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Applecare Rocks - The Amazing Story of How I got My Unibody MBP.

A

airjuggernaut

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 16, 2007
535
0
The story below is really long. If you want a shorter version of it skip to the actual story part :p

**BACKGROUND**
So a few weeks ago, I had purchased a 1st GEN Rev A MacBook Pro from FaceBook Marketplace for $550 CDN (+ $100CDN that I payed for a new charger).

The Machine was amazingly nice, and I loved it, but issues started to arise.

By some chance of god, the MBP happened to have the 3 year AppleCare warranty on it with just 3 weeks left! I immedietely dashed to the Apple store and had all of my repairs done (Logicboard, Display, SuperDrive and I/O Power Board were all replaced). When I got the MBP back from the store, I noticed the issue (the CPU whine) returned and WORSENED. So I immedietly look it back to the Apple store for another repair and after some hesitance they finally recognized the issue and repaired it. (I really summed this story up, I had personally encountered some of the worst Apple Genius's in my lifetime at this store. I had a formal complaint filed against them for their really rude and snarky comments, but that's all besides the point).
Once I got the MBP 2nd time, all seemed to be fine, and I swore to myself that I would never return to the Apple Store at Sherway Gardens.

So a few weeks after the 2nd repair...I started to note my left was always running and was audible. It also got excruciatingly hot. I decided I should run the Apple Hardware test and see what was going on. To my suprise, an Error result cameback, which I immedietly googled and discovered a potential logicboard failure.

**THIS IS WHERE THE REAL STORY BEGINS**
My applecare, at this point was over. All I had left was the "90 day warranty" for all the repairs. I decided to call AppleCare anyways to see what was EXACTLY wrong with my MBP. I called and told them about the error code I got. The CSR put me on hold for 5 minutes, and came back to tell me that it indeed was something wrong with the Logic Board and I could get it repaired as a "One-Time exception". I told him that I'm really opposed to going back to the Apple Store to get it fixed, and if there was any way I could Mail it to apple to get it fixed? He told me that I could goto an Apple Authorized Repair Centre. He even pulled up an address of one kinda close to my house.

I then asked him, what would I do if the Logic Board failed again (Since it had twice already, and the Apple Store Genius told me it would keep failing "Until I got lucky"). I told him that the logicboard failing is something completely out of my hands, and that I'm a student, so if it happens again, I can't afford to replace it. I told him a "One-Time exception" is scary for me, because I could get the computer and be out a computer in a few weeks. He then said "Hold On, let me see what I can do for you."

He put me on hold for 5 minutes and I sat there patiently.

He comes back on with a happy voice.

"Sir, judging from the amount of repairs done to your MBP, we''ve decided to just go ahead and replace it." I was struck with a "WOW" in my head. He then said "We don't sell your model anymore, but we'll match it as closely as possible to what we have in our inventory." I then thought.."Oh ok, they'll send me a refurb last-gen MBP. That's cool." He then asked. "Sir, can you do me a favour? Do you have internet access anywhere?" I told him "Yes." He then said "Can you go on the Apple.ca, click on store and the click on MacBook Pro?" I said "Yup, hold on." I arrived on the MacBook Pro page and told him I did so. He then said "So sir, your new MacBook Pro, is going to have a 2.4ghz Processor, 2gb of RAM, Two Video cards and a 250gb Hard Drive." I was stunned. Shocked. Awestruck. The MacBook Pro that he said would be my new one was the Unibody MacBook Pro that retails for $2149 CDN.

I was estatic as hell. I thanked him, got his name and number down (So I could thank him some more later) and told him that he had made my day! I found out about the process of how to receive it and just on Thursday I received the beauty!

So essentially I got a Brand New MacBook Pro for $650 CDN.

I now don't have to worry about a University laptop!

My parents are going to get my iMac!

And I'm very happy.

Note though, I was very polite and kept "joking" around with the CSR the entire time. Not even once, did I get mad or demanding.

Just goes to show you that being nice, goes a long way.

I personally believe, this is one of the reasons people pay the Apple premium. Amazing CS and amazing products!

Thank you Apple, you are ****ing awesome!

SORRY FOR THE LONG STORY I WAS EXCITED AND HAD TO SHARE IT ALL! :D
 
Congratulations! I had a similar experience with my iPod Touch, which was replaced with a refurb model while out of warranty! I love Apple!
 
Congrats, that is wonderful, apple CS is excellent, stores can be good as well. bUt customer service have always excelled IMHO. Enjoy your new machine.
 
Good deal, I love apple care. It's a shame you dealt with some less then genius, "genius's". lol.. But what comes around goes around, remember that. :D

Enjoy the new MBP!
 
What a great story. Although I thought you could of gone into more details about the rude Genius, just for some dramatic contrast. I also have had some not so great experiences with Genius', but love Applecare service. And of course congratulations on your new MBP! :D
 
That is the best story that ive ever heard. That is exactly why i went with applecare over Best Buy BTP. Congrats!
 
Gotta chime in here. I think Apple Care (Phone services) is great. They gave me a brand new Mac Pro (newer generation) after 3 failed attempts at repairing at my local Apple store.

Some of the store workers might be jerks, but the phone people are top notch.

Apple customer service is way better than Dell or HP.
 
nice, apple replaced my old blackbook with the latest model when the HD died twice, 2 years after i bought the original (i had applecare tho). I just sold that replacement the other day, and got myself the 17''uMBP
 
well all i can say is. you absolute bastard :D
Im extremely jealous. Congrats though :)
I can only just save up for a alu macbook !
 
All of you made me feel like a really lucky guy :p

Thanks Everyone!

As for anyone wanting to know what happened with Geniuses, I'll tell you the story.

The first time I went into repair my First Gen MBP for the notorious CPU Whine issue, they told me it's a non-repairable issue that they KNOW will come back, but they'll try fixing it anyways. And they'll keep repairing it until by (this is the exact quote) "Some lucky chance, when you don't have the issue come back." (Wow, really instilling faith in their repairs, eh?). During this same session, the genius pretty much made a snide remark about the fact that I play games like WoW (I brought my WoW disc to show that the SuperDrive didn't work) and how he "would rather do something more productive with his life" (Ironically, he fit the chubby video game nerd description) . At the end of the session he told me that "I was lucky Apple was even doing this for me." When i fully had about 3 weeks left on my 3-year AppleCare :|

On the second occasion, when some of the issues came back I went in again. This time, while explaining the issue, the Genius treated me like I was lieing about all of the problems. I knew that the issues were with the display inverter and the fans. I told him, that to hear the new Whine he had to be in a quiet room. So then he went to the "Genius room" and came back 2 minutes later to say he heard nothing. Again, he began with the "I think you're ********ting me" routine. I told him, in order to recreate the issue, you have to keep the laptop STILL for a minute or so and on a flat Surface WITHOUT TOUCHING IT.
He then puts it on the table (in the middle of the noisy apple store, mind you) for about 30 seconds, PUTS HIS HAND on the lid and PUSHES the laptop a bit forward (fully not listening to my instructions) and tells me he hears something but it's really not loud so he thinks it's not an issue. I insist that the laptop sounds like a bug ORGASMING and that I can't stand it. He reluctantly tells me they'll leave it overnight to see if it happens.

I get a Call NEXT day, saying that I WAS RIGHT and the issues were with the Display inverter and Fans and that they'll fix it, yet again.

So that's why I hate the Apple Store at Sherway Gardens.
 
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