2008 Macbook pro graphics/display issue - 4 times and no replacement! -EDIT: replaced

[FuNGi]

So, my fiancé's 2.5 Ghz (non-unibody) macbook pro recently began having serious issues. The screen would glitch out then turn all white. Probably a bad graphics chip right? This has been discussed on this forum before. So, we call Applecare, send it in for repair and it is returned reasonably fast with a refurbished/replaced logic board. Two weeks later the problem begins again. Send it in again, this time they say they can't duplicate the issue. Two weeks later, same problem. This time we decide to take it to a local Applecare service provider whom runs a diagnostic and deems (surprise surprise ) it a bad graphics chip again. Replace, return, 15min. later the screen goes white again. This time I call up Applecare and am so nice, so patient etc., hoping to get a freebee. No luck. Don't you think that I should have gotten a free replacement after the 4th Applecare call? The case manager (yes I went higher up) assured me that if this happens again I will get a replacement. What are your thoughts on this?
Thanks for the input.

 

[kny3twalker]

So, my fiancé's 2.5 Ghz (non-unibody) macbook pro recently began having serious issues. The screen would glitch out then turn all white. Probably a bad graphics chip right? This has been discussed on this forum before. So, we call Applecare, send it in for repair and it is returned reasonably fast with a refurbished/replaced logic board. Two weeks later the problem begins again. Send it in again, this time they say they can't duplicate the issue. Two weeks later, same problem. This time we decide to take it to a local Applecare service provider whom runs a diagnostic and deems (surprise surprise ) it a bad graphics chip again. Replace, return, 15min. later the screen goes white again. This time I call up Applecare and am so nice, so patient etc., hoping to get a freebee. No luck. Don't you think that I should have gotten a free replacement after the 4th Applecare call? The case manager (yes I went higher up) assured me that if this happens again I will get a replacement. What are your thoughts on this?
Thanks for the input.

call customer relations or email steve jobs (its not really his email, but someone at apple reads it)

 

[alskdj]

So, my fiancé's 2.5 Ghz (non-unibody) macbook pro recently began having serious issues. The screen would glitch out then turn all white. Probably a bad graphics chip right? This has been discussed on this forum before. So, we call Applecare, send it in for repair and it is returned reasonably fast with a refurbished/replaced logic board. Two weeks later the problem begins again. Send it in again, this time they say they can't duplicate the issue. Two weeks later, same problem. This time we decide to take it to a local Applecare service provider whom runs a diagnostic and deems (surprise surprise ) it a bad graphics chip again. Replace, return, 15min. later the screen goes white again. This time I call up Applecare and am so nice, so patient etc., hoping to get a freebee. No luck. Don't you think that I should have gotten a free replacement after the 4th Applecare call? The case manager (yes I went higher up) assured me that if this happens again I will get a replacement. What are your thoughts on this?
Thanks for the input.

Calls=/=Repairs. You probably could have got something if you asked nicely though

 

[FuNGi]

call customer relations or email steve jobs (its not really his email, but someone at apple reads it)

Haha - yeah.

Dear Steve, This is not about the IP4 reception issues, upload speeds, or mac pro/air updates. I just got a lemon I would like replaced. Thanks.

Calls=/=Repairs. You probably could have got something if you asked nicely though

I did ask nicely, I even threatened that she would buy a HP or Acer (I won't really let her though).

 

[TheBritishBloke]

I don't understand? Did you mean that the 4th time you called up, she said next time they'll replace it?

I had my 2009 MBP 2.66 C2D replaced with a 2.66 i7 just the end of last week (received today) without asking. However I had 4 displays, 2 top cases, trackpad, hard drive. So

I got my repairs originally via emailing sjobs@apple.com where I got put through to someone in executive relations, whom eventually replaced it.

Good luck.

 

[FuNGi]

^ Right. 4th time on the phone with APL and they said they would replace it next time. My god you had allot of problems before you got your 2.66 replacement huh?

 

[MikeinJapan]

They replaced my late 2008 with an i7 too and I didn't even ask but I was very polite and just kept explaining how much of an inconvenience it was.

Good luck dude!

 

[FuNGi]

Well, I've emailed Stevie and hope for a reply sooner than later. I even used the term Dell-esque in the letter.

How can one finish a PhD with a computer that goes into the shop every 2 weeks?

 

[FuNGi]

Bumped back into existence. The monitor lighting went, 5th Applecare call, and sure enough they honored there previous promise of replacing the laptop should the issue arise again. Now waiting for a sweet 2.53Ghz i5 unibody. Pain in the ass 8600 GT lemon is outta here.

 

[Quad 2.5 G5 =)]

Bumped back into existence. The monitor lighting went, 5th Applecare call, and sure enough they honored there previous promise of replacing the laptop should the issue arise again. Now waiting for a sweet 2.53Ghz i5 unibody. Pain in the ass 8600 GT lemon is outta here.

Good. I'm glad it's being replaced. Do you think it may have been a screen backlight issue? And the 8600M GT might be a lemon, but not for me (yet). It's still been powering through everything without failing so far.

 

[FuNGi]

^Yeah, this time I think it was the backlighting. The time before, when they replaced the screen it could have been wiring. The two times before that they replaced the logic board based on diagnosed failures. I'm not sure the 8600mGT was actually to blame for any of this to tell you the truth. They often don't share the details of the hardware analysis. I wonder what could have been causing so many problems with the display though. A short? Bad power supply, bad capacitor???