How important is warranty?

[Chrispy22]

I know this is a bit of a daft question, but how important is it to get a 5 year warranty on your modern day TV?

Specifically I am thinking about the Panny TXP42GT30B.

Basically I can get if for £980 with a 5 year warranty (with blu-ray player and 2x glasses).

OR

£861 for 1 year warranty (again with same blu-ray player and 2x latest Panny 3D glasses).

£120 for 4 years?

 

[Scooby2000]

Well you have consumer rights, but you may need to go to court to use them. Read the small print to any warranty you pay for, some may not be worth the paper they're written on. Manufacturers are probably the best as you can deal with them direct, third party ones you pay way too much for at Currys etc are to be avoided IMO, JL is populare but def read the small print.

You do also have some protection when using visa etc though check on this as Im not sure of the details there.

 

[russ331]

Richer Sounds charge 10% of the TV price for their 5 Year Warranty. It's well-respected.

John Lewis include a 5 Year Warranty in their price. They will often price match the Richer Sounds price for TV with 1 Year Warranty, but give you a 5 Year Warranty. I don't know why JL do this, as just price-matching with 1 Year Warranty would swing the deal for most people, in view of the JL Unlimited Returns Policy.

 

[TimmyBee86]

Im assuming the original 980 price is the one from Richer Sounds, inc their 5yr.
I think i would go for that because RS are a much more customer-focused company that Currys/Comet. If anything does go wrong, RS will sort it out and be halpful in the process. Currys/Comet will leave you high and dry (thats even if they exist in a years time!)

 

[Chrispy22]

The £861 with 1 year warranty is from Amazon.

 

[oliver queen]

Currys PC world will def still exist in a years time (tho a smaller no. of stores), Comet I give around 18 months.

as for how important a warranty is...for me, its what it covers and how much of SERVICE they provide.
the John Lewis one looks great but reading the T&Cs it doesnt offer much of a service to the owner.
doesnt mention about in home collections, loan sets, time spans and even says that you may have to pay for your own repair and claim it back (hmmm...)

for most people (since I don't work for Currys anymore) they want 1 year and they'll throw it away and complain to their friends that X make is rubbish!
not many people want to plan for the worst anymore. disposable technology for a high maintenance society
or maybe thats just the north!

 

[Scooby2000]

Panasonics warranty is very good, always had a loaner set when sending off for repair.
I have heard about JLs small print so worth reading before purchase, Currys and Comets extended cover I'd not touch with a barge pole thank you.

Id also not purchase a TV from Currys ether, their sales staffs aim is to sell extras inc extra cover, this is where they make their money. I know this after going for a sales job, amazing what you can find out when you do that. Yes I was offered the job but thank the chap with a beard, I had a better offer
I have slightly more respect for the sales staff after talking to some a couple about their job though, they get treated like the smelly stuff you dont want to tread in. One chap I spoke to actually knew a reasonable amount about AV, is a member on here and was actually a plasma owner. What he thought didn't matter though as hes job was to meet sales targets of specific sets and to always add "extras". He has since quit I believe.

To be a bit fair to Curry though they aren't too bad with smaller items, took a pedestal fan and mouse back to day for a full refund with no issue. The guy that sold me the fan was very good too, great service, same chap we got a cracking deal on a Dyson with.

 

[oliver queen]

if currys, comet and PCW just sold tvs with no add ons or computers with no add ons, they would fold in less than a year.
why?
theres no money in electronics and the bizarre people at head office seem to think that people are in positions where they are happy to pay for SERVICE rather than just buy online at the cheapest price with virtually no support.
Amazon have proved them massively wrong.

as sales staff they are targeted on selling the warranties over everything else as they make massive margin.
its done using pressure toward the customer rather than explaining the benefits of the service (which on paper looks very good)
its just too expensive.
they also dont advertise it.
they raise no awareness to the service which pays the most margin
instead they spend money on pointless TV ads about delivery and now from what i've seen, lining George Lucas' pocket by using the Star Wars characters to inform people that staff are well trained.

why didnt they use the advert to raise awareness of their Whatever Happens service by showing Vader's laptop being fixed after an accident?
useless

 

[Scooby2000]

Indeed^^^^ I worked for Powerhouse many many moons ago, they worked the same way, we got 2 quid every time we sold "aftercare" I would only ever pay for extra warranty from RS as I trust them and its only 10%. Buyer beware! always read the small print and dont forget what they're selling may be no better than just relying on your consumer rights and thats free.

 

[oliver queen]

least you got something!
currys staff get nothing now unless their store's customer service score is over 85% satisfaction

 

[Insanity202]

In the last few years Ive not bought any extra warranty.
I still have it I just dont pay for it I can normally talk the sales staff to chuck it in for free and free is my fav price to pay

 

[deblee]

Did you not take the 5 year warranty from RS?
Still think this is one of the better ones tbh
Although I have found buying from JL seems good so far, no problem exchanging or refunding sets, if not happy they will do their utmost to resolve it, absolutely excellent CS IMO

 

[Deleted member 92943]

Its great that Richer Sounds offer extra warranty for a good price and John Lewis include it in their prices.

I always thought people always bought electronics and shoved it on their house contents insurance?