Henrys Toronto-in store 3 year warranty...

[matt_m__toronto_]

<p>so i bought the 5d2 from henrys camera, and i have til the 15th to decide whether i want to shell out $450 for an additional 3 years of warranty coverage. i've heard these additional warranty plans can be a huge waste of money-anyone have some positive experiences with henrys? </p>

<p>this is my first digital camera. i'm used to my film gear that has just kept on ticking. my thoughts on digital, was that if something bad were to happen (manufacturers problem not me dropping it) then it would reveal itself right away and not just randomly 2 years down the road...</p>

<p>anyway, i've got a few days to decide still...so any stories/feedback would be welcome</p>

<p>thanks</p>

[mwtphoto]

<p>I used to work at a car dealership and can tell you that there is a lot of money to be made by selling extended warranties. Is this 3 years after the manufacturers warranty of 3 years from the date of purchase - which would make it a two year warranty that doesn't even come into play until an year from now. I have never purchased an extended warranty on anything - including cars - if I thought the product was so unreliable that it needed an extended warranty then I wouldn't buy it. I think you are right to assume that any problems would show themselves in the first year anyway. Have fun with your camera.</p>

[reza motaghedi]

<p>Paying for warranty is waste of money. Your camera already has one year warranty. If it works for one year without any problem it will work for the next 2 years after that as well. So you do not need to pay for 3 year warranties. These cameras are sophisticated cameras which do not break easily. Even if it breaks down (very unlikely), there will be a chance that repair expenses are less than $400.<br>

If I were you I would not pay for warranty.</p>

[milan.ilnyckyj]

<p>When I pushed back against the salesperson at the Henry's in Ottawa, they ended up selling me a three-year warranty for my Rebel XS (1000D) for less than $20. They did so not by discounting the warranty itself, but by giving me the same number of dollars off on the accessories I was buying.<br>

<br /> In these kinds of workplaces, employees often get pushed really hard to sell warranties (because they are so profitable for the shop). As a result, employees are sometimes willing to offer big discounts, just to get the warranty sale and keep their bosses from hassling them.<br>

<br /> They probably won't give you a discount on the warranty itself, but they may well do so on an accessory like a filter, battery, camera bag, etc.</p>

[CharlesBecker-Toronto]

<p>well, as far as experience with Henry's is concerned, I have dealt with their downtown (Toronto) store for years and have always had positive experiences. As regards warranties, I bought the extended warranty when I got my Nikon D-70 there 4 years ago and never needed it. When I bought my Nikon D-90 there a few months ago, I declined the extended warranty and they offered to give me the extra battery I had also selected for free if I took the warranty which meant that I got the 3 year extended warranty for half price so I took it-I doubt I'll ever need it but that tells you just how profitable extended warranties are. If anything goes wrong, it's more than likely going to be with a lens-in fact, the only warranty service I have ever needed was for my Nikon 18-70 zoom and that was in the 4th year of the 5 year Nikon Canada lens warranty. regards! cb :-)</p>

[steve_dunn2]

<p>I haven't had any problems with Henry's; they're a reputable outfit. The warranty itself is probably not from Henry's; it's likely from a warranty company, just as Henry's doesn't manufacture the assorted gadgets that have their brand name on them.<br>

But as a general principle, extended warranties are, on average, a losing proposition. There are a couple of situations in which it's probably worth getting the warranty:</p>

<ul>

<li>if you would not be able to afford to repair the item if it were to fail </li>

<li>if you would not be able to sleep at night due to worries about not having a warranty </li>

</ul>

<p>If you don't fit either one, then skip the warranty. Think about it this way: the warranty company figures out how much they expect to have to pay, on average, for repairs under the warranty. They're going to charge more than this for the warranty; after all, they're in business to make a profit. Henry's is then going to mark up the warranty on top of that, since they too are in business to make a profit (and as others have noted above, extended warranties are generally a great way for stores to make a profit). So you end up paying for the typical repair cost, plus a couple of layers of profit.<br>

Note that I said on average. I suspect that most cameras <em>never</em> need service under one of these extended warranties*, and if yours turns out to be one of those, then you've just thrown away the money you paid for the warranty. On the other hand, a few cameras will need service(s) costing more than the cost of the warranty, and if yours turns out to be one of those, then the warranty has more than paid for itself. But on average, the warranty costs more than the expected service costs, and so on average, you lose money.<br>

If you do plan on getting the warranty, read the fine print carefully to find out exactly what is and isn't covered. Many extended warranties (not talking here specifically about camera gear, but in general) have exclusions for things you might otherwise assume would be covered.<br>

*: For instance, in the last decade or so, I've bought a bunch of Canon EOS equipment (two 35mm SLRs, one DSLR, two flashes, 7 new lenses, and 2 used lenses). So far, at least, not a single one has needed any repairs.<br>

P.S. many credit cards, including quite a few with no annual fee, offer extended warranty coverage for new items purchased in full with the credit card. Typically, they double the term of the manufacturer's warranty, up to an extra year. Many of these cards also offer coverage against loss or damage (even if it's your own stupid fault) for a few months after purchase. I usually buy things like camera gear using one of these cards.</p>

[CharlesBecker-Toronto]

<p>Steve-that is a very good point about credit cards offering extended warranties. I'm going to have to check out my card ! cb</p>

[matt_m__toronto_]

<p>interesting steve! i did use a card that i pay a premium for every year, so i will look into that. <br>

henrys is reputable, and the girl gave me a good 'sales pitch' and said they are not like other stores that farm the warrantys out to 'waranty isurance firms' - still, if the cam is going to have a problem, it will likely show up immediately. i also asked the saleswoman about how finicky the store would get in terms of 'camera wear and tear' - very easy to get out of a warranty deal if they 'say' my camera has been abused...</p>

<p>anyway, i'll save the 450 bucks and go buy some guinness...</p>

<p>thanks guys</p>

[CharlesBecker-Toronto]

<p>Matt-McVeigh's; one block south of Henry's downtown location. Nice cool Guinness! cb :-)</p>

[chris_clarke3]

<p>Henrys. Mmm, reputable, mmm.<br />I used to frequent the Oakville store. I listened as I was browsing. I either heard the staff there be very condescending to the newbie type customer, or they pushed them to get a particular lens etc.<br />No choice with a UV filter there for the rookie, "you have to have this, and one of these, plus you need this shite tripod...."<br />The final straw for me was seeing them jack up the prices on Canon lenses that were on rebate from Canon. The 24-70 had a $150 rebate, they put the price up $150. I sent them mail on it and I've never got a response.<br />The extended warranty is a waste of money. $450? Keep it and deal with Canon Canada in Mississauga if you live in the GTA.<br />I now shop at Duncan and Wright's in Burlington. They will always beat Henry's prices plus they are nice guys.</p>

[Ian Taylor]

<p>Run away from that warranty Matt.<br>

Welcome to the Dark Side....</p>