Black MacBook damaged right out of the box

[japanime]

Just opened the box containing my black MacBook.

First thing I did was to turn the machine upside down and press the battery-life indicator button. All five buttons lit up (good!), but I was a bit turned off to see that one of the edges of the case where the battery rests was chewed up a bit, as though a tech had inserted a screwdriver and tried to pry the thing out!

I called the shop where I bought the thing (Bic Camera, an authorized Apple dealer in Tokyo) and was told, sorry, they don't take back Apple products, and that I'd have to call AppleCare.

So I thought to myself, well, what's a couple of minor knicks. The thing is going to get scratched eventually anyway. So I decided to live with it.

That's when I noticed the lid...

When closed, the lid doesn't line up evenly with the bottom half of the PowerBook. It's off by about an eighth of an inch on the left side and the left top edge. That is NOT acceptable.

Just called AppleCare, talked to a polite AppleCare representative, and am now awaiting a return call from the rep's "supervisor."

Given my long experience with Apple products, my guess is that I just happened to get a dud from among what I'm sure are tens of thousands of perfectly built machines. That said, I'm a bit hesitant now to buy the white MacBook that I told my wife I'd get for her this weekend. Not until I know these things weren't simply slapped together...

My question: Has anyone else purchased a MacBook whose build is less than satisfactory?

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

It sounds like you were just unlucky. Chances are you're going to be more unlucky in that its going to take ages for Apple to replace this one seeing as they'll have to order it, deliver it etc. Sorry dude!

But then you were just unlucky. If you get another one for the missus, chances are it'll be absolutely fine!! Unless you're really unlucky... then all you can do is cry.

 

[Anthony8720]

Just opened the box containing my black MacBook.

First thing I did was to turn the machine upside down and press the battery-life indicator button. All five buttons lit up (good!), but I was a bit turned off to see that one of the edges of the case where the battery rests was chewed up a bit, as though a tech had inserted a screwdriver and tried to pry the thing out!

I called the shop where I bought the thing (Bic Camera, an authorized Apple dealer in Tokyo) and was told, sorry, they don't take back Apple products, and that I'd have to call AppleCare.

So I thought to myself, well, what's a couple of minor knicks. The thing is going to get scratched eventually anyway. So I decided to live with it.

That's when I noticed the lid...

When closed, the lid doesn't line up evenly with the bottom half of the PowerBook. It's off by about an eighth of an inch on the left side and the left top edge. That is NOT acceptable.

Just called AppleCare, talked to a polite AppleCare representative, and am now awaiting a return call from the rep's "supervisor."

Given my long experience with Apple products, my guess is that I just happened to get a dud from among what I'm sure are tens of thousands of perfectly built machines. That said, I'm a bit hesitant now to buy the white MacBook that I told my wife I'd get for her this weekend. Not until I know these things weren't simply slapped together...

My question: Has anyone else purchased a MacBook whose build is less than satisfactory?

i just got mine today and the upper part of the casing to the left of the trackpad is raised up a little but. I don't think its that big of a deal, so i think im gonna just deal with it. Other than that, everything seems to be alright.

 

[kyan1]

Just opened the box containing my black MacBook.

First thing I did was to turn the machine upside down and press the battery-life indicator button. All five buttons lit up (good!), but I was a bit turned off to see that one of the edges of the case where the battery rests was chewed up a bit, as though a tech had inserted a screwdriver and tried to pry the thing out!

I called the shop where I bought the thing (Bic Camera, an authorized Apple dealer in Tokyo) and was told, sorry, they don't take back Apple products, and that I'd have to call AppleCare.

So I thought to myself, well, what's a couple of minor knicks. The thing is going to get scratched eventually anyway. So I decided to live with it.

That's when I noticed the lid...

When closed, the lid doesn't line up evenly with the bottom half of the PowerBook. It's off by about an eighth of an inch on the left side and the left top edge. That is NOT acceptable.

Just called AppleCare, talked to a polite AppleCare representative, and am now awaiting a return call from the rep's "supervisor."

Given my long experience with Apple products, my guess is that I just happened to get a dud from among what I'm sure are tens of thousands of perfectly built machines. That said, I'm a bit hesitant now to buy the white MacBook that I told my wife I'd get for her this weekend. Not until I know these things weren't simply slapped together...

My question: Has anyone else purchased a MacBook whose build is less than satisfactory?

i noticed the lid misalignment issue as well. not sure if i'm too picky but the battery lock thingy is scratched... gonna take it back to apple to see what they have to say.

