My beef with the iBook and Applecare

[iPat]

Just brougt my 700mHz iBook in today to get the logic board replaced for the seond time in 8 months. From what I can see over at the Apple forums this is an extremely common problem. I love Apple's innovation but their methods of managing DEFECTIVE products sucks. I have a feeling that I will just be bringing my iBook in every 4 months for the next 2 1/2 years for it's 4 month logic board replacement. It's under Applecare but the problem is they are just replacing one defective board for another. Hell, even if they send me an entirely new machine IT WON'T HELP THE PROBLEM. Although the bill would about $385 every time I get a new logic board so this problem has definately given me my moneys worth as far as Applecare goes. I bet Apple only does something when they realize they are spending more money on replacing logic boards than they make on Applecare. Like all big companies it's all about the bottom line!

I know most other computer companies aren't any better but, to be honest, I've owned Dells and Toshibas and never has any problems.

However, even with my iBook's problems, I do have to say that I love my iBook, when it works!!!!!

 

[jaguarx]

Try my problem - one of the little rubber feet fell off my 12"PB so since i'd bought applecare i though i'd get it replaced - it's annoying as hell as the machine 'rocks' when it's on a flat surface. So i go in and they tell me it's a non-warranty repair because it was not meant to come off and thus i'd have to pay around AU$700 to have the ENTEIRE BOTTOM HALF OF THE CASE REPLACED. I mean bloody hell i'm sure they wern't meant to come off - thats why i bought an extended warranty for crying out loud!

 

[macguymike]

I'm having the exact same problem, my friend. Check out the thread I started (Apple's (Lousy) Support) - I've recieved some really helpful comments there.

In fact, my post looks a lot like yours. *chuckles*

Originally posted by jaguarx
Try my problem - one of the little rubber feet fell off my 12"PB so since i'd bought applecare i though i'd get it replaced - it's annoying as hell as the machine 'rocks' when it's on a flat surface. So i go in and they tell me it's a non-warranty repair because it was not meant to come off and thus i'd have to pay around AU$700 to have the ENTEIRE BOTTOM HALF OF THE CASE REPLACED. I mean bloody hell i'm sure they wern't meant to come off - thats why i bought an extended warranty for crying out loud!

 

[jefhatfield]

the logicboard thing is an issue with some apple computers....but overall, most computers do a good job for the majority of users

 

[iPat]

The "logic board thing" may only involve some Apple computers (i.e. the iBook) but there are many many people on the Apple forums that have had their logic boards changed 2, 3, 4 times already. When every replacement part is defective and you continue to use the defective part it is just stupid. My dental school has just recently decided to make everyone get a laptop as the clinic is going paperless. People are having to decide between Apple 12" Powerbooks and Toshibas. I already have an iBook and people ask me about the Apple computers. Although I have been a big supporter of Apple up till now, I can't recommend they buy a computer from a company that knows they are using a defective part. If these people (myself included) don't have a working laptop, they can't see patients as they won't have access to patient info in the operatory.

Apple's apparent lack of willingness to fix the logic boards and recall iBooks is not just an inconvience for but a source of lost work, money or in my case pissed off patients who are sent home untreated.

 

[Gus]

Those little rubber feet can be purchased from Apple or a reseller for about $20. Sometimes you can find them on eBay cheaper. I've replaced 3 of them on my fiancés iBook. It's really not that difficult. Whoever told you that you had to replace the whole bottom half, I would suggest not going back to them ever again.

Regards,
Gus

 

[rainman::|:|]

this does not happen to every ibook user, nor is every replacement also defective. some people just have bad luck with service.

pnw

 

[shadowfax]

Originally posted by paulwhannel
this does not happen to every ibook user, nor is every replacement also defective. some people just have bad luck with service.

pnw

exactly. when my power supply went dead, i was pissed that i had to wait 5-6 days for a replacement, but both of the representatives were amiable, helpful, and professional. i just had bad luck, as they ran out of stock of them. i think apple has pretty good service.

