Recently I inherited an older Mac laptop, the . The locking ring for the battery compartment was damaged, so the battery would drop out when anyone picked up the laptop.
Attempting to figure out how to fix this I viewed a how to guide on repairing an iBook broken bottom case. The case (Apple Part #922-6148) was available for $29.95 from the same site. It was doable, but I had another option.
Fortunately, when it was purchased, the original owner bought the 3-year for $249.00. It was (is) still in effect so I brought my iBook to the local Apple Store. They took it and told me it would be ready in a few days. When I went in to pick it up, I looked at my receipt and was amazed at what I would have been charged: $135.00 for labor and $54.69 for the lower case for a grand total of $189.69!
The extended warranty was a good investment, but when it eventually runs out I’ll remember the do-it-yourself guides at ifixit.com.