AppleCare Protection Plan MC258LL/A - For Portable Apple Computers 13 Inches and Below

by Apple

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.5 x 5.3 inches ; 2.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B002VWK4NI
• Item model number: MC258LL/A
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #29 in Computer & Accessories (See Top 100 in Computer & Accessories)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 29, 2009

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Every Mac comes with 90 days of telephone support and one year of service coverage at an Apple-authorized repair center. The AppleCare Protection Plan for portable Macs (13.3 inches and smaller; MC258LL/A) extends the complimentary coverage on your MacBook or MacBook Pro to three years of world-class support. The plan includes expert telephone assistance, global repair coverage, onsite repairs for desktop computers, web-based resources, and TechTool Deluxe from Micromat--all for one economical price.

This comprehensive AppleCare Protection Plan covers your MacBook or MacBook Pro, as well as an AirPort Extreme Card, an AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme Base Station, and Apple RAM purchased for your MacBook or MacBook Pro.

Extend your coverage to three years of service and expert telephone technical support.

Apple Hardware Coverage
The AppleCare Protection Plan provides global repair coverage, both parts and labor, from Apple-authorized technicians around the world. Apple hardware coverage includes:

• Your Mac computer
• Included accessories such as the power adapter
• Apple memory (RAM)
• AirPort Express Base Station, AirPort Extreme Base Station, or Time Capsule (must be purchased within 2 years of Mac purchase)
• MacBook Air SuperDrive (for MacBook Air and Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server only)
• Apple display purchased with your Mac

One Stop for Technical Support
Because Apple designs the computer, the operating system, and many applications, the Mac is a truly integrated system. And only the AppleCare Protection Plan gives you one-stop service and support from Apple experts, so most issues can be resolved in a single call. Here's what you get:

• Direct access to Apple experts
• Global repair coverage
• Mail-in repair for portable computers: Mail in your Mac using a prepaid shipping box provided by Apple
• Carry-in repair: Take your Mac to an Apple Retail Store or other Apple Authorized Service Provider

Software Support Included
Whether you're sitting in the comfort of your home or office or on the go, you can get direct access to Apple experts for questions on a wide range of Mac topics, including:

• Using the Mac OS X operating system
• Quick how-to questions about iLife and iWork
• Connecting to printers and AirPort networks

Coverage Information
The AppleCare Protection Plan is subject to terms and conditions, which are provided on the AppleCare Protection Plan website.

• To qualify for the AppleCare Protection Plan, your product must be within its one-year Apple hardware warranty.
• A separate AppleCare Protection Plan must be purchased for each Apple system to be covered.
• The AppleCare Protection Plan covers an Apple keyboard and mouse when they are included with a covered product. An AirPort Extreme Card, an AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme Base Station, and Apple RAM are included in the coverage of the computer with which they are used.

Frequently Asked Questions
Can I purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan anytime?

You can purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan anytime within the one-year limited warranty period. Your eligibility for coverage under the AppleCare Protection Plan starts from your hardware purchase date. Apple strongly recommends that you purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan when you purchase your Apple product to maximize the additional benefits provided under the plan.

What service options does the AppleCare Protection Plan offer?

Apple may provide service through one or more of the following options: carry-in service (to Apple retail stores or Apple Authorized Service Providers), direct mail-in service, onsite service (for desktop computers), or Do-It-Yourself (DIY) parts (so you can service your own product).

What does "global repair coverage" mean?

If you take your Apple hardware with you when you travel and happen to need repair service, the AppleCare Protection Plan offers global repair coverage. You can either go to an Apple retail store or contact Apple for information on how to obtain service. Service will be limited to the options available in the country where service is requested. Service options, parts availability, and response time vary according to country. Please see the AppleCare Protection Plan Terms and Conditions for complete details.

When I purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan, do I need to register it?

If you purchase your AppleCare Protection Plan and your covered product separately or elsewhere, you will need to register your AppleCare Protection Plan. Your AppleCare Protection Plan coverage starts from your hardware purchase date. Registering your AppleCare Protection Plan at a later date does not extend your coverage.

Product Description

Because Apple makes the hardware, the operating system, and many applications, the Mac is a truly integrated system. And only the AppleCare Protection Plan gives you one-stop service and support from Apple experts, so most issues can be resolved in a single call. Extend the complimentary hardware service and technical support on your Mac to three years from the original Mac purchase date. Local telephone fees may apply. Telephone numbers and hours of operation may vary and are subject to change. See terms at www.apple.com/legal/applecare/appgeos.html for full details.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Expensive but necessary, December 4, 2009

By	KSBAY - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: AppleCare Protection Plan MC258LL/A - For Portable Apple Computers 13 Inches and Below (Personal Computers)

Please note, this version of the Applecare Protection Plan is only for the Macbook and the Macbook Pro 13".

The Macbook Pro 15" and 17" are covered under another version of the Applecare Protection Plan - AppleCare Protection Plan MC247LL/A - For Portable Apple Computers 15 Inches and Above

The Applecare Protection Plan - an expensive but necessary requirement if you buy an apple laptop.

Why is it a requirement? Because Apple doesn't make the hard drives or the logicboards (motherboards) or the processors or the DVD burners inside their machines. Apple sources its parts from component manufacturers like Seagate, Nvidia, Intel, Sony etc etc. These parts just like all electronic components can and may fail after a period of time. Once a part fails, Apple is generally known to charge extremely high fees to repair or replace parts.

For example - Motherboards - $800 to $1200. Superdrive replacement - $200 to $300. LCD screen replacement - $500 to $600) It's better to be pay for Applecare once than pay Apple exorbitant repair fees every time a part fails.