 

[brikeh]

Im seriously losing faith in apple...what a ******** way to cut corners. Quality Control damnit!

 

[generik]

Im seriously losing faith in apple...what a ******** way to cut corners. Quality Control damnit!

Well the MB is a computer that is actually very price competitive even when you compare with Dells, so what do you expect?

Apple has to scrimp some fat off for itself somehow...

 

[Edge100]

Given my long experience with Apple products, my guess is that I just happened to get a dud from among what I'm sure are tens of thousands of perfectly built machines.

What a refreshingly intelligent interpretation! People are far too quick to use their own experiences to generalize, and this board is littered with things like "Intel Macs have SOOO many problems", when there is exactly zero evidence to suggest these Macs have any more or less problems than any others (EDIT: see two posts up for a perfect example).

Anyway, I hope you get things sorted. I know the joy of opening up a fresh Mac, breathing in the sweet new Mac smell, and firing up a perfect machine. Make sure you get a machine you're happy with!

 

[ImNoSuperMan]

When closed, the lid doesn't line up evenly with the bottom half of the MacBook. It's off by about an eighth of an inch on the left side and the left top edge. That is NOT acceptable.

God. You scared the hell out of me. I just checked mine and it seemed a bit uneven. I almost fainted. This thing is not even released in India. There`s no way I can get it replaced. But then I looked carefully again and couldn`t see any thing at all. What a relief.

But I feel sorry for you. Even a hint of such thing happening scared the hell out of me. I know no one wud want to spend 1300-1500$ only to find out that quality managament is absolutely below par.

Hope you have better luck with the MB once you get it replaced.

 

[brikeh]

Well the MB is a computer that is actually very price competitive even when you compare with Dells, so what do you expect?

Apple has to scrimp some fat off for itself somehow...

I never ever said anything about the price....uneven casing is not ok. So anything you buy and consider "nice price" its ok if its busted? Wow...

 

[iGary]

Apple's QC has totally gone down the toilet over the last year.

Fact.

They seem to be able to build iPods, though.

 

[brikeh]

What a refreshingly intelligent interpretation! People are far too quick to use their own experiences to generalize, and this board is littered with things like "Intel Macs have SOOO many problems", when there is exactly zero evidence to suggest these Macs have any more or less problems than any others (EDIT: see two posts up for a perfect example).

Anyway, I hope you get things sorted. I know the joy of opening up a fresh Mac, breathing in the sweet new Mac smell, and firing up a perfect machine. Make sure you get a machine you're happy with!

Yes, Ive had my fair share of troubles, but cmon man...excessive heat burning your balls, ****** wireless, uneven casing, whining and mooing(?) its not stuff Im making up, and Im not basing it on like 2 posts either. Apple has got a problem with quality control, simple as that!

If the intel machines dont have more problems than previous machines then I dont know what to think. My powerbook is ok, iBook before that just fine. The PM at the office is going strong.

Ive read about people having their mbps fixed 3 or 4 times, not cool! Id slap somebody around to get my money back if that was me. I just dont find it acceptable for a brand new 2-3k machine to have these problems.

Still love macs tho...Im just holding off til some of these problems get sorted.

 

[japanime]

Update

Well, I received a call back from the AppleCare rep, and he told me that I could take my MacBook to the Apple Store in Ginza and, upon examining the machine and determining it was indeed damaged, they'd give me a replacement on the spot.

So, I went to the Apple Store, they looked at the MacBook, and acknowedged it was indeed damaged. However, they were all sold out of black MacBooks (that's what they claimed, anyway), and said AppleCare would pick the machine up from me over the weekend, and then send me a replacement "in about a week."

I guess I have no choice.

It's disappointing, though. I spent a lot of time and energy (not to mention money on train rides going back and forth into Tokyo (first to buy the machine, and then to try to exchange it). I felt that at the very least, AppleCare could have made the ordeal a little less painful by telling me I could keep the power adapater so I'd have an extra one when I get my replacement. But they offered nothing. Not even an apology, in fact. (And this is here in Japan, the Land of Gomen Nasai.)

Ah, well...

 

[calebjohnston]

My powerbooks lid was shifted off from center from the day I bought it, and they wouldn't fix it from day one. Just luck of the draw.

 

[macenforcer]

Here is a tip for all Apple store purchasers. Open the box right there after you buy it at the genius bar. If it has a bad pixel or any defects they will walk right in the back and get you another one. I do this with ALL my powerbook purchases. Every time they have to get me another one from the back. I have bad luck. With the macbook. ZERO defects. I am so amazed.

 

[dpaanlka]

Here is a tip for all Apple store purchasers. Open the box right there after you buy it at the genius bar. If it has a bad pixel or any defects they will walk right in the back and get you another one. I do this with ALL my powerbook purchases. Every time they have to get me another one from the back. I have bad luck. With the macbook. ZERO defects. I am so amazed.

I can't believe I never thought of this before. Such a time saver... and what are they going to do, deny you in front of everybody? Brilliant!

 

[Random Passerby]

Apple QC

Just ask one in three ibook G3 owners how they feel about apple quality control. That's the official statistic for logic board failure in those machines. I've had three logic boards replaced in the two and a half years since I bought mine.

 

[THX1139]

Here is a tip for all Apple store purchasers. Open the box right there after you buy it at the genius bar. If it has a bad pixel or any defects they will walk right in the back and get you another one. I do this with ALL my powerbook purchases. Every time they have to get me another one from the back. I have bad luck. With the macbook. ZERO defects. I am so amazed.

A good idea..if you don't customize. I think a lot of people customize so that won't do them any good; because they don't get the same option to get another one if they are opening in front of the FedEx guy.

 

[THX1139]

It's disappointing, though. I spent a lot of time and energy (not to mention money on train rides going back and forth into Tokyo (first to buy the machine, and then to try to exchange it). I felt that at the very least, AppleCare could have made the ordeal a little less painful by telling me I could keep the power adapater so I'd have an extra one when I get my replacement. But they offered nothing. Not even an apology, in fact. (And this is here in Japan, the Land of Gomen Nasai.)

Did you tell Apple of your hardship when you returned the product...or just the people here on this forum? I think if a person gently puts their foot down and asks for somekind of compensation, they would probably do it. But you have to ask, as they aren't going to offer just to be nice.

 

[japanime]

Did you tell Apple of your hardship when you returned the product...or just the people here on this forum? I think if a person gently puts their foot down and asks for somekind of compensation, they would probably do it. But you have to ask, as they aren't going to offer just to be nice.

Yes, I did. My wife was there, too. We explained how we had to leave work early (we run a book publishing company) to take care of the problem. We were at the store for about 90 minutes, the whole time sitting at the Genius Bar as they and we talked on the phone to the call center rep who steered us wrong on this one.

Everyone was polite, but nobody apologized (which really upset me).

In the end, though, it might have been Apple who suffered the most. The entire time we were there, my brand new black MacBook was sitting on the counter in full view of the dozens of people who were coming into the place. LOTS of them were looking--and certainly wondering--what possibly could be wrong with Apple's latest innovation.

I fully expected they'd offer us a pair of T-shirts or some Apple knicknacks as a gesture of goodwill. But they gave us nothing.

My wife left the place saying that she doesn't want a MacBook now. (She still uses a Windows laptop.) I'm a longtime Mac user, and I'll eventually be able to persuade her that this is an isolated incident, but boy, talk about bad PR.

 

[sam10685]

Im seriously losing faith in apple...what a ******** way to cut corners. Quality Control damnit!

loosing faith in apple ehh? ur SCREWED then. no where else will u find a better set-up of hardware/software.

 

[japanime]

loosing faith in apple ehh? ur SCREWED then. no where else will u find a better set-up of hardware/software.

Precisely. Despite this sour experience, that's exactly what I've been telling my wife--that the Mac OS beats Windows hands-down.

As I noted, we run a book publishing company. We need our computers to be secure, and OSX offers us that security without having to rely on a 24-hour team of IT experts to monitor everything.

 

[firsttube]

Ordered mine the day of the announcement. black, 120 gb, 512 ram. (wish i knew about the hard drive accessibility)

Order Date
05/16/06
06:24 AM PST /8:24 central.

What time was the online store updated? I don't think I ordered too long after the announcement, 2 day shipping. It left china on may 18th at 10 pm. Arrived in Alaska at 1:13 pm (5/19) got to indianapolis at 11:57 PM (i'm not sure what time they're talking about for the different locations) from anchorage, ak. "initial shipment release" (from indy) 2 hours later. How long after the announcement did I order? I'm wondering if people who ordered after the announcement have already received theirs.

I do find it ironic that the new apple store is giving 1 macbook away each hour when people who've paid for one had to wait for them to come from china!

I'm also nervous about opening it. With all these negative posts, should I just send it back and wait out all the (alleged) issues?

Thanks!

EDIT: Realized, you can't return custom built orders, right? So open it and hope it doesn't have any issues?