Repairs, repairs and...well more repairs

[Flyinace2000]

My powerbook is a little over 14 months old (bought when they released the 1.67ghz model in feb 05). Since then i have had the following repairs done

1. Faulty track pad (would constantly need to be reset - common problem from what i read here and other places)

2. Faulty track pad again

3. Noisy hard drive - The ASM modul was constantly parking the hard drive head. They replaced the drive

4. Battery recall

5. Blotchy screen. I had the same symptons as the hardware extension program except my model didn't fall within the serial #'s that were "affected". So i got the screen replaced

6. Recently my trackpad button has lost its clickity click. It still works but doesn't give you any tactile feedback on the right side of the button.

To apple's credit i always had my laptop back to me within 5 days, which is blazingly fast. But just having to send this laptop out is very annoying. To ad to this list my battery has gone to crap. I can barely squeeze 2 hours out of her anymore. I used to be able to get 2.5 without trying and 3.5 with heavy power conservation.

Anyway. Anyone else had THIS many issues? I am just glad i have apple care.

 

[iGav]

Anyway. Anyone else had THIS many issues?

That's nothing mate. Seriously.

 

[lanray]

For what it's worth, I'd complain a bit. That's nearly 1 month without your expensive, top-of-the-line lappy. I'd at least ask for a MBP for my troubles. The most they can do is say no.

 

[Flyinace2000]

For what it's worth, I'd complain a bit. That's nearly 1 month without your expensive, top-of-the-line lappy. I'd at least ask for a MBP for my troubles. The most they can do is say no.

I am going to do that the next time i call. I have to call them about the track pad button and the craptastic battery life. Mac book pro would be sweeeeeet.

 

[Aramis]

Personally I would say you have a lemon with that many repairs. Over the last five years I have owned 4 ThinkPads (T23, T30, T40, and T42p)and (now) 1 MBP. I never had to return any of my ThinkPads for any issues whatsoever. I think this says something about IBM's (now Lenovo) quality. Considering the quality that Apple has come to be known for, if I were to have the issues w/ my MBP that you have with our PB, I would definitely want more than just "another" repair - regardless of the short return time. I would ask for a replacement system.

I would expect/accept that many issues from lesser companies, but with Apple you are hoping that you are truly getting what you pay for.

Good luck!

 

[Flyinace2000]

ANyone had experiance with getting a new system? A MBP would be very nice. Trying to watch any HD content on the PB is impossible.

 

[Aramis]

You may be able to workout an exchange for a new PB, or pay the difference for an upgrade to a MBP, but I doubt you will get a new MBP for free.

Good luck!

 

[Flyinace2000]

I might wait for the semester to end, because this is the home stretch for me. I graduate in may and i can't be without my laptop again for any length of time without falling behind.

 

[NEENAHBOY]

Anyway. Anyone else had THIS many issues?

Allow me to regale you with a story. It all started back in June of last year, when one day when my PowerBook began emitting beeps on startup. I determined that it was a faulty bottom RAM slot. I sent it in to Apple to get repaired, and they had to replace the logic board. But that was only the start of it.

Upon its return to me, I noticed that the aluminum had warped considerably around the SuperDrive, to the point where the hard plastic edging was separating from the casing. I sent it back to them, and they replaced the bottom case assembly.

Upon its return to me, it was discovered that the Bluetooth module had somehow come unseated, most likely during shipping. Back it went. This was repair three. You can imagine that by then I was getting more than a little fed up. The PowerBook was just over a year old, and dammit, I wanted it to work! However, the Apple product specialist told me that I didn't yet qualify for a replacement; one more bad thing had to happen to it.

Fast-forward a few months. Everything was working fine, until one day when the SuperDrive began making a very high-pitched whirring noise whenever the computer shifted in the slightest. I tried numerous solutions, but nothing seemed to work, and Apple set up a replacement. However, it was a busy time, and I couldn't afford to be without it for any period, so I let the shipping label expire.

Fast-forward another few months. Everything was working fine, until one day I couldn't insert a standard disc into the SuperDrive, almost as though it had shifted out of alignment. I called Apple, and various solutions were attempted, all to no avail. Another replacement was set up. This time, I sent it in. I'm now typing on a month-old PowerBook.

Thus is the tale of my repair saga.

 

[poolin1243]

i too have had faulty powerbook(S)

yes....powerbookS!
15" powerbooks..
my first one...bought in october of 2004, was a lemon...everything in the book was wrong with it... after almost a month without it, i said u know what, this repair is taking way to long...give me a new laptop to replace this lemon, or i am taking my business and customer loyalty elsewhere...the manager of the store got right on it...got me a new powerbook (this was march 05..not an old powerbook at all!)

the powerbook they gave me was the scrolling trackpad revision, which had just come out.. i was happy. for a few weeks......

then this powerbook started having problems...
logic board
hard drive
optical drive
dc in board
trackpad acts funny sometimes (like its gone dumb)(cant get it to reproduce in store, so no repair)
top case replaced
bottom case replaced
inside casing replaced..(both handrest and lcd bezel)

so this replacement powerbook is just as bad as the first one...and has been gone about a month combined...

im getting to my wits end.

every single mac i have owned has had a need for repair.
mac mini g4
two powerbooks-explained above
another powerbook 12" with problems
powermac g4
and now...my intel iMac has problems.

 

[marchcapital]

i have been a windows user all my life and when i switched a few months ago to an iBook G4 at first was absolutly amazed by the extrodinary operating system. although, after i was released from the trance of how beautiful the operating system was i started to realise everything that was faulty with the hardware. needless to say i was on the phone with apple and after 4 days of calling and argueing eventually got a replacment ibook, which im planning to sell and most likley buy a Thinkpad or somthing. i am absolutly apauled by the rediculously horrid quality of apples hardware. i think they should concentrate on what their good and keep writing the system and have someone else create the little boxes to put that code in. if i could just install mac osX on an IBM 12" thinkpad, that would be a killer combination!

 

[Flyinace2000]

if i could just install mac osX on an IBM 12" thinkpad, that would be a killer combination!

you can do that now.

 

[marchcapital]

are you serious? so i can just buy a thinkpad and Mac OSX software and it will install on the pc with no trouble...and its legal?

 

[Flyinace2000]

are you serious? so i can just buy a thinkpad and Mac OSX software and it will install on the pc with no trouble...and its legal?

http://www.osx86project.org/

Sorta legal,