A Redemption Story.
My 15-inch 2009 MacBook Pro had been showing signs of a failing hard drive over the last couple weeks. After a pretty bad crash yesterday, I determined it was finally time to take the laptop in and have the drive replaced under Apple Care.
When I arrived for my 10 am appointment at the Knox location in Dallas, TX, the Genius helping me was quickly able to confirm it was a failing hard drive, and check to see if they had a replacement in stock. I had been considering upgrading to a SSD, so I asked the Genius if I could pay the difference between the stock 320GB 5400 RPM drive they were going to put in, in order to upgrade to a 128GB SSD. I was told that Apple only allows even swaps, and don't allow users to pay for upgrades as part of replacements.
Disappointed, I took my MacBook Pro and its new 320GB 5400RPM hard drive to my office and gave another Apple Store in the area a call to confirm that there was not an option of me purchasing an upgrade. "Evan" at the Ft Worth University Park Apple Store confirmed what the other store had said. He then suggested that I buy a SSD online, and take it to an authorized repair facility to have it installed. I told him that I was hoping to simply pay an "upgrade" fee (and reduce product waste) by simply getting Apple to put the hard drive in that I wanted. I went on to say that if I was going to purchase a SSD online, that I would simply install it myself. To which Evan quickly stated I could, but I would void my warranty and Apple Care.
I told Evan that I didn't believe that was the case, as the MacBook Pro User Guide for my laptop clearly states that the Hard Drive and Memory are user-servicable. He laughed me off stating again that I was wrong, and that when users bring in their MacBooks after performing Hard Drive upgrades, that they explain that their warranties were voided. I again try to explain to him that he was wrong, and he insists that he isn't, again laughing off my claims. Stating a couple of times how he himself had the hard drive upgraded in his MacBook Pro recently (presumably before working at Apple) and had to take it to authorized repair center for the upgrade, so he wouldn't void his warranty.
Frustrated, I hung up the phone. For my own piece of mind, I DOUBLE CHECKED the User Guide for my MacBook Pro (as found online here: http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/MacBook_Pro_15inch_Mid2009.pdf ). Again I saw that on page 61 it clearly states the Hard Drive is user-serviceable.
Being stubborn and feeling like I was right, I called back, waiting on hold again simply to further defend my stance and try to correct an Apple employee from giving people misinformation. This time when Evan answered the phone, I said "Hi Evan, I just called a minute ago, I need to speak with your manager." Evan said "Is this about the Apple Care thing?". I told him yes, and that I had looked it up the MacBook Pro User Guide again to confirm, and I was calling back to make sure that Apple has qualified people answering the phones. Evan again insisted he was right, reciting his personal experience again. When I finally got him navigated to the User Guide online, and he read page 61, he said "Yes, the hard drive is user-servicable, but it voids your warranty". To which I said, "That's crazy. Then whats the difference between user-servicable and non user-servicable parts?". Evan stated "I don't know, you'll have to check with the Apple Care people".
He went on to tell me how it states "somewhere" in the Apple Care paperwork that upgrading the hard drive voids my warranty. I asked him where that was. He finally asks me to hold for a minute, and about 5 minutes later he comes back. He says "OK! I have some answers for you. You can upgrade your hard drive without voiding your warranty."
He reminded me that if anything was damaged while the hard drive upgrade was being performed, it could void part or all of my warranty. (duh).
He finally apologized, and I thanked him for his time.
So there you have it, Apple has 1 a slightly smarter employee today.
-nerfjames
My 15-inch 2009 MacBook Pro had been showing signs of a failing hard drive over the last couple weeks. After a pretty bad crash yesterday, I determined it was finally time to take the laptop in and have the drive replaced under Apple Care.
When I arrived for my 10 am appointment at the Knox location in Dallas, TX, the Genius helping me was quickly able to confirm it was a failing hard drive, and check to see if they had a replacement in stock. I had been considering upgrading to a SSD, so I asked the Genius if I could pay the difference between the stock 320GB 5400 RPM drive they were going to put in, in order to upgrade to a 128GB SSD. I was told that Apple only allows even swaps, and don't allow users to pay for upgrades as part of replacements.
Disappointed, I took my MacBook Pro and its new 320GB 5400RPM hard drive to my office and gave another Apple Store in the area a call to confirm that there was not an option of me purchasing an upgrade. "Evan" at the Ft Worth University Park Apple Store confirmed what the other store had said. He then suggested that I buy a SSD online, and take it to an authorized repair facility to have it installed. I told him that I was hoping to simply pay an "upgrade" fee (and reduce product waste) by simply getting Apple to put the hard drive in that I wanted. I went on to say that if I was going to purchase a SSD online, that I would simply install it myself. To which Evan quickly stated I could, but I would void my warranty and Apple Care.
I told Evan that I didn't believe that was the case, as the MacBook Pro User Guide for my laptop clearly states that the Hard Drive and Memory are user-servicable. He laughed me off stating again that I was wrong, and that when users bring in their MacBooks after performing Hard Drive upgrades, that they explain that their warranties were voided. I again try to explain to him that he was wrong, and he insists that he isn't, again laughing off my claims. Stating a couple of times how he himself had the hard drive upgraded in his MacBook Pro recently (presumably before working at Apple) and had to take it to authorized repair center for the upgrade, so he wouldn't void his warranty.
Frustrated, I hung up the phone. For my own piece of mind, I DOUBLE CHECKED the User Guide for my MacBook Pro (as found online here: http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/MacBook_Pro_15inch_Mid2009.pdf ). Again I saw that on page 61 it clearly states the Hard Drive is user-serviceable.
Being stubborn and feeling like I was right, I called back, waiting on hold again simply to further defend my stance and try to correct an Apple employee from giving people misinformation. This time when Evan answered the phone, I said "Hi Evan, I just called a minute ago, I need to speak with your manager." Evan said "Is this about the Apple Care thing?". I told him yes, and that I had looked it up the MacBook Pro User Guide again to confirm, and I was calling back to make sure that Apple has qualified people answering the phones. Evan again insisted he was right, reciting his personal experience again. When I finally got him navigated to the User Guide online, and he read page 61, he said "Yes, the hard drive is user-servicable, but it voids your warranty". To which I said, "That's crazy. Then whats the difference between user-servicable and non user-servicable parts?". Evan stated "I don't know, you'll have to check with the Apple Care people".
He went on to tell me how it states "somewhere" in the Apple Care paperwork that upgrading the hard drive voids my warranty. I asked him where that was. He finally asks me to hold for a minute, and about 5 minutes later he comes back. He says "OK! I have some answers for you. You can upgrade your hard drive without voiding your warranty."
He reminded me that if anything was damaged while the hard drive upgrade was being performed, it could void part or all of my warranty. (duh).
He finally apologized, and I thanked him for his time.
So there you have it, Apple has 1 a slightly smarter employee today.
-nerfjames
