IMO, it's always a good idea to get an extended warranty for a RPTV. The manufacturer warranty does cover in-house (at least mine did, and I have the WS-65909). I'd spend the extra and buy a new one. Who knows how long the Contrast and Brightness has been cranked up to hight on the demo. Also, I'd recommend buying an extended warranty from GE. I paid $250 for 4 years of coverage, and bought it online (you can do a search).