Frustrated with apple again...

[PDE]

Handed my new SR macbook pro in to the apple store earlier this week to fix a rattling trackpad button. Got it back today and the trackpad button is perfect, but now the keyboard illumination does not work. There apparently is no check before computers are returned to customers.

So now what do I do? Be without my new computer again? Or can I ask for a replacement even though this one has been repaired once? I got it on JUne 18...

And, if I ask for a replacement, who knows what other problems I'll have. ****.

 

[iToaster]

The might have forgot to hook something up, or they messed something up. If you show them, they'll fix it for you. It could be fast, or you could have to wait a little.

 

[PDE]

The might have forgot to hook something up, or they messed something up. If you show them, they'll fix it for you. It could be fast, or you could have to wait a little.

yeah, or they could fix it and mess up something else. This is not the first time I've had something repaired, only to discover that during the repair something else was messed up.

The replacement lottery might be more risky though. ****.

 

[PDE]

I also hate being without the computer again. I was excited to have it back in what I thought was perfect condition. I really need to use my computer right now. Why can't they check these things before they return them to customers? Doesn't not checking cause a lot of extra work?

 

[mustard]

I also hate being without the computer again. I was excited to have it back in what I thought was perfect condition. I really need to use my computer right now. Why can't they check these things before they return them to customers? Doesn't not checking cause a lot of extra work?

You are right they should - go in and find a manager (don't go to the bar) and inform him of the situation and they should have it fixed or some sort of resolution/explanation while you wait.

Best of luck.

 

[PDE]

thanks. Yes, I'm going to do that tomorrow. The problem is that they didn't have this part in stock to begin with so they had to order it specifically. I doubt they can fix it while I wait. We'll see...

Yes, I'll need good luck. Thank you.

 

[PDE]

Does anybody know if Apple's 14-day exchange policy is affected if a computer has been repaired during that period? I mean, does it make a difference that I opted to repair the trackpad button, rather than ask for a replacement, now that there is another problem? Depending on if they have the part and how long they think they'll take, I'm considering whether I should ask for a replacement. I really don't want to deal with this....

thanks

 

[daneoni]

Does anybody know if Apple's 14-day exchange policy is affected if a computer has been repaired during that period? I mean, does it make a difference that I opted to repair the trackpad button, rather than ask for a replacement, now that there is another problem? Depending on if they have the part and how long they think they'll take, I'm considering whether I should ask for a replacement. I really don't want to deal with this....

thanks

Once the machine has been gutted (taken in for repair) the 14-day policy is nullified as far as i know. The only way to get replacement is if its been repaired several times already without success

 

[PDE]

Once the machine has been gutted (taken in for repair) the 14-day policy is nullified as far as i know. The only way to get replacement is if its been repaired several times already without success

If that's true, that really sucks. And, of course, they did not tell me that when I went ahead with the repair. To penalize a customer who is trying to resolve quality control issues is ridiculous.

Where did you get this information?

Thanks

 

[Sopranino]

Once the machine has been gutted (taken in for repair) the 14-day policy is nullified as far as i know. The only way to get replacement is if its been repaired several times already without success

That is completely wrong! The 14 day policy is for 14 days regardless of whether or not you take the machine in to be serviced in that time period.

Sopranino

 

[Sopranino]

Handed my new SR macbook pro in to the apple store earlier this week to fix a rattling trackpad button. Got it back today and the trackpad button is perfect, but now the keyboard illumination does not work. There apparently is no check before computers are returned to customers.

So now what do I do? Be without my new computer again? Or can I ask for a replacement even though this one has been repaired once? I got it on JUne 18...

And, if I ask for a replacement, who knows what other problems I'll have. ****.

Okay, I can understand being frustrated however the lack of keyboard illumination is a really trivial problem that shouldn't take the Apple tech much more than 5 minutes to fix. All that has occurred is the cable which supplies power to the keyboard backlight has been left disconnected from when they serviced your machine.

This is not what I would consider to be an 'OMG I have to replace my computer' type of problem. I am very surprised that nobody else who has posted here has mentioned the possible culprit, instead they have done nothing except to make the problem sound worse and the solution to be impossible.

I have to wonder if this thread is being haunted by trolls......

Sopranino

 

[PDE]

Okay, I can understand being frustrated however the lack of keyboard illumination is a really trivial problem that shouldn't take the Apple tech much more than 5 minutes to fix. All that has occurred is the cable which supplies power to the keyboard backlight has been left disconnected from when they serviced your machine.

