Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Applecare ruined my Macbook
- Thread starter mick4394
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Yeah, I have a story about my 1 month old MBP.
The latch broke on it, after normal and very careful use. It simply wouldn't close anymore because something inside the latch broke off.
I took it to the Apple store to see if they can fix it. I was very nice and polite and all they did was take out a piece from the latch and basically only one of the latches worked, the other side was just broken off, so in the end, when I closed the laptop screen, it was bent upwards on the right side.
Completely unacceptable, so the Apple genius offered to send it off to the factory for 14 days. Yeah right that's going to happen.
For lack of a better word, I ripped the douche a new one and within 15 minutes I walked out with a brand new laptop.
Basically, when you spend 2+ grand on a computer, it should be handled with care and professionalism and if not, you have every right to get angry.
This isn't a toy after all.
The latch broke on it, after normal and very careful use. It simply wouldn't close anymore because something inside the latch broke off.
I took it to the Apple store to see if they can fix it. I was very nice and polite and all they did was take out a piece from the latch and basically only one of the latches worked, the other side was just broken off, so in the end, when I closed the laptop screen, it was bent upwards on the right side.
Completely unacceptable, so the Apple genius offered to send it off to the factory for 14 days. Yeah right that's going to happen.
For lack of a better word, I ripped the douche a new one and within 15 minutes I walked out with a brand new laptop.
Basically, when you spend 2+ grand on a computer, it should be handled with care and professionalism and if not, you have every right to get angry.
This isn't a toy after all.
So you brought it in because you broke the latch, they offered to get it fixed, and you tore them a new one because that was unacceptable???
Pfft..
Tell me again when it is a Macbook Pro that gets scratched. A scratched Macbook can be remedied EASILY with a tin of Brasso and some elbow grease. No need to kick up a big stink and be rude to other forum members who are trying to help.
/No Sympathy
2 grand is overrated. Even mid range Dull desktops costs in excess of 1K. We are not even talking high end desktop category here, what more laptops.
Why do you bother commenting on things you obviously know nothing about? Brasso does a half ass job at best.
If people are going to be rude to me, I have no problem being rude in return.
Let's hope the people at AppleCare don't share that same mentality.
they better be, ppl spend money on them.
Let's hope the people at AppleCare don't share that same mentality.
Here I don't agree. If I called up AppleCare and was rude to them, I would fully expect them to be rude in return.
Did I call up Apple and yell at them? No. I don't view that as the best route to getting things done. I have every right to be pissed, though. I've been without my computer since last Friday. I get it back this morning, only to find that the people who were repairing my computer were also abusing it.
I'm an electronics engineer by trade. I handle and repair consumer and industrial electronics daily. I don't treat other people's property as if it was my own. When someone places something in my hands to fix it, it's my job to return it to them in better condition then it was in when I received it.
Apple did fix the original problem that my Macbook went in for, but they created another. That is not good service. I have given them a chance to correct the problem. So far, it looks like this problem will be resolved without fireworks. I don't have a beef with Apple, yet. They've done everything that I could ask of them.
I think the only constructive outcome of this thread is for the OP to rant about an experience that can happen to anybody. No need to lecture him about service counter etiquette, since we don't really know what happened on the phone or in person.
Besides, isn't it better for him to get it off his chest here, rather than by ripping anybody a new one? That is of course unless you don't see the need to open a rant thread. In which case, why read it?
Besides, isn't it better for him to get it off his chest here, rather than by ripping anybody a new one? That is of course unless you don't see the need to open a rant thread. In which case, why read it?
I have to agree with the OP.
I know I'm going to get flamed, but he's taken lots of time out of his day(s) for a faulty product, he's not got it back in less than satisfactory condition and is going to have to send it off again.
Thats some serious downtime which is really unacceptable in this technologically-rich world.
If it were me, I'd be spitting fire...and no, I don't have anger problems. But somebody has to face the music, and I see no reason why he should go out of his way to be great to everyone when Apple should be looking for ways to help out. Even a token gesture would be nice.
