Need help from all Apple users. Please support me and solidarize!!!

[Enea]

Dear all. I have bought in Germany an imac 27" and after using it for a month I realized that it had scratched all my DVD and CD that I have put in it. I had always a message "Skipping over the damaged area". After putting in it also very new DVDs I thought something MUST be wrong here. I turned my brand new DVD and saw the other side of it. Many many scratches like a cat's paw.
For more over than two months I didn t have my computer home. I went three times at Gravis (the authorized store of Apple in Berlin) and brought my computer there. My computer was not repaired. Moreover the people that used to look on my imac didn' t pay attention at all and believe me. They were saying that the fault is mine and I have to put a CD correctly. So arrogant!
Than I brought my imac to Mediamarkt, where I also bought it. They began to communicate with apple central store in Frankurt. my computer was sent to a service. Apple store in frankurt itself took about one month to answer the letters from Mediamarkt. Once they wrote that "we have no opinion about this problem". But it appeared that this new imac is problematic from the fabric. There are many computers like mine. So always control them very carefully!!!
Now a new computer is comming from Shanghai as a replacement for the older one.
But I have a problem. I want to claim for damages for the DVDs, for the time I didn' t have my computer home (for more than 2 months), for the calls (i have been hanging on the phone so much, and so on and so on... Apple doesn't want to give money but some paper with the right to buy other apple products on line. But I don' t want and don't need other products.
To take a lawyer now is not worth it. I had to be insured (law insurance) three months before the problem appeared. If I take one now it would cost very much! And I dont know if I win with such a consortium like Apple.
Where can I write and complain? Do you have any e-mails addresses from Apple Store in America? What do you suggest? Please help me.
Please HELP!!!
Yours,
Enea.

 

[itommyboy]

To accomplish what you are talking about I would suggest hiring an attorney and filing a lawsuit. Yeah my thoughts exactly, so much for those lost cd's and dvd's.

As for your mac if it's got an issue call Apple and tell them you want to send it to them for repair and/or replacement. Hopefully you still have warranty or bought Apple Care. Good luck.

 

[MacHamster68]

first you need everything in writing , phonecalls are only ok for small problems , if a bigger problem occurs you need everything in writing ,as a phonecall is no proof or anything and write the whole story to apple germany in a nice polite letter ,
you also could write one to apple inc . headquarters in cupertino , but really polite and dont threaten them with a lawsuit in your first letters , that doesn't get you nowhere , as they are more likely to throw such a letter away
and every letter as "einschreiben mit rueckschein " cost you more to send ,but they cant say they never received the letter , and you got proof they received it

its more likely with polite letters to get to a agreement you and apple can live with, and if not then you got proof of everything in writing which makes it easier for a lawyer and cheaper
and if you do phonecalls then always keep the name of the person you called , as that is very important in the letters , telling apple i called someone somewhere doesn't really help them to find out why everything took that long , and why the case didn't get done in a manner it should have been done

 

[Enea]

Yes, I do have all the letters for each reparation. Thanks for writting.

 

[IndustrialSpace]

Sorry to hear of your troubles.

Some have used duct tape or packing tape to line the edges of the slot. It appears that as the internal drive retracts the disc inward, it rubs against the outter edges of the iMac's external slot, causing severe scratches on both sides of the disc.

Good luck with getting anything from Apple. There really should be a more diligent effort on Apple's part to address these issues. Perhaps litigation helps.

 

[newuser2310]

sorry to hear about your problems. Polite letters get you much further in my experience, remember to keep a copy of all the letters you send and what date you sent them.

It is worth putting some tape wrapped round the edge of the drive, it looks a bit untidy but does the job.

Luckily I have only scratched one cd and was careful from then on. One day I decided to stick the tape on just to be safe.

 

[natewsmith]

Apple WILL replace your Mac. I have heard of this problem and so has Apple. Just call and be nice and let them know what has happened. They will ship you out a brand new one.

They have for me!

 

[Enea]

Apple has replaced it. I have also written above that the new computer is comming. I don't know how long did you wait for your computer, but in my occasion it took extreemely long to explain Apple that it is indeed a problem with the Imac.
As a consumer you have the right to put a deadline. My problem was that I did not buy at an Apple store, but at a mediator like Mediamarkt.
The technician in the Apple store in Berlin did not see any defect for three times. He changed the driver two times but for the third time, when I brought my computer again, he did not want to look at my computer at all.
So i would also try, if I was Apple to be nice to clients and not spoil my image.
Maybe you think I am exaggerating, but when I recall how much did I pay for something that I didn't see for almost two and a half months... And the arrogance is not forgieveable.
Regards.
P.S. Forgive my English.

 

[natewsmith]

It was surprisingly fast they said 5-10 days but it was closer to 4. Both of them came from China.

I can understand your frustration with the unit and the guy who you took it to. I have those problems here in the U.S. as well. I think it takes some time for these issues to travel down the stream.

When I go to the Apple Store at Valley Fair Mall in San Jose, CA I never get good service and they have no clue what to do. But if I take it up to University Ave in Cupertino, *aka Steve Jobs Store* they are more inclined to listen to me and actually try to figure out what is wrong.

When I do go into other stores when I have to I say I refuse to have this person or this person help me because I feel they can't help me.

Now when I go in I just ask for the Apple Genius Manager on duty and have them help me.

 

[WindowsTraitor]

Hi,

I believe you did many things wrong. I am familiar with the German situation, and by law when you buy from Mediamarkt you have 2 years warranty instead of only one year.

Gravis is just another authorized re-seller. I am not sure where you live in Germany, but the apple store in Munich is very helpful. I had a problem with my USA MBP power cord and they replaced it on the spot.

I had a similar problem with another product I bought in Germany.

I would suggest you to write a very strong letter to GRAVIS, MEDIAMARKT and Apple.

I would even add the fact that if they do not react, you could possibly contact the european consumer protection organizations, and newspapers.

You may get something out of that. BUt I believe a lawyer will not help, as you basically do not have much of a case.

 

[Enea]

So my second, new 27 " imac scratches also the CDs. Isn't it luck?
AND from the last Imac I had 59 DVD strongly scratched and 14 more slightly.
I live in Berlin.
Gravis, I thought it might be sooner, it takes only 3 days for a repair but mediamarkt 2 weeks, the computer was bad and mediamarkt itself didn't want to repair it. That is why I got another computer from Frankfurt Main on-line store at the end.
Gravis- never to recommend. Arrogant!
Mediamarkt? -I don#t know why have they took Apple computers to sell in their store and I do also not know why the hell did I buy it there.

What brings writing to Mediamarkt? They said hey are only mediators, they only sell. They also tried to contact APple, but the store did not answer, so they put 2 deadlines (friest) and nothing, than I called Applecare myself and told them it is a scandal! Than the case moved.