Hi all,

I'm new here and although I do not work with computers as a profession, I always have the latest toys and somehow, end up fixing everybody's computers.

Anyway, here's my problem: I have one very nice laptop that is 6 months past its original 1-year manufacturer's warranty and forgot to add an extended warranty - yes, I know, it's stupid, and all my laptops have always had extended warranties, but I simply forgot about it this time.

Question: are there any warranty services/repair shops that offer out-of-warranty "repair/service" plans? RepairMaster won't sell me one, and Toshiba, well, lets just say they don't have the best service reps.

Any takers?

Hi there happy5 and welcome to CompuForums. Thank you for becoming a valued member of our community. I hope that you post here often in the future. Also please feel free to add yourself to the member map.

I am not currently aware of third-party companies who offer an extended warranty on laptops simply because I have not needed to look for them.
What I do suggest however is visiting local computer stores and see if they do computer repairs, or if they know of local companies that do them. Once you've got a list of companies, research about them on the internet and find the best ones regarding quality and price.

With this information in hand, contact these companies. See if they offer discount plans. Some may offer you the warranty.

Often local companies will offer a much better service than chain store ones, and you don't need to courier your laptop to them and back. Some will even do the repair while you wait.

Hope this Helps,
Ashley

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Ash
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Hi,

Thanks for the prompt response. I guess I should have mentioned I have one of those gigantic Toshiba Qosmio laptops, specifically the Qosmio G25-AV513.

Here is my specific problem. The 17 inch UWXGA LCD screen of the laptop has developed over the past two weeks 3 pale, yellow vertical lines, and a fourth line "comes and goes". I searched the internet for the top repair centers that had experience with this kind of computers and contacted them. Most state that it is very likely that the screen needs to be replaced, but of course they need to troubleshoot the computer first, as it may be something else besides the screen (such as the video card).

That being said, how does this plan sound?

1) Ask the local shops if they have any experience replacing these type of LCDs, and if they do, if they could troubleshoot it first.

2) If the LCD needs to be replaced, I'll look for the best deal I can find on this LCD on the internet. eBay has a couple of sellers selling them for $200-$300 less than Toshiba charges. My fear is that most shops will just contact Toshiba and charge me the highest amount.

3) Once I receive the LCD, take the LCD and laptop to have the tech install it. I have heard installation rates that go from $30-$70 - can anyone here vouch for this?

Once again, thanks for the help. And if any of you know of reputable sellers than sell the type of LCD I need for a good price, let me know.