Macbook Pro 15" Non-Unibody screen problems

[SPNarwhal]

My girlfriend's Macbook Pro 15" 's screen is acting up out of nowhere today.
She opened it and it showed vertical lines of colors. Pink and purple mostly, but I'm assuming that's because of her wallpaper.
We shut it down and turned it back on and it didn't help, but when you move the screen, white blocks (or just blocks in general) appear. But if you position it in the pefectly right place, you can see the screen image perfectly. (I'm making this post from it right now.) but if I move the screen up or down at all, blocks and miror images and lines appear and it freaks out.

I'm backing up all of her files to my time capsule, just in case. But does anybody know what this problem is? I'm assuming the connection between the display and the computer is loose inside or something, and when I move the hinge of the screen, it disconnects or rubs the loose connection together or something like that. Assuming this isn't liquid damage or anything.

I know I can go to Apple to find the problem, but her computer isn't in the best physical shape and last time we were there when snow leopard messed up, the pretty much passed on it saying it was from being abusive, and even after running tests an finding no problems with the harddrive or anything they just refused to let the blame fall on any of their faults.

The computer is out of warranty. What does this problem sound like to you guys? And how can this be fixed?
Thanks for any help you give. <3

 

[robbieduncan]

Most likely the graphics chip is faulty/dying. If it's an older model with a NVidia GeForce 8600M then Apple may still repair it for free.

 

[SPNarwhal]

Took it to Apple, and they said it was the screen itself dying.
I don't know if I believe this, because the cosmetic condition of this is pretty rough and they really judge everything by that. (The laptop is taken care of, not abused. Just doesn't get babied.)

I don't really know what to think of this, they said it would be like 700 to replace the screen. That's such a rip-off.

They told me if it was the graphics card failing, then there would be no image on the screen whatsoever. That isn't what their notice says, and I doubt it just happens to be the display dying. This was manufactured in the short time frame that they made a notice about, and it's the same model and all. I'm still thinking it's the graphics card, but if they don't believe that, then they won't replace it.

Does anybody have any images of what their display looked like with this graphics card issue? Or what it should look like, I guess?