What is the opinion on the $50 extended warranty that Microsoft offers for the XBOX? Thanks for the output!

Check with the place you're purchasing from or your credit card. Chances are that one of the two either offers buyer protection (that would be credit card - example: my platinum card doubles the manufacturer's warranty up to 3 years) or an extended service plan (that would be the retailer - usually around $10 per $100 of price).

I wouldn't buy anything from a manufactuer in the form of an extended warranty. From working in retail selling computers and other forms of hardware, I can tell you that the markup is 387% on a $1,400 computer. I would imagine the markup to be more than that for an XBox. Look at it this way:

$50 = 1/6 of a system. Do you think that you have a 1:6 chance of your XBox breaking? I doubt it. Maybe 1:100, or even 1:50, both of which are very low. This of course is assuming that it wouldn't break inside the already existing warranty.

As you can see... unless you're not paying for it, the extended warranty just isn't worth it.

The most probable cause of an XBox failure will likely be a corrupted (or failed) hard drive. Neither one of those events are likely to happen within the two years covered by the extended warranty. Save your money. If it doesn't break within 90 days it's a good bet it will last a long time.

I'm interested in hearing more opinions on getting an extended warranty for the Xbox. My first Xbox system was dead on arrival. It displayed a message that it needed servicing when I first hooked it up. I was able to exchange it for another one that worked. Best Buy talked me into a two year extended warranty for $40. Is this worth having? I usually never buy these plans, but after my experience with the first system I'd hate to have something happen to it again. I'd like to know what everyone thinks about this because I only have a couple of days left to cancel the plan if I want.

20 a year isn't bad, esp since the Box is a new system. Plus, if something did go wrong I figure they would give you another one as I doubt any BB techs will know how to repair a X Box. I would keep the warranty.

As someone who rarely buys extended warranties (my RPTV's are the exception since just replacing one gun would kill me)I'm most likely gonna get the extended warranty. My broken digital camera is the catalyst for it. I refused a 3 year warranty for $60 and am now coughing up $108 to have it repaired.

Just think, one fall of that 2 ton wonder and it's probably done for.

One thing though, wait until your manufacturers warranty is almost up, since the exented warranty starts at the time of purchase, not at the end of the regular warranty period. This comes from one of the people on the Xbox help line.

Kinda like my TiVo hard drive that died after about 100 days, huh?