Hi all, my MacBook Pro (15", Unibody, late 2008) fell onto tile floor from about 4' last year, and there was some damage to the top case in the form of a dented right front corner. At first, there were no issues, but now problems seem to be developing. The left fan and the hard drive both make amazing noises (I am a longtime mac/macbook owner, and these are not the usual overactive fan noises or anything like that).
I took it to an apple store, and was told that the repair price for a top case is US $900, which is much higher than I can afford, so I took to the web. I have been looking for websites for repair companies to send the computer to, have it fixed, and then sent back. On forums, people seem to argue over whether applecare will cover anything, or whether to pay the premium to have it fixed vs. DIY with iFixit.
To be clear, I understand that applecare will not cover the damage as it was an accident, not a defect (also, I already asked them, and they said no). I understand that adding it to homeowners insurance would have been a good idea, but I didn't, so that's out too. I might consider iFixit for more simple repairs, but the repair manual for the top case has convinced me that I will break something if I try it.
What I'm looking for is some recommendations for repair companies. Preferably, they would be Apple Authorized Service Providers, but I would still be interested if they are not. I think a list of these companies, and your reviews or experiences about them would be very helpful. Thanks!
I took it to an apple store, and was told that the repair price for a top case is US $900, which is much higher than I can afford, so I took to the web. I have been looking for websites for repair companies to send the computer to, have it fixed, and then sent back. On forums, people seem to argue over whether applecare will cover anything, or whether to pay the premium to have it fixed vs. DIY with iFixit.
To be clear, I understand that applecare will not cover the damage as it was an accident, not a defect (also, I already asked them, and they said no). I understand that adding it to homeowners insurance would have been a good idea, but I didn't, so that's out too. I might consider iFixit for more simple repairs, but the repair manual for the top case has convinced me that I will break something if I try it.
What I'm looking for is some recommendations for repair companies. Preferably, they would be Apple Authorized Service Providers, but I would still be interested if they are not. I think a list of these companies, and your reviews or experiences about them would be very helpful. Thanks!
