Extended Warranty For Digital Camera

[photoman2003]

Has anyone here been fooled by the Mack warranty? I purchased that warranty for my S1, but found out later that if you do not fill it out and send it in within 30 days, it is no good. I lost $280, and Mack did not care.
I bought an EOS-1, and did not fall for it again. Someone on another forum site told me where I could get an extended warranty, and it will not break my pocket. The best thing is that if you still have at least 90 days left on your orginal warranty, you can still by one from this place. I purchased a 5 year for $185, that was at least $200 cheaper then B&H.
If anyone else has been fooled by the Mack warranty, please feel free to vent.

Wop

[David Wild]

Over the years I have had many cameras, and only once have I had a warranty claim. This was for a Mamiyaflex which left a scratch right down the film.

It was replaced immediately by the supplier in the UK.

I have never felt that buying an extended warranty was good value.

[fotoheaven]

also got bit by the Mack bug. When I bought it from B&H, they did not even tell me that I had 30 days. I went on a shoot, came back and forgot to mail it in, and then wen I did remember, it was to late. This site sounds like somethin I want to see. What is the site.
I know some people do not agree with Extended Warranty's, and that is ok. But think of it this way, you pay car insurance and hope neve to get in a crash. But when you do, it is good to know you have it.

[photoman2003]

Sorry, I forgot to leave the web-site. www.scarolainc.com is the site.
I also did some checking, and the warranty company they use is one of the largest in the US. I found out that buy.com and Fuji Film use the same warranty company. Of course, they charge way to much for the same warranty then this site.
I went there and purchased a warranty for my 51' TV I got last night for the Super Bowl. Best Buy wanted to charge me $375 for a 2 year in home warranty.
I paid $159 for a 5 year from the site.
The best thing is, they fill out all the forms for you and send your copies to you priority mail.

Good Luck

[Cordell]

also got bit by the Mack bug. When I bought it from B&H, they did not even tell me that I had 30 days. I went on a shoot, came back and forgot to mail it in, and then wen I did remember, it was to late. This site sounds like somethin I want to see. What is the site.
I know some people do not agree with Extended Warranty's, and that is ok. But think of it this way, you pay car insurance and hope neve to get in a crash. But when you do, it is good to know you have it.

Well, car insurance in Detroit is more than the car itself. Literally! Of course if you hit a pedestrian things are a bit different.

I never will buy an extended warranty on anything. Why, because the chance of it screwing up is less than the chance of me using the warranty. Besides, if I'm at the end of the manufactors warranty, I will more than likely want to upgrade anyway.

Do the math: companies offer these extended warranties because claims are low compared to what they sell the warranty for in the first place.

[Mikesht]

also got bit by the Mack bug. When I bought it from B&H, they did not even tell me that I had 30 days. I went on a shoot, came back and forgot to mail it in, and then wen I did remember, it was to late. This site sounds like somethin I want to see. What is the site.
I know some people do not agree with Extended Warranty's, and that is ok. But think of it this way, you pay car insurance and hope neve to get in a crash. But when you do, it is good to know you have it.

Well, car insurance in Detroit is more than the car itself. Literally! Of course if you hit a pedestrian things are a bit different.

I never will buy an extended warranty on anything. Why, because the chance of it screwing up is less than the chance of me using the warranty. Besides, if I'm at the end of the manufactors warranty, I will more than likely want to upgrade anyway.

Do the math: companies offer these extended warranties because claims are low compared to what they sell the warranty for in the first place.

I agree with you about the camera warranty. Not sure about car insurance in Detroit though, being that I live there....

[fotoheaven]

That is why this is a great country. We all have our opinions, and we are all right. Extended warranty's are not for everyone, but there are people who do want them, but do not want to spend a 300 % mark up.
I went to that site, and they did have a good selection and very reasonable prices. I picked one up for my TV, and will most likely pick one up for my Digital Camera as well.
If you do not like extended warranty's, you should not go to that site. If you do, then give the stie a look.

[toglenn]

I bought an extended warranty for a refurbished D30 and when I sold it a year later half of my warranty cost was refunded.

Now I just discovered a problem with my 10D and my warranty is almost over (March). I'm shipping it to Canon but wish I would have bought an extended when I had the chance.

toglenn

[fotoheaven]

If you have at least 90 days left on your warranty, you can buy one from that site. How much do you have left?

[Jim Larson]

'Do the math: companies offer these extended warranties because claims are low compared to what they sell the warranty for in the first place.'

Very true.

