2011 iMac 27" in for major repairs @ Apple - Feedback needed

[IC3D]

Hello everyone,

Just wanted to get some fellow Apple users feedback on what they feel my options are here. I'll keep this brief as possible with still explaining what the issues I'm facing here.

I bought my iMac in Oct 2011 for my design business. The system then came out to be roughly, $3,100. The only modification I did to the iMac was upgrading from 8gb ram to 16gb a year or so later. Everything performed very well, and until about a month ago I haven't had any major issues with it.

A month or so ago, the second HDD, a 1TB 7200 backup disk started showing that it was failing as per Disk Utility. After this, I transferred all my data off that onto a RAID drive so it was backed up, and once that was done, it would connect and disconnect or "eject" itself every so often. Making the drive ultimately a liability for data loss, as there was no formal backup for that drive, so I negated to continue to use it. I didn't contact Apple Care at that time, because since I save most of my work to a RAID external drive I wasn't too concerned, sure it sucked, but I had pressing projects to complete, and as long as the rest of the hardware was functioning without issue, I trudged on.

During this month period of time, I did also notice that the video card (AMD Radeon HD 6970M 2GB GDDR5) was starting to glitch in a way, as when I was in Photoshop switching between PSD's I'd see a wild pattern at the bottom of the screen about a half inch in size, with all sorts of patterns, boxes, colors, etc. Clearly it was a glitch making me feel that the video card would be on it's way out somewhat soon, which did make me a little bothered, but still didn't contact Apple Care, as long as the machine didn't explode or implode, I was going to get these projects completed and then (if the issue continued) I would contact Apple Care.

Fast forward to a few days ago. I finished work for the evening after a long 30hr + work day / night / day, I closed up shop.

Then a few hours later, I came back to the studio for something and noticed that the iMac was restarted and showing the Disk Utility screen on the boot up area. I was like wow, what? Really? Just shocked. So I tried to run Disk Utility to see if it would fix the error, or to show me what the issue was.

I got this screen, which DIDN'T show my BOOT DISK, a 256GB Apple SSD. Only showed the 1TB HDD, which showed as failing. BUT, I was NOT able to BOOT, at all, as the SSD was not showing in Disk Utility, and after several times rebooting only getting the same result.

This time, I had NO CHOICE other than to call Apple Care, as the iMac was completely unusable.

Apple Care was very kind to me, and setup a time the next day for me to bring it into my local Apple store to get it taken care of.

I brought it in the next day, and was given power to boot the computer with by a Apple genius. I was thinking to myself, thats not gonna do much good if the boot disk has failed, but I didn't say anything and let them do their job. To my surprise, the computer booted without going to Disk Utility and went straight to the login screen.

The Apple genius asked me what the issue was, after reading some Apple Care notes from my call the day earlier, and I told them the computer wasn't booting and kept bringing me Disk Utility. So they said okay, sorry to hear that, can I run some diagnostic tests on it, I said sure np, go ahead.

They went about their tests and a few things showed with either a yellow warning icon indicator, or a red failure or problem indicator next to it. The HDD's had a red indicator, the video card had a yellow warning, and the screen had a yellow indicator, (I should have snapped a photo of the previous screen, but this is the final result that their diagnostic program showed).

I then told her about the dust that seemed to be appearing over time INSIDE the screen, and not on the outside, making it something that I've had to "work with" (understanding that its not on the image I'm working on and it's my screen, etc). I also let her know about the video card glitch, but also said that the computer has been great OTHER than that for the last few years now.

So she wrote up a repair to be covered by Apple Care. This is what the invoice that was e-mailed to me after said I'd be receiving as part of the Apple Care warranty on the iMac.

At this point I had a couple questions, but I wasn't going to push the envelope at that moment, because I just wanted the computer back, fixed and ready to rock and roll again. I've usually had great service via Apple Care and the retail stores, so I was going to let them do their job and get the problems fixed.

The questions that raised the "what if" factor for me were the following.

1. The computer comes back from repair, and has another issue AFTER my Apple Care on the original machine serial # expires (in Oct 2014).
   
2. Would Apple give me a new Apple Care warranty on the NEW parts? As the parts they ordered as a whole, make up a new machine or about 85-90% of one anyway.
   
