Extensive Powerbook 12" Repairs

[amdp]

I bought my PowerBook 12" new from a University store (for student discount) in September of 2005. The laptop work FLAWLESSLY until one day the display suddenly stopped working properly. Since it was out of warranty (yup, no applecare), I paid $320 US to repair it. When I got it back, the casing was scratched and they replaced the combo drive (why? I haven't a clue). Less than a week later the same problem started up again. I took it back in, and they repaired it again, including the scratched casing. That time they did over $500 in repairs and I didn't have to pay for it because of the 90-day repair warranty. This time, they replaced the inverter board and a few minor things.

Well, needless to say it is broken again after a week of use and I'll have to take it back in.

What I'm wondering is this: how many times will apple repair my laptop before they start to do something different, i.e., replace it with something else!? Will I have to keep getting it "repaired" until they get it done right??

I'm tempted to get something else so that I have something reliable, but I don't know what I'd do with a broken powerbook. Would apple exchange it for something else?

 

[WildCowboy]

Really the best you can do is to politely express your frustration at their inability to fix the problem and the amount of time you've been without your machine. Some people say that Apple has an informal policy of three attempted repairs before replacement, but that's for warranty/AppleCare repairs, so you'll likely have a harder time getting anything out of them.

I would just be polite about it and document exactly how much time you've lost due to their inability to fix it. If you've got the guts, ask if there's anything they can do for you in terms of compensation. You might be able to get a gift card/credit, but it's tough to say with it being out of warranty.

 

[techster85]

Really the best you can do is to politely express your frustration at their inability to fix the problem and the amount of time you've been without your machine. Some people say that Apple has an informal policy of three attempted repairs before replacement, but that's for warranty/AppleCare repairs, so you'll likely have a harder time getting anything out of them.

I would just be polite about it and document exactly how much time you've lost due to their inability to fix it. If you've got the guts, ask if there's anything they can do for you in terms of compensation. You might be able to get a gift card/credit, but it's tough to say with it being out of warranty.

That is an informal policy, however, they hold to it rather well. My friend was in the exact same situation with his 15 inch powerbook that he bought around that same time frame. Finally after three displays, two logic boards, and a few other odds and ins, apple replaced his 15 for a 15 inch MacBook Pro for a little charge. I think he had applecare though, but i don't think that really matters much.

 

[California]

I had a 12" combo 1.5ghz PB like yours, purchased in Dec 2005. Interesting thing is that I noticed upon start up that the screen would hold in a crazy flicker glitch for a millisecond upon normal start up screen. I know that was a video problem. I sold it (with full three year applecare) at a fair price in August and bought the same machine but the one with the superdrive.

I don't know what that flicker was, but it sound like it freaked on you. Always get Applecare. Always worth it. But at this point, demand something is done. Next time, if they are going to replace the optical drive, ask them for a superdrive, btw! And even for experienced APple Techs, opening up a 12" to play around with the video is a scary, difficult proposition. That was the second reason I sold my combo drive -- I didn't dare try to drop a superdrive in it myself.

Oh, and have not noticed the glitch on the 12" PB Sdrive. But will be getting Applecare for it.