Dead MacBook Air, just 5 weeks old

[superleccy]

Hi

Am sat waiting for my Genius Bar appointment at the London Oxford St Apple Store. The patient is my maxed-out 11.6" MacBook Air. At exactly 5 weeks old, it just decided to stop booting for no apparent reason. Have tried all the usual tips on the Apple support site. No joy. I think it's fried.

So... when I eventually get to see a genius, what should I expect? The usual 2+ week repair, or a replecement given that it's almost brand new?

Cheers
SL

 

[KPOM]

I'm not sure how Apple is in the UK, but in the US, they immediately exchanged my 13" when I brought it in for the wake-from-sleep issue. Actually, I held back for a day since I wanted to back it up first before I replaced it, but the process was very quick.

 

[hcho3]

Just Pray and everything will be well.

 

[archipellago]

good luck, Apple UK are, in my exprience....awful.

 

[superleccy]

1 hour and 10 mins after my Genius appointment was supposed to start, I have my answer.

It's in for repair. I could get it back this side of Christmas. Possibly.

Grrrr.

SL

 

[fezso]

My baby died just 10 days after purchase... Same symptoms.

It took 6 days for Apple to repair it, they swapped out the motherboard, all data was preserved.
I am also in Europe where Apple support/guarantee is not at it's best unfortunately.

I feel your pain, but it should be as nice as before when you get it back

 

[aristobrat]

So... when I eventually get to see a genius, what should I expect? The usual 2+ week repair...

Be curious to see how long your repair time actually is now that they've started keeping Geniuses in the stores up until midnights (to be able to knock out more repairs in a day).

 

[gwsat]

1 hour and 10 mins after my Genius appointment was supposed to start, I have my answer.

It's in for repair. I could get it back this side of Christmas. Possibly.

Grrrr.

SL

Man that stinks! On the two occasions I had to have repairs, first of a Powerbook G4 and, later, of an MBP, a nearby Apple Store sent them to a repair center via overnight express and in each instance the repaired Mac was returned to me two days later. I understand, though, that you really can never know in advance what kind of repair service you are going to get from Apple.

 

[dclark10]

My 13" died after about 2 weeks. Apple gave me the choice of a repair or replace under the Apple Capture Program. I chose replace. Total downtime of about 7 days.

 

[alflavor]

At least it's solved. I have only used Genius once, for my iphone, but couldn't fault the service.

 

[superleccy]

My 13" died after about 2 weeks. Apple gave me the choice of a repair or replace under the Apple Capture Program. I chose replace. Total downtime of about 7 days.

I was told I couldn't opt for 'replace' as my Air was over 28 days old (yeah... by a whole week), and since it was BTO it couldn't be handled at the Apple Store anyway.

At least it's solved. I have only used Genius once, for my iphone, but couldn't fault the service.

The Genius did his best. And I think they were short-staffed due to the #uksnow.

Basically, I understood the normal repair turnaround time at the Oxford Street to be 28 days plus parts arrival time. And... none of the required parts were in-stock, and the Genius said there was a parts shortage (again, maybe due to #uksnow). When I politely expressed my disappointment, the Genius said that when the parts did arrive, my repair would be 'prioritised' and 'pushed to the front of the queue'. But I got the impression he said that to everyone.

It took 6 days for Apple to repair it, they swapped out the motherboard, all data was preserved.

If it's just 6 days (and it might be) then I can live with that. All the data's backed up, but if they can preserve my setup then that will save me a job too. I purchased the Air as a 'spare' Mac. The last two times I went through this, it was my main/only Mac, and I missed deadlines.

So it's frustrating, hardly the end of the world on this occasion. However, I can't think of any other company that I'd put up with this crap from. Given that Apple has successfully revolutionised virtually every other aspect of buying and owning technology, and given their huge cash reserves, it's a shame they can't make their repairs/returns service 'insanely great' too.

SL

 

[superleccy]

...aaand it's back.

Time in Apple Store: 11 days.
Time without my machine: 14 days.

New logic board, good as new.

Could've been worse, could've been better.

SL