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Advice Wanted: Botched Repair Center Repair on Macbook Pro

sorryiwasdreami

sorryiwasdreami

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 24, 2004
699
1
way out in the sticks
To keep things concise, I received my 2009 macbook pro back from the repair center dead. The reason it was sent in was because the wi-fi and bluetooth stopped working; however, everything else was working before having it sent in via the Apple Store genius bar.

When picking it up, it was DOA. I was pissed but didn't lose my ****. After a long period of ranting then waiting, then more ranting, the Apple store manager and genius I was working with offered to replace the logic board in house. They formulated the repair paperwork, which called for $493.xx worth of charges, and told me they would discount the cost. I thought, "okay, they're trying to make things right."

Before leaving, the genius told me the repair would be free of charge, saying "that's why it says $0.00 right there on the paperwork" he said, "because there's a 90-day warranty on everything that comes back from the repair center." After hearing that news I was pleased.

Fast-forward to a week later, I get a call from the Apple Store saying the computer is repaired and ready to be picked up and there is a $280 repair charge. I said I didn't understand the charge and would call them back.

Any advice on how to handle this? I can't seem to get ahold of the genius bar fellow who quoted me the "free of charge" price.
 
sorryiwasdreami said:
To keep things concise, I received my 2009 macbook pro back from the repair center dead. The reason it was sent in was because the wi-fi and bluetooth stopped working; however, everything else was working before having it sent in via the Apple Store genius bar.

When picking it up, it was DOA. I was pissed but didn't lose my ****. After a long period of ranting then waiting, then more ranting, the Apple store manager and genius I was working with offered to replace the logic board in house. They formulated the repair paperwork, which called for $493.xx worth of charges, and told me they would discount the cost. I thought, "okay, they're trying to make things right."

Before leaving, the genius told me the repair would be free of charge, saying "that's why it says $0.00 right there on the paperwork" he said, "because there's a 90-day warranty on everything that comes back from the repair center." After hearing that news I was pleased.

Fast-forward to a week later, I get a call from the Apple Store saying the computer is repaired and ready to be picked up and there is a $280 repair charge. I said I didn't understand the charge and would call them back.

Any advice on how to handle this? I can't seem to get ahold of the genius bar fellow who quoted me the "free of charge" price.
Click to expand...

What does your original Repair Authorization form show? I had an issue where my MacBook was dropped on the Bar by a Genius and later gouged across the bottom. They wanted $90 at time of pick up for the bottom case. I refused and the manager just rang me out no problem.
 
It sounds like you are getting the replacement parts at no charge, but you are being billed for labor. Apple repair shops, for out-of-warranty repairs, may not necessarily be reimbursed for labor, and may pass that on to the customer (you). This may not be your problem, and the repair shop may be able to request a CS code to get that.

Could be that your situation is different, and the shop forgot to mention other charges - or, they just plain forgot. You may just question that charge, and tell them about the "paperwork that the genius showed you that showed $0.00 for charges"
If you feel that you rightly owe nothing for either parts or labor, then your next step after talking to the shop: call Apple's customer relations.
 
DeltaMac said:
It sounds like you are getting the replacement parts at no charge, but you are being billed for labor. Apple repair shops, for out-of-warranty repairs, may not necessarily be reimbursed for labor, and may pass that on to the customer (you). This may not be your problem, and the repair shop may be able to request a CS code to get that.

Could be that your situation is different, and the shop forgot to mention other charges - or, they just plain forgot. You may just question that charge, and tell them about the "paperwork that the genius showed you that showed $0.00 for charges"
If you feel that you rightly owe nothing for either parts or labor, then your next step after talking to the shop: call Apple's customer relations.
Click to expand...

Don't you think that's irrelevant? It went in for bad wifi and came back DOA. The repair center ruined his Mac, so he shouldn't have to pay a cent.
 
jbachandouris said:
Don't you think that's irrelevant? It went in for bad wifi and came back DOA. The repair center ruined his Mac, so he shouldn't have to pay a cent.
Click to expand...

