Buying a new TV

janscan

Hi all,

I'm hoping to buy a new TV, it's a choice of two... one is a 50" model with a 1 year guarantee for £550 and the other is slightly smaller at 48" for £570 but comes with a 5 year guarantee (and this one is available at a different store with a 1 year guarantee priced at only £530).

My question is: are guarantees worth the extra cost? An extra £20-40 now seems reasonable for an extra 4 years cover but is it really worth it?

I've just moved out so trying not to throw away money unnecessarily where possible, but a TV is a big purchase so I'm on the fence about this decision!


Thanks!

MrJester

janscan wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm hoping to buy a new TV, it's a choice of two... one is a 50" model with a 1 year guarantee for £550 and the other is slightly smaller at 48" for £570 but comes with a 5 year guarantee (and this one is available at a different store with a 1 year guarantee priced at only £530).

My question is: are guarantees worth the extra cost? An extra £20-40 now seems reasonable for an extra 4 years cover but is it really worth it?

I've just moved out so trying not to throw away money unnecessarily where possible, but a TV is a big purchase so I'm on the fence about this decision!


Thanks!

I'd say yes to an extended guarantee. No to those stupid insurance options they often try to sell you.

A years not very long, I'd expect a TV to last a few years before I'd want to upgrade so it better damn well last that long. I'd say its worth paying a tad extra.

Moneymaker

A 1 year guarantee is no guarantee at all. Your statutory rights cover you for up to 6 years in England. I'd be reading the fine print of the 5 year guarantee to see what it covers.

Better still, I'd be buying a second-hand TV for £200 every three years!

macman

Never buy extended warranties through the retailer, their mark up is at least 50%
The exception is Richer Sounds, where they charge a straight 10% of the retail price.
If you buy at JL, you can get them to price match, and a 24m warranty is included on TV's.

brewerdave

macman wrote: »

If you buy at JL, you can get them to price match, and a 24m warranty is included on TV's.

...think you'll find its 5 years not 24 months on TVs:)

[Deleted User]

You need to find the same TV without the guarantee in order to find out the true cost. Unless it's a loss leader, the cost of any insurance must be greater than the claims paid, that's how the companies make a profit. The purpose of insurance is for instances where people can't meet the cost of a sudden loss as a lump sum, not to save money.

almillar

No mention of brand, model, features etc, but from the information provided, go BIGGER and forget the warranty. Sale of Goods act covers the TV to last for a reasonable amount of time. If it breaks take it back to the retailer. Pay by Credit Card to add extra protection.

janscan

macman wrote: »

Never buy extended warranties through the retailer, their mark up is at least 50%
The exception is Richer Sounds, where they charge a straight 10% of the retail price.
If you buy at JL, you can get them to price match, and a 24m warranty is included on TV's.

The more expensive model is from Richer Sounds actually! The cheaper/bigger one is Currys, where they offer the one year manufacturer guarantee.

The TV is the same exact same model but different sizes/prices/retailer guarantees. Hence my dilemma!
:huh:

Bradfield

I bought a TV with a 3 year guarantee. One morning I switched it on and all I got was a black screen. This happened shortly before the guarantee ran out. I had bought it online so had to package it up and send it back (It was a 32 " Mirrai). They sent me a replacement (no quibble). It is still working now after about six years since I originally bought it.

The 3 year guarantee paid off for me and I now much prefer them to the 1 year ones.

janscan

Oh and I've just remembered... my employer has a money-saver scheme which means I can get 10% off at Currys.

I think the big difference in price with the safety net of the SOGA is making me sway towards Currys unfortunately... I would rather buy from a good retailer like Richer Sounds but the difference in cost is too tempting.

macman

Then ask RS to price match-you may be lucky, and have nothing to lose by asking.
I stand corrected: the JL warranty on all TV's is 5 years.