Would you buy an Xbox 360 WITHOUT an in-store warranty?

[Peench]

Having recently lost my 360 (again), this question is near and dear to my heart. My in-store warranty from EB Games (merged with Gamestop last year) expired 15 days before my 360 died. I was able to use the in-store exchange program with my first dead console and it was a life-saver being able to be up and running on a new system within hours. Having now been without my 360 for 2 weeks, I can't say that I'd buy another one without an in-store exchange program.

What concerns me with this thought is a couple of things. First I was perusing the Xbox.com forums and read thru a thread where a guy was shot down when attempting to use his Best Buy Warranty in store. Apparently the PRP at Best Buy actually requires the console to be sent in, but most stores simply allow you to exchange them. Not having a Best Buy warranty I cannot confirm (perhaps one of you can review your warranty and confirm for us).

The technical hitch is the PRP provides you with a "Gift Card" that you can then use to purchase whatever you want. The oddity is that you technically have to mail in your dead console before they send you the gift card. This appears to be supported by This Page describing the PRP.

As if that were not cause for alarm enough, apparently GameStop (and EB Games by association) has issued a corporate memo advising their employees NOT to sell PRP's to customers for 360 purchase. If linking is allowed, here's a picture of the memo:



And here's a Link to the main story.

Knowing that Gamestop and EB Games are not going to offer replacement plans any longer, I simply will not purchase a 360 there. The wait for my current replacement (at only 2 weeks) is already too long for me. While I'm concerned about the Best Buy deal, there are enough of them around here that I can always try to talk my way into an in-store replacement (IF) I ever find another Elite in stock at one (but that's a story for another day).

So if you had to do it all over again (and perhaps someday you will), would you purchase an Xbox 360 without an in-store replacement plan?

[namehater]

ok, im gonna be super cool and hand type this out, directly out of my PRP that i just got this weekend when we picked up the Premium from my boys, it reads as follows

Replacement Coverage:This Plan provides for replacement of the covered product found to be defective with a equivalent amount equal to the original product purchase price or a new or rebuilt product of comparable performance that meets the manufacturer's specifications of the original product. If you receive a replacement equivalent amount, new product or a new component for your covered product after the manufacturer's warranty has expired, this Plan is fulfilled.

• Covereage under this Plan expires two (2) years from the original product purchase date as stated on your purchase receipt.

• This Plan is inclusive of the manufacturer's warranty; it does not replace the manufacturer's warranty, but provides certain additional benefits during the term of the manufacturer's warranty. After the manufacturer's warranty expires, this Plan continues to provide the manufacturer's benefits, as well as certain additional benefits listed within the Plan's terms and conditions
• This Plan covers manufacturer's defects in materials and workmanship.
• This Plan provides power fluctuation / surge protection from the date of purchase on the product covered.
• This Plan provides coverage for the product failures due to dust, internal overheating, internal humidity / condensation and normal wear and tear.
• Coverage is limited to most products under $300.
• No deductible applies to this Plan.
• International coverage is available on a limited basis. For details call 1-888-BESTBUY.
• We are not responsible for personal items left in the product to be replaced.

i hope you enjoy this read, i really need to make a scan of this, but my printer isnt hooked up yet, after scanning this Plan heres something that caught my eye.

• This Plan does not cover any failures, or parts and / or labor cost incurred as a result of a manufacturer's recall.

wonder how that fits into the cooling updates, guess its not an issue because M$ hasnt officially made a 'recall' on anything

EDIT: forgot to answer your question, without a doubt, i would NEVER buy an xbox360 without an extended warranty from the place of purchase, i went threw 3 or 4 premiums my first year of ownership, and i do NOT abuse my equipment

[Gordon]

How much would you pay for the extra warranty?

[Lord Sam]

My buddy had the extended warrenty at Circuit City and had to do the same thing, mail it in and a week later get the coupon good for a new system. Pretty lame compared to the old days when you could walk into Best Buy or whatever and walk out with a new system no problem.

[Causedawg 83]

Yeah, I bought mine without an in-store warranty. I'm really cheap when it comes to buying something intangible like an extended warranty.

[Wallace Suka]

A replacement plan is important for anything that requires it, like a 360. I learn that the hard way when my went with the RROD. A good system with one huge problem. This maybe a bad advice, but tell them you want a replacement plan in gamestop before you pay for the 360. If they will not offer it to you, just leave the store and head somewhere with a plan.

[N0W IM N0THING]

Hmm that sucks!, My disc drive is starting to sound like a rock tumbler again so I will be ready to dump this one off soon. No way would I pick up another machine without some sort of plan. I may as well hold on to this one until late Nov. and go swap it for one of the newer improved ones.

[Quo]

Originally Posted by N0W IM N0THING

My disc drive is starting to sound like a rock tumbler again so I will be ready to dump this one off soon. No way would I pick up another machine without some sort of plan. I may as well hold on to this one until late Nov. and go swap it for one of the newer improved ones.

I'm in exactly the same boat. Mine is suddenly very, very loud when playing certain discs. Not sure what's going on, but I'll probably have to dump it before long. I've got the BB warranty (pre-M$ announcement so I think I can still swap). I may sell it and upgrade to the elite, but not without a warranty on that one too...

[Snake1399]

I didnt get one when i bought mine. I'm gonna hope for the best and see what happens. Sounds like MS is making it harder, or at least a pain in the ass, to exchange when its faulty hardware from them to begin with. They should make it an even exchange at the point-of-purchase, but I imagine the stores dont want to be bothered housing/shipping dead 360's

Snake

[namehater]

you can upgrade at bestbuy, i returned my premium when i got rrod and paid the difference to get the elite

[Quo]

Originally Posted by namehater

you can upgrade at bestbuy, i returned my premium when i got rrod and paid the difference to get the elite

Nice! Thanks Name, i didn't know that and I was curious. That's pretty sweet. I'll probably be going for that option when mine kicks it.

[namehater]

ya, it was pretty nice, they actually honor the price that you originally paid for your 360, which was 399 in my case the difference was only like $50, but the protection plan on the elite is like $20 more

[churchv50]

I bought mine from Coolstuff, then made sure that I registered on Xbox.com and whatnot. The manufacturer's warranty took good care of me, and I'm only on my second one (knock on wood!).

[BrewCityUpstart]

I said no. I shouldn't have to pay more to make sure something that's supposed to last a while, does last awhile. If mine is toast after the warranty, I'm out. I still don't understand how much people are willing to pay- the original $499 + the 'it's gonna break' warranty + trade it in and pay more for an upgrade + another warranty= dumb consumer. Maybe they should just add it to the original cost with a free replacement program...at least it would be more uprfont.

Some people are so M$ crazy that they are willing to throw away all of their common sense and money. >shrug<

[Peench]

I don't know that it is MS crazy, its just that there are loads of great games out for the 360 right now. I'm going crazy without my 360. It would be nice if MS had taken some of the money they put out for the warranty thing and just made a deal with retailers to exchange them straight away. That would certainly make consumers happier.

[namehater]

Originally Posted by BrewCityUpstart

I said no. I shouldn't have to pay more to make sure something that's supposed to last a while, does last awhile. If mine is toast after the warranty, I'm out. I still don't understand how much people are willing to pay- the original $499 + the 'it's gonna break' warranty + trade it in and pay more for an upgrade + another warranty= dumb consumer. Maybe they should just add it to the original cost with a free replacement program...at least it would be more uprfont.

Some people are so M$ crazy that they are willing to throw away all of their common sense and money. >shrug<

im fighting the urge to start ps3 bashing