Remember, if they are not making at least 50% markup on insurance/warrenties (of any type), they will not sell it to you. Try getting earthquake insurance in California. Flood insurance in costal zones is a government thing => you don't buy it from Allstate.

The fundamental issue is *can you afford the impact if things go wrong*. For a car insurance, health insurance, and homeowners insurance, the impact can be hundreds of thousands, so insure is a must. For a $1000 camera . . . . it is all just a numbers game.

[CoolToolGuy]

In most cases, when they try to sell me on an extended warranty, I tell them 'If you're selling me a quality product, I won't need an extended warranty'. That usually shuts them up long enough for me to get out of the store. :)
There are exceptions, but my theory is that if I took the premiums for all of the extended warranties for the stuff I buy and put them in a jar, if I needed service on something I would have the cash and I'd still be ahead.

My best extended warranty story actually involved a camera purchase. I bought a Sure Shot for my wife for her birthday several years ago at a store that has since gone toes up (probably because they couldn't 'Service Merchandise' as well as their name implied). I didn't really want to buy it there, but the camera was sold out almost everywhere else, and their price was competitive. While checking out, all the 'salesman' (I use the term loosely) wanted to do was sell me a service policy. Despite my repeated refusals, he kept on with it. I held my ground and said that all I wanted was the camera and the battery. He puts it all in a bag, and off I go. I wrap the camera, the battery, and a roll of film, and we traipse off to her Mom's house for the celebration. She opens the battery first :?: followed by the film :) and then the camera :D and when we go to put it all together we find out the camera takes TWO batteries. :shock: So off I go on a Sunday afternoon to find a second battery. If the moron (oops, excuse me, I meant to say salesman) would have been paying attention to what he was selling instead of pushing the service policy, I might have actually been satisfied. But, as I said, they are now out of business.

Have Fun
Rick 8)

[Bytes U]

What insurance company policies do Mafia Warehouse (http://www.scarolainc.com/) sell for camera warranties? Their site feels a little off to me... no specific details and images for text so it wouldn't be search engine friendly. I'm always the sceptic. :oops:

[toglenn]

[quote="Jim Larson"]'Do the math: companies offer these extended warranties because claims are low compared to what they sell the warranty for in the first place.'

Very true.

Remember, if they are not making at least 50% markup on insurance/warrenties (of any type), they will not sell it to you. Try getting earthquake insurance in California. Flood insurance in costal zones is a government thing => you don't buy it from Allstate.

The fundamental issue is *can you afford the impact if things go wrong*. For a car insurance, health insurance, and homeowners insurance, the impact can be hundreds of thousands, so insure is a must. For a $1000 camera . . . . it is all just a numbers game.[/quote


That's right, you take your chances. As an example, I bought my daughter a Sony Laptop and an extended warranty. One week after the factory warranty expired, so did the Laptop. I phoned the insurance company and they sent a shipping box and paid shipping both ways. I figure the cost of repair would have been as much as what I paid for the warranty and I still have 2 more years of protection. So it was a crap shoot and I broke even with a free ride for 2 years.

Toglenn

[fotoheaven]

What insurance company policies do Mafia Warehouse (http://www.scarolainc.com/) sell for camera warranties? Their site feels a little off to me... no specific details and images for text so it wouldn't be search engine friendly. I'm always the sceptic. :oops:


They seem to be ok to me. I bought the warranty and once I received the e-mail with the contract number, I called WACA the warranty company and they said I was covered. If it was a scam, then I would not have been able to confim the warranty.
I do understand your question though. Some sites are a little scary, but this company deals with paypal, and a know warranty company.

[Bytes U]

Thanks fotoheaven. I just wanted to know the insurance company. WaCa (http://www.waca.com/aboutus.htm) seems to be a prominent insurer. 8)

[cameradood]

I went to the site you suggested, and I also purchased a warranty from them. They had the lowest 5yr I have seen on the net. I also picked up a 2yr replacement for my sons X-Box, it was only $20.

Thanks Again.

Jack

[Motorsports Photo]

I too have taken the same attitude that extended warranties are a waste of money. For the most part if something does go wrong, it happens within the first year.

Now lets take this a step further.

My Epson 2000P failed after a couple of months. It was replaced, and then that one broke down too, and then the next. Epson says they will happily do the replacement thing UNTIL THEIR ONE YEAR WARRANY IS UP! The you're screwed. I even had to fight them the last time that the printer WAS still in warranty. If I knew about the extended warranties discussed here, you bet I would have bought it!