 

[macguymike]

Personally I was told by Apple that the bottom half of my PB would have to be replaced.

Where did you see that you could get them from Apple for $20? I work for a reseller and Apple won't even give us a foot.

 

[ibookin']

Regarding the logic board issue: I had 3 different logic boards in my last iBook. When it needed another one Apple basically said "screw it" and gave me an new machine.

Just adding my experince...

 

[simX]

This is what I tell everybody that has support problems with Apple:

If you go to the dark side of the fence, you'll find that the problems simply multiply.

Apple has had a record of insuring very high quality, and I have almost always been pleased and surprised with their service when I do have a problem with my purchases; I had my iPod replaced for free twice because of the battery issue they finally fixed with the iPod Software Updater 1.2.6 -- this is even though my 1 year warrantee ran out from the time I originally bought my iPod. Although the issue was annoying at times (only when I forgot to charge it for a while), Apple didn't need to take care of my case after my warrantee period expired.

If you have a problem and Apple is not fixing it when they should, bitch at them about it until they get it fixed properly. You have every right to. But recommending other PCs over a potential 12" PowerBook issue is giving bad advice -- this issue does not affect everybody (or you would hear a much bigger outcry). I'll bet you can't get as good service and quality from another company that makes PCs other than Apple.

 

[iPat]

I think people are under estimating the extent of the logic board problem. When someone buys a computer and something goes bad on it, ok, nothings perfect......I can understand that. But when thousands of people are having the exact same problem, repair after repair, we are not talking about the 1 in 10,000 logic board with a problem.....we are talking about a fundemental flaw in the design.

My other problem with saying not everyone is experiencing this so it must not be a problem is that the people who are experiencing this problem (multiple times) are experiencing THE EXACT SAME problem. These are not different components breaking.....it's always the exact same component! To say that there is not a problem is just silly.

As for telling people to but a PC.....I LOVE my iBook when it works but have owned Dells and Toshibas in the past with absolutely NO problems. Could I have been lucky? Sure, but like other product, people don't care what the general experience of all users is.......just what their experience has been. My other beef is when people say that service with other computer companies isn't any better or even worse.....so because other computer companies suck.....Apple's goal is to suck just a little less????? I don't care about what the standard of service is in the industry, just that Apple's service sucks!

I think Apple is pissing off a lot of loyal customers over basic design flaws and silly $1.00 rubber feet (see other posts). For those of us who bought Applecare, we deserve better service than what Apple offers.

I don't want to have to bitch and moan for service....I don't want to have to state my case to multiple people....I just want the computer to work. THAT IS NOT ASKING TOO MUCH! Apple gets a way with what it's customers let it get a way with.

 

[jaguarx]

Those little rubber feet can be purchased from Apple or a reseller for about $20. Sometimes you can find them on eBay cheaper. I've replaced 3 of them on my fiancés iBook. It's really not that difficult. Whoever told you that you had to replace the whole bottom half, I would suggest not going back to them ever again.

Ah.....this is where it gets interesting. On the ibook they covered screws and were meant to come off, thus they were a listed part by apple. On the other hand on the new Alubooks they are not and thus aren't sold by apple, thus the utterly stupid 'replace the entire bottom of the case out of warranty' thing. It's utterly stupid.

I'm thinking about going to the Consumer and Business affaris complaints here (they have the ability to seriously whip the **** out of companies) - i paid over $700 AU for an extended warranty and they refuse to pay for a legitimate repair even inside the warranty that comes with the product.

 

[macguymike]

Originally posted by jaguarx
It's utterly stupid.

I'm thinking about going to the Consumer and Business affaris complaints here

If I don't get some satisfactory results here this week, I'm also considering contacting the BBB (Better Business Brueau). Obviously it is possible to obtain the feet individually, as others have posted about doing so. There should be no reason to charge almost half the price of the computer for a single foot (or even all four feet).

