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tv extended warranties
Old 02-10-2016, 06:04 AM   #1
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tv extended warranties

I bought a new vizio 4d ultra tv at sams club and they want to sell me an extended warranty. it is 99 dollars for the 3 years following my 1 year manufacturer warranty, so 4 years total warranty. the company is called square trade. I was wondering if you folks make it a habit of purchasing the extended warranty on tv's or do you think it is a waste of money. I imagine there have been threads on this subject in the past. if so please direct me there and close this thread, otherwise I would appreciate your thoughts. thanks

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Old 02-10-2016, 06:10 AM   #2
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I rarely purchase extended warranties but have done so on a couple of occasions for my DW's camera and phone (she has hand dexterity issues). I bought from Square Trade and when she dropped her camera and broke it, Square Trade paid for a replacement. I'd definitely use them again.
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Old 02-10-2016, 06:13 AM   #3
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I bought the extended warranty for my 52 inch TV several years ago. I know it wasn't worth it but I did it anyway for the peace of mind - and DW was insisting I get it.
I also bought an extended warranty directly from Square Trade for DW's E-reader. I don;t remember the cost anymore, but it was very reasonable. When her E-reader went on the fritz and we filed a claim, they were great. Believe it or not, I don't remember anymore whether we were reimbursed or they sent a replacement. But I do remember the process was quick and painless.
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Old 02-10-2016, 06:16 AM   #4
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Extended warranties may make sense in some cases, such as the one REW describes, but for a TV set I think an extended warranty is unnecessary. TV sets don't usually fail after two or three years. They fail right away or after many years, and the replacement cost for the same performance is much lower than the original cost. I'd pass.
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Old 02-10-2016, 06:27 AM   #5
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keep the remarks coming. I have bought an extended when I bought my last tv from walmart, don't remember the company, but the hdmi inputs went bad and I called. they said they would order the parts and send out a repairman as soon as they arrived. that was 6 years ago and I haven't seen the part or the repairman yet.

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Old 02-10-2016, 06:37 AM   #6
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Extended warranties may make sense in some cases, such as the one REW describes, but for a TV set I think an extended warranty is unnecessary. TV sets don't usually fail after two or three years. They fail right away or after many years, and the replacement cost for the same performance is much lower than the original cost. I'd pass.
+1 I don't buy them since I know they are highly profitable to the warrantor so they are not a good deal for me. I do pay for such items with a credit card that doubles the manufacturer's warranty (so in your case from one year to tow years) and I have filed a claim under that program and it was promptly paid with no hassle.
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Old 02-10-2016, 06:55 AM   #7
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I buy electronics through Costco when they carry what I want. They extend the manufacturer warranty to 2 years from date of purchase. You can also buy 3 years from Square Trade to extend that to 5 years but I never bother with extending since the electronics I have bought through Costco have been less than $2000.
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Old 02-10-2016, 06:57 AM   #8
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I wouldn't for the reasons Michael described. Further, many/most consumer electronic devices aren't built to be repaired, or cost effectively repaired at least. So unless the extended warranty specifically includes total replacement, it might be of no use.
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Old 02-10-2016, 07:26 AM   #9
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In December, I purchased a Vizio M65-C1 directly from Vizio. I declined the add-on warranty for the reasons that Michael stated.

However, let me, again, offer up this AVS Forum thread where the issue was discussed quite thoroughly. I know, it is a lot to sort through just to pick out the Warranty stuff but, as the owner of a Vizio UHD TV, you should look through it all anyway.

Official 2015 Vizio 4K UHD M Series Thread - AVS Forum | Home Theater Discussions And Reviews
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Old 02-10-2016, 07:40 AM   #10
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I find the Square Trade warranties to be worth the price. I typically purchase them through Costco where I buy most of our electronics. Prior to Square Trade, I never purchased extended warranties.

Square Trade has replaced (actually cashed me out to the tune of $400) a Vizio TV that had a faulty power supply and repaired my laptop (cracking apart at the hinge and wifi antenna inop due to area of crack). I had to send my computer to their repair facility but it was back in a week good as new. All physical damage is considered accidental damage so my Dell warranty did not cover the issue. Thank goodness I had the Square Trade warranty.

I usually buy our cell phones from Walmart and I purchase their warranties which are very reasonable. I have have been reimbursed for 4 phones that weren't operating correctly although the warranties also cover accidental damage. I'm talking $80 phones with a $10-$12 warranty. Money well spent.
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Old 02-10-2016, 08:45 AM   #11
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For me, it is not that the companies offering warranties are charging too much. It is like insurance. If I can afford to replace the product after the regular warranty runs out, I would not purchase. I cancel my auto collision when the cost to replace the car is within my self insurance zone.

I had a TV repairman tell me that he turns on all his new stuff and leaves them on for a week! If they did not fail, they were most likely good for a long time. While this was before the digital TVs, I think it is even more true as heat is the major enemy of electronics.
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Old 02-10-2016, 09:03 AM   #12
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For me, it is not that the companies offering warranties are charging too much. It is like insurance. If I can afford to replace the product after the regular warranty runs out, I would not purchase. I cancel my auto collision when the cost to replace the car is within my self insurance zone.

I had a TV repairman tell me that he turns on all his new stuff and leaves them on for a week! If they did not fail, they were most likely good for a long time. While this was before the digital TVs, I think it is even more true as heat is the major enemy of electronics.

I have always read if a problem would occur the vast majority would be during the manufacturers original warranty. And that has been the case with me. I never buy the warranties as they are sold to benefit profit margins not as a benefit to me. My personal experience has been the less insurance I have had on anything, the more money stays in my pocket.


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Old 02-10-2016, 09:07 AM   #13
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Several reports here about failing quick, IIRC they refer to this as high infant mortality in electronic goods. I think the only time I ever did the extended warranty on anything was our splurge on the HDTV when they first came out; something like $4500 for a 42". We enjoyed it and after about 5 years it produced one large green band ~8" wide down the left side. Repairman said forget it, it's not worth repairing. That is the ONLY repair of any electronic item I'd have considered, can't think of another item that failed in manufacturer's warranty, any reasonable warranty period, or any period beyond that.

Other than that one TV, never have bought any extended warranty for anything. I'm way ahead for not having done so, but am sure others have different experience.

If anything, I'd wish some of my stuff WOULD fail so I'd feel justified in getting the newer features in a unit less than half the price of the original.
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Old 02-10-2016, 09:12 AM   #14
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....If anything, I'd wish some of my stuff WOULD fail so I'd feel justified in getting the newer features in a unit less than half the price of the original.
+1 I have a 47" Vizio HDTV that is probably 8-9 years old that I have been hoping will die so I can get a bigger smarter HDTV.
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Old 02-10-2016, 09:20 AM   #15
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Remember a lot of credit cards have benefits of warranty extensions - not for as long as you'd often pay for, but often adding at least a year to the Manu. Warr.

If the product has a 1 year, and you can buy a +3 year..but your credit card would make it 2 to begin with....eh
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Old 02-10-2016, 09:46 AM   #16
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H2ODude mentioned "infant mortality" and that is the key with most of today's electronics which are pretty much all solid state. If it's going to fail, it will generally do so very shortly after it is energized (turned on).

We don't buy extended warranties for stationary electronic products (appliances, TV's, etc) and reserve that spending for DW's iPhone (now a 6S) since she has slippery fingers (). (My cell phone is a used one bought on eBay for $60.)

We have never had a TV or other costly appliance failure and if we do, we will just replace it under the factory warranty, if it is still under it, or just buy a new one.
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Old 02-11-2016, 07:51 AM   #17
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don'be in such a hurry to upgrade to a smarter tv. the options either cost extra or you have to have upgraded wiring, recievers. I get by with the tv and hdmi, plus a roku box for netflix and a dvd player.
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