AppleCare

[rAph]

Is the price of the Apple Care (student price) in any way negotiable?

Does the warranty cover just about anything? I have a MacBook Pro, and am concerned about the heat and the whining noise, could I ask for a replacment notebook when (if) they fix these issues? Or would they not accept that as a valid "problem"?

[Mobius Rex]

Is the price of the Apple Care (student price) in any way negotiable?

No, if the student price is available only from Apple. If you check around the internet, you'll find AppleCare available from various vendors at prices less than list.
I bought an AppleCare kit for my Powebook($350 list) for $224 from a seller on eBay. Had no problems receiving it from the seller or activating it, but you have to be really careful making any purchases off of eBay. If the seller has a really good history of positive customer feedback, such as 97 -100% positive, then it's generally ok.

Does the warranty cover just about anything?

Yeah, pretty much, except for damage that you cause as a result of dropping your MacBook or dropping something onto it or spilling liquids onto/into it.

could I ask for a replacment notebook when (if) they fix these issues? Or would they not accept that as a valid "problem"?

Who knows, all you have to do is ask. Sometimes, by being persistent, a negative response from them is turned into a positive one.
As far as I'm concerned, Applecare is a "must have" for a laptop, since there's more chance of problems with a laptop than there is with a desktop unit.

[Dusky]

As far as I'm concerned, Applecare is a "must have" for a laptop, since there's more chance of problems with a laptop than there is with a desktop unit.

Yup, gotta have AppleCare. To soften the blow, perhaps AppleCare should be bought months afte the computer is bought. I paid 1500 for my PowerBook and bought AppleCare for it when its warranty was about to expire. And yeah... AppleCare has already paid for itself. About five months after the regular warranty expired, I had to take my PowerBook in to have its hard disk replaced. It would have cost me over 300 bucks...

[rAph]

sweet...I took the hit. Acutally I got a good deal: $160 on ebay.
It's nice having peace of mind.