£835 repair bill one year after purchase

[tfking]

Please help - how can I escalate a complaint beyond the first level customer support people and aim for Senior people who can deal with my issues without reading from a script???

Bought a Macbook 12inch Retina in Oct 2015. One year after purchase i.e. ten days out of warranty the laptop is dead. Apple Genius Bar have diagnosed the problems and now I have a £835.20 repair bill. Think carefully about buying Apple's new slim Macbook devices without extended warranty which sadly adds several hundred pounds/dollars to what is already a premium price. Apple market this laptop as it's first laptop with such leading-edge technology and I believe the experiment has failed. The components used are not sufficiently reliable to be assembled into several large units - when a component fails the larger unit needs replacing.

The space bar developed a known fault within the warranty period (but I could get by with the problem) - it has to be pressed hard at its center to register a space (tapping on its edges, as you'd naturally do, while typing fails). To fix this issue requires a complete replacement of the "Top Case with Keyboard". The "Logic Board, ETSI, 1.1GHz, 256 GB" must be replaced to solve the problem of the device not starting up or charging.

Repair Estimate: £835.20 Total

Price Item Number Description
£212.00 661-02243 Top Case with Keyboard, Space Gray
£415.00 661-02249 Logic Board, ETSI, 1.1GHz, 256 GB
£ 69.00 S1490LL/A Hardware Repair Labor
£139.20 VAT
£835.20 Total

What’s troubling, is Apple’s new Macbook Pro’s range that is based on the technology in the Macbook 12 inch Retina. This new range is very expensive and the product is not necessarily of high quality because of the recommended retail price. It will have the same repair issues as I have encountered with the 12 inch – significant components must be replaced at high costs in the event of failures.

When the laptop worked, it was beautiful. It has the mobility of a tablet with a beautifully laid out keyboard. However, I feel like a sucker for falling into the hype trap of Apple and at a lost as to what I can do next. I have left the laptop at the Genius Bar over the last two weeks (date now 26 Nov 2016) and refuse to pay for an extortionate repair bill after one year’s use. I have never dropped it; it has mostly been in a protective case and has hardly left my home. By the Genius Bar’s own admission the laptop requires two major components replaced. The repair person when I visited the store actually told me they do not like repairing the new laptops because they are difficult to diagnose.

Warning: be careful in purchasing Apple's new technology Macbook or Macbook Pro's (with slim butterfly keyboards). The technology is not sufficiently reliable to purchase without extended warranty. After a year of using a shiny new Apple laptop I am now using my old eight year old Sony NW20SF laptop I had hoped to have left behind.

Space bar problem:
https://www.macissues.com/2015/06/06/spacebars-malfunctioning-on-new-12-inch-macbooks/

Worth looking at the comments:
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer...les-12in-macbook-is-near-impossible-to-repair

 

[fisherking]

sorry for your experience, but it isn't everyone's experience.

i have 2 co-workers with the 2015 12" MB, and no problems. my 2016 MB is fine. the lesson really: applecare.

 

[andboom]

Please help - how can I escalate a complaint beyond the first level customer support people and aim for Senior people who can deal with my issues without reading from a script???

Bought a Macbook 12inch Retina in Oct 2015. One year after purchase i.e. ten days out of warranty the laptop is dead. Apple Genius Bar have diagnosed the problems and now I have a £835.20 repair bill. Think carefully about buying Apple's new slim Macbook devices without extended warranty which sadly adds several hundred pounds/dollars to what is already a premium price. Apple market this laptop as it's first laptop with such leading-edge technology and I believe the experiment has failed. The components used are not sufficiently reliable to be assembled into several large units - when a component fails the larger unit needs replacing.

The space bar developed a known fault within the warranty period (but I could get by with the problem) - it has to be pressed hard at its center to register a space (tapping on its edges, as you'd naturally do, while typing fails). To fix this issue requires a complete replacement of the "Top Case with Keyboard". The "Logic Board, ETSI, 1.1GHz, 256 GB" must be replaced to solve the problem of the device not starting up or charging.

Repair Estimate: £835.20 Total

Price Item Number Description
£212.00 661-02243 Top Case with Keyboard, Space Gray
£415.00 661-02249 Logic Board, ETSI, 1.1GHz, 256 GB
£ 69.00 S1490LL/A Hardware Repair Labor
£139.20 VAT
£835.20 Total

What’s troubling, is Apple’s new Macbook Pro’s range that is based on the technology in the Macbook 12 inch Retina. This new range is very expensive and the product is not necessarily of high quality because of the recommended retail price. It will have the same repair issues as I have encountered with the 12 inch – significant components must be replaced at high costs in the event of failures.

When the laptop worked, it was beautiful. It has the mobility of a tablet with a beautifully laid out keyboard. However, I feel like a sucker for falling into the hype trap of Apple and at a lost as to what I can do next. I have left the laptop at the Genius Bar over the last two weeks (date now 26 Nov 2016) and refuse to pay for an extortionate repair bill after one year’s use. I have never dropped it; it has mostly been in a protective case and has hardly left my home. By the Genius Bar’s own admission the laptop requires two major components replaced. The repair person when I visited the store actually told me they do not like repairing the new laptops because they are difficult to diagnose.

Warning: be careful in purchasing Apple's new technology Macbook or Macbook Pro's (with slim butterfly keyboards). The technology is not sufficiently reliable to purchase without extended warranty. After a year of using a shiny new Apple laptop I am now using my old eight year old Sony NW20SF laptop I had hoped to have left behind.

Space bar problem:
https://www.macissues.com/2015/06/06/spacebars-malfunctioning-on-new-12-inch-macbooks/

Worth looking at the comments:
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer...les-12in-macbook-is-near-impossible-to-repair

UK consumer law should cover you from paying for any faults not caused by misuse, even outside of the warranty period, for a period of up to 6 years from purchase. Apple staff are usually familiar with consumer law - did they not volunteer this information? If not, you can mention this to them and they should repair (or likely replace) the machine for free. I avoided paying repair charges for display faults on both my MacBook Pro and my MacBook Air over a year outside of the warranty period by mentioning consumer law at the Genius Bar. Have a research for yourself and if applicable in this case, give it a try.

 

[Macgyver1]

Wow, thanks for sharing that, a real eye opener. Glad I didn't go that route, went with an Air 11 instead after reading over all the keyboard issues.

 

[Trixs]

UK consumer law should cover you from paying for any faults not caused by misuse, even outside of the warranty period, for a period of up to 6 years from purchase. Apple staff are usually familiar with consumer law - did they not volunteer this information? If not, you can mention this to them and they should repair (or likely replace) the machine for free. I avoided paying repair charges for display faults on both my MacBook Pro and my MacBook Air over a year outside of the warranty period by mentioning consumer law at the Genius Bar. Have a research for yourself and if applicable in this case, give it a try.

This. You are protected by consumer law so **** them and claim your rights.

 

[SteveJUAE]

Sorry to hear your bad luck, but as others have already noted there is a good chance that under UK and EU consumer law you should be covered

I'm not sure why many think there is something special about Mac's or AppleCare in terms of longevity. Applecare is just like any other risk based insurance other than Apple make it easier (depending on location) to return and diagnose the faulty unit,

Having said that included in the premium price you have already paid for that service upfront, all those stores etc are not free. We all pay for them whether we use them or not when we buy from Apple.

Quite simply if Apple build quality etc was that good AppleCare would not exist, but with all manufactured goods crap happens, maybe less with Apple but that's reflected in the cost of AppleCare and initial price.

Yes Apple consumer satisfaction and service maybe 2nd to none but it's all smoke and mirrors as basically you have paid for it

Of all the Iphones and Mac's I have purchased for my family I have never bought AppleCare but then I do not tend to keep my devices very long. The only items we have had problems with are the power bricks which are not covered. However when I gifted my son my rMB I advised he got AppleCare with his educational discounted as I doubted the longevity particularly with the new KB and battery arrangement

 

[fisherking]

applecare has saved me several times, but the best was last year; my (self-installed) hard drive died, i was well into the third year of applecare; they diagnosed it as the logic board, and replaced that. i got the macbook pro back, same problem. they apologized, and said they'd fix it for real, so, they replaced the drive AND the ram i had installed (they're not legally required to replace things i install). then they replaced the bottom casing as well (the backlight had faded somewhat on the keys). so, nearly a new mac. nice. applecare is SO worth it...

 

[looking4anotebo]

i buy additional warranties on nothing except Apple products. It's quite clear they partake (to a high degree) in planned obsolescence, evidenced by countless issues with flagship products: faulty gpus, premature battery death and so on. That's also why I don't hold on to any Apple products longer than a 1-2 years.

 

[Gav2k]

Tcook@apple.com

 

[daijholt]

Sorry to hear your bad luck, but as others have already noted there is a good chance that under UK and EU consumer law you should be covered

I'm not sure why many think there is something special about Mac's or AppleCare in terms of longevity. Applecare is just like any other risk based insurance other than Apple make it easier (depending on location) to return and diagnose the faulty unit,

Having said that included in the premium price you have already paid for that service upfront, all those stores etc are not free. We all pay for them whether we use them or not when we buy from Apple.

Quite simply if Apple build quality etc was that good AppleCare would not exist, but with all manufactured goods crap happens, maybe less with Apple but that's reflected in the cost of AppleCare and initial price.

Yes Apple consumer satisfaction and service maybe 2nd to none but it's all smoke and mirrors as basically you have paid for it

Of all the Iphones and Mac's I have purchased for my family I have never bought AppleCare but then I do not tend to keep my devices very long. The only items we have had problems with are the power bricks which are not covered. However when I gifted my son my rMB I advised he got AppleCare with his educational discounted as I doubted the longevity particularly with the new KB and battery arrangement

AppleCare isn't an insurance on the mac, just an extended warranty. Also, you can buy AppleCare on amazon for nearly half price and register it yourself on apple's site, thus removing the premium.

 

[SteveJUAE]

AppleCare isn't an insurance on the mac, just an extended warranty. Also, you can buy AppleCare on amazon for nearly half price and register it yourself on apple's site, thus removing the premium.

Sorry I think you miss understand my "like" reference.

I am simply saying you get nothing for free all these costs and risks etc are factored in to the prices you pay, initially and later on with Applecare

It's not a bad thing for most but with all these things, you cover or subsidise others.

Good for you if you found a discounted price on AppleCare

 

[tfking]

thanks all for the advice, its really appreciated - I intend to pursue this issue further. The retail ombudsman requires you give the company eight weeks to respond. I really feel that Apple are giving me the run around, referring me to other low level staff who give the same scripted response. I have left the laptop at the Apple store as I really don't intend to pay for a repair that amounts to another laptop. Sooner or later I may just have to face reality and buy another laptop - I will never buy an Apple product again. I really feel like a mug - not for failing to purchase applecare but for falling for the marketing hype and having such high expectations of their products. To be honest one of the great selling points were the Unix like terminal. The question I raise here isn't just how to get the laptop repaired but are the components used to construct larger units reliable enough? I don't think they are and this is important since the units are not serviceable. It surely is not normal to have to face such a high repair bill after such a short time i.e. two major components failing within a year! I did not take extended warranty out as I was prepared to pay for repairs myself - I just didn't expect the bill would be so unreasonable - £835 is an horrendous amount. I don't plan on throwing good money after bad.

@fisherking I am devastated at losing what was a neat little laptop but my device also worked well before it had problems. Good luck and make sure you keep paying that corporation indefinitely for your applecare (I don't know who the biggest sucker is, me or you?)

 

[fisherking]

thanks all for the advice, its really appreciated - I intend to pursue this issue further. The retail ombudsman requires you give the company eight weeks to respond. I really feel that Apple are giving me the run around, referring me to other low level staff who give the same scripted response. I have left the laptop at the Apple store as I really don't intend to pay for a repair that amounts to another laptop. Sooner or later I may just have to face reality and buy another laptop - I will never buy an Apple product again. I really feel like a mug - not for failing to purchase applecare but for falling for the marketing hype and having such high expectations of their products. To be honest one of the great selling points were the Unix like terminal. The question I raise here isn't just how to get the laptop repaired but are the components used to construct larger units reliable enough? I don't think they are and this is important since the units are not serviceable. It surely is not normal to have to face such a high repair bill after such a short time i.e. two major components failing within a year! I did not take extended warranty out as I was prepared to pay for repairs myself - I just didn't expect the bill would be so unreasonable - £835 is an horrendous amount. I don't plan on throwing good money after bad.

@fisherking I am devastated at losing what was a neat little laptop but my device also worked well before it had problems. Good luck and make sure you keep paying that corporation indefinitely for your applecare (I don't know who the biggest sucker is, me or you?)

i don't mind paying for applecare, since it's saved me several times. and your experience isn't everyone's experience.

you're bitter, i get it. so don't buy another apple product, and this way, you can rant on another company's forums... and spare us the vitriol, and self-pity.

peace!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

i don't mind paying for applecare, since it's saved me several times. and your experience isn't everyone's experience.

you're bitter, i get it. so don't buy another apple product, and this way, you can rant on another company's forums... and spare us the vitriol, and self-pity.

peace!

Likewise.

I always buy Applecare on my Apple computers, and, in common with @fisherking's experience, it has more than paid for itself over the years.

 

[SteveJUAE]

thanks all for the advice, its really appreciated - I intend to pursue this issue further. The retail ombudsman requires you give the company eight weeks to respond. I really feel that Apple are giving me the run around, referring me to other low level staff who give the same scripted response. I have left the laptop at the Apple store as I really don't intend to pay for a repair that amounts to another laptop. Sooner or later I may just have to face reality and buy another laptop - I will never buy an Apple product again. I really feel like a mug - not for failing to purchase applecare but for falling for the marketing hype and having such high expectations of their products. To be honest one of the great selling points were the Unix like terminal. The question I raise here isn't just how to get the laptop repaired but are the components used to construct larger units reliable enough? I don't think they are and this is important since the units are not serviceable. It surely is not normal to have to face such a high repair bill after such a short time i.e. two major components failing within a year! I did not take extended warranty out as I was prepared to pay for repairs myself - I just didn't expect the bill would be so unreasonable - £835 is an horrendous amount. I don't plan on throwing good money after bad.

@fisherking I am devastated at losing what was a neat little laptop but my device also worked well before it had problems. Good luck and make sure you keep paying that corporation indefinitely for your applecare (I don't know who the biggest sucker is, me or you?)

It's a shame what happened to you and I can understand your resentment but with any manufactured goods there is always a small % of faulty or poor quality components. Thankfully your consumer rights are there to protect you where probably in your case this level of failure is unacceptable in the given time scale

Apple in this respect is probably no better or worse than other good OEM's in this field and why should they be, mainly using the same components. I think your more the victim of the hype on the internet and not the reality.

We can see even in this small thread that those still happy with Apple despite having to pay and use AppleCare several times where the reality and point is if Apple was that good they should not have too.

This is why I have likened AppleCare to insurance you pay your premiums and hope nothing goes wrong but after buying +30 Mac's and I phones I consider myself a few $1000 in front by not buying AppleCare, maybe I have been lucky but I like to think I am in the majority and yourself a minority

 

[Picapau21]

I'm a bit confused by this thread and the OP.

As many have others have said Apple will most likely repair that for free under consumer law. Also the repair cost sounds more than the value of the laptop!

 

[Gav2k]

Just email tcook@apple.com

If you have the receipt from the Apple Store include details from that. Be polite and you'll get a response very quickly.

 

[Quddy]

I didn't buy AppleCare when I bought my 2016 rMB. I expect something this expensive to last more than a year with normal usage. I paid extra for the quality.

To be fair, any individual product or component can fail. It's not really an indication of the reliability of the product line or manufacturer. You need stats for that. I understand your feelings though, I would be upset to. Give Apple a chance to fix it for free and see how they respond. It's a known issue so I think they would fix it for free.

I miss the days when 3 years warranty was the standard

 

[MagicBoy]

I'm a bit confused by this thread and the OP.

As many have others have said Apple will most likely repair that for free under consumer law. Also the repair cost sounds more than the value of the laptop!

Same thoughts here. I suspect we're not getting the full story. perhaps it's been damaged or wasn't purchased direct from Apple.

Apple offered me a no-cost repair on a 2+ year old machine outside of warranty cover. It was a very pleasant experience.

 

[Queen6]

Same thoughts here. I suspect we're not getting the full story. perhaps it's been damaged or wasn't purchased direct from Apple.

Apple offered me a no-cost repair on a 2+ year old machine outside of warranty cover. It was a very pleasant experience.

Possibly as it makes far better business sense for Apple`s store staff in the UK to offer a repair and please the customer, than sour relations by giving the customer the run around, when they are aware that Apple is compelled by law to effect repair.

Q-6

 

[MagicBoy]

It absolutely makes sense. I worked for a computer retailer that wasn't Apple many years ago, and the customer would have to initiate small claims court proceedings before they'd even get a sensible discussion with someone from head office about resolving a similar issue.

 

[Queen6]

It absolutely makes sense. I worked for a computer retailer that wasn't Apple many years ago, and the customer would have to initiate small claims court proceedings before they'd even get a sensible discussion with someone from head office about resolving a similar issue.

Ouch

 

[Rapp]

The space bar developed a known fault within the warranty period (but I could get by with the problem) - it has to be pressed hard at its center to register a space (tapping on its edges, as you'd naturally do, while typing fails). To fix this issue requires a complete replacement of the "Top Case with Keyboard".

Space bar problem:
https://www.macissues.com/2015/06/06/spacebars-malfunctioning-on-new-12-inch-macbooks/

Just curious, how far within the warranty period did this fail? How come you didn't log it as a fault whilst still under warranty?

 

[tfking]

Just to provide additional info: I purchased the laptop from Amazon. I personally unwrapped the outer film and unboxed it myself. If Apple did not make the laptop I'd expect them to inform me so I can take the issue elsewhere.

When the symptoms first started I assumed I was out of warranty i.e. the space bar not responding and the laptop crashing (I thought it was the new OS Sierra update that was unstable and another update would soon fix it). Crash reports were submitted. I didn't have the opportunity to drop everything and run to the applestore. It failed to start on a Monday, by the time I took it in to the applestore on the Saturday they told me it was 10 days out of warranty.

Got a call from the applestore (Wednesday 7th Dec) informing me that I can pick up the laptop, unrepaired of course. If after 60 days it is not collected it becomes their property and ironically they will then scrap it - like it ain't scrap already !£&*%(

First time ever I've taken to forums to complain about any product. First time I've written an Amazon review.

 

[Queen6]

Just to provide additional info: I purchased the laptop from Amazon. I personally unwrapped the outer film and unboxed it myself. If Apple did not make the laptop I'd expect them to inform me so I can take the issue elsewhere.

When the symptoms first started I assumed I was out of warranty i.e. the space bar not responding and the laptop crashing (I thought it was the new OS Sierra update that was unstable and another update would soon fix it). Crash reports were submitted. I didn't have the opportunity to drop everything and run to the applestore. It failed to start on a Monday, by the time I took it in to the applestore on the Saturday they told me it was 10 days out of warranty.

Got a call from the applestore (Wednesday 7th Dec) informing me that I can pick up the laptop, unrepaired of course. If after 60 days it is not collected it becomes their property and ironically they will then scrap it - like it ain't scrap already !£&*%(

First time ever I've taken to forums to complain about any product. First time I've written an Amazon review.

As your in the UK you are covered by the Consumer Protection Act; tell Apple of your dissatisfaction, inform the store management that you will be following up your legal rights as consumer, stay calm & polite or it may be used against you. Best is to get in touch with your local citizens advice, they should be able to advise you.

Frankly I find it to be poor service on Apple`s behalf as long as there is no user initiated damage they should know full well they have a legal obligation to effect repair. My own personal opinion is both Apple`s quality of product & quality of service has been slowly diminishing year on year, which was one factor amongst many resulting in a concerted move off Apple`s platforms...

In your case I would be livid; as either Apple`s employee`s are clueless or Apple is deliberately trying to avoid it`s obligations, then again look at how Apple deals with tax...

Q-6