Basically, the A.P.P. is a 2 year warranty extension to your apple laptop (that comes with a one year hardware warranty), it provides unlimited phone support and hardware diagnosis. It also offers Mail-in repair for Mac notebooks using a prepaid shipping box provided by Apple and service by an apple store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider.

The A.P.P. also gives you global repair coverage so if a hardware issues arises while you're in another country and there's an Apple Store or Apple Authorised Service Provider near by, you can take your mac in for diagnosis and repair.

It does not offer any sort of damage protection or on-site repair.

Please remember to buy the A.P.P. if you plan to do so before the first year of ownership is up. If you bought your machine on X Date 2009 - buy the A.P.P.before X Date 2010. Apple will not honor an A.P.P. policy bought even 2 days after the first year is over (in most cases unless you get lucky and speak to a friendly agent on the phone willing to relax the rules a bit)

Just like before, I HATE to be recommending an extended warranty, but it's a necessary evil. There is no guarantee that something will go wrong with your expensive mac notebook after the first year but if something does go wrong after the first year, it's better to be covered by the A.P.P. and avoid paying those exorbitant repair/replacement costs.

NOTE - Don't buy Applecare from Apple. Look around - there are good deals to be found at Authorised Apple resellers and other legit online outlets. Amazon used to be one of the best places to purchase an A.P.P. from but sadly, Amazon has raised it's price also. It used to sell the A.P.P. for 192 / 199 dollars, but has now increased the price to 232 dollars and it's been stuck there for a while. I have no idea why Amazon raised the price but you should buy when the price is low or a price correction occurs. Hope this helps :)


UPDATE - As of today - July 15 2010 - Amazon is again selling Applecare for $191. That's $57.28 (23%) off the retail price when compared to buying Applecare from an Apple store. Now would be a good time to buy.

Hope this helps!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Applecare is a must to avoid expensive repairs within the 1st 3 years of ownership, January 24, 2010

By	just me - See all my reviews

This review is from: AppleCare Protection Plan MC258LL/A - For Portable Apple Computers 13 Inches and Below (Personal Computers)

Get Applecare if you buy a mac laptop. Logic boards and lcd screens can commonly go bad within 3 years and cost +$900 to fix without warranty at Apple. I've seen many laptop screens that start getting white spots that appear after 1 1/2 years old. Some example of Logic board failure are like firewire/USB/External video port don't work right, or after upgrading to new version OS(example 10.7 when it comes out) you computer doesn't boot or recognize the original OS on the restore disc (10.6), wheezing fan and constant freezes are some other logic board issues. I guess when all the dust collect inside it stops cooling and the logic board goes bad.

Other common parts that fail are the superDrive, cost about $350 without applecare at Apple. Hard Drive fail often and cost about $350 at Apple. More so on the lower macbook models I've notice Apple are now using Toshiba brand 5400 rpm hard drives in them. Every tech I know has a shoebox of failed Toshiba Hard Drive that came out a macbook. This is going to break just a mater of when.

Other part that normally get worn out but should be cover by Applecare. Such as the display hinge clutch. Every Mac I know that is more than a year old has some play in the screen hinge clutch. Worn hinge clutch also doesn't hold the screen open and tends to shut when holding the laptop straight upward This alone can cost $400 at Apple.

Trackpad and especially the clicker can get worn out. it goes flat and doesn't bounce back as when new. Not as resilient. This alone can cost $350 to fix at Apple.

See after a few repairs, Applecare pays for itself. I fix macs and I guess I just see a lot of broken macs all the time because I'm in the repair business. But all I said above is true and I'm not exaggerating.

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Almost worth the price to get Apple Store employees to not nag you., January 24, 2010

By	Kevin Nicholls "jaded, aging hipster" (Milford, MI) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: AppleCare Protection Plan MC258LL/A - For Portable Apple Computers 13 Inches and Below (Personal Computers)

Having owned several Macs over the past ten years, the decision to buy AppleCare has been varied for me.

On the 13" models, I think it's just about a requirement, especially if you have a plastic MacBook.

From the very first time you call Apple or talk to a Genius at an Apple Store, you're going to be pestered about AppleCare. Do you have it? Did you want it? You know what we gave you expires in XX days, right? Personal experience has shown me that having AppleCare makes them infinitely more apt to help you (even if you're within your factory warranty).

One misconception people often have about AppleCare is that it covers accidental damage. It most assuredly does not. HOWEVER, it does seem to induce Genii in an Apple Store to be somewhat forgiving on cosmetic repairs and accidental damage that could plausibly be caused by something else.

AppleCare also covers replacement batteries, which is fairly important. Since the switch from PowerBooks to MacBooks, I've yet to have a battery that lasted longer than about a year and a half. At what batteries cost, you'll recover about half the cost of AppleCare before your second year, and possibly more than that before the coverage is up. This in itself makes the cost of AppleCare a bit easier to swallow. The ability to walk in to an Apple Store and walk out with a new battery is also something that makes AppleCare a bit nicer than a SquareTrade warranty (although, I'm a huge fan of their warranties).

A final thought: Apple is (allegedly) starting to crack down on grey market purchases of AppleCare (e.g. ones where someone e-mails you a code and nothing else). Amazon usually has AppleCare at a nice discount from what you'd pay at an Apple Store, and in between what you'd pay at an Apple Store and an online auction. I'm rarely one to suggest paying more for something than you have to, but the peace of mind you get buying a legit warranty from Amazon really outweighs the few bucks you'll save buying on the grey market.