Buying a 42" Panasonic plasma from Sears; should I get the $300 three year extended warranty?

Answer 1

No. Extended warranties on electronics are always a bad idea just based on the math.

When a retailer sells an electronics warranty, they sell it off to the actual firm that will repair or replace the TV for about 40 cents on the dollar. The retailer pockets the 60% as profit. The warranty company will probably spend between 15 and 25 cents on the dollar, and pocket the rest as profit. In essence, only about 15% to 25% of that warranty is actually used. In fact, Circuit City makes all it's profits from the sale of extended warranties, not the merchandise. Best Buy makes well over half their profits on extended warranties.

But thats not the end of it. TVs come down in price fast. After the 1st year of warranty (it comes with a 1 year warranty, right?), that TV might sell new for 2/3rds of what it costs now. Do you want to spend $300 on the off chance that your $800 (future value) TV might croak? Sounds like a bad bet to me.

Clark Howard, a syndicated radio consumer advocate, and Consumer Reports both give extended warranties for TVs a big thumbs down!

Answer 2

No, use square trade (squaretrade.com)

It's cheaper and it's exactly the same. if anything goes wrong, they send a tech that's paid for to your house. if he can't fix it, they give you back the money you ensured it for! Also, you can use coupons that give you 20% or 30% off. Warrantysanta gives you 20% off and other coupons give 30% off, just look around

I got my 47 inch LG 1080 p $1500 tv a $100 3 year warranty

Answer 3

yes.

These flat screen TV's are not as reliable as the old tubes. This way if anything goes wrong you can just bring it back, instead of having to deal with Panasonic which I guarantee will cost you more money and a lot of time.