Hi!
I've googled this many times, and I've found that a lot of the topics are outdated. My story, in a way, is very unique.
I bought my MBP in the summer of 2008, after I had graduated High School, in Germany. I then proceeded to go to school for photojournalism in Ohio. The computer was working fine, until almost exactly one year later. (I have the extended warranty which runs out this summer). So I bring it in for repair, and they say the Logic Board and my Keyboard need replaced. I say it's fine, later to find out everything was done with no cost to me. Which was great. Except the fact that the bottom case was slightly warped after the repair. But I was like, "Well, they did whole bunch of free work, imma quit my complaining and take what I can get".
About 6 months later, issues repeated. The button for the left click on the mouse died, as well as my keyboard. I bring it into repair, stressing the fact that I'm a freelance photographer, shooting 7-10 events a week, along with things like, you know, school, papers, etc. They are very understanding, take my laptop, give it back to me an hour later and say that I need to come back when the parts are back. So, a week later, they do the repair while I wait instore. Everything is dandy. There are 4 or 5 other major repairs done this way, everything is great.
Then, this past fall (2010), the battery exploded on me. Not too uncommon of an issue with this MBP I read, and they just pulled a battery off the shelf and gave it to me. Little did I know that my superdrive would start fragmenting 2 out of 3 discs I try to burn with it. They replace it. I get it back, and there's a dark spot on the display. I note this, and they take it for repairs. AGAIN.
This is when stuff is hitting the fan.
I come in to pick it up, after they had called me to do so, just to find out that they were going to replace the Logic Board for a second time. This is my third logic board. They didn't call me about this, and just assumed it was alrite to order the part and proceed with the repair. I'm pissed, and I told them it was unacceptable, because my company was shooting a charity event the next night. They repaired it on the spot. I told them I considered this computer highly unreliable, and before the repair, I asked two of the managers about a possible replacement (Come on, 4+ major repairs, 3 logic board, 3 keyboards, 1 scree...???). They say under no way could Apple Care, that apple store nor any other store replace it. I say 'fine, repair it.' because I have not only that charity but also 2 online exams and 2 papers to write.
On my way home, with my newly repaired macbook, I call Apple Care. I tell the rep what had happened, and he immediately transfered me to a manager, who will remain unnamed. He said that if I would have said no to the repair, he could've replaced it. I felt like my heart break. I loved apple, and trusted their products, and they always seemed to act in my best interest. I felt like crap, feeling incredibly lied to. So, he said, he'd extend my warranty by 12 months, and should anything major happen, he would replace it, no questions asked.
So, I go to my charity assignment. I try to set up my mobile workstation, tethered camera, etc. I notice that GUESS WHAT? one of my USB ports is bent and unusable. So I'm on the assignment, and I apologize for my french, but I was screwed. I had to keep swapping stuff. So the next day, I go to apple. They say that I did the damage, or at least they have no record of it leaving the shop in said condition. All I did with my MBP before the event was charge it. So they tell me that they'll need to put another Logic Board in. I tell them I'm leaving for home (germany) and I couldn't do this until fall semester started. They said alrite.
Now, I'm in Germany, and the other day, out of the blue, my keyboard and mouse stopped working. Entirely. I emailed that manager and he basically said that I'm SOL and he can't do anything other than replace my current computer with the same model, 2008 17" MBP. So now I'm in Germany, supposed to shoot assignments, but I have to lug a keyboard and mouse around, and can't tether my camera, because the two spots that work are taken by mouse and keyboard. So I'm frustrated and disappointed. And blatantly don't know what to do. I wrote a friendly email to my rep saying that his offer simply wasn't good enough, that I was disappointed by the product and I couldn't trust it. Shooting assignments all around the Europe and America at this point, I need to have a mobile power house that I can rely on to be a solid machine, even under stress. This simply isn't the computer for photographers.
I just don't know what to do... any advice, contacts I could use? Please, I really need the help. I can't afford a new MBP nor the repairs here in Germany nor switching to Alienware or Dell mobile workstation (I'd have to re-purchase Adobe, as well as rearrange my workflow due to the fact that Aperture is unavailable for Windows.)
I've googled this many times, and I've found that a lot of the topics are outdated. My story, in a way, is very unique.
I bought my MBP in the summer of 2008, after I had graduated High School, in Germany. I then proceeded to go to school for photojournalism in Ohio. The computer was working fine, until almost exactly one year later. (I have the extended warranty which runs out this summer). So I bring it in for repair, and they say the Logic Board and my Keyboard need replaced. I say it's fine, later to find out everything was done with no cost to me. Which was great. Except the fact that the bottom case was slightly warped after the repair. But I was like, "Well, they did whole bunch of free work, imma quit my complaining and take what I can get".
About 6 months later, issues repeated. The button for the left click on the mouse died, as well as my keyboard. I bring it into repair, stressing the fact that I'm a freelance photographer, shooting 7-10 events a week, along with things like, you know, school, papers, etc. They are very understanding, take my laptop, give it back to me an hour later and say that I need to come back when the parts are back. So, a week later, they do the repair while I wait instore. Everything is dandy. There are 4 or 5 other major repairs done this way, everything is great.
Then, this past fall (2010), the battery exploded on me. Not too uncommon of an issue with this MBP I read, and they just pulled a battery off the shelf and gave it to me. Little did I know that my superdrive would start fragmenting 2 out of 3 discs I try to burn with it. They replace it. I get it back, and there's a dark spot on the display. I note this, and they take it for repairs. AGAIN.
This is when stuff is hitting the fan.
I come in to pick it up, after they had called me to do so, just to find out that they were going to replace the Logic Board for a second time. This is my third logic board. They didn't call me about this, and just assumed it was alrite to order the part and proceed with the repair. I'm pissed, and I told them it was unacceptable, because my company was shooting a charity event the next night. They repaired it on the spot. I told them I considered this computer highly unreliable, and before the repair, I asked two of the managers about a possible replacement (Come on, 4+ major repairs, 3 logic board, 3 keyboards, 1 scree...???). They say under no way could Apple Care, that apple store nor any other store replace it. I say 'fine, repair it.' because I have not only that charity but also 2 online exams and 2 papers to write.
On my way home, with my newly repaired macbook, I call Apple Care. I tell the rep what had happened, and he immediately transfered me to a manager, who will remain unnamed. He said that if I would have said no to the repair, he could've replaced it. I felt like my heart break. I loved apple, and trusted their products, and they always seemed to act in my best interest. I felt like crap, feeling incredibly lied to. So, he said, he'd extend my warranty by 12 months, and should anything major happen, he would replace it, no questions asked.
So, I go to my charity assignment. I try to set up my mobile workstation, tethered camera, etc. I notice that GUESS WHAT? one of my USB ports is bent and unusable. So I'm on the assignment, and I apologize for my french, but I was screwed. I had to keep swapping stuff. So the next day, I go to apple. They say that I did the damage, or at least they have no record of it leaving the shop in said condition. All I did with my MBP before the event was charge it. So they tell me that they'll need to put another Logic Board in. I tell them I'm leaving for home (germany) and I couldn't do this until fall semester started. They said alrite.
Now, I'm in Germany, and the other day, out of the blue, my keyboard and mouse stopped working. Entirely. I emailed that manager and he basically said that I'm SOL and he can't do anything other than replace my current computer with the same model, 2008 17" MBP. So now I'm in Germany, supposed to shoot assignments, but I have to lug a keyboard and mouse around, and can't tether my camera, because the two spots that work are taken by mouse and keyboard. So I'm frustrated and disappointed. And blatantly don't know what to do. I wrote a friendly email to my rep saying that his offer simply wasn't good enough, that I was disappointed by the product and I couldn't trust it. Shooting assignments all around the Europe and America at this point, I need to have a mobile power house that I can rely on to be a solid machine, even under stress. This simply isn't the computer for photographers.
I just don't know what to do... any advice, contacts I could use? Please, I really need the help. I can't afford a new MBP nor the repairs here in Germany nor switching to Alienware or Dell mobile workstation (I'd have to re-purchase Adobe, as well as rearrange my workflow due to the fact that Aperture is unavailable for Windows.)