Can I get a refund for my iMac [read before you judge]

[dethmaShine]

Hi,

I have been using my iMac 27" [2010] base version for the past 6 months.

I love the hardware but it's given me a lot of issues.

1. The harddrive sound
2. Apparent dead pixels on the screen
3. Superdrive's screaming noise
4. Fan noise [unusual but pops up anytime]
5. Slow performance [due to HDD maybe?]

I got most of the things replaced from Apple. They didn't replace the screen as they said they couldn't find many dead pixels. They didn't replace the superdrive as they didn't hear any screaming noise.

They did replace the HDD and the logic board.

I have been using my imac for the past 1 week now and trust me it hasn't gotten any better. Same old performance and a very similar (but less as the hdd is new) noise.

I had a 2009 iMac which had the same issues; got it replaced twice; in the end gave it to my brother.
Now with a 2010 model, I am having the same problems. As much as I love the iMac line, I hate to say that I have been unlucky.

Can I ask Apple for a refund on this machine as I can't get it replaced every single month.

I have enough money to get a MacPro that I may buy if Apple takes the iMac.

What should I be doing?

(This is NOT because of the new iMac release. I did plan to sell my iMac earlier fantasizing this release but I know I'll be unlucky again.)

 

[Hellhammer]

In some countries, especially in European countries, there are laws that might help you to get it replaced. If your constant problems are true, then it should be enough for a refund. However, US does not have such laws and it may not be that easy to get it to work anyway. It's already 6 months old so what they can do is to keep repairing it. At one point, they may replace the whole machine when you could ask if you could pay some extra to get a Mac Pro.

 

[iStudentUK]

Apple may now have a lot of refurbs that are just the old iMac from about 2 hours ago. I'd visit/phone quickly and explain your persistent problems, this may be your best chance to get a replacement iMac that is brand new, just 2 hours out of date.

As Hellhammer said, giving your location in these questions helps a lot.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Maybe. Apple has a 3 strikes rule -- if you have to take a Mac in under warranty more than 3 times they will offer you store credit towards a new machine. They will not outright give you your money back. They also won't do anything if you have issues but do not take the machine in for repair. You must have had 3 repairs first. Then on the 4th you can request the store credit.

 

[dethmaShine]

In some countries, especially in European countries, there are laws that might help you to get it replaced. If your constant problems are true, then it should be enough for a refund. However, US does not have such laws and it may not be that easy to get it to work anyway. It's already 6 months old so what they can do is to keep repairing it. At one point, they may replace the whole machine when you could ask if you could pay some extra to get a Mac Pro.

Right. The thing is, I did leave a note during my recent repair that I am looking for a replacement. But they never even talked about it. All they said that they are going to replace the HDD and Logic board and done.

Apple may now have a lot of refurbs that are just the old iMac from about 2 hours ago. I'd visit/phone quickly and explain your persistent problems, this may be your best chance to get a replacement iMac that is brand new, just 2 hours out of date.

As Hellhammer said, giving your location in these questions helps a lot.

The thing is, I'm done with these iMacs. It's better I spend more and get a MacPro or maybe a Macbook Pro and connect it to a display. The iMacs have always been troublesome.

Also, I am from UK.

Maybe. Apple has a 3 strikes rule -- if you have to take a Mac in under warranty more than 3 times they will offer you store credit towards a new machine. They will not outright give you your money back. They also won't do anything if you have issues but do not take the machine in for repair. You must have had 3 repairs first. Then on the 4th you can request the store credit.

Yup, I'm aware of that. In my 2009 iMac, they replaced it straight off as it had a lot of issues. Then again! Then again! According to my knowledge it was replaced thrice and then I gave it to my brother and bought a new iMac 27" 2010 for me.

I understand that. I may have to pursue them for a store credit straight off OR just wait for the third repair.

 

[dethmaShine]

Any UK specific answers?

 

[Ravich]

Maybe. Apple has a 3 strikes rule -- if you have to take a Mac in under warranty more than 3 times they will offer you store credit towards a new machine. They will not outright give you your money back. They also won't do anything if you have issues but do not take the machine in for repair. You must have had 3 repairs first. Then on the 4th you can request the store credit.

Could you elaborate on this? What qualifies as "take in"?

These 3 strikes can take place any time during the 3 years of apple care?

 

[foodle]

Can you prove that your machine's performance is below standard? Have you benchmarked the system? Or the HDD specifically since you seem to think that is the crux of the problem?

As for the noise issues, sorry in advance, but you just seem to be whining about this.

 

[foodle]

As much as I love the iMac line, I hate to say that I have been unlucky.

I think your experience with the iMac line has little to do with your luck and more to do with the kind of consumer you seem to be (i.e., the kind of consumer that keeps the refurb pipeline filled with perfectly good machines).

 

[dethmaShine]

Could you elaborate on this? What qualifies as "take in"?

These 3 strikes can take place any time during the 3 years of apple care?

I think yes.

Can you prove that your machine's performance is below standard? Have you benchmarked the system? Or the HDD specifically since you seem to think that is the crux of the problem?

As for the noise issues, sorry in advance, but you just seem to be whining about this.

I did prove to them. Benchmarking does not help in most of the cases. The companies run internal tests to confirm the issue and they did confirm that the HDD and or the logic board was faulty and that's why they replaced it.

I think it would be better, if you would have known the issue or had asked me about it before making an accusation like that.

I think your experience with the iMac line has little to do with your luck and more to do with the kind of consumer you seem to be (i.e., the kind of consumer that keeps the refurb pipeline filled with perfectly good machines).

What are you talking about?

 

[foodle]

Benchmarking does not help in most of the cases. The companies run internal tests to confirm the issue

Rubbish that benchmarks don't help. What "internal tests" do you think they run? They benchmark the system, then do low level tests on the logic board if necessary.

and they did confirm that the HDD and or the logic board was faulty and that's why they replaced it.

