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blu/ray

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Original poster
Sep 29, 2018
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Just want to see what others have to say about this, 17inch 2011 MacBook Pro have faulty AMD chips/logic board issues on them and my laptop has now failed 3 times. After escalating to Customer Relations they are offering some compensation, should I take some compensation or take them to court or other avenues to get what I want? Even if the device is vintage, the product was defective from factory and no what how many repairs get done it will always die, so it's a ticking time bomb!
 
Just want to see what others have to say about this, 17inch 2011 MacBook Pro have faulty AMD chips/logic board issues on them and my laptop has now failed 3 times. After escalating to Customer Relations they are offering some compensation, should I take some compensation or take them to court or other avenues to get what I want? Even if the device is vintage, the product was defective from factory and no what how many repairs get done it will always die, so it's a ticking time bomb!

It’s seven years old they have supported it well for those seven years it’s four years past it’s warranty and it’s well past the age anyone has any right to expect a laptop to last (5 years is reasonable in my view). If they are offering anything snap their hand off they have no need to do so legally or even ethically.
 
Just want to see what others have to say about this, 17inch 2011 MacBook Pro have faulty AMD chips/logic board issues on them and my laptop has now failed 3 times. After escalating to Customer Relations they are offering some compensation, should I take some compensation or take them to court or other avenues to get what I want? Even if the device is vintage, the product was defective from factory and no what how many repairs get done it will always die, so it's a ticking time bomb!

Take the money and run. Then stop at some point and buy a new computer.
 
OP writes:
"Customer Relations they are offering some compensation, should I take some compensation or take them to court or other avenues to get what I want?"

TAKE WHAT THEY OFFER YOU AND RUN!

There's nothing more to do with the 2011 MBP 15" and 17" models.

Again, if they are offering you something, take it.
Something is better than nothing.
 
Just want to see what others have to say about this, 17inch 2011 MacBook Pro have faulty AMD chips/logic board issues on them and my laptop has now failed 3 times. After escalating to Customer Relations they are offering some compensation, should I take some compensation or take them to court or other avenues to get what I want? Even if the device is vintage, the product was defective from factory and no what how many repairs get done it will always die, so it's a ticking time bomb!
AMD made faulty chips and never released revised ones. Every time Apple repaired it, they used the same faulty chips. I would probably take the compensation. It sucks, and AMD should have released revised chips, but the 2011 is old now and isn't supported for the latest OF (10.14 Mojave).
 
It's still brand new. No dents, scratches and the battery is still new. As soon as I heard they weren't making the 17's I then put it away and looked after it. I just booted it up again recently and it has the same symptoms as the previous video card issues. Under the ACL this problem would come under a major failure and if I had used it properly and had these issues within the first few years then I should have got a replacement, especially since it's the 3rd time and the logic board is what controls everything. $800ish job each time it needs replacing.

It's been a faulty $3500 laptop with AppleCare since it came out of factory. I have other Macs that are older which have last longer and trouble free. It's funny they stop with the repair program because they know ten of thousands are affected and each bill is $800ish. I don't care if it was 10 years old, but to have the same major problem many times means an expensive product like this isn't fit for purpose. If it was a buggy software or one of the keys stopped working then you might say fair enough, but with 3 logic board failures you can't even turn on the Mac at all!
 
People have already responded. It does not matter if it is in ‘brand new’ condition. It is still a 7 year old computer. Take what Apple is giving you and run. They literally do not have to do anything for you. I could buy a 2016 MBP keep it in the box for 7 years, then start to use it. If the keyboard fails three days into using it, they won’t have to fix it because even the extended keyboard warranty will have passed.
 
It's still brand new. No dents, scratches and the battery is still new. As soon as I heard they weren't making the 17's I then put it away and looked after it. I just booted it up again recently and it has the same symptoms as the previous video card issues. Under the ACL this problem would come under a major failure and if I had used it properly and had these issues within the first few years then I should have got a replacement, especially since it's the 3rd time and the logic board is what controls everything. $800ish job each time it needs replacing.

It's been a faulty $3500 laptop with AppleCare since it came out of factory. I have other Macs that are older which have last longer and trouble free. It's funny they stop with the repair program because they know ten of thousands are affected and each bill is $800ish. I don't care if it was 10 years old, but to have the same major problem many times means an expensive product like this isn't fit for purpose. If it was a buggy software or one of the keys stopped working then you might say fair enough, but with 3 logic board failures you can't even turn on the Mac at all!

Legally they have covered all their bases don’t push this you will lose any compensation they are offering. Never buy a computer for the future it’s a pointless excercise the battery will die and the flu and cpu will be rubbish in comparison with current tech. Your 2011 is now so long in the tooth as to be pointless for the high end video editing etc it was designed for in the first place now.
 
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Just want to see what others have to say about this, 17inch 2011 MacBook Pro have faulty AMD chips/logic board issues on them and my laptop has now failed 3 times. After escalating to Customer Relations they are offering some compensation, should I take some compensation or take them to court or other avenues to get what I want? Even if the device is vintage, the product was defective from factory and no what how many repairs get done it will always die, so it's a ticking time bomb!
So I can understand the frustration over the years you have owned it (I am assuming it sounds like you have owned it since new), but to be honest after 7 years I would take the compensation and let you computer hang its hat.

I know some people will say (and rightfully so) that this computer should be able to last you for several more years with a few upgrades, but in all reality the hardware is getting outdated and likely it's time to upgrade. Given the age of the device and the fact that many, many other people had this issue, I am actually surprised Apple would even offer compensation, that to me is going above and beyond for a late claim on a device they now consider outdated and "vintage".

Again, not trying to belittle your frustrations, but is it really worth it fighting in court for a device that realistically is going to need replacement in the very near future, even if it didn't have issues? I'd take the compensation, and use that towards a newer device that will last you much longer. You've already gotten as much life as you could expect by now from that 7 year old computer.
 
I was asking more in terms of it having an endless problem that if I knew from the beginning I wouldn't have bought it. Here in Australia under the ACL that's what this exercise is for, to prevent these situations from happening. Don't know if other countries have this law or not. Main argument is $3500 laptop having the same never ending issue that's not only expensive but also makes your Mac unfunctional!
 
I was asking more in terms of it having an endless problem that if I knew from the beginning I wouldn't have bought it. Here in Australia under the ACL that's what this exercise is for, to prevent these situations from happening. Don't know if other countries have this law or not. Main argument is $3500 laptop having the same never ending issue that's not only expensive but also makes your Mac unfunctional!
No, here in the US the only way to get action is by threatening with class action suits, lol.

I have been fortunate to not end up with a model year of computer with an issue like what you have, but if I did, I would have sold it and moved on within the first year or two of knowing that it had an issue that was going to keep coming back.

It’s like a car, once you realize it’s a lemon that will always be breaking down, it’s time to trade in or reach out to manufacturer for some form of conpensation. If a person keep driving that lemon for several years after knowing it’s a lemon, then they typical are considered to have accepted its issues.

Unfortunately the same really kind of applies to your MacBook. At this point Apple likely won’t do anything because you have already exceeded what they deem as the life expectancy of that machine (it’s now a “vintage” machine). Perhaps your local consumer protections provide you with some sort of action, but at seven years after the original sale date, they would have to be one heck of a consumer protection system.

Best of luck to you, hopefully what ever route you take you are able t get a satisfactory resolutions, whether it be moving on to a newer machine (my personal advice), or taking it up to corporate Apple to get your money back.
 
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