Getting my money back???

[Mark Morb]

Ok, as suspected, Apple have now located my iMac (after 3 days!!) and I just spoke to the engineer who says he can't hear anything wrong (I sent it back due to an extremely irritating constant humming/droning noise).
I'm not surprised the amount of noise I could hear in the background on the phone!!!!
He's "going to have another look" but in all likliehood return it with no fault found.
Have I got any recourse to returning the iMac and getting a refund?
I have had it just over two weeks?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[JNB]

I believe that the two-week return window would have to be extended for whatever time it was in Apple's hands. No absolute on that, but it is the reasonable way to manage that time. Just make sure you have names, dates, and any paperwork supporting the "out of your hands and in Apple's" period if you decide to return it.

Since it's been opened & all, I believe the restocking fee may still be applicable. Only your Apple Store knows for sure...

 

[Mark Morb]

Okay, thanks for the reply. I shall wait to see what the engineer decides this afternoon.
I bought it from the online UK store so I'm hoping that I can just refuse to accept the iMac back and get the service centre to return it to Apple. Regarding the Restock fee I will have to take my chances (I'd happily accept an exchange but if the engineer says "no fault" then that isn't going to happen)

 

[bluedoggiant]

Be there with him, and point it out to him.

 

[Mark Morb]

Be there with him, and point it out to him.

I can't, the service centre is 100 miles away!! they picked the iMac up by Courier on Tuesday.....just spoke to the engineer and he says he cannot hear anything out of the ordinairy!!!
I could hear so much noise in the background in their workshop I'm not surprised!!!
Anyway he's going to leave it on over the weekend and report back Monday afternoon...looks like they are just going to return it to me, then I guess I'll call Applecare again and see where we can go from there...*sigh*
I really love the machine but I know the humming will just drive me mad if I keep it...

 

[bluedoggiant]

I can't, the service centre is 100 miles away!! they picked the iMac up by Courier on Tuesday.....just spoke to the engineer and he says he cannot hear anything out of the ordinairy!!!
I could hear so much noise in the background in their workshop I'm not surprised!!!
Anyway he's going to leave it on over the weekend and report back Monday afternoon...looks like they are just going to return it to me, then I guess I'll call Applecare again and see where we can go from there...*sigh*
I really love the machine but I know the humming will just drive me mad if I keep it...

tell him to take it in the back, where they store everything, its got to be quite in there.

 

[atl27426]

Ok, as suspected, Apple have now located my iMac (after 3 days!!) and I just spoke to the engineer who says he can't hear anything wrong (I sent it back due to an extremely irritating constant humming/droning noise).
I'm not surprised the amount of noise I could hear in the background on the phone!!!!
He's "going to have another look" but in all likliehood return it with no fault found.
Have I got any recourse to returning the iMac and getting a refund?
I have had it just over two weeks?

Thanks,
Mark

I know the exact sound you are talking about I had to return one of my two iMacs for the same reason. I am always shocked at what people in the UK have to go through compared to the US. Also the service in the retail stores compared to online.

I have an Apple Store 10 mins away, if I make a appointment 99% of the time I can get it that day and if they find an issue 100% of the time they just bring my system in the back and bring me out a new one. I don't know if I am really lucky of if service out of the US and online is just that bad compared to my local Apple store.

I really hope it works out for you and I would really push Applecare hard. I know the sound you are talking about it comes from the back on the right side.

 

[harcosparky]

Let them return it to you.

Fire it up and see if the noise is still there, if it is not there let it run for a while and see if the noise comes back.

Now here is an idea.

The iMac has a built in microphone.

You could set the machine up in a very very quiet room, fire up say, iMovie and make a clip of you sitting in front of the iMac and if the noise is present the microphone will pick it up.

Then if you have to send it back, you can tell them to listen to the video clip.

I used to work in a facility that tested electric motors off the production line for problems such as bad bearings. The setup was a sound proof box with 2 microphones inside that fed into an audio spectrum analyzer which was computer run. They would power up the motor and listen via the analyzer.

Ideally you'd want the iMac in a 'sound proof' room or box, but that's a bit tough to do.

One more thing .... I recall hearing about a 'noise' that people heard tied somehow to LCD intensity. Try adjusting the LCD brightness to see if the noise changes.

 

[Mark Morb]

OK, Update.

The engineer has now accepted that there is a fault causing the noise. Apparently it is the "Blower", whatever that is!! Anyway, they have placed an order for a new one which should arrive in about 48 hours...probably will not get my iMac returned till next week and will report back as to whether the repair has solved the issue....fingers crossed....

 

[harcosparky]

OK, Update.

The engineer has now accepted that there is a fault causing the noise. Apparently it is the "Blower", whatever that is!! Anyway, they have placed an order for a new one which should arrive in about 48 hours...probably will not get my iMac returned till next week and will report back as to whether the repair has solved the issue....fingers crossed....

Blower = Fan

 

[Mark Morb]

Well, the Blower has been replaced and my iMac is being returned tomorrow, hopefully it will be fixed and I can get on with enjoying everything the iMac has to offer.

I'll let you know.....

 

[AlexisV]

Fair enough.

For your information you could still reject the machine within 28 days if the scenario arose where the engineer denied there was a problem with it.

I know the exact sound you are talking about I had to return one of my two iMacs for the same reason. I am always shocked at what people in the UK have to go through compared to the US. Also the service in the retail stores compared to online.

I have an Apple Store 10 mins away, if I make a appointment 99% of the time I can get it that day and if they find an issue 100% of the time they just bring my system in the back and bring me out a new one. I don't know if I am really lucky of if service out of the US and online is just that bad compared to my local Apple store.

I really hope it works out for you and I would really push Applecare hard. I know the sound you are talking about it comes from the back on the right side.

Depends where you live. There are two Apple stores in Manchester, but it would be a trek to find one if I lived in Cumbria for example.

 

[danyoo]

Fair enough.

For your information you could still reject the machine within 28 days if the scenario arose where the engineer denied there was a problem with it.



Depends where you live. There are two Apple stores in Manchester, but it would be a trek to find one if I lived in Cumbria for example.

Can anyone clarify what the policy of returns and getting your money back in the UK is?

I had a 20" iMac for 3weeks; and the hard drive was failing; i phoned and they said that it HAD to be repaired; which I did but it took the repairers 5weeks to look at the pc and then once acknowledging the fault said it would take 2 weeks to get the HD; meaning in total they would have had it for nearly 2months. Phoned up and complained and its just gone back to Apple today and they are refunding my money and said if i would like another I can repurchase it..

Is the policy 14days money back or does the 28days law stand? and they said nothing about a restocking fee, is it likely theyll charge me?

Sorry for hijacking your thread..

 

[Joko]

Good luck to you and all the others out there in a similar situation. My thoughts are with you, all the best.

 

[Mark Morb]

Well, the iMac was returned....still making the humming sound. Not only that but it now has major WiFi problems which were not there before sending it back, see this thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/437765/

Anyway, spoke to Applecare last night and they told me to send it back to the repair centre. No way. I've had the iMac 4 weeks, two of which it has been in the repair centre. I did not spend nearly £1500 on a computer to have to keep returning it.
After about 1 and a half hours on the phone they eventually agreed to exchange the iMac. That's fine with me as I love the machine but I've obviously got a duffer...
They said they will contact me today to arrange collection of my old one, only then will they arrange delivery of a replacement (as it's not standard spec I assume I will have to wait another two weeks for a replacement to be sent out!!)

I'll keep this thread up to date with my progress...