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Help Returning/Reselling Macbook + AppleCare

S

SachaMac

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 28, 2012
12
0
Hi everyone, I have a few questions regarding my macbook pro.

So recently I just started winter quarter of university and my awesome parents surprised me with something along the lines of a late graduation/christmas gift.
Its a baseline macbook pro 13 (non-retina). I don't know when they actually purchased the device, but someting I noticed was that it is simply really big.(light, but big and in my opinion TOO fragile) As in so big that I'm really afraid that because of the HDD and it being in my backpack, it simply won't be safe being lugged around all day. I'm looking to either return (or resell, I know I sound really ungrateful but please understand) and get a 13 inch macbook air. That being said when my parents first bought the macbook pro they also purchased applecare for it, and I was wondering...Since I probaby wont be allowed to return it (and ill have to resell, on say amazon) What do I do about the applecare? Can I sell the macbook pro with the applecare attatched to it and just add on an the extra $200-300 (idk how much it costs) to the price and adv. it as Macbook Pro /w applecare....what will I do about it? Also, would amazon be a good place to advertise? I sold an ipad o amazon and they took a 20$ charge out of it, will I still have enough money to buy the Macbook Air and the applecare again even after the fee?
If there is anything else I should know please tell. Oh, also, when I sell it what do I do about the hard drive? I'm young and I don't really have that sensitive of information, but I heard something about "zeroing" it out, or what? Also, are there any differences I should know about (that arent obvious) for the macbook air?
 
You have to be quick, but can't you still return Christmas Macs? There's a cutoff which is longer than usual for these... Much the best plan if you really want an Air. And you could probably do it without your parents even knowing... :)
 
tillsbury said:
You have to be quick, but can't you still return Christmas Macs? There's a cutoff which is longer than usual for these... Much the best plan if you really want an Air. And you could probably do it without your parents even knowing... :)
Click to expand...

Can I return the applecare? It costs so much and I don't want to waste their money.
Also will they charge a restocking fee because I can't afford that?
 
Last edited:
To answer you AppleCare question, Apple will allow you to transfer the unused portion of your Applecare plan to a new user. See Apple's FAQ

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SachaMac said:
Can I return the applecare? It costs so much and I don't want to waste their money.
Also will they charge a respocking fee because I can't afford that?
Click to expand...

If you look under section 9 of the AppleCare terms and conditions you can return Applecare within 30 days of purchase for a complete refund, which may be your better option.
 
The Christmas return period ended on the 7th Jan, so you're out of luck, sorry. You should put it up for sale on ebay or wherever, and you can sell the applecare with it... you should get something a little less than the refurb price.
 
James Craner said:
To answer you AppleCare question, Apple will allow you to transfer the unused portion of your Applecare plan to a new user. See Apple's FAQ

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If you look under section 9 of the AppleCare terms and conditions you can return Applecare within 30 days of purchase for a complete refund, which may be your better option.
Click to expand...

But the thing is that my parents probably didnt buy it christmas day, so I'm sure most of those periods will have past by now.
 
It was for any Apple bought from 27th October (to cover parents buying the wrong one well before Christmas!). But anyway, anything bought since then is subject to the usual 14-day return now so you'll have to just sell it.
 
TS, why not try contact Apple and ask them if its possible to return and purchase the Air ? either top up or something?
 
tillsbury said:
The Christmas return period ended on the 7th Jan, so you're out of luck, sorry. You should put it up for sale on ebay or wherever, and you can sell the applecare with it... you should get something a little less than the refurb price.
Click to expand...

$200 less because the box was opened and used for like a week?
 
Best advice I can give is, assuming your parents bought it at an Apple Store, it to take it back, explain it was a christmas present and you want to swap for an Air instead. Although Apple have official policies, local store managers have some discretion as well. Given that you want to swap it for an Air they are likely to be more receptive. The worst that can happen is they say no. If they agree make sure they swap the Apple Care as well, as it is linked to the computer not the owner.
 
James Craner said:
Best advice I can give is, assuming your parents bought it at an Apple Store, it to take it back, explain it was a christmas present and you want to swap for an Air instead. Although Apple have official policies, local store managers have some discretion as well. Given that you want to swap it for an Air they are likely to be more receptive. The worst that can happen is they say no. If they agree make sure they swap the Apple Care as well, as it is linked to the computer not the owner.
Click to expand...

Okay, thanks for your help! :)
 
Why are you concerned about you HDD in your backpack?? We carried notebooks in back packs and brief cases for 20 years with spinning drives if anything they're safer now than ever before.
 
GermanyChris said:
Why are you concerned about you HDD in your backpack?? We carried notebooks in back packs and brief cases for 20 years with spinning drives if anything they're safer now than ever before.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Although I did have a Mac desktop with this MASSIVE 2GB drive in it that spun super fast, was a high speed SCSI drive.. if you bumped it, it'd crash. LOL.

If it's that much of a concern though, OP, the penalty you'll take selling that and then buying a MacBook Air, you could just buy an SSD for your MBP. Those can handle a tremendous amount of shock WHILE moving.

Either way though, modern hard drives 'park' the head when switched off. If the laptop is off or asleep, it's very difficult to damage the drive. MANY Years ago that wasn't the case as the head would rest on the platter and scratch it, but it's not the case anymore. Even if the drive is on, Apple has for YEARS built in motion sensing that will automatically park the head if it senses any sort of a jolt, so even if it's left on, not asleep, AND the hard drive is on (Your MacBook will routinely shut off the hard drive when the computer isn't being used to save battery, it's why you'll occasionally notice a small bit of 'lag' for a second when returning to your computer after a short while away, as the hard drive spins back up), it won't get damaged.

The hard disk I wouldn't be worried about, but if you are, it might actually be CHEAPER to run an SSD than to switch to an air.

Also, note that you'll take a performance hit when switching to the Air. The air may feel faster due to it's SSD (but again you'll get that with an SSD in the MBP!), but in order to manage the form factor it has a slower CPU.

I certainly understand the desire to have something light with an easy form factor though! But you ought to give the 13" MBP a try. I bought mine specifically to have the portability and luggability, but still have decent performance.
 
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