New LCD television how reliable

[john hamilton]

I'm just about to buy a Sony television for about £500 from ebuyer. A friend says that LCD televisions are now very reliable. So is it really worth paying extra for a five year guarantee?

[The Natural Philosopher]

IME no.

the manufacturer normally gives at least a year, and statistically, a TV set or any piece of electronics is most reliable after any manufacturing defects have been found (up to a year) and before wear and tear takes its toll (5 years+).

The '5 year warranty' - actually a 2-5 year warranty, is extremely profitable because it is a one in ten thousand chance that anyone will actually claim on it. And it makes up all the margin the dealer has discounted away to get your business in the first place :-)

[Brian Gaff]

No, probably not unless the combined price is pretty keen for the model.

Brian

[Michaelangelo]

Personally, I think extended warranties on anything are a rip-off. I embraced them fully when they first appeared but after a few years realised that I had spent hundreds on them and had got nothing back - even on products that you might expect to be at high risk of needing repair, such as washing machines.

Why not buy your TV from a supplier that offers a free five year warranty. I know someone who had a Sony TV from John Lewis. After about

4 years he noticed a group of dead pixels. The screen couldn't be replaced because of its age - no longer available - so he got a new TV of his choice (with cash adjustment) from JL. John Lewis include free 5 year warranties with most (all?) of their TVs, including Sony, whether bought in-store or online There may well be other retailers who do the same, JL just happen to be the one that I know of.

[Michaelangelo]

I should have said that the above account re John Lewis happened at the this year (February) - so it's not old history.

[Vortex7]

COSTCO offer free 5 year Warranty on all TV's as well as seemingly being best value obtainable.

If you qualify, or can "guest" your way into a COSTCO via a 3rd party then it's worth a visit before you commit.

The negative is you cannot browse the deals online. You have to go there in person.

[David]

A relative buys from Richer Sounds, says good prices and good warranties. Believe when he buys an extended one he gets money back if he does not make a claim. Regards David

[The Natural Philosopher]

That is not how insurance works.;-)

[Michaelangelo]

I think JL warranties are 'real' warranties - not insurance based.

[Stuart Kenny]

It is how Richer Sounds do it though

marketing for up-front sales and they only pay back the warranty fee if you still have your receipt and remember to claim. Not to mention that they've had your money for 5 years are certainly aren't going to pay you interest.

In regard to the original post, I abide by the policy that you should not insure what you can afford to replace or make good. Insurance companies are out there to make money.

Stuart

[Invisible Man]

I tend to rely on the warranty and the Sale of Goods legislation. A TV should last 5 years so if it fails you have some recourse against the retailer. I also pay on my own credit card to get protection in case the retailer goes bust. Most electronic stuff is obsolete long before it wears out.

[Alan Whit]

No. =20

--=20 Alan White Mozilla Firefox and Forte Agent. Twenty-eight miles NW of Glasgow, overlooking Lochs Long and Goil in = Argyll, Scotland. Webcam and weather:-

[Robin]

"It's insurance Jim but not as we know it"?

Richer Sounds have for years now offered "Supercare". If there's no claim after 5 years they refund the original payment. Of course they have had the use of the money in the meantime (while inflation erodes its value to the buyer). I assume they make their profit from that (much as eg Lloyds underwriters used to).

And I think it is not strictly an insurance scheme: the whole thing is run by Richer Sounds and they are not regulated by the FSA. So no government bail-out if 100,000 TVs go pop ;)

[dennis]

I recently got a new dish washer from GM card because the free warranty I got from Empire direct was useless when the WD broke. I could probably have got it fixed but the wife hated it anyway and GM card just refunded the cost without any hassle.

Except stuff with water in it. 8-(

[Java Jive]

Over the years, consumer advice has consistently been against paying for such extended warranties. They are a rip-off. In fact, if you think about, there is a sense in which all insurance is a rip-off.

The best form of insurance is to have enough money earning interest to replace whatever it is that is being insured. That is unlikely to be possible with your life, your house, or your legally required car insurance, but for anything else, don't bother with it.

You pay m> So is it really

[Invisible Man]

I am old enough that I still think of things that work with water as electrical rather than electronic even though they have electronics these days. With all the clever countdowns and displays it never ceases to amaze me that so few washing machines have a facility to sound a warning when the cycle is complete. I tend to set the cooker timer for the approx time our Bosch says it will take. Quicker the stuff is out the less ironing.

[Invisible Man]

Whenever someone tries to sell me a warranty or insurance I say I worked for an insurance company for 36 years and don't believe in it. Car insurance, house and contents insurance and travel insurance I do have.

[js.b1]

Comes down to the price of the warranty. #1 - Is the standard warranty 1yr or 3rd? #2 - Does anyone do the TV with a discount or free warranty?

In LCD terms 5yrs is quite a long time.

- CFL backlight brightness does fade over time.

- CFL backlight & invertor can and do fail.

- PSUs are another area that can fail

All those items are "discrete parts or repairable". A panel failure writes the panel off in terms of the replacement costing more than the TV.

LCD monitor experience is PSUs do fail at about 3yrs and by 5yrs that rises. You can buy a PSU for about =A325-40 or even repair it for less, but dissassembly is a bit tedious in terms of getting it open, removing the shielding shells & micro-plugs.

One note with Sony is their parts & repair service. Sony laptop parts are hard to source and expensive, service from Sony is hilarious. Sony CRT parts are readily available, service from Sony is 90-day warranty & expensive.

Most brands are not too different, but with a product such as a TV it is likely the PSU, backlight invertor & backlight will be readily available "in the spares marketplace". An issue will be getting one fitted, because the local repairers are beginning to packup and it merges into "central businesses" which can be like outsourced laptop repairers. Selectron in the USA for example were good at shafting Customers, IBM & product aesthetics over Thinkpad repairs for a time. Dell likewise outsourced repairs in the UK and you got light-leaks, distorted case and so on when it came back.

So if you can follow a (probable) YouTube video on PSU removal & replacement, or backlight bulb removal & replacement then it may be worth "self-insuring" and buying with a lower warranty.

I would still check what the standard warranty is, Sony often do 3yr offers on some TVs at no cost - check around.

[Peter Duncanson]

That would need to be a switchable facility. Some of us run our washing machines at night to use cheaper electricity. We DO NOT wish to be woken in the middle of the night to be told the machine mashine has finished.

[Peter Duncanson]

Yes. For domestic appliances "self-insurance" is the thing. Keep enough money in reserve to be able to replace just one or two of the kitchen appliances, entertainment boxes, etc.