honor this law, the Attorney General's office has a Consumer Division which will mediate for you. This works not only on computers, but anything purchased in Maine (except used cars). It is a very important law that we are very fortunate to have. You may notice on warrantees small print which says "Other laws may apply". Maine has one of those laws. Sue Owen ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jonathan Falk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2002 3:35 PM Subject: [folkschool-list] The incredible shrinking warrantee > I've noticed that computer makers have been reducing the length of their > standards warrantees. For instance Dell, which used to offer standard > 3-year warrantees on all but their cheapest models, now only offers 1-year > standard for most of their desktops and notebooks. > > For desktop computers, I don't think that it's worth it to pay for an > extended warrantee in most situations. Desktop components are so > inexpensive and so easy to replace that I think most people are better off > taking their chances. Also, if a component is defective it is more likely > to fail in that first year than later. > > Laptops are a different story. They are both much more expensive to repair > and more likely to need repairs, since they are carried around, banged, > jostled, etc. In my opinion, it makes sense to get a 3-year warrantee, > even if it costs a couple of hundred dollars extra. (I don't think longer > warrantees are worth it, since after 3 years a laptop is getting pretty > obsolete, anyway.) It also makes a difference what type of warrantee you > get. he best warrantees are those that guarantees quick on-site > service. The next best require you to ship the notebook off, but that > guarantees a 1-day turnaround and overnight shipping. > > I had an experience recently with my 2-year old Dell Inspiron 5000 laptop > that made me feel very lucky to have a good warrantee. On a Saturday > morning a few months ago, I tried to plug the power cord into the laptop, > but it didn't want to go in. I took it out and couldn't see anything > wrong, so I tried again and pushed harder (too hard). It went in with a > pop, but there was no power going to the laptop, and I discovered that I > had driven one of the 3 little contact pins in the socket on the laptop > right into the machine. (Moral #1 - if you're going to work on a weekend, > make sure you've had enough coffee first.) > > After uttering a few carefully chosen phrases, I got on the phone to a Dell > support tech, thinking I would need to have the little socket the power > cord plugs into replaced. The Dell person knew exactly what I was talking > about, and informed me I would need a new motherboard, since it was all one > unit. Since I have a 3-year, on-site next business day warrantee (which > came standard with my laptop) she arranged to have someone call me Monday, > and come out to the house on Tuesday. Meanwhile, I had jury-rigged > something with a cut-off straight pin and a little Scotch tape (don't ask) > so that I could continue to use the laptop without draining the battery. > > The repair tech, who is from Bangor, showed up as promised on Tuesday, and > he was really good. In a few minutes he had disassembled my laptop into > many small pieces, and about 5,000 little-bitty screws. An hour and a half > later I was back in business, at no cost and only minimal inconvenience. > There is no way I could have done this job without having parts and screws > left over when I tried to put it all back together. > > I don't know how much this job would have cost without the warrantee, but > I'm guessing well over $500. (Moral #2 - the good warrantee was a good idea). > > Jon > > Jonathan Falk > Pine Tree Folk School > RR 2, Box 7162 > Carmel, ME 04419 > (207)848-2433 > <http://www.ptfolkschool.org> > > > > **Folkschool-list archives are at: > <http://www.mint.net/folkschool/helpnet/archives.htm> > Sponsored by Pine Tree Folk School > > **Folkschool-list archives are at: <http://www.mint.net/folkschool/helpnet/archives.htm> Sponsored by Pine Tree Folk School ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84vzQ.a9gqS3 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
