My MacBook Pro is Falling Apart! Need Some Advice, WANT A NEW ONE FROM APPLE!!!!

[CurvaciousBB]

Well I am currently in college, and bought a MacBook Pro for school. I LOVE IT, IT IS SO AWESOME, but it is beginning to fall apart at the seems. The plastic dark gray edge is beginning to separate from the palm rest and around the top of the LCD. Also, sometimes it automatically freezes, goes black, the normally flashing white LED freezes, and I have to restart it. The super drive makes there ridiculously loud clicking noises and when it is being used the processor gets ridiculously hot (downloaded SMC Fan Control for that) But never the less, that shouldn't be an issue with a $2,000 laptop. Also, the ZERO key makes a sticky noise when pressed sometimes, and some of the keys are beginning to become uneven, some look lopsided or just crooked. