iMac repair: Sometimes it's tough to stay in love with Apple.

[mcgroarty]

Taking a minute to gripe here...

* iMac overheating and spontaneously shutting down whenever doing GPU heavy activities, such as video playback, screen recording, or doing remote desktop screen shares with Apple

* Spend two weeks back and forth on the phone, email, and remote desktop sessions with Apple support. We repeatedly reinstalled OS X, including twice wiping out the entire install and verifying that the problem persists with a fresh OS X install

* Told to take iMac to the nearest Apple authorized repair center

* A week later the repair center gives it back. They don't know how to service the new (Late 2014 Retina) iMacs. Sounds like they basically tried blowing the dust out, then threw their hands up.

* No option to mail in an iMac - they only offer that for mobile devices and laptops

* Nearest Apple Store is 100 miles each way, making for 400 miles of round trip driving to drop it off and pick it up

Why the hell do they have to literally glue the new iMacs together? What did this save over using screws?

Has anyone had luck getting Apple to let them ship an iMac UPS or FedEx? It seems crazy if my only options are taking two half days off work for road trips or spending a few hundred bucks on an errand service. This is the premium AppleCare extended warranty I paid for?

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Modern Apple build strategy says time to throw that one away and buy another. Welcome to the disposable desktop era.

Be sure to join the chorus that bashes those ifixit teardowns that rate Macs so terribly due to stuff like lots of glue and solder.

And per that chorus: somehow this issue is YOUR fault.

And praise "thinner"- a must, must, MUST for a desktop computer!

 

[mcgroarty]

And praise "thinner"- a must, must, MUST for a desktop computer!

I'm sure someday someone other than the Mac repair shop will look at it from the side, and that person might be impressed. Until then, I feel like I'm being fed a hell of a lot of trouble just so they can pack a few more into each shipping container.

 

[bcave098]

Assuming you're in the United States, AppleCare includes on-site service, if you request it. Otherwise go to another AASP or to the Apple Store. There's no option for mail with desktops so they can't set that up.

 

[mcgroarty]

Assuming you're in the United States, AppleCare includes on-site service, if you request it.

In the US at least, on-site service is only an option (at Apple's discretion) near 15 of the largest cities.

There's no option for mail with desktops so they can't set that up.

Yeah. That's the gripe. It really seems like there should be an exception for people who are nowhere near an Apple Store or AASP that's capable of working on a newer model iMac. I've never run into another consumer brand where they thought it was okay to tell a customer to drive 400 miles to drop off and pick up something that could easily be sent via UPS. At worst, they would make a customer pay for one leg of the shipping.

 

[briloronmacrumo]

Which year and model of iMac is overheating?

 

[merkinmuffley]

My Apple store is 90 miles away from my home. When my 2015 IMac needed service I took it in, they repaired it and I picked it up. I think they did a good job.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

You could consider shipping the iMac yourself with a 3. party, to the Apple Store. It would at least save you those two days.

Which year and model of iMac is overheating?

He wrote that in the post: Late 2014 Retina

 

[briloronmacrumo]

He wrote that in the post: Late 2014 Retina

Thanks for the assist. Obviously, I need to read more carefully. Since I might have to consider a late 2015 iMac purchase, knowing which iMac is helpful.

 

[varian55zx]

And praise "thinner"- a must, must, MUST for a desktop computer!

Apple's official motto is "Go thin or go home".

 

[maflynn]

Why the hell do they have to literally glue the new iMacs together? What did this save over using screws?

That's because they don't want you as the consumer to open it up.

No option to mail in an iMac - they only offer that for mobile devices and laptops

I can't imagine mailing in my iMac, I'd probably go out on a limb and say that many people don't include the original packaging for the iMac and the risk of damage from an ill packed iMac would be high