Mack Camer Warranty

[trungduy]

Hello all,

I am buying the G1, and the reseller offer a 4-year extended warranty for $89.90 from Mack Camera Services (www.mackcam.com)

I wonder if anyone has experience with Mack Warranty, are they worth it, and do they really offer what they promise?

The reseller told me that the 4year extended warranty will cover additional 4 years ( total of 5 year from original date of purchase) During that time, Mack would cover all the repair cost part and labor, also 2-way shipping cost if the camer break down. Mack would also replace/upgrade the camera if it can't fix it.

I don't find comprehensive info on Mack Camera website. But it looks like Mack is pretty popular and well-established servicer in the industry.

Could some one please provide your feedback on Mack Warranty? Thanks.

[simmonsrandal]

trungduy,

dont know any specifics about mack camer. my experience in most with extended warranties is they're usually not worth it.

Most problems will happen in the beginning. They usually dont cover things like dropping the equipment. They stick to manufacturing defects which you should be able to spot right away.

[jehantqs]

I would advise everyone never to pay any additional costs when purchasing a new camera to
Mack Camera Services. Their contact person, Lauren, is totally rude and clueless. I have been waiting over a month for my Canon camera to be returned from this outfit as Lauren emailed me it was in their New Jersey location and come to find out it is actually still at the Elk Grove location!
Shameful business entity.

[dbump]

Extended warranties are generally a gamble--both for buyer and seller. Since the seller sets the price, and has lots of data to base that decision on, many folks conclude that the gamble isn't favorable to buyers. Generally I'd agree, but even grouchy Consumer Reports recommends extended warranties for some items.
Take a close look at the details of their warranty (what has to be broken for them to take action, and what exactly will they do (replace, repair, refund?)), and also heed feedback from other folks who've attempted to use it.
I've had good luck with service plans from Best Buy, though you do need to assert yourself (asking to speak to a manager did wonders for me). For anything other than complex, expensive, small electronics (basically PDAs, MP3 players, and cameras), I skip the extended warranty.

I just noticed the 'Similar Threads' section at the bottom of the page (cool feature). This thread looks useful--some more users mentioning experience with Mack:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=28277

[filmmaker11]

whatever you do, don't buy an extended warranty at Mack Camera. These folks are incredibly rude, take forever to fix the camera (despite what it says on the web site) and returned my camera with a mark on my lens that is very noticeable on the viewefinder. Avoid at all costs.

[rpolitsr]

...The reseller told me that the 4year extended warranty will cover additional 4 years ( total of 5 year from original date of purchase)

I think you got enough advice from the previous posters about Mack Camera, but I am still curious. What does it mean ‘from original date of purchase’? the date when the first owner bought the camera?

Well, the G1 was released around September 2000 and replaced by the G2 one year later, I mean it was replaced by a new model SIX years ago...

from dpreview.com archives:
------
Canon unveil PowerShot G1
Monday, 18 September 2000 04:00 GMT

Pre-Photokina 2000: Today Canon unveil their latest digital
camera, the G1. Aimed squarely at the "prosumer" marketplace...
------

Canon PowerShot G2 and reviewed!
Monday, 27 August 2001 04:00 GMT

IFA 2001: 0000 GMT: Canon has today announced the
PowerShot G2, a four megapixel sucessor to the popular PowerShot G1.
------

[thelightofsound]

i know nothing about mack but i think it says a lot that two people in this thread made their only post on this board to speak out against them.

rafael makes a good point as well.

[gkas]

If the G1 is used, then I doubt that you can still get a Mack waranty. Also, beware that the early Gx cameras had a lot of problems with the hinge on the rear viewfinder.

[bobtodrick]

Don't buy the extended warranty.
I work for a large camera retailer that offers extended warranty. Because of some legal thing or another the money from extended warranties must be kept in a separate account...it is huge.
As others have mentioned the extended warranty usually extends the manufacturers warranty by whatever time period. With electronics (modern cameras) if a manufacturing defect doesn't show up in the first year it probably never will.
And it won't cover dropping or neglect.

[lakiluno]

READ THE DATES.

The OP was made in 2001!!!! The G1 was a NEW camera then. The warranty has expired by now anyway, so please just leave this thread.

[rpolitsr]

...The OP was made in 2001!!!!...
:) :) :) that’s why I had to dig so deep in dpreview.com archives!

[mastertech01]

I consider an offer like that comparable to the Square Trade extended warranties offered on Ebay. They will offer warranty on an old worn out broken part of a lawn mower that hasnt been manufactured for 20 years! It has to be a complete scam job just to suck more money on the sale. I have recieved offers of warranty that is priced 25.00 for an item I purchased for 2.00. Such a deal!