Hats off to Apple on this one.... (exceptional service)

[icanhazmac]

Wanted to relay the latest story with my dumpster fire 2017 MBP 15"

Up until last week, 3 keyboard replacements over 4 years and now past the repair program window it was acting up again.

Last Wednesday morning I opened my laptop only to be greeted by a dark screen, I could tell the laptop was functioning, just no screen. After a bit of messing around I found that if I opened the lid less than 3-4" it would work fine but open it any further and the screen would go dark... GRRR, Flexgate/video cable! I was really mad at this point because over the last 12-18 months I have been mostly WFH and have been using my MBP in clamshell mode with 2 external monitors. I just needed this POS to survive another ~6 months until the new 16" models come out.

I spent a bunch of time on the phone with Apple support, all very nice interactions but little in the way of satisfaction, they just made me a store visit appointment all the while expressing that the store would be able to help me out in the case of a potential swap/upgrade/whatever.

Visited a local store Thursday morning where my issues were confirmed but all they offered to do was send it out for repair, estimate ~$750, guess what the trade in value on this laptop is??? Yup $785, so obviously not worth fixing so I left.

I called Apple support back and immediately, though nicely, asked to speak to a senior advisor and after a bit was connected to one. I re-explained all of the drama surrounding this POS and even though I have heard stories of support trading out problem systems for a replacement they wouldn't budge claiming "I don't have the power to do that", frustrating but what can one do, it was 1 year out of warranty.

Then the advisor says "can I put you on hold for a minute to check something", of course I said no problem and when he came back he said that for all my troubles with this machine Apple would cover the cost of the parts and I would need to cover the labor!!! Well that was a no brainer so I agreed and booked another store appointment.

This past Saturday morning I visited my local store and they confirmed everything, including adding my keyboard issues to the repair and sent it off with a 5-7 working days window for it to be returned to me, all good!

I sit here now, after only 2.5 working days, typing this story on my freshly returned MBP which received a new Display Assembly, Top case with battery and 2 I/O boards.

Really gotta hand it to Apple for standing behind an out of warranty, problematic system! Added bonus, I didn't even get charged the labor.


tl;dr Apple repaired my laptop for free 1 year after warranty ran out! Great support!

 

[robinium]

Wish I had the same experience with my 2017 15" experiencing Flexgate issues Glad you got it resolved, anyway, as you absolutely should. Apple should stand behind their products with issues like this.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Even though your Mac was out of warranty, Apple did the right thing with the repair, seeing how the problems were born from their own bad design / part usage.

 

[PhoenixDown]

I am glad they worked something out for you but I think a very heavy discount on a new macbook would have been more appropriate given the issues

 

[icanhazmac]

I think a very heavy discount on a new macbook would have been more appropriate given the issues

I absolutely would have accepted that and indirectly asked them to do that but I'm not going to complain about the end result. Even if I would have been charged the labor I feel it was fair.

 

[Christopher Kim]

Good to hear Apple did the right thing by you here. As someone who had the FlexGate issue on my 2016 13" MBP (and got it repaired through the program as my model is covered), I can empathize that it was frustrating but relieving when Apple covered it without issue.

Also with you in anxiously waiting for the new 14/16" MBPs to come out. Compared to whatever "discount" they might have offered to you with your next MBP purchase, I imagine your 2017 15" with a new topcase / battery probably has better resale value in a few months than whatever a reasonable discount might have been.

 

[Natzoo]

Glad it worked out, but I don't think apple should be getting credit here or really anything related to defects. Knowingly releasing a defective product and placing the blame on the consumer is not cool and I am forced to upgrade my 2018 at the end of the year due to apple's anti-consumer behavior. Just had my display replaced (a week before applecare+ expires) and am now onto my third keyboard repair. The keyboard is the reason of the forced upgrade but still had to go through some hurdles to get applecare+ to cover the display since they wanted to place blame.

 

[robinium]

Glad it worked out, but I don't think apple should be getting credit here or really anything related to defects. Knowingly releasing a defective product and placing the blame on the consumer is not cool and I am forced to upgrade my 2018 at the end of the year due to apple's anti-consumer behavior. Just had my display replaced (a week before applecare+ expires) and am now onto my third keyboard repair.

Agreed… I’ve been fighting them over my 2017 15 inch which cost 3,100EUR and only lasted 3.5 years before developing flex gate. When I spent that much… I expected to get 6-8 years from the MBP before needing to upgrade.

Consumer law here in Ireland should cover this scenario as it’s a design flaw, and didn’t last a reasonable amount of time given the cost… but Apple flat out refused to honour that for me (executive relations), saying that “after 3 years, it’s very unlikely to be a manufacturing fault”, which we know is bull when it comes to flex gate, but they won’t acknowledge that. I’ve put in a small claims court case against them… who knows if I’ll get anywhere against the giant of Apple, but I have to try on principle at least…

 

[Natzoo]

Agreed… I’ve been fighting them over my 2017 15 inch which cost 3,100EUR and only lasted 3.5 years before developing flex gate. When I spent that much… I expected to get 6-8 years from the MBP before needing to upgrade.

Consumer law here in Ireland should cover this scenario as it’s a design flaw, and didn’t last a reasonable amount of time given the cost… but Apple flat out refused to honour that for me (executive relations), saying that “after 3 years, it’s very unlikely to be a manufacturing fault”, which we know is bull when it comes to flex gate, but they won’t acknowledge that. I’ve put in a small claims court case against them… who knows if I’ll get anywhere against the giant of Apple, but I have to try on principle at least…

Hope everything works out for you, the US doesn't have great consumer laws so I am at the mercy of Apple. Another issue I noticed is that they warrantied the display for 90 days but what if a defect pops up after, I am very sketch of them not to do a 1-year limited warranty.

 

[robinium]

Hope everything works out for you, the US doesn't have great consumer laws so I am at the mercy of Apple. Another issue I noticed is that they warrantied the display for 90 days but what if a defect pops up after, I am very sketch of them not to do a 1-year limited warranty.

Thanks… yeah that sucks that you’ve got little to no protection. Though unfortunately if Apple just refuse to recognise the law over here, it’s not much use either, unless I can force them to with small claims court :/ At least I have the advantage of not having to have any legal representation, and sending a rep for them is probably more expensive than just replacing for me.

 

[icanhazmac]

Glad it worked out, but I don't think apple should be getting credit here or really anything related to defects. Knowingly releasing a defective product

Yes, on one hand the keyboard issue is widely documented and even though they put the 4yr replacement program into effect they still replace the keyboards with the same faulty model, so it is not a matter of if but when. The flexgate issue is also widely talked about but Apple only acknowledges it on a limited number of 13" models so those of us that have seen it in a 15" are left with few options.

I do consider myself lucky that Apple covered it. Hopefully this keyboard survives long enough for the new 16" to come out.