Steve Brack writes in a message to Matt Smith
 SB> Again, apples & apples. The $20 extended warranty will  eliminate 
 SB> the cost of repairs, each of which would have cost  $39 plus 
 SB> parts, or an estimated $59. Or comparing to  replacement, instead 
 SB> of repair, the $20 extended warranty will  eliminate the $160 
 SB> charge you would have to pay to replace it.  And, since the 
 SB> extended warranty covers unlimited repairs or  replacement, 
 SB> it could save even more money over the course of  years of 
 SB> use. Further, the extended warranty's coverage does  not alter 
 SB> as the cost of repair or replacement increases,  protecting 
 SB> the purchaser from price inflation. There are  7,000 U.S. locations 
 SB> at which products can be left for repair,  and repair is done 
 SB> within two weeks in most cases.
Now, I like Radio Shack stuff.  I want to say that up front!
  
BUT!
  
My experience with Radio Shack stuff is that I get tired of it and trash it 
about the time it gets ready to break.  After 10 or 15 years of troublefree 
service, it's just plain time to trade up to new features.  In other words, I 
*don't* buy the extended warranty.  (I have a 1972 DX-160 still in daily 
service...)
  
AND:
  
My one brush with RS repair was *very* less than satisfactory.  I sent in a 
CB that was having intermittent transmit power.  Only reason I sent it in was 
that I couldn't find the schematic to do it myself - and I was short on time 
to play with it.  Anyway, they sent it back "no trouble found" and 
*unrepaired*.  It still had the same problem.  Mind you, I had given them a 
*paragraph* of symptoms that all pointed at the RF finals.  They *obviously* 
never opened the case!
  
I got the CB home, opened it up, resoldered the (obvious) cracked joints on 
the final transistors and it has worked perfectly ever since.
  
Does this make me want to use RS repair or to do it myself next time?  You 
tell me.
  
(If you want invoice ticket numbers and such to follow this up, just holler.)
 
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