Looking to get a replacement laptop

[kdum8]

Yes, the reason given was "battery over 1 year - within specs". While the battery was 13.5 months old, the cycles were low and the spectacular way it failed were not what I consider "within specs". Apple corporate apparently agrees - and while I offered to fax over the docs I had, I was told that they "take my word for it"... and then completely disregarded everything and did not offer to rectify anything.

If the year limit is official policy then maybe I just got lucky then because my battery was over 22 months old when they replaced it for me.

My MBP was also in for a failed superdrive and a failed 8600M GT GPU as well so maybe they were just trying to be generous given all the serious problems with it.

I am also in Japan which might make a difference. In Japan, honouring customer service is very important culturally so they may have different rules over here I don't know.

 

[silverblack]

To me, this is much more than "one bad experience". The OP has contacted Apple numerous times, and even got a hold of the Executive Customer Services. After *carefully* reviewing the case, they still decided not to do anything. Now, that's insane.

If you still think this is not a big deal, then what is? Until this happens to you personally? Isn't that a little too late...

 

[Eddyisgreat]

Wait, you've had the battery replace twice. Are you saying they disregarded these issues when making the determination on your laptop?

That's insane. I've had my screen replaced, my audio board replaced and my battery replaced twice. I was hoping that would count towards my "limit" though I knew it would be about two or three more minor repairs or one or two major (screen/logic board) repairs but my battery shouldn't die in the first place (both times, under 100 cycles and around 75% capacity) so I was hoping to make a case.

Ugh.

Anyway, keep pressing. Your letter was good it probably just didn't get to the appropriate individuals.

I am also in Japan which might make a difference. In Japan, honouring customer service is very important culturally so they may have different rules over here I don't know.

lol.

 

[kdum8]

Wait, you've had the battery replace twice. Are you saying they disregarded these issues when making the determination on your laptop?

That's insane. I've had my screen replaced, my audio board replaced and my battery replaced twice. I was hoping that would count towards my "limit" though I knew it would be about two or three more minor repairs or one or two major (screen/logic board) repairs but my battery shouldn't die in the first place (both times, under 100 cycles and around 75% capacity) so I was hoping to make a case.

Ugh.

Anyway, keep pressing. Your letter was good it probably just didn't get to the appropriate individuals.



lol.

You have the Penryn model. Does that mean you have the 8600M GT graphics chip? You have had a lot of repairs.

Are you hoping that they'll give you a new MBP so you don't have the dreaded logic-board failure out of warranty?

 

[Eddyisgreat]

kdum8, honestly, I'm hoping that my computer has no more issues. I don't appreciate having the dreaded 8600m but I havn't had any problems yet, and I am more than willing to shut my trap if my machine doesn't screw up in the remaining 1.3 years I have left on Applecare, but I use my machine for over 7 hours of the day and paid top dollar for the 15 inch "high" model (512 vram, 6 mb l2 cache). I'll admit however that I am much more proactive than the average user. I run hardware tests (both Apple tech tests and built in hardware tests) weekly, coconutbattery, techtool scans etc.

Yeah I would like to get rid of the 8600m but i'd rather not have to go to the Apple Store every time something screws up.

My repair history is scant compared to the OP's though. Let me mention that I haven't pressed for a replacement yet as I know the battery issues are considered "minor" and I haven't had any other major repairs.

 

[PacMookBro]

Well, I just got off the phone with Apple - and they refused to do anything at all. Apparently, the battery issues were still considered a "consumable", and not a hardware issue (I disagree - see my original post). I asked if there was any way to have the laptop diagnosed as this battery issue has happened twice and was once again refused, citing that there are "no known issues" with the laptop vis-a-vis battery charging and therefore no precedent to have the unit diagnosed.

I asked what else could be done for me to address the situation (my main concern being that my AppleCare will run out in a few months!), and I was told that there was nothing to be done.

She said that she's documented everything and that we can "revisit the issues" if and when they deem that there is a hardware failure that was previously reported.

Basically, they've ignored everything in the email and decided that a lack of confidence in the reliability of their hardware is really not that important.

Unfortunately, that translates (for me) into not being willing to pay an Apple Tax for the promise of superior-quality hardware with nothing but empty words to back it up.... guess I'll be looking at the Envy after all...

Hope you guys have better luck with your gear (failure-wise and customer service-wise).

I'm sorry to hear your misfortune.

It is difficult to prove that the problem is not caused by the battery. So Apple customer service has a point, unfortunately. How about distorted video?

 

[CRaSHeR36]

I'm sorry to hear your misfortune.

It is difficult to prove that the problem is not caused by the battery. So Apple customer service has a point, unfortunately. How about distorted video?

The distorted video issue was documented in both cases - in the first case, they had to replace the lid assembly/display completely and in the second, there was a logic board failure (not related to the nVidia issue). The optical drive failure was also documented and in their system, as was the battery issues.

Apparently this does not warrant an exchange or even an extension to AppleCare. Oh well.

 

[kdum8]

The distorted video issue was documented in both cases - in the first case, they had to replace the lid assembly/display completely and in the second, there was a logic board failure (not related to the nVidia issue). The optical drive failure was also documented and in their system, as was the battery issues.

Apparently this does not warrant an exchange or even an extension to AppleCare. Oh well.

I think that not extending your applecare or giving you a free replacement is not out of the ordinary though. Some people have received an upgrade when there have been a lot of problems, but usually the same component repeadedly failing, (three times or more). I would say that your laptop is close but not quite at the threshold that usually results in that action. I understand why you are frustrated though. Given the pattern of failures once your applecare has run out it is going to start costing you to fix should you be unlucky further...

 

[thirdykal]

Hmmm... judging by the amount of repairs you've had, you should be given a replacement. I've had a replacement authorized for 1 hard drive, 1 motherboard, 1 fan, 1 superdrive and 1 casing. The new fan definitely has something wrong with it (I've ordered a new one from Applecare) and the new motherboard is dying (ethernet port completely dead). I guess it's just because every major part besides the screen has failed that I'm getting a replacement, but I don't have that many more repairs than you. Also, since I'm only a student, the issues didn't really affect me as much as they would have affected you. See if you can get a store to try to replace it for you instead of the AppleCare hotline.

 

[Max(IT)]

Yes, the reason given was "battery over 1 year - within specs". While the battery was 13.5 months old, the cycles were low and the spectacular way it failed were not what I consider "within specs". Apple corporate apparently agrees - and while I offered to fax over the docs I had, I was told that they "take my word for it"... and then completely disregarded everything and did not offer to rectify anything.

it is very strange indeed ...
My brother 2 years ago had his Macbook's battery changed after almost 2 years (about 100 charge cycles) by Apple without any question: they took the Macbook, tested it and replaced the battery with a new one.
He was under Applecare (3 yrs)

 

[CRaSHeR36]

Man am I ever sorry that I had to revive this thread! If you read my first post, you'll understand the history on my MBP.

Well, the battery that was replaced in February just failed and is showing up as "bad" again and to "Service Battery". Oh, and it only has 87 loadcycles on it. This is the 3rd battery replacement for the same reason... and when you add to that having the optical drive swapped out, having the logic board replaced and having the entire display replaced, etc.... it stands to reason that the laptop's a lemon and should be replaced. While technically I am out of warranty by 1 month, I *was* still under warranty the last time this happened (and they refused to replace). At that time, they said that if I had another issue, regardless of warranty status, that the case would be reviewed.

Well, I just got off the phone with Apple's senior tech support and they unbelievably once again refused stating that it's the battery ONLY that is causing the issue and not a hardware problem....

I am so soooo soooooooo fed up with Apple and their shoddy products (at least that's been my unfortunate experience in the past 3 years). Sadly, every Apple product that I had owned up until three years ago worked flawlessly and withhout fail. I guess that their Quality assurance and customer service have both taken a steep nosedive since then.

/rant off/