Dave wrote:
Perhaps the advice is specific to Sony. For most products a service contract
is just plain stupid. I'll bet I've saved at least double the costs of all
repairs by never buying a service contract. Most electronic items, at least,
fail, if at all, during the warranty period.

and Mys Terry said:
Service contracts for almost anything are a sucker bet. Not everything
you own is going to break. If you have 20 or 30 items with extended
service contracts, add up how much you spent on all those pieces of
paper.

I agree generally but agree with Dave's comment about specificity. To
harken back to Rob's minivan thread, my brother bought a Chrysler
minivan back in the 80s. He generally avoids buying extended warrantees
or service contracts; but being the anal nitpicker he is, he reviewed
the service history of this vehicle and bought the extended warrantee
in this case. He used the heck out of it, too. FYI, this is how
"particular" he is: When he bough the car, he went over it and gave the
dealer a two-page list of things he wanted corrected before he'd accept
it!

Frank