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Genius Bar repair times?

T

The ArchAngel

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 23, 2008
202
0
I'll keep this brief, but this is my first experience with the Genius Bar so I'm trying to find out if my expectations were off or if this is an atypical situation.

The MacBook Pro in my signature, still under warranty, has a faulty SuperDrive. The machine won't read discs, but strangely it'll burn them. So, last week I stopped in the local Apple store, the Genius agreed the drive needed to be replaced and ordered the part. Now, I asked if they would mind calling me when the part came in so that I could use the machine in the mean time, and they agreed to do so. However, when I talked to the store today, I was told that the part is indeed in, but that I will need to leave my machine with them for 3-5 days.

I like to think I am fairly patient and reasonable with my expectations, but repair queue or not, this is something that they should be able to replace in under an hour, in my opinion. Further, I'm in the middle of my grad program and really can't go a business week without my machine right now.

Is this typical for the Apple Store? I'm headed over there tonight and I really must say that if the part is in stock, and I still need to leave it there for 3-5 days despite having asked to be called when the part was in and they were ready to do the repair, I'm going to be disappointed. This is my second Apple, and my wife is on her third, and this is the first repair experience we've had between the three of us.
 
Let's play a game ... you're not the only Apple customer with a faulty product requiring repair. Apple machines fail quite frequently. I know, I know, but it's Apple! Yeah well whatever.

Here is my experience. 5-7 days or 10-14 days. You think I am kidding? I'm not. The beginning of February I took my MacPro in, I was quoted 5-7 days. I didn't even get the 3-5 day window people keep telling me about. I got my MacPro back, still broken, 14 days later. I was given a new MacPro 8 days after that.

So yes, 3-5 is reasonable and if you're in a grad program then my advice to you is to wait until you're done with whatever it is you're doing and hope you don't need the Super Drive, or, send it in and use another computer.

Funny enough, both colleges I attended had computers readily available to me. Having my own was a matter of convenience for me at the time and if I needed something repaired on my only computer then I could use the lab computers. Either way though, if you seriously need the SD then you may want to take it in and suck it up by going to the lab or the library at your school.

It was nice that they would let you keep your machine while they ordered the part. However, 3-5 days seems long but again, as stated above, you're not the only customer. And trust me ... everyone who takes their machine in for repair is saying what you say ... "I can't be without it for ..."
 
My opinion only, but while I think 3 - 5 days IS unreasonable for a part that is already in stock, I'm not sure that I would expect that I could take it in, drop it off and expect to pick it up an hour later. Things go wrong - what they think is just a drive replacement could turn in to something more.

I just had my superdrive replaced (though it was through an AASC, and not the apple store). I did exactly as you - had them order it first and then dropped it off when the part came in expecting to be able to pick up my MBP by the end of the day. As it turned out, the replacement didn't work, nor did a logic board replacement and then finally the second replacement drive did work. I ended up without my laptop for about 8 days when I thought it would be less than 8 hours.

Perhaps Apple is using 3 - 5 days just to cover themselves.
 
It doesn't matter where you go, it will always take a long time to get a machine repaired. Working at an Apple Service Provider, I could tell you that our average wait time is about 8-10 business days.

There are just too many computers and not enough technicians. And technicians cost A LOT of money. So as much as you don't want to wait, there's not much you can do about it.

And Apple is actually quite fast.
Average time for an HP repair with us is 6-8 WEEKS! :eek:
 
The ArchAngel said:
Is this typical for the Apple Store?
Click to expand...

I dunno because I dunno every Apple Store - So I dunno if it's typical. A component change-out like you describe at my Apple Store is done while you wait. Usually less than 1hr. If there's a line or something you can leave it and pick it up (likely) in the morning or go have an icecream and come back when the line is gone.

I'm in Nagoya, Japan with about 2.5 million people and one Apple Store.

(Unless they opened another since last I looked)
 
I agree, it seems unreasonable. If they can change my oil, rotate my tires, check for leaks, and put on a new muffler in less than 3 hours I'm pretty sure they can put a new drive in your machine in under a day.

I used to deal with this issue when I bought Certified Data computers through London Drugs. They would order in a part I needed, then ask me to leave the computer with them for a week. I would simply refuse saying that there is no reason why this should be the case.

The reality is that if they have the part, but can't give you a reasonable window, then why would you even bother waiting for the part to come in? I feel that you approached them with an issue that needed repair, and you were asked to wait for a part. I feel that as a customer that is your wait time and you should be entitled to a quick repair based on that.

You may want to explain to them you think that is an unreasonable time, and ask if you could book an appointment slot or something and have them use that time to fix your computer. Ask them if it's possible for them to schedule in some time for "Wednesday" where they can fix your computer and you'll drop it off in the morning and pick it up by 9:00 pm or whatever.

I think it's reasonable to ask for that kind of service...that's like a 10 hour window they should be able to honor.
 
crazylegsmurphy said:
I agree, it seems unreasonable. If they can change my oil, rotate my tires, check for leaks, and put on a new muffler in less than 3 hours I'm pretty sure they can put a new drive in your machine in under a day.
Click to expand...

Yeah... But again I dunno every shop's policy. Just what happens at my shop. Like all things though, it is what it is. If the shop you go to requires 3 days then that's what it takes - for you. <shrug>

It does seem kinda lame though. A laptop's drive replacement is like a 15 or 20 min. operation - if the guy is a newb. It's pretty modular and very serviceable in there. ;)
 
Tesselator said:
Yeah... But again I dunno every shop's policy. Just what happens at my shop. Like all things though, it is what it is. If the shop you go to requires 3 days then that's what it takes - for you. <shrug>

It does seem kinda lame though. A laptop's drive replacement is like a 15 or 20 min. operation - if the guy is a newb. It's pretty modular and very serviceable in there. ;)
Click to expand...

Well, and that's my argument. This should not be a difficult repair, and that was also why I asked to hold on to my laptop while they waited for the part.

I'll see how it goes tonight, I suppose.
 
Tesselator said:
Yeah... But again I dunno every shop's policy. Just what happens at my shop. Like all things though, it is what it is. If the shop you go to requires 3 days then that's what it takes - for you. <shrug>

It does seem kinda lame though. A laptop's drive replacement is like a 15 or 20 min. operation - if the guy is a newb. It's pretty modular and very serviceable in there. ;)
Click to expand...

Well, this is why my thoughts are that most people should request a change in policy. Just because it's the way it is, doesn't mean it should be (I learned that from a movie I watched yesterday).

I think most of us agree that most computer literate people could swap out a drive in no time, the problem is that you're over a barrel because even the OP probably has the intelligence to do it themselves, but is not able to due to Apple warranty policy.

I really feel that in cases like this, it's reasonable to request a day turnaround.
 
maybe you could ask the genius if they can give you the part and you can do it yourself, its not hard to do.
 
harry454 said:
maybe you could ask the genius if they can give you the part and you can do it yourself, its not hard to do.
Click to expand...

I have considered that possibility. I have no problem doing the work myself, but given that it's in warranty, I'm not feeling compelled to pay for the parts or service what should be taken care of under the original terms of the purchase and warranty.
 
harry454 said:
maybe you could ask the genius if they can give you the part and you can do it yourself, its not hard to do.
Click to expand...

Isn't this a warranty issue? I would be careful with this..I'm not saying they would deliberately screw you over, but it would suck if someone decided to "make note" that you did this yourself and the next time you brought in your computer they said, "Sorry"
 
its not against apple's warranty policy to replace a harddrive in any apple product. but if you damage anything it will not be covered.

wait times are wait times, genius's have procedure's to follow and replacing a drive requires 1 hour - 2 hours labour if done by the book.

drives are tested when put into the notebooks (or at least there suppose to be tested)
 
J.Genius said:
its not against apple's warranty policy to replace a harddrive in any apple product. but if you damage anything it will not be covered.

wait times are wait times, genius's have procedure's to follow and replacing a drive requires 1 hour - 2 hours labour if done by the book.

drives are tested when put into the notebooks (or at least there suppose to be tested)
Click to expand...

Honestly, I have no problem leaving it for the entire day on Friday, but I would need to pick it up on Saturday morning. Anything more than 36 hours seems unreasonable to me, given that I requested they call me when the part was in for the sole purpose of reducing the amount of time I'd be w/o a computer.
 
The ArchAngel said:
Honestly, I have no problem leaving it for the entire day on Friday, but I would need to pick it up on Saturday morning. Anything more than 36 hours seems unreasonable to me, given that I requested they call me when the part was in for the sole purpose of reducing the amount of time I'd be w/o a computer.
Click to expand...

you should never wait more than 24 hours for a repair of in stock parts.

i agree with you on this.

thats like the docter giving you open heart surgery...he cuts you open and than when it hits 4pm says....oh well time for supper...be back in the morning.:D:D
 
its not against apple's warranty policy to replace a harddrive in any apple product.
Click to expand...

This is a CD drive though no? I thought HD's and RAM were considered user replaceable, but not components like CD drives, Chips, etc.
 
crazylegsmurphy said:
This is a CD drive though no? I thought HD's and RAM were considered user replaceable, but not components like CD drives, Chips, etc.
Click to expand...

ok, let me redo.

you can replace anything in the notebook, if you replace anything in there with alternate brand (no apple logo) it will loose warranty on THAT PART ONLY (unless you break somthing in side).

technically, the apple genius can give you the optical drive to replace and have you do it...but that will never happen.
 
Wait til someone at the store mentions that they have a $99/yearly service called "ProCare" that offers the following benefit:

Rapid Repairs

You rely on your Mac and need it in top working order. So if you ever bring it in for repair, you’ll want it back right away. As a ProCare member you get, “Next in Line, First on the Bench” service on all in-store repairs.
Click to expand...
http://www.apple.com/retail/procare/
 
crazylegsmurphy said:
Well, this is why my thoughts are that most people should request a change in policy. Just because it's the way it is, doesn't mean it should be (I learned that from a movie I watched yesterday).
Click to expand...

"Australia"? Awesome movie!

PS: TeeeHeeeHeee... $99.00 to take cuts in line?!?!? LOL!!!
 
Try ProCare

ProCare gives me priority service on any repair, basically I am next on the bench when I drop off my computer. I learned about it when I was flying out on a trip and lost the backlight on my LCD of my 15 inch MBP, said for 100 bucks I'd be next repair - I expensed it to my company but I had my system

I drop my computer off in the morning and usually same evening I get a call that my computer is ready, it's a service for someone who can't be without their system for long. The most I've been with out a computer was 36 hrs and that was my fault since I couldn't get into the store until last in the day.
 
myusername said:
I drop my computer off in the morning and usually same evening I get a call that my computer is ready, it's a service for someone who can't be without their system for long.
Click to expand...

It really is the service that anyone who has AppledontCare should get. I mean you're paying a large sum of cash for the off chance you get a problem...I think that should entitle you to at least a reasonable turn around.

OP, please let us know if they'll budge.
 
Hmm, I seem to be apart from everyone on here with the repair times...

My Apple repair, which was about a week or two ago, took 3.5 hours to complete the repair from the time I dropped it off to the time for I got the call to pick it up. This was a logic board replacement. Granted, it did take a few days to order the part, but I was able to keep my computer during the time that they were waiting for it to come in. I was quoted a week for the part to be ordered, took only 3 days. I was also quoted 2-3 days for the actual repair, and it only took 3 and a half hours.

Awesome turn around, IMO.
 
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