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I hate UPS. They smashed my G5...

C

catchbar

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 23, 2005
25
0
I was sending my dual 2ghz powermac G5 to my family in St. Louis from Miami where I currently live. I had thrown away the box that it had orriginally came in. I called Applecare and asked if I could buy another box, and when denied, I asked how to ship it. The advised me to pack it with A LOT of bubble wrap, and ship it from a major shipper like Fedex or UPS in a sturdy box. I bought $35 of bubble wrap, and wrapped all of it around the G5. I then wrapped a blanket around it, and packed all of this in a giant box that Fedex ships toner in(a brand new box). I then shipped this via UPS 3 Day Ground, insuring it for $1000 "just in case"

I received my G5 yesterday. The box looked like it had been thrown around and dropped mulitple times. There were holes in one of the corners(where there had previously been multiple layers of packing tape) and it looked like it had water damage. I was still fine because I assumed that because I had packed eveything so well, it would be fine. When I removed the blankets and opened the bubble wrap, the bottom of my G5 was crushed. The handles on the bottom were smashed in. It looked like the handles had taken all the damage, so while I wasn't exactly pleased, at least I could still use the computer.

I opened the side just to check if there was any internal damage before i turned it on anyways. Sure enough, things were in places that they weren't supposed to be in.(I'm not technologically knowledgable enough to say what)

I went to the apple store with it before I turned it on. They said that it voided my apple care since the computer had been physically damaged, and gave me an estimate for the parts for the repairs- $2799. They as well recommended that I don't plug it in until they look at it.

Any advice from anyone? My next step is to call UPS. Has anyone got any experience dealing with them?
 
should have insured it for more then 1k:rolleyes:


sucks, call UPS and see what they do.. but most importantly be nice and FIRM. Don't call and be like F you Fyou!!!! Tell them what happened and STAND YOUR GROUND
 
catchbar said:
I was sending my dual 2ghz powermac G5 to my family in St. Louis from Miami where I currently live. I had thrown away the box that it had orriginally came in. I called Applecare and asked if I could buy another box, and when denied, I asked how to ship it. The advised me to pack it with A LOT of bubble wrap, and ship it from a major shipper like Fedex or UPS in a sturdy box. I bought $35 of bubble wrap, and wrapped all of it around the G5. I then wrapped a blanket around it, and packed all of this in a giant box that Fedex ships toner in(a brand new box). I then shipped this via UPS 3 Day Ground, insuring it for $1000 "just in case"

I received my G5 yesterday. The box looked like it had been thrown around and dropped mulitple times. There were holes in one of the corners(where there had previously been multiple layers of packing tape) and it looked like it had water damage. I was still fine because I assumed that because I had packed eveything so well, it would be fine. When I removed the blankets and opened the bubble wrap, the bottom of my G5 was crushed. The handles on the bottom were smashed in. It looked like the handles had taken all the damage, so while I wasn't exactly pleased, at least I could still use the computer.

I opened the side just to check if there was any internal damage before i turned it on anyways. Sure enough, things were in places that they weren't supposed to be in.(I'm not technologically knowledgable enough to say what)

I went to the apple store with it before I turned it on. They said that it voided my apple care since the computer had been physically damaged, and gave me an estimate for the parts for the repairs- $2799. They as well recommended that I don't plug it in until they look at it.

Any advice from anyone? My next step is to call UPS. Has anyone got any experience dealing with them?
Click to expand...

Well I guess you learned that even if you could only sell your old one for that much, it's the replacement value that counts.

If the box is heavily damaged, then you may have a case for insurance. Generally they deny claims when the box is fine, but the contents are damaged. There's a reason that the PM G5 boxes are double-walled, and the unit slides into its own custom-fit styrofoam encasement.

The things weigh 50 lbs for Jobs' sake.

Good luck.
 
Here are pictures.
 

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catchbar said:
Here are pictures.
Click to expand...

I think I just threw up a little bit™

Sorry for your loss.

Anyway, instead of continuing to lecture you, the best thing is probably to tell you just to call up UPS - TODAY so they can have an adjuster come out and have a look. At least that way you have a small chance of gettimg some money toward a new G5.
 
iGary said:
I think I just threw up a little bit™
Click to expand...

It's really lucky- I had backed up my data "just in case" before. It still hurts though, yesterday I felt so numb... It was like a friend had left me.:(
 
Those things will take a lot of damage before the computer stops working.

Many a PowerMac G5 has had the feet knocked off and still worked.

As long as the side that the logic board side of case isn't caved in -- it may still work. If it is caved in it could go up in smoke.

Though things may have been knocked loose, so removing some things and plugging them back in may be in order if the machine doesn't work the first time.
 
Sun Baked said:
Those things will take a lot of damage before the computer stops working.