Yes, I agree with you.
If the MBPro was shipped to the central repair center, then that is where the repair should happen, I think.
If the local Apple Store offered to repair locally, there may be some hoops to jump through (because the first "repair" was not done locally), or the customer might not want the MBPro shipped off again. And, the labor charge may need separate approval - both labor and parts are not always allowed together - sometimes, it's parts-only. In any case, the customer will likely come out OK. He may still need to call customer relations to help assure that happens, and both parts and labor are covered.
 
sorryiwasdreami said:
Any advice on how to handle this? I can't seem to get ahold of the genius bar fellow who quoted me the "free of charge" price.
Click to expand...
What did they say when you told them the paperwork stated that it would not cost anything?
 
DeltaMac said:
It sounds like you are getting the replacement parts at no charge, but you are being billed for labor. Apple repair shops, for out-of-warranty repairs, may not necessarily be reimbursed for labor, and may pass that on to the customer (you). This may not be your problem, and the repair shop may be able to request a CS code to get that.

Could be that your situation is different, and the shop forgot to mention other charges - or, they just plain forgot. You may just question that charge, and tell them about the "paperwork that the genius showed you that showed $0.00 for charges"
If you feel that you rightly owe nothing for either parts or labor, then your next step after talking to the shop: call Apple's customer relations.
Click to expand...

There are seperate parts and labor charges:
Board, logic, 2.53 GHz $453.41
Hardware Repair Labor $39.00

This was at an actual apple store, btw.

----------
maflynn said:
What did they say when you told them the paperwork stated that it would not cost anything?
Click to expand...

I was too dumbfounded on the phone to think to say that the paperwork's amount due was $0.00. That is a good point to bring up.

----------

One thing I am struggling with is this...

At the time of signing for the paperwork, I pointed to the $492.41 cost at the bottom of the iPad's screen (all the paperwork is done on iPads now). I asked, "is this correct?" The apple genius bar employee said, "no, the cost will be discounted" but he neglected to tell me what the discount would be until after I signed for the repair on the iPad's screen.

So, is there something I'm missing here legally? Did I sign for something I was not aware of?

----------
Altemose said:
What does your original Repair Authorization form show? I had an issue where my MacBook was dropped on the Bar by a Genius and later gouged across the bottom. They wanted $90 at time of pick up for the bottom case. I refused and the manager just rang me out no problem.
Click to expand...

The bottom of my case was also gouged by a mechanical screwdriver while at the repair center. It looks like the power screwdriver lost grip of the screw and rotated its blade into the bottom casing for about an inch long gouge. These people just are not careful with the machines they receive.
 
But, you said you heard two different things.
One, where you were told that there would be a discount, and another told you that the repair would be at no charge.
"Free" is a really nice discount - but $212.41 off, making the charge $280, is also a discount.
Seems like you were either misinformed about the "free" part, or you misunderstood.
$280 is still significantly less than $492.41

But
I also expect that you agreed to the repair, and the "genius" was just guessing that the repair would be "no charge", maybe to make you feel good. That would be a bad way for the shop to do business, particularly if you signed something that appeared to give a charge already.
If you are convinced that you were told "no charge", then you should state your case. Go to the shop, in person.
 
DeltaMac said:
But, you said you heard two different things.
One, where you were told that there would be a discount, and another told you that the repair would be at no charge.
"Free" is a really nice discount - but $212.41 off, making the charge $280, is also a discount.
Seems like you were either misinformed about the "free" part, or you misunderstood.
$280 is still significantly less than $492.41

But
I also expect that you agreed to the repair, and the "genius" was just guessing that the repair would be "no charge", maybe to make you feel good. That would be a bad way for the shop to do business, particularly if you signed something that appeared to give a charge already.
If you are convinced that you were told "no charge", then you should state your case. Go to the shop, in person.
Click to expand...

Thanks; I will go in person. I have been trying to get the apple store to tell me when this particular "genius" is in so that I can coordinate my visit. It's over an hour away.
 
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