Extended service options?

Tried though I did, I could not find a D70 outfit at a local photo shop and the estimated

waits were in the range of 1-3 months, so when funding came through to pick up my D70

and the only one available for 100 miles in any direction was at - don't shoot me - Best

Buy, I bit.

 

My question is regarding Best Buy's extended service agreement. For $150, they offer four

years of various sorts of protection. The protection listed in the documentation differs

slightly than what the glowing salesman was singing, and I have no experience with this

company's service plans, so I ask you this:

 

With the D70 needing to last me more than the one year that Nikon covers, what would

your recommendations be for the future? Is an extended service plan a good idea? If so,

from whom?

 

Thanks in advance.

In general, extended service plans for electronics are the biggest sucker deal in retail. Had a friend who used to own a small consumer electronics store, and he loved when people bought the plans.

 

The problem is that often, any problems will occur under the original manufacturer's warranty, in which case you just paid a bundle for the convenience of dealing with the store rather than the manufacturer, or the contract is worded so that they can basically get out of covering anything they want to, though this won't always be the case.

 

Another problem, with Best Buy's extended service plans specifically, is that once you use the plan after the manufacturer's warranty ends, you have nothing. It's a use it and it's gone type of plan. So if the manufacturer's warranty is 90 days and on day 91 you have a problem, your 4-year extended warranty just became a 91 day extended warranty (really only a 1 day extension), you will have no coverage beyond that.

 

$150 is a lot of money for an extended warranty - almost 1/6 of the total price. If it will be impossible for you to replace the item if it does break outside of the original warranty, it may be worth it, otherwise, probably not. That's pretty much the way to look at any extended warranty. They are always only worth their cost if you will not be able to replace the item if it does break.

 

Also, don't forget how fleeting all this digital technology is. New products only stave off obsolescence for a year or so. Will you really want your D70 replaced, or worse yet - repaired, 3 years from now when you'll be able to buy a better digital camera for $700 then? Is that worth $150 to you now? That's really the question you have to ask yourself.

I you want an extended service agreement, consider a Mack (available from B&H). I would

tend to trust them more than Best Buy, and it costs substantially less. I have never had to

make a claim; perhaps people who have can provide more information.

Considering the troubles facing the newer D70 & SB800, I'd look at the Mack warranty

very seriously. It's only $89.95 for a 5 year warranty on the D70 from B&H, and it's

not a fly-by-night warranty. However, you'll need to talk to B&H to see if they will sell

you one since you didn't purchase your D70 from them. I make a very special effort to

avoid Best Buy for any transaction whatsoever. With them it's money first, and there's

nothing in second place.

 

I can't address this new problem, but it seems to be effecting the very latest D70 &

SB800 units. At the very least it should get everyone's attention.

 

<http://www.nikonians.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/

dcboard.cgi?az=read_count&om=668&forum=DCForumID86>

My experience with BestBuy extended service agreement:

I bought one of the game machines(around $300+) with $30-2 year extended service. Just one month before the expiration, the machine started malfunctioning. I called BestBuy, and they figured it was a defect without user's falut. They sent me shipping label for the defect product, coupon for a brand new one (actually newer version of the machine) so that I can pick up at local BestBuy, and a gift certificate for the balance of the price (around $130 - newer version was cheaper than the original version)...

 

I asked at a BestBuy store about the $150 plan. They say "they would try to fix it first, if they can't fix, they would replace it with the same, equivalent, or better model. (afte 3+ years, who knows...) It also it includes free "CCD cleaning" every 6 months - so up to 8 CCD free cleanings during the 4 year coverage. Of course, it is of question where they are fixing/cleaning it (hopefully at Nikon Service).

 

If your D70 does go wrong within the "next 4 years" without your fault - wouldn't it be worth a try?

Strange, I'm not seeing Best Buy as an official dealer for the D70, are you certain it's not grey market? Anyway, avoid Best Buy's extended service plan, it's about as effective as the free extra year you get from any major credit card.

I forgot to say that the guy at BestBuy mentioned about 1 year manufacturer's warranty - which implies it should be USA model. I should check that, though, if I am to buy one there.

 

Anyway, D70 shutter has been tested 15,000-18,000 cycles. If you shoot/play with it around 200 shots a week, there's a chance (hope not) that it goes down within 2 years... Not sure BestBuy can fix the worn-out shutter - you'll have a new one (optimistic scenario). Or you will get D70X (hopeful scenario)...

 

I am not selling their program, but if I am to buy D70 - I would check the details of the program along with other programs...

"Of course, it is of question where they are fixing/cleaning it (hopefully at Nikon

Service)."

 

IMO, the chances that Best Buy is using "Nikon Service" to repair the D70, under a

Best Buy warranty, are slim to none. First, ANY Nikon warranty is only good to the

original purchaser, and he, or she, better have proof of purchase, in his or her name,

to show Nikon at the time of a service request. Otherwise, you're out of luck.

 

Next we come to the question of whether or not Best Buy can even get parts for, or

enough techincal info about the D70, to enable a repair, from Nikon USA.

I bought a laptop at Bestbuy and it kept screwing up. Now I am not sure how good Bestbuy is at actually fixing their products, but after three things broke in two years (memory got corrupted, spacebar came loose, and a speaker stopped functioning) they gave me a brand new laptop. Thats not bad and so that alone made my service agreement worth it. Yeah, it was a hassle, but it did get me two computers for the price of one. If Nikon still has bugs to work out with the D70, and I don't know that they do, it might be prudent to have some type of lemon protection. Just a thought.

"Another problem, with Best Buy's extended service plans specifically, is that once you use the plan after the manufacturer's warranty ends, you have nothing"

 

Thats not exactly true, this only applies to the plans you get on things like cell phones and not cameras. Usually what happens is that if your camera needs work in the first year (while manufacture's warranty is still active) they would just send it to Nikon for repair and not even mess with it themselves. After that first year it just depends if BB still carries your camera - if they do theres a chance they would just give you a new one off the shelf and send you broken one in so they can get credit for it. If they don't have your camera they usually give you a "comperable" newer model - though with the price of a D70 they may send it to their repair center first. I once had a friend get his Canon S50 replaced under the plan simply because the small screw next to the tripod mount had fallen out someplace.

 

As far as the cleanings... i don't know if i would trust a Best Buy tech to touch my functioning DSLR for something like a cleaning; i would want to make SURE he knew what he was doing. Remember, they are used to working on computers and stereos there, not good cameras.

 

Enjoy your camera!