Is Apple playing dirty with tech support?

[the vj]

I have 4 12" Powerbooks, I live in Venezuela.

When somethings goes wrong with them UNDER warranty usually in 5 days or 3 weeks I have the spare part and everything fine.

But when the warranty expires it takes at least 8 MONTHS to get the replacement.

I do not know how it is in the US but I have the feeling that these delays are due to teh fallowing reasons:

1. Pushing the costumer to get Apple Care next time.
2. Pushing me to get a new mac if I really need it instead of waiting for the spare part. Therefore... I better get Apple Care as well.

I see no reason of the difference between one service and the other.

I have 4 Powerbooks, I can not afford Apple Care for all of them and now I am facing that if anything goes wrong with one of them I have to start canibalizing it and getting a new one.

So many applications still running just fine in those machines but I see Apple making everything harder throught the service.

I had an Apple representative who wanted to interview me for the Apple web site and all I did was aking him those questions. Of course the interview never appeared at the Apple web site.

Are you having the same problem with tech support?

 

[DiamondMac]

I am getting near the point of needing a new MBP.

My warrenty expired last month and my first Mac is getting a little old for my taste.

As for the customer service, I have always found it to be quick and easy.

 

[the vj]

I am getting near the point of needing a new MBP.

My warrenty expired last month and my first Mac is getting a little old for my taste.

As for the customer service, I have always found it to be quick and easy.

Yeah but what about those who does not need to get one?

One of my PB broke down and I had to wait 8 months. I though was the store but I asked in another store and the sales man told me that is catually happening, if you are out of warranty you are doomed.

When my second PB broke down just a month after the warranty expired I took the PDF receipt I had, photoshoped the date, took it to tech support and 2 weeks later was fixed, it was the mother board.

The message is: do not wait for the spare part, get a new one then.