LCD TV Reliability - are extended warranties good value?

Conor_3

5bellies wrote: »

LCDs have fewer individual parts compared to CRT TVs, and hardly any of them are repairable so repair costs are higher. Reliability is reasonably unknown as the technology is still fairly new.

Huh? Fairly new? I'm sure laptops with LCD panels have been around for over a decade now. Actually, they've been around longer than that. So no, it's not a new technology, it's its application to use as a TV that's new.

LCD/TFT is a tried and tested technology. The main things that fail are the backlights which are relatively inexpensive to change if you DIY but even then, you're talking years and tens of thousands of hours of use or more.

Want proof? Take a look around Ebay and the really old Pentium 3 Compaqs, Toshibas and Dell laptops that are all still working perfectly well a decade later.

bingo_bango

Before taking out insurance, read through your consumer rights on https://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk

Generally warranties aren't worth the paper they're printed on, as they only offer the same as you'd be entitled to in law anyway.

Starbug

If it was me and you can afford it, for the extra £80 i'd buy the extended warranty ten times out of ten given a choice. As some have already said, you never know what could happen to it.

Eviledna

When it comes to LCD TV's. Do buy quality (PANASONIC) 5year manufacture warranty at moment

aliEnRIK

maxi_isa wrote: »

Many thanks for your helpful replies.

I think I'll just buy the cheapest (without extended warranty). Even if it fails I've saved a lot over the years with this policy.

However, I am having trouble choosing between the Sony and the Samsung.
The Sony is (about £30-40) more expensive and I know Sony do have a big following from the Trinitron days but, BIG QUESTION - is it worth the extra?

Sonys tend to be king of the LCD screens these days. Id say buy the Sony.