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Disappointed in Apple

T

TristanH

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 25, 2007
10
0
In October '05 I bought a 2.3ghz Powermac G5 1gb apple ram and 20 in cinema display from Apple.com for about $3200. I didn't buy Applecare (I wish I could have afforded it now). I used the computer for about an hour or two a week and never dl torrents on it or left it on overnight. This thing is mint, the desktop is clear, the hard drive is nowhere near full. So I am on Safari (apple.com) the other day, and the fan cranks up with the overtemp led on. The computer won't start up. I later found out from my mac genius that the problem is the processor. Evidently apple.com can fry the processor. The cost to fix it is $1150, which I don't have. This computer must be defective. I have never heard of this happening and through all my hp's I never had one issue like this. What do you guys think is this the cost of doing business with apple?

I also found out that there have been power issues with my model which apple has issued free fixes for. Could this be a related issue?

I used to light up when I saw a mac, now I wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

Thank you for letting me rant.
 
I hate to sound insensitive, but it sounds like most of these issues could've been avoided with some preventative measures, i.e. AppleCare or watching the free fixes.

All computers have problems, and it's a shame that you're going through all this hassle at this point, but it's a little harsh to blame Apple when this could've possibly been prevented.
 
TristanH said:
They didn't tell me that but thats what happened
Click to expand...

Evidently apple.com can fry the processor.
Click to expand...


You know, computers break when doing all sorts of random things; that doesn't mean there is a connection.

What possibly may have happened is that a fan stopped working just as you were using Safari. It happens, and your Mac is a couple of years old without cover. That's really bad luck... not every Mac is perfect; I've bought nine for both work and home over the years, not one problem. That's luck too.

You have four options:

1) Throw the Mac away
2) Get it repaired
3) Sell it as is for parts
4) Track down the exact reported issue, find out whether Apple have liability and then contact them to see what they might do for you

Good luck.
 
jaydub said:
I hate to sound insensitive, but it sounds like most of these issues could've been avoided with some preventative measures, i.e. AppleCare or watching the free fixes.

All computers have problems, and it's a shame that you're going through all this hassle at this point, but it's a little harsh to blame Apple when this could've possibly been prevented.
Click to expand...

I realize applecare would be a good preventative measure, however when something is defective it should be taken care of. This machine was not stressed at all.
 
TristanH said:
I realize applecare would be a good preventative measure, however when something is defective it should be taken care of. This machine was not stressed at all.
Click to expand...
It's not an issue of stress though. Components fail, and as Blue Velvet said, the options you have now are above. I had to send in my MBP for a complete logic board replacement a few weeks after I bought it. I was frustrated by that, but at least it's fixed now and it works properly. Apple will usually do right by their customers (for the most part), but they aren't necessarily a bad company because they can't appease you in this situation.
 
TristanH said:
I realize applecare would be a good preventative measure, however when something is defective it should be taken care of. This machine was not stressed at all.
Click to expand...

If you've had the machine since 2005, you can't blame Apple for not fixing it for free, considering you didn't get Applecare. I'm sorry for what happened and all, but these things happen with computers.
 
Blue Velvet said:
You know, computers break when doing all sorts of random things; that doesn't mean there is a connection.

What possibly may have happened is that a fan stopped working just as you were using Safari. It happens, and your Mac is a couple of years old without cover. That's really bad luck... not every Mac is perfect; I've bought nine for both work and home over the years, not one problem. That's luck too.

You have four options:

1) Throw the Mac away
2) Get it repaired
3) Sell it as is for parts
4) Track down the exact reported issue, find out whether Apple have liability and then contact them to see what they might do for you

Good luck.
Click to expand...


I know apple.com didn't fry the g5. it was ironic that that was when it happened. Thank you for the advice.

I am in the music business so I've used many macs, which as a whole haven't had many problems. Maybe I'm more disappointed that their good track record has been tainted in my mind.
 
TristanH said:
They didn't tell me that but thats what happened
Click to expand...

I very much doubt it was due to www.apple.com

unfortunatly taking out applecare is down to each owner, should i take it, shouldn't i take it, would your feel different if you had taken applecare and the failure happened after the extended warranty period expired?

ok your not happy, the repair will be expensive, but there are children out there terminally ill that won't see their next birthday, things ain't that bad really are they ;)

You will get it sorted.
 
Mr.Noisy said:
I very much doubt it was due to www.apple.com

unfortunatly taking out applecare is down to each owner, should i take it, shouldn't i take it, would your feel different if you had taken applecare and the failure happened after the extended warranty period expired?

ok your not happy, the repair will be expensive, but there are children out there terminally ill that won't see their next birthday, things ain't that bad really are they ;)

You will get it sorted.
Click to expand...


I would definitely feel better if I had applecare, but I would still not feel great about it. This may become a recurrent problem after the 3 years is up. I have a g3 that has lasted 10 yrs without one problem. The quality of mac is just not what it used to be.
 
Sometimes a stressor can kill a weak part, but that doesn't mean that going to a site or running a program that uses 100% of the CPU is the cause of death.

I would tell you to buy the part on eBay, but you absolutely need the thermal calibration application to swap CPUs.

Don't remember what the app is called.

And the eBay part should be a lot cheaper than the Apple repair.
 
jaydub said:
I hate to sound insensitive, but it sounds like most of these issues could've been avoided with some preventative measures, i.e. AppleCare or watching the free fixes.

All computers have problems, and it's a shame that you're going through all this hassle at this point, but it's a little harsh to blame Apple when this could've possibly been prevented.
Click to expand...


what do you work for apple? applecare shouldnt be a requirement. i can have some sympathy for the guy
 
jaydub said:
No, I'm a realist who realizes that manufacturer's warranties run out.
Click to expand...

This is a internet forum my friend.
Quite often 2+2=4 ain't obvious around here LOL.
People don't think and they love to blame whole world for their own stupidity.
 
Oh wow. This thread is really sad as an informed consumer to see that people think this way and actually hold things like this against the companies from which they buy.

I have no expectation of free fixes from Apple unless there is a recall of a common issue, unless I'm under warranty or I bought AppleCare for the $250 or $300 it cost. Well, I would have bought it, if it were me.

But you can still sell it on eBay and get a few hundred for it.
 
If you had taken the money you would have spent on Applecare and invested it in AAPL Stock you could have purchased about 6 shares at the October 2005 price of roughly $50/share. You could have then sold those shares for $153.18 each as of Today and made a profit of $619.08 which would have paid for half of your repair bill. I really don't have a point.
 
imac/cheese said:
If you had taken the money you would have spent on Applecare and invested it in AAPL Stock you could have purchased about 6 shares at the October 2005 price of roughly $50/share. You could have then sold those shares for $153.18 each as of Today and made a profit of $619.08 which would have paid for half of your repair bill. I really don't have a point.
Click to expand...

haha it's an interesting point though! :D
 
imac/cheese said:
If you had taken the money you would have spent on Applecare and invested it in AAPL Stock you could have purchased about 6 shares at the October 2005 price of roughly $50/share. You could have then sold those shares for $153.18 each as of Today and made a profit of $619.08 which would have paid for half of your repair bill. I really don't have a point.
Click to expand...
"You don't have to have a point, to have a point!"
Harry Nielson:)
 
TristanH said:
I have a g3 that has lasted 10 yrs without one problem. The quality of mac is just not what it used to be.
Click to expand...

You cant compare 2 computers and make a statement like that. Scientifically that is absurd.
 
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