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Apple care about to expire (3 years)

R

ri0ku

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 11, 2009
952
0
Hey guys, this is probably a shot in the dark but is there anyway to get any sort of coverage from another company (as i know apple only support up to 3 years) for my macbook pro ?

It is almost at the end of its 3 year apple care plan and I'm worried that I will get problems again...its been in for repair 4 times already.
 
You should've asked for a replacement the last time you were there... 4 times is a lot.

I don't think any company would ensure a 3 year old laptop that's been repaired 4 times. Most probably only insure new ones.

If I were you, I would go to the Apple store and say you've had a screen flicker issue or something, and just ask for a new one. If you explain how many times it's been in, they'll probably give you a new one, or at least a refurb. If not, sell it now and save some extra money to buy the upcoming redesign.
 
I agree with my learned friend. Overclock the processor and make it burn, or try to encode something using HandBrake and shake the laptop around so the HDD malfunctions then take it in and tell them it's been in 4 times already, they'll probably suggest a replacement.

If you hadn't had any problems then I wouldn't have suggested this chicanery but since you have it only seems logical.
 
theBostonian said:
I agree with my learned friend. Overclock the processor and make it burn, or try to encode something using HandBrake and shake the laptop around so the HDD malfunctions then take it in and tell them it's been in 4 times already, they'll probably suggest a replacement.

If you hadn't had any problems then I wouldn't have suggested this chicanery but since you have it only seems logical.
Click to expand...

In other words, fraud is acceptable?

4 repairs ..but were the 4 repairs for the same thing?
 
theBostonian said:
In other words few things are ever clean-cut black and white.
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Overclocking the processor or shaking your computer around to deliberately cause damage in hopes of getting a replacement sounds pretty black and white to me. If you intentionally cause a problem, then take it in claiming otherwise then that is fraud, whether you like to admit it or not.

To the OP, just out of curiosity, what were the 4 repairs you had to have done? I don't know of any company that will provide an extended warranty past the one you've already had. There's a small chance that if something else goes wrong with it soon after Applecare ends that Apple might still fix it or replace it, especially if the problem is a repeat of what you've already had fixed. There's no guarantees, though. But I wouldn't advise just making up a problem or trying to cause one intentionally.
 
First time the wifi card and logic board broke down, when I got the machine back (They were supposed to put Lion back on it but they put leopard on it..so i had to wait in store over an hour to get that sorted) the back light on the keyboard wasn't working and it hadn't been serialised so it went in a second time to solve that issue, then got it back. The next time I sent it in was because the headphone jack wouldn't accept any headphones they just fell out they wouldn't click in place, so it had to go in for another logic board replacement.

Sorry I have typo'd on my opening post its been in 3 times, not 4. Oh and when I got it back a 3rd time the battery has lost 12% of its capacity which is shocking because I really look after my machine... it has had 120 cycles in 3 years and its been well looked after but I havnt bothered going back into store about that since its jus a battery issue and its 3 years old. (But it was 100% when I took it in for repairs...)

Never had an apology or anything... the worst one was the having to travel all the way back to the store about the light and serial not being sorted...my time had been wasted and money as well on traveling back and forth to the store.
 
ri0ku said:
Sorry I have typo'd on my opening post its been in 3 times, not 4. Oh and when I got it back a 3rd time the battery has lost 12% of its capacity which is shocking because I really look after my machine... it has had 120 cycles in 3 years and its been well looked after but I havnt bothered going back into store about that since its jus a battery issue and its 3 years old. (But it was 100% when I took it in for repairs...)
Click to expand...

The battery thing isn't really an issue. Battery health fluctuates quite a lot. My guess is that when they replaced the logic board, it basically recalibrated your battery so that your computer was reporting the correct %. Having a 3 year old battery at 100% just doesn't sound accurate. All batteries degrade over time and with usage. Apple didn't do anything to make your battery get worse; it just made the reporting of the condition of your battery more accurate.
 
sweetbrat said:
Overclocking the processor or shaking your computer around to deliberately cause damage in hopes of getting a replacement sounds pretty black and white to me. If you intentionally cause a problem, then take it in claiming otherwise then that is fraud, whether you like to admit it or not.
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Cool Story Bro!

It feels like you're stalking me :confused:
 
Like all things you Mac will age, dont worry about it one of my 15" MBP`s is from early 08 and still going strong, I just recently replaced the fans. Use it until it`s uneconomic to repair it may very well go on for another four years without any problem...
 
Queen6 said:
Like all things you Mac will age, dont worry about it one of my 15" MBP`s is from early 08 and still going strong, I just recently replaced the fans. Use it until it`s uneconomic to repair it may very well go on for another four years without any problem...
Click to expand...

This is pretty outstanding advice. While I’d like to keep equipment as long as possible, I also factor in “consumption”, you know, use both casual and professional cost-of-use.

Before my current MBP, my HP lasted me ~4 years, cost about $1200, so I figure I got my value out of my machine at $300/year.
 
I sold my early 2008 15" MBP in December. Its extended AppleCare policy had expired in October. It had seen light use and was in mint condition. I was concerned about the NVIDIA GPU problem and I wanted a 13" MBP because I found the 15" to be too big for traveling.

I got $900 for it via CraigsList. Since I snagged an early 2011 13" MBP at Amazon for $909 the sale covered the cost of the new MBP. (I paid around $1500 for the 15" MBP.) I appreciate the considerable increase in speed, MUCH better battery life and forward compatibility; I anticipate keeping this MBP longer than three years.
 
D.T. said:
This is pretty outstanding advice. While I’d like to keep equipment as long as possible, I also factor in “consumption”, you know, use both casual and professional cost-of-use.

Before my current MBP, my HP lasted me ~4 years, cost about $1200, so I figure I got my value out of my machine at $300/year.
Click to expand...

There are simply too many variables, the hardware, usage, environmental conditions worrying wont change any of this if the OP is super concerned he should sell now while the machine is still working and recover some of the cost now, and replace wit a new model and another three years of peace of mind.

Personally my machines get to a point where they owe me nothing, after this it`s just cream, the longer they run the better as long a they are up for the job, if not they are replaced. I bought my Early 15" MBP 2.4 C2D for $1150 and I have well and truly had my money`s worth, it`s replacement cost just over $2K for the 15" i7, 3-4 years is about the limit for a machine thats going to be useful professionally after this point the are likely to be too slow or starting to become unreliable and realistically apart from simple fixes like fans, they are in general uneconomic to repair, and the downtime too expensive.

Should a major component on my Early 2008 MBP fail such as the logic board (Nvidia) of display is will be junked, the 2011 machine will move to secondary and a new 2012 - 20XX system to primary. Cost is relative, if the systems are generating revenue then the cost is far less of an issue, although total cost of ownership is always something to be mindful of...
 
theBostonian said:
Cool Story Bro!

It feels like you're stalking me :confused:
Click to expand...

You just happened to post things I don't agree with in a couple threads that I decided to read, so I posted responses. That's generally what happens in forums like this. Trust me, I have much better things to do with my time than stalk you. :rolleyes:
 
sweetbrat said:
You just happened to post things I don't agree with in a couple threads that I decided to read, so I posted responses. That's generally what happens in forums like this. Trust me, I have much better things to do with my time than stalk you. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Woah, I've never seen a Demi-Goddess before... Pretty cool! :)
 
Thanks for the replies guys, I'm not going to destroy or cause damage to my macbook to try and get it replaced just seems unethical. However there is a strange thing happening whenever I use the 9600gpu and play games, after an hour or even a few hours sometimes I start to get artefacts on the screen and they don't go away unless I come out of the game, don't seem to get this when running on the 9400.

Its only done this abouts 3 or 4 times and its quite hard to try and prove it happening because its not constant... and it can vary any time while playing a game. I just havnt bothered going in about it because I can't actually prove it happening.
 
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