3. Why don't they just give me a new system? As the repair costs are MORE than a top tier 2014 iMac as it stands right now. (They did this for me back in 2008 when my Mac Pro kicked the can, swapped it out for a newer machine, with comparable specs.)

I will be calling Apple Care sometime tomorrow to see what they are going to do, but I just wanted to see what my fellow Mac enthusiasts thought about this.

Thanks!

 

[Johnf1285]

I would call them and/or visit in person and just say that the total in repair costs is up there around the cost of a new iMac. Ask if they would be willing to swap it for a current model with comparable specs instead of literally replacing 80% of the machine. Maybe mention how this was done previously with your Mac Pro?

 

[PatrickVogeli]

The warranty expire date won't change... everything that happens after October 2014 won't be covered. You may get the warranty extended for the same period the machine was out, maybe some more as "gift" but don't expect another year on top, that wouldn't make sense.

If the warranty were extended every time a major component is changed, it could become a life warranty.

Getting a new machine might be possible... but keep in mind that the costs they are shown to you aren't real. I bet the repair is much cheaper for them than a new machine, since they already have the parts. Also, if you got a new machine, the same applies to the warranty: only until october 2014.

 

[macthefork]

...Also, if you got a new machine, the same applies to the warranty: only until october 2014.

Uh, No. With a new machine, the warranty starts and is for one year, unless you purchase AppleCare for that new machine, which extends it for three years. They will give you credit or a check for the remaining Applecare left on the existing machine.

This I know because that's what happened to my 2009 iMac that resulted in a replacement under AppleCare. I purchased new Applecare to cover the 2011 iMac they gave me in exchange.

 

[PatrickVogeli]

wow, wouldn't think that works. Great it does.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

The new parts should be covered for 90 days, so if your applecare warranty expires tomorrow, the replaced parts will still be covered for another 89 days.

 

[jaxhunter]

Replacement parts have a 90-day warranty. If that 90-days extends past the date that your AppleCare expires it will effectively extend your AppleCare coverage. If it does not, then the original terms of your AppleCare warranty still applies.

Also, those prices you see on the bill are what you would pay for them not what Apple pays for them. The actual cost of the parts to Apple is much less. They have to make a profit on the repair to cover the cost of paying and training Genii and other technical support personnel. That is where the markup goes. Apple pays sales personnel from the sales on the machines and repair personnel from parts, service fees, and AppleCare.

The point is that it actually does cost Apple a lot more to simply replace your machine than it does to get you a new one. As such they will continue to repair your machine until it reaches a certain threshold (essentially, 4 major component repairs taking place over multiple visits) or until you make a sufficient amount of noise about it.

 

[jaxhunter]

The new parts should be covered for 90 days, so if your applecare warranty expires tomorrow, the replaced parts will still be covered for another 89 days.

You're right. I forgot that they had fixed the system to work this way. Until close to the end of my tenure the repair system would not recognize mixed warranties and could be made to cover additional repairs within the extended period. Towards the end though they updated the repair system to recognize warranty differences.

Sorry for stating bad info.

 

[Neryus]

Why don't they just give me a new system? As the repair costs are MORE than a top tier 2014 iMac as it stands right now. (They did this for me back in 2008 when my Mac Pro kicked the can, swapped it out for a newer machine, with comparable specs.)

I guess you were lucky with your Mac Pro. Saying that the repair costs more than a new iMac is not true, because the prices you see on the repair estimate are the prices you would have to pay if you were not covered by warranty. The actual repair would cost Apple a lot less.

 

[bizzle]

ROFL, I'm sorry but your machine doesn't need all of those parts replaced. Typical Apple retail service non-sense. They just throw parts at machines. I know this because I was a Mac Genius for 3 years and worked at more than one store. It was always the same, shot gun part replacement.

 

[jaxhunter]

ROFL, I'm sorry but your machine doesn't need all of those parts replaced. Typical Apple retail service non-sense. They just throw parts at machines. I know this because I was a Mac Genius for 3 years and worked at more than one store. It was always the same, shot gun part replacement.

If you were a Genius at my store and you kept shotgunning parts at a machine we would have had words and then management would have sent you in for more diagnostic training. We did not shotgun parts at a repair; the only time we ordered extra parts was if we had a suspicion we might need them and they were not in stock.