 

[taisoo]

Originally posted by jaguarx
Try my problem - one of the little rubber feet fell off my 12"PB so since i'd bought applecare i though i'd get it replaced - it's annoying as hell as the machine 'rocks' when it's on a flat surface. So i go in and they tell me it's a non-warranty repair because it was not meant to come off and thus i'd have to pay around AU$700 to have the ENTEIRE BOTTOM HALF OF THE CASE REPLACED. I mean bloody hell i'm sure they wern't meant to come off - thats why i bought an extended warranty for crying out loud!

that sounds like when my gf took her ibook into the apple store because the delete key was stuck. and the employee told her that she didn't need to replace the keyboard, that all she had to do was re-install jagauar. wtf? so, when my friend(who came with us because the space key on his brand new 12" pbook was stuck) asked for help from someone else and they offered to order a new keyboard, we asked him about the ibook problem, and he said no problem, we'll replace the keyboard. no problems since then.

 

[jefhatfield]

when i was a dell tech, the client's computer sometimes came into major software related windows problems

sometimes the warranty vendor i worked with would just send in a new motherboard and say to reinstall everything and call it a day...when the actual problem was software related

troubleshooting the os on dell's time actually costs way more in the long run, so it's just reinstall after giving the customer a new mobo

it's like the doctors who give the patient antibiotics for something that won't respond (like a virus) but will go away on its own

so since i am just one onsite techie, i have no power in telling dell that they are wrong... so i assume other companies do the same

actually i did a compaq mobo on warranty, and even though the warranty company did apple, too...we never had to do any hardware replacement stuff

so the world of pcs is a much bigger world of hurt, like mentioned, but at the same time pcs employ hundreds of thousands of people worldwide...or i should say fixing and maintaining pcs

 

[BADibookDEFECT]

Really pissed off about the ibooklogic board defect

LOOK--->IBOOK OWNERS BEWARE !!!I have a 700 ibook--just a few weeks ago the warranty expired. Then the screen suddenly went berserk with the horizontal lines of death...then the screen failed completely.**** Pressure to the left of the trackpad seemed to bring the screen back for a minute but that was it.***** Now it's history !!--no applecare--on my own now.

---------->What I experienced is what thousands of ibook owner have experienced: sudden failure of the video chip on the logic board. This is a DEFECT that should be addresed and compensated for by Apple. I plan on fixing mine with the new third party updated video chip that supposedly can withstand the xtra heat of 512 ram without cracking. No way will I pay 400 for another logic board with the same video chip.

SHAME ON APPLE !! they know!!!If I were rich I'd sue Apple and start a class action lawsuit. This deception really pisses me off . All those poor unknowing ibook owners!!!(they have less money to play with than Powerbook owners and are less apt the be able to take a hard loss like this).


Don't believe me ?--look on google--search ibook logic board--SO many forum discussions all over the web. STill not conviced?--just Look on EBAY !!On any given day--at least a couple of ibooks for sale with BAD LOGIC boards--People can't afford the repair--

************ SPREAD THE WORD****-anyone who owns an Ibook-BUY APPLECARE NOW before the year warranty expires.
Your Logic board is likely to fail sooner or later if you run hot on 512 ram---I'll keep you guys posted on the new updated video chip. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[manitoubalck]

Re: My beef with the iBook and Applecare

Originally posted by iPat
However, even with my iBook's problems, I do have to say that I love my iBook, when it works!!!!!

I say the same about my Bike that is always broken. Parts take ages to come in etc... Now I make my parts (hangers, spacers, etc) unfortunatly you can't buy a 3rd party mobo, and I doubt that you could make your own.

Sorry to hear about your and evey other G3 (non-clamshell) iBook owners problems. Push for a replacement G4 iBook, it has to be at least as good as the one you currently own. Don't deal with apple care, make a personal apperance and demarnd a replacement laptop and that you need all your files tranfered at no cost. Make up a story if need be about you needing this computer and that a computer that keeps breaking down is costing you money. But get the whole thing replaced, you will if you push the right buttons.

 

[slowtreme]

These logic Board threads are incredibly comical. This "one part" of a noteboook contains maybe 500 components (depending on the computer). There could be 100's of different tiny parts that could fail for any reason, but they all require the same fix, A new logic board. Imagine that.

Apple does not manufacture ICs, resistors, capacitors, or any of the other parts on these boards. Expecting that none of these parts will ever fail is presumptuous at best.

10 users may all have a system issue and the fix might just be the same fix, but the problems could be different and unlinkable. On the lighter side, think about how many times users are instructed to "reinstall Windows" to fix xyz problem.

 

[junior]

Originally posted by slowtreme
These logic Board threads are incredibly comical. This "one part" of a noteboook contains maybe 500 components (depending on the computer). There could be 100's of different tiny parts that could fail for any reason, but they all require the same fix, A new logic board. Imagine that.

Apple does not manufacture ICs, resistors, capacitors, or any of the other parts on these boards. Expecting that none of these parts will ever fail is presumptuous at best.

10 users may all have a system issue and the fix might just be the same fix, but the problems could be different and unlinkable. On the lighter side, think about how many times users are instructed to "reinstall Windows" to fix xyz problem.

I think re-installing an OS is a lot better, and ofcourse cheaper than replacing the motherboard. As you say, Apple doesn't manufacture these boards, but they sure as hell chose them, and this problem has been going on for a long, long time with the non-clamshell ibooks. My ibook failed 3 times (logic board) in 5 months, till they finally replaced it with a newer ibook (after a 3 hour conversation/shouting down the phone). I'm not too positive as to whether this new ibook will last 6 months.
As for my 17" powerbook, it hasn't had a problem yet, and I don't expect it to have any problems, certainly not with the logic board. Why is there such a difference? And I not talking about how much I paid for them. Whether a laptop is $1000 or $4000, it should not be breaking down so regularly. This happens all over the world (I'm in Japan) with the ibooks. Let's hope the problem's fixed with the G4 ibooks.

 

[Counterfit]

Re: Really pissed off about the ibooklogic board defect

Originally posted by BADibookDEFECT
(they have less money to play with than Powerbook owners and are less apt the be able to take a hard loss like this).

AAAAAAHHHHH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *breathe* HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....


*phew*
Dude, you made my day with that Now, tell me that again with a straight face.

 

[latergator116]

My brother had a 600mhz iBook that was giving him all sorts of problems from logicboard to screen. He must have sent it away at least 5 times. The Applecare guy said one more major problem and they would replace the computer. He said to me "hey this is gonna break sooner or later since this is a lemon" and at that he smashed the trackapd. He called up apple and told them it broke (which it did) and now he has a new 700mhz iBook that works great (so far). This is how I see it, if you think they are screwing you, screw them back.

 

[Daveman Deluxe]

In all honesty, I think that the whole iBook logic board issue is overblown, and I am speaking as one who has had this issue once.

IMO, the root cause of the problem are in fact bad power supplies that can't maintain a steady voltage. Put a little too much power into the logic board, and you can easily damage any one of the delicate circuits in the logic board. Apple seems to agree with me, as the one time I've sent my iBook in for repair, the tech replaced the logic board AND the power supply.

I know a LOT of people that have iBooks and none of them have had any logic board issues whatsoever with their iBook. Remember, Apple has shipped hundreds of thousands of units, and my guess is that there is a failure rate of under one percent, which is quite good.

 

[slipper]

in addition to the many lemons apple makes, it seems that everytime i call them, they have very bad service as in they could care less and try to get you off the phone as quick as possible. so far ive only owned one apple, an imac, and for the most part its been good. i will be buying a ibook real soon hopefully it will be good also.

 

[manitoubalck]

Originally posted by latergator116
This is how I see it, if you think they are screwing you, screw them back.

gold, I like your thinking.