I would have bought one for my D30 too. Its been back and forth to Canon service too many times. My 10D should go there too, but I've found the workarounds to make the camers expose correctly. It cant without my intervention.

Extended warranties are starting to look good, since the quality of the items we purchase has turned to crap. It may have something to do with the label "Made in China" but its probably more like the product manager said "Lets make this thing the cheapest we can!"

Buyer beware.

Have fun with your toys before they break!

-Pete

[Canuck]

If you do not like extended warranty's, you should not go to that site. If you do, then give the stie a look.

Call me an arse, but it irritates the &#$@ out of me when people can't use a word correctly...it is NOT warranty's, but warranties. Where the heck has the grammar gone??? Remember in elementary school, "Change the "y" to "i" and add "-es"!! examples: city becomes cities or candy becomes candies. You get the picture? Cool! Enough said.

[Sketcher]

Call me an arse, but it irritates the &#$@ out of me when people can't use a word correctly...it is NOT warranty's, but warranties. Where the heck has the grammar gone??? Remember in elementary school, "Change the "y" to "i" and add "-es"!! examples: city becomes cities or candy becomes candies. You get the picture? Cool! Enough said.
BTW, it's "$&@#", not "&#$@".

[ilya]

Call me an arse

Arse :!:

[Canuck]

Call me an arse

Arse :!:

The feeling is mutual...:)

[Canuck]

Call me an arse, but it irritates the &#$@ out of me when people can't use a word correctly...it is NOT warranty's, but warranties. Where the heck has the grammar gone??? Remember in elementary school, "Change the "y" to "i" and add "-es"!! examples: city becomes cities or candy becomes candies. You get the picture? Cool! Enough said.
BTW, it's "$&@#", not "&#$@".

Dyslexia!

[ilya]

Canuck

I waffled a bit before re-replying, because its hardly worth my time. However, as a protective measure to the new folks here, and I am in no way forum police, I am finding it very difficult to find value in most of your posts. Its always either about your Sigma "that rocks" or useless crap like the attack on Fotoheaven. Stop the nonsense please, and post some FACTUAL advice. I'm sure I'll regret losing my temper later, but its bad to keep stuff bottled up like this.

This is a nice place, and I apologize to everyone for this altercation.

Ilya

[fotoheaven]

Thank you being a stand up person. Forums are for people to post subjects to help other people so they do not run into the same peoblem as you did. That is my feeling anyway, it may be wrong to some.
If you have to post a reply just to make a comment about a spelling error, then there is somthing wrong.

[slejhamer]

I know that not everyone has (or has access to) an American Express card, but if you do, don't forget that when you make a purchase with it, it automatically doubles the manufacturer's standard warranty up to one year. I called their warranty service and confirmed this before buying my 10D, sans the Mack plan.

http://www10.americanexpress.com/sif/cda/page/0,1641,8235,00.asp?link=benefits

Bonus: You get Reward points too!

However, I have no idea who would perform any necessary service work.

[Motorsports Photo]

I know that not everyone has (or has access to) an American Express card, but if you do, don't forget that when you make a purchase with it, it automatically doubles the manufacturer's standard warranty up to one year. I called their warranty service and confirmed this before buying my 10D, sans the Mack plan.


Ahh so all your one year extended warranties (Look Canuck, I can spell!)
are only $79.95

I think thats the yearly fee for the card.

-Pete

[GimpyPoop]

Yo,
I know I could just read the fine print, but I was just wondering if anyone knew off the top of their head if this scarcola.com would cover items purchased new off ebay?
Thanks in advance.
Me, the Flea

[slejhamer]

Ahh so all your one year extended warranties (Look Canuck, I can spell!)
are only $79.95

I think thats the yearly fee for the card.

-Pete

Yes Pete, for up to US$50,000 in warranty coverage per card per year.

But their "Blue" card has no fee (it charges interest on unpaid balances) and lets you participate in the Buyer's Assurance plan. If you are going to charge the purchase anyway, their rates are competitive with other bank cards, and you get the extended warranty for "free."

Just don't lose your receipt!

[Motorsports Photo]

[quote]
Yes Pete, for up to US$50,000 in warranty coverage per card per year.

But their "Blue" card has no fee (it charges interest on unpaid balances) and lets you participate in the Buyer's Assurance plan. If you are going to charge the purchase anyway, their rates are competitive with other bank cards, and you get the extended warranty for "free."

Just don't lose your receipt!

Thanks for that tasty tidbit. I only knew about their "Fee" card. No problem on the receipts. I can find a year old one, :)

-Pete