Many a PowerMac G5 has had the feet knocked off and still worked.

As long as the side that the logic board side of case isn't caved in -- it may still work. If it is caved in it could go up in smoke.

Though things may have been knocked loose, so removing some things and plugging them back in may be in order if the machine doesn't work the first time.
Click to expand...

I'd disassemble it, if it was me.
 
catchbar said:
I went to the apple store with it before I turned it on. They said that it voided my apple care since the computer had been physically damaged, and gave me an estimate for the parts for the repairs- $2799. They as well recommended that I don't plug it in until they look at it.
Click to expand...


Do you have any non-Apple Store AASP in your area? If so, see what they'll quote you for repairs, 2800 is ridiculous.
 
A friend of mine used to work at UPS....and he said they had what they called "Purolator days"...basically once a week, they would randomly pick really expensive items and drop them off the back of the truck to see what would happen.
 
mmmcheese said:
A friend of mine used to work at UPS....and he said they had what they called "Purolator days"...basically once a week, they would randomly pick really expensive items and drop them off the back of the truck to see what would happen.
Click to expand...
:eek: :mad: :( :rolleyes: :mad: :eek: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
 
As you can see from this picture, something is a little out of place here. The apple genious said that there was a strong possibility that he would have to replace the logic board as well as at least one of the processors. He also said that to reinstate the apple care, he would need to replace the casing, because of the airflow requirements for the G5.
 

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catchbar said:
As you can see from this picture, something is a little out of place here. The apple genious said that there was a strong possibility that he would have to replace the logic board as well as at least one of the processors. He also said that to reinstate the apple care, he would need to replace the casing, because of the airflow requirements for the G5.
Click to expand...

2800 is still complete overcharging. A new case, logic board, and one processor != 2800 even when accounting for Apple's overpricing repair components.
 
Well, it is your fault that you did not pack the item properly. A quick look on Google would have told you that people have had the handles crushed with FedEx and DHL also because they used the wrong packing materials.

If you read on UPS's Web site (and on your insurance policy that you signed with them)---heavy items are supposed to be packed with 2" of styrofoam inserts on each side. You could have saved yourself so much trouble if you would have taken the G5 down to the UPS Store and had them pack it. Then the fault would have fallen on UPS completely if something got damaged.

Good luck getting your money back---UPS has a stringent insurance assessment policy, and I would imagine considering you did not have styrofoam inserts will deny your $1000. Also, if you tampered with the shipping materials afterwards, UPS will automatically deny your claim. If you shipped it through a local shipping outlet (mom and pop place), you may have better luck convincing them to refund your money.

I had a similar experience with a printer one time (because I didn't pack it properly---oddly enough I packed it similar to how you packed the G5). UPS sent a representative out to my house to examine the package and he told me that my claim would likely be denied (after explaining the policy I signed, etc).
 
Just for more information, I recently sold my Power Mac G5 on eBay and took it down to the UPS Store in its original box to ship it. The representative told me that he would strongly advise me to let him put the item in a larger box with even more packing materials to protect it (not to mention protect it from theft).

You spent $35 on bubble wrap? To have my G5 put in another box with packing peanuts around it was around $8.
 
Well at least you should be able to salvage the HD and your data.

Chances are you will get nothing from UPS, unless they are feeling generous and refund the shipping cost.
 
mmmcheese said:
A friend of mine used to work at UPS....and he said they had what they called "Purolator days"...basically once a week, they would randomly pick really expensive items and drop them off the back of the truck to see what would happen.
Click to expand...

I have a friend who works at FedEX and he says boxes marked "fragile" tend to get targeted for abuse. So I've refrained from ever marking anything as "fragile" ever again just because I'm afraid it will get singled out.


Lethal
 
joshuawaire said:
You spent $35 on bubble wrap? To have my G5 put in another box with packing peanuts around it was around $8.
Click to expand...

Not around here - they would have charged 30 at least to package it up.

Go easy on the guy, folks - he's got a dead, very expensive piece of machinery, I don't think he needs lecturing.
 
LethalWolfe said:
I have a friend who works at FedEX and he says boxes marked "fragile" tend to get targeted for abuse. So I've refrained from ever marking anything as "fragile" ever again just because I'm afraid it will get singled out.


Lethal
Click to expand...

When I was working for Airborne Express/DHL, we had a running joke that "fragile" (prounounced Fra-geel-leh) was french for "break me" or "kick me".

Sadly I know first hand what can happen to boxes, expecially when you are having a bad day. I had a 50 lb box fall off an aircraft belly loader and nail me in the shoulder....that box was unidentifiable when I got all of the rage out of me. Luckily :rolleyes: the box was just full of business forms and not somebody's computer.

Shipping companies are great if you can eliminate the human element from them.
 
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