Heck, I returned a can of beans last week that ASDA had charged me 5p more for, and they gave me a £10 voucher! Excellent customer service.
AppleCare is piss poor it really is.
I know I'm going to get flamed, but he's taken lots of time out of his day(s) for a faulty product, he's not got it back in less than satisfactory condition and is going to have to send it off again.
Thats some serious downtime which is really unacceptable in this technologically-rich world.
If it were me, I'd be spitting fire...and no, I don't have anger problems. But somebody has to face the music, and I see no reason why he should go out of his way to be great to everyone when Apple should be looking for ways to help out. Even a token gesture would be nice.
Heck, I returned a can of beans last week that ASDA had charged me 5p more for, and they gave me a £10 voucher! Excellent customer service.
AppleCare is piss poor it really is.
Yes Applecare is poor alright, for the price of that you can buy extended Dell warranties which will even cover you if you outright pour a tumbler of coke into one of their machines in front of their staff, that is not to say it won't cover you against theft in the first year as well.
The price of Applecare is roughly 20% of the price of a new computer and for what it offers (ie: geniuses accusing you of this and that, no courier pickup/return, no next-day service) it really sucks.
But for the original poster to come to an Apple fan forum and start venting off steam at anyone who comes by, what can he expect? We certainly didn't get paid a single cent by him to be nice. Likewise if he is being so rude to us I really find it hard to believe he would have been nice to the service personnel.
Just my $0.02.
The price of Applecare is roughly 20% of the price of a new computer and for what it offers (ie: geniuses accusing you of this and that, no courier pickup/return, no next-day service) it really sucks.
But for the original poster to come to an Apple fan forum and start venting off steam at anyone who comes by, what can he expect? We certainly didn't get paid a single cent by him to be nice. Likewise if he is being so rude to us I really find it hard to believe he would have been nice to the service personnel.
Just my $0.02.
Granted, civility does seem to be a virtue somewhat lost in society on occasion, but I'm a bit peeved that the consensus on these things always seems to be that you have to treat customer service people with kid gloves to get something done.
I mean, is Apple's training and oversight so bad that a customer who might be angry gets less service than one who has a more measured tone? I'd like to think that a corporation would be smart enough to give both good service.
Also, why is it that when people complain here about an aesthetic flaw in their very expensive computers that other people seem to think those complaints are unsubstantiated (I recall some complaining about gaps and another complaining about a Mac Pro that rocked back and forth)? I'd be peeved if my Macbook was scratched up also.
No doubt, I'd ensure Apple fixed it if I were you.
I mean, is Apple's training and oversight so bad that a customer who might be angry gets less service than one who has a more measured tone? I'd like to think that a corporation would be smart enough to give both good service.
Also, why is it that when people complain here about an aesthetic flaw in their very expensive computers that other people seem to think those complaints are unsubstantiated (I recall some complaining about gaps and another complaining about a Mac Pro that rocked back and forth)? I'd be peeved if my Macbook was scratched up also.
No doubt, I'd ensure Apple fixed it if I were you.
I guess the trouble with Apple is they don't own the majority of the service centres.
At least the service centre that I always go to always makes it a point to remind me that they are not Apple, and that if they can't find the fault with the machine I will end up charged for a consultation fee of $70...
At least the service centre that I always go to always makes it a point to remind me that they are not Apple, and that if they can't find the fault with the machine I will end up charged for a consultation fee of $70...
that is what I found also, the Apple rep on the phone is very understanding but ultimately has no control over the repair itself. The service is hit or miss, and I swung and missed 4 times in a row.
I would never pay for an off site apple repair but unfortunately thats the only option for a lot of people.
I'm sure Apple service in the US will take care of this situation, but I totally sympathize. I bought my MacBook in Thailand and believe me, I cringe to think of having any problems with my MacBook and being forced to have Thai service touch my computer ever again.
I'm not sure how Apple certifies their international service centers, but when I had my MacBook's logic board and superdrive replaced, the Thai service dept. had it for a total of 24 hours and when I got it back it was cosmetically destroyed. The previously scratch-free exterior was thoroughly mangled and the interior white plastic was filthy.
Knowing how impossible it can be to clean the palmrest plastic, I immediately demanded at least a new keyboard topcase and screen bezel, which they eventually agreed to.
I called Applecare in the States about this incident and they directed me to file a complaint with Apple Thailand. Useless really. Thais, by nature, don't complain about anything and when someone does complain, generally not much changes.
So after a long, drawn-out series of complaints, I still have the scratched to **** MacBook which I may or may not deal with when I take my next trip to the States.
You know what though? After all my attachments to a beautiful shiny MacBook, having a scratched one has settled in to be OK. Why? I no longer have to be soooooo worried about blemishes and dings. After 2 major repairs and 3 new major components, I'm just glad my MacBook works! It is what it's supposed to be...a superbly functioning tool.
I'm not sure how Apple certifies their international service centers, but when I had my MacBook's logic board and superdrive replaced, the Thai service dept. had it for a total of 24 hours and when I got it back it was cosmetically destroyed. The previously scratch-free exterior was thoroughly mangled and the interior white plastic was filthy.
Knowing how impossible it can be to clean the palmrest plastic, I immediately demanded at least a new keyboard topcase and screen bezel, which they eventually agreed to.
I called Applecare in the States about this incident and they directed me to file a complaint with Apple Thailand. Useless really. Thais, by nature, don't complain about anything and when someone does complain, generally not much changes.
So after a long, drawn-out series of complaints, I still have the scratched to **** MacBook which I may or may not deal with when I take my next trip to the States.
You know what though? After all my attachments to a beautiful shiny MacBook, having a scratched one has settled in to be OK. Why? I no longer have to be soooooo worried about blemishes and dings. After 2 major repairs and 3 new major components, I'm just glad my MacBook works! It is what it's supposed to be...a superbly functioning tool.
Not with that attitude he won't...and "ruined" would imply causing it to not function, they just scratched up the thing....hardly ruined.
Why don't you keep your stupid comments to yourself? If you give in a car to be fixed and they decide to polish the paint with sandpaper, you are going to bitch until they fix it (which probably wont take much bitching, just polite asking). This is obviously more extreme than the case we have here, but you have NO RIGHT to say that they didn't ruin his computer.
If they scratched mine up (which, might I mention, is in perfect condition) then I wouldn't stop until they fixed it right up for me.
This is all Apple's fault in the first place. Apple sells its products not just on the OS and function, but very much on the looks and design. when things don't look the way Apple advertises (for example the MBPs with warped lids, buckling aluminum etc), people react. When Apple ruins the beauty of their own product because of sloppy repairs it adds insult to injury. The customer sends in a defective computer and gets it back with another defect, that's not acceptable and they should immediately replace the whole case without any question.
I'm not sure if I made this clear, but Apple has agreed to replace the case on my Macbook. At this point the situation has been handled as reasonably as anyone could expect. Whether the tech who takes care of my Macbook this time around can do it without abusing it remains to be seen. But, so far, so good.
By the way, I agree with you 100% on this one. The asthetics of Apple products is one of the major selling points of the product. When that is ruined, the product is devalued. I love my Macbook, but I also know how I am. There's a very good chance that, in the not too distant future, I'm going to want to upgrade, simply because I want the latest and greatest. A scratched up Macbook will not sell nearly as well as a pristine Macbook.
I'm glad to see there is no problems, although It has took a lot of usage time away from you.
Still, at least you're getting it fixed
I'm glad to see there is no problems, although It has took a lot of usage time away from you.
Still, at least you're getting it fixed
Yes, the time lost is aggravating. But, there's not much I can do about that part, other than living with the scratched up casing, which is not something I'm willing to do.
I only read your post, and I have to tell you the same thing happened to me. Complain they will fix it.
Good luck