And if they gave you such a vague diagnosis, they probably just benched the system, saw that it was slow and swapped everything.

I think it would be better, if you would have known the issue or had asked me about it before making an accusation like that.

You're complaining about the noise of the system. Did you measure the noise? It always strikes me as funny how people like to inject mystery around quantifiable, measurable phenomena.

And Apple's great about placating problematic customers, but even they have their limits.

 

[dethmaShine]

Rubbish that benchmarks don't help. What "internal tests" do you think they run? They benchmark the system, then do low level tests on the logic board if necessary.

No, I didn't do any benchmark tests. I did a bench mark test when I got my iMac. It was something in the range of 9000. The performance wasn't that good, that's why I sent it to Apple so they could look into it.

You're complaining about the noise of the system. Did you measure the noise? It always strikes me as funny how people like to inject mystery around quantifiable, measurable phenomena.

No I didn't record it. But even they were able to hear a lot of noise from the fans during irregular intervals of time. They did agree that the HDD was making noise.

And Apple's great about placating problematic customers, but even they have their limits.

What limits are you talking about? It's not that I'm pointing a gun to their heads and asking for a refund. It's not that I'm using illegal means to get a refund from them. I did simply state my issue and they believe me for the most part and did replace what they thought was dodgy. Do you expect people to retain their systems even if they have tonnes of issues and sing Apple after spending so much on a machine?

You must realize that you are not the only consumer in the world and there can hardware defects during production and manufacturing and iMacs have long suffered from these.

Now if you are getting hurt because I claim that my 'Apple' machine isn't working they way it's supposed to, you better get your work going as I specifically didn't ask for your help.

Thanks

 

[cat3600]

I have had numerous problems with my iMac 27" 2009 & it's a very well documented in these forums all the problems with the 27" iMacs. I changed mine 3 times & still I had the yellow screen but just gave up & lived with it!

I had to change my ex wife's iMac 20" in screen on my own as is became dead & apple wanted $700 parts & labour for a new crappy 20" screen. I explained to them the 20" 2007 iMacs had a very bad reputation for it's screen & if they could do something as I have bought 6 macs since 2006 & not even counting my family's macs & all our iPhones & iPads.They would not budge.

By the way I have to say apart from iMacs I have never had any problems with macs including the 3rd Mac Pro that I have now connected to a 30" ACD

I don't see any reason for you to give the OP a hard time, get a life!

Rubbish that benchmarks don't help. What "internal tests" do you think they run? They benchmark the system, then do low level tests on the logic board if necessary.



And if they gave you such a vague diagnosis, they probably just benched the system, saw that it was slow and swapped everything.



You're complaining about the noise of the system. Did you measure the noise? It always strikes me as funny how people like to inject mystery around quantifiable, measurable phenomena.

And Apple's great about placating problematic customers, but even they have their limits.

 

[Ravich]

Could you elaborate on this? What qualifies as "take in"?

These 3 strikes can take place any time during the 3 years of apple care?

Anyone?

 

[maflynn]

1. The harddrive sound
2. Apparent dead pixels on the screen
3. Superdrive's screaming noise
4. Fan noise [unusual but pops up anytime]
5. Slow performance [due to HDD maybe?]

For the most part are issues 1, 3, 4,5 really issues from a defective perspective? I'm not saying they're irritating to the OP but a loud computer does not equate a defect. The HD may not be the fastest and if the hardware diagnostics don't show a problem, then its slow, not bad

As for #2 how many pixels are you talking about?

the fan noise could be the result of a bad bearing, or just dirt/debris caught in the fan.

I don't think apple will give you money back based on these stated issues. You may get a new (refurb) iMac because of the pixels if there are a lot of them.

My recommendation is to swap out the HD for a silent fast, large HD, replace the fan yourself, there are much better and quieter fans out there and if need be replace the optical drive. Most people now a days don't use the optical drive so you may be able to live with that being noisy

 

[dethmaShine]

I did call Apple and I asked them for their support. They have agreed to pickup the machine again and verify any faults.

I will report back in a week on the status of the machine again.

Thanks for your help guys.

 

[dethmaShine]

For the most part are issues 1, 3, 4,5 really issues from a defective perspective? I'm not saying they're irritating to the OP but a loud computer does not equate a defect. The HD may not be the fastest and if the hardware diagnostics don't show a problem, then its slow, not bad

As for #2 how many pixels are you talking about?

the fan noise could be the result of a bad bearing, or just dirt/debris caught in the fan.

I don't think apple will give you money back based on these stated issues. You may get a new (refurb) iMac because of the pixels if there are a lot of them.

My recommendation is to swap out the HD for a silent fast, large HD, replace the fan yourself, there are much better and quieter fans out there and if need be replace the optical drive. Most people now a days don't use the optical drive so you may be able to live with that being noisy

Thanks for the reply.

Issues 1,3,4,5 sound like something was faulty. Therefore the HDD was replaced. They also replaced the Logic board as even they agreed that its not the HDDs in some cases, but a logic board issue. They didn't replace the superdrive though.

As for the number of dead pixels. I could find 4 of them. I ran some tests and I could count upto 9. But nothing more than that. The issue is 4 out of those 9 pixels really bother you a lot as they are somewhere in the middle of the screen.

Well, its the last time I have given them a call for this iMac. If it doesn't work out I'm going to pursue store credit or otherwise get myself a MacPro and give this to my dad.

I have no other option. I cannot work with such a slow machine. To be honest, my macbook 2008 ed. is the best notebook I ever had. 2.5 years, no complaints what so ever. It's just the iMacs that piss me off everytime.