This is not what I would consider to be an 'OMG I have to replace my computer' type of problem. I am very surprised that nobody else who has posted here has mentioned the possible culprit, instead they have done nothing except to make the problem sound worse and the solution to be impossible.

I have to wonder if this thread is being haunted by trolls......

Sopranino

I assumed that there is only one cable to the keyboard and that when they replaced the top, it's really just a matter of disconneting that cable and connecting the new one. I would be very happy if it's just a five minute fix....

Can you tell me more about how it's connected? I'm on my way to the appointment in twenty minutes...

Thanks

 

[Sopranino]

I assumed that there is only one cable to the keyboard and that when they replaced the top, it's really just a matter of disconneting that cable and connecting the new one. I would be very happy if it's just a five minute fix....

Can you tell me more about how it's connected? I'm on my way to the appointment in twenty minutes...

Thanks

Not much more info, according to my guru buddy it is a red & black cable with a very small connector on the end. (At least it is on the previous generation, and he doesn't see any reason for that to have changed).

I'm quite sure that Apple will be able to resolve this issue without any problem. Good Luck

Sopranino

 

[iW00t]

Does anybody know if Apple's 14-day exchange policy is affected if a computer has been repaired during that period? I mean, does it make a difference that I opted to repair the trackpad button, rather than ask for a replacement, now that there is another problem? Depending on if they have the part and how long they think they'll take, I'm considering whether I should ask for a replacement. I really don't want to deal with this....

thanks

Actually in Australia within the 14 day exchange period no AppleCentre will accept your computer for servicing. Period.

If you purchase it online you will be referred to the online store for further assistance.

 

[Sopranino]

Actually in Australia within the 14 day exchange period no AppleCentre will accept your computer for servicing. Period.

If you purchase it online you will be referred to the online store for further assistance.

Can anyone else living in Australia verify the above statement?

The way I would read that is Apple would either automatically replace any computer with a problem, (regardless of the scope of the problem) if brought in within the 14 day time period, or they would not service the computer within the 14 day period also regardless of the problem.

Somehow this makes no sense, if they operate in the latter mode then there would be a massive scream from users trying to get issues fixed within the initial 14 day period. If they operate in the former mode then they would be giving you a new computer for every single trivial issue that came up, (your space key is squeaking.....so they replace the entire computer??)

?????

Sopranino

 

[iW00t]

Can anyone else living in Australia verify the above statement?

The way I would read that is Apple would either automatically replace any computer with a problem, (regardless of the scope of the problem) if brought in within the 14 day time period, or they would not service the computer within the 14 day period also regardless of the problem.

Somehow this makes no sense, if they operate in the latter mode then there would be a massive scream from users trying to get issues fixed within the initial 14 day period. If they operate in the former mode then they would be giving you a new computer for every single trivial issue that came up, (your space key is squeaking.....so they replace the entire computer??)

?????

Sopranino

It is true.

In Australia we do not have any official "Applecentres", only third party resalers. None of them are allowed to service any computer that is under 10 days old. Apparently according to one of them, it just won't go through on their systems when they try to bring it in for servicing.

 

[Sopranino]

It is true.

In Australia we do not have any official "Applecentres", only third party resalers. None of them are allowed to service any computer that is under 10 days old. Apparently according to one of them, it just won't go through on their systems when they try to bring it in for servicing.

Hmmmm, so which is it, 14 days or 10 days?? And what do they do if you bring it in? Tell you to come back after the return period has expired or do they just give you a new machine?

Sopranino

 

[mad jew]

Actually in Australia within the 14 day exchange period no AppleCentre will accept your computer for servicing. Period.

If you purchase it online you will be referred to the online store for further assistance.

Can anyone else living in Australia verify the above statement?

Well, I don't know if iW00t was referring solely to machines purchased online or if things have changed, but in October 2003 my iBook was purchased from NextByte and the trackpad was repaired by them the next day.

 

[PDE]

So I took it in, told the genius(hate to have to call an idiot a genius...) the story and waited for his response. This was the slowest guy I've ever encountered so I waited for a long time for him to tell me that they'd have to repair it again. Just to check what my options were, I asked if I could return it and get a replacement. He said that it 'might be difficult because it had been repaired already', but then said that if I took it to a manager, most likely they would not check if it had been repaired and just swap it out for me. So I had a choice.

It's too much of a gamble. I could have asked for a replacement, but there is a very considerable risk that something will be wrong with that one and that it would cause more problems than simply asking for a repair. I opted to give them a chance to repair it and if something else doesn't work at that point, I'll just take it to the manager and ask for another replacement. I do feel that Apple has no shame sometimes. This is a brand new computer! They should apologise to me and then bend over backwards to make it up to me somehow. Nothing though, barely an acknowledgement that this was an incovenience to me and, even worse, the guy made it sound like fixing the trackpad button was being 'picky' and that, by extension, all of this really was due to me being overly particular.

To be honest, I genuinely hate Apple for having such shoddy quality control and for forcing me to spend hours on the subway and days without my computer to sort out their crappy quality products that I paid several thousand dollars for. The only saving grace is that Apple service is pretty good - not that the guy this morning was good because he really was one of the most uncommunicative service persons I've come across. The suggestion that somehow because I've repaired the item I would not be entitled to the 14 day return period makes me angry - I doubt that they can legally get away with that unless it's stated somewhere, and I don't think it is.

In any case, I fired up my WONDERFUL Pismo and, like every time newer, fancier machines are at Apple for repair, Pismo starts up and works perfectly,carrying me through the hard times - everything is perfect on this computer, even if the display is no longer as bright as it once was and even if it is terribly underpowered by today's standards. It 'just works' - Apple at its very best.


Long live Pismo!

 

[PDE]

They just called from the apple store to tell me that it wasn;t just a cable and that they needed to replace the top/keyboard but don''t have those parts in stock. Instead they want to give me a replacement - which they don't have in stock either but expect to get on Monday. So looks like I'll be getting a new one...for better or worse.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the new one won't have any defects....but a lottery is always a lottery and you never know if you're going to come out on top.

Cheers,

 

[iW00t]

Well, I don't know if iW00t was referring solely to machines purchased online or if things have changed, but in October 2003 my iBook was purchased from NextByte and the trackpad was repaired by them the next day.

Hmm did you purchase it from Nextbyte?

I guess they just pretended that the one to one exchange policy didn't exist.

 

[Sopranino]

They just called from the apple store to tell me that it wasn;t just a cable and that they needed to replace the top/keyboard but don''t have those parts in stock. Instead they want to give me a replacement - which they don't have in stock either but expect to get on Monday. So looks like I'll be getting a new one...for better or worse.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the new one won't have any defects....but a lottery is always a lottery and you never know if you're going to come out on top.

Cheers,

My guess is that who ever fixed your trackpad button probably (accidently) cracked off the connector for the cable at the keyboard end.

Well at least they are giving you a new one as replacement.

I actually don't share your (albeit deserved) opinion that there is a substantial risk that the new one will be defective. I personally know five individuals in my area that have just bought either the new MB or MBP and none of them have had any problems or faults. Unfortunately reading through forums tends to give one the impression that there is a large number of problems when in actuality there are probably only the 'expected' level of manufacturing errors.

It will be interesting to find out if your new one is perfect or not, make sure to post back and let everyone know.

Sopranino

 

[PDE]

My guess is that who ever fixed your trackpad button probably (accidently) cracked off the connector for the cable at the keyboard end.

Well at least they are giving you a new one as replacement.

I actually don't share your (albeit deserved) opinion that there is a substantial risk that the new one will be defective. I personally know five individuals in my area that have just bought either the new MB or MBP and none of them have had any problems or faults. Unfortunately reading through forums tends to give one the impression that there is a large number of problems when in actuality there are probably only the 'expected' level of manufacturing errors.

It will be interesting to find out if your new one is perfect or not, make sure to post back and let everyone know.

Sopranino

It does seem that there are fewer issues with the current crop of MBP than the previous ones. I'm very gun shy because I had so many problems with macbooks and macbook pros last year that it was really almost comical. And this time is not that great either - one MBP from amazon with a dead key and yellow tint, one flickering one from the apple store and now this latest one - all within two weeks. It's hard to feel excited or confident that the new one will be fine. At least build quality seems to be better. Last year most of the ones i had exhibited some sort of sloppy assembly, but the ones I've had this year have all looked really good, except for the trackpad button which really was minor albeit annoying for me personally.

Anyway, thanks for your thoughts. I'll write more once I have the other one in my hands!

 

[mad jew]

Hmm did you purchase it from Nextbyte?

I guess they just pretended that the one to one exchange policy didn't exist.

I bought it from NextByte, as my post said. However, it was quite a long time ago now, and things may have changed. Plus, NextByte aren't exactly known for knowing stuff.

 

[iW00t]

I bought it from NextByte, as my post said. However, it was quite a long time ago now, and things may have changed. Plus, NextByte aren't exactly known for knowing stuff.

I generally avoid NextByte and instead go to the shop they have in Norwood.

Those guys really love Macs more (I feel)