Should I buy extended waranty for projection TV?

[Aston]

Hi,

I'm interested in buying a Projection TV (Hitachi 46F500). After
talking to different salesmen, they all suggest to purchase the
extended waranty (around $100 a year). Their "excuse" is pretty much
the annual adjustments (convergence adjustments) etc.

My question is:

1. Is it worth the extra money? $100 a year does add up;
2. Can these kind of adjustments be done myself? I'm somewhat
handy...
3. If I don't go for the the extended warranty, how much will it cost
to have someone over to adjust it when I really need it? I live in
New Hampshire. How often do I have to have it adjust?

If I go for a CRT HDTV monitor (e.g. Sony 34" widescreen), do I still
need annual "adjustment"? Although, one BestBuy salesman told me that
a tube HDTV won't last as long as the old tube based TV because the
brightness needed for HD.

Buying a TV these days are too complicated :-(

Thanks in advance for any help!

-Aston

 

[Jerry G.]

From my experience, I would. These sets tend to have a high failure
rate. Once service call will cost you more than 3 years of warranty
assurance! Also, if one of the tubes go defective, the cost can be
about 1/3 to about 1/2 the cost of a new set to service it.

It is like driver's insurance. You can drive without insurance, but if
you have an accident, you may pay out a lot more. If you don't have an
accident, you paid out money, and did not have any return. I would not
dare drive without insurance.

A TV is a lot less serious, but the question is not, "Will it fail?".
The real question is really, "When will it fail?".

--

Greetings,

Jerry Greenberg GLG Technologies GLG
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Hi,

I'm interested in buying a Projection TV (Hitachi 46F500). After
talking to different salesmen, they all suggest to purchase the
extended waranty (around $100 a year). Their "excuse" is pretty much
the annual adjustments (convergence adjustments) etc.

My question is:

1. Is it worth the extra money? $100 a year does add up;
2. Can these kind of adjustments be done myself? I'm somewhat
handy...
3. If I don't go for the the extended warranty, how much will it cost
to have someone over to adjust it when I really need it? I live in
New Hampshire. How often do I have to have it adjust?

If I go for a CRT HDTV monitor (e.g. Sony 34" widescreen), do I still
need annual "adjustment"? Although, one BestBuy salesman told me that
a tube HDTV won't last as long as the old tube based TV because the
brightness needed for HD.

Buying a TV these days are too complicated :-(

Thanks in advance for any help!

-Aston

 

[David]

Ditto on the, "it is not if it will fail but when."
Most sets make it past the first three years with no problems.
Even at worst case using contract company numbers, they base failure rate of
1 in 5 will have a payable claim due to failure within 5 years. (Realize
some of these are remote control replacement)

That said $100 a year sounds like too much. Shop around and price the
extended warranties at different stores AND who is backing the warranty up.
I have seen way too many people left with worthless paper when stores go out
of business or extended warranty companies go belly up.

The question is, if it does fail, can you afford a minimal average repair of
$250, Or a major repair of $900 (crt failure outside of warranty)?

It is your money, you figure the cost vs. risk analysis.
If you even do have one relatively minor failure in 5 years at $250, you
will be $250 ahead. If you have a major failure around $1000 in 5 years you
will behind $500. It is simply insurance versus the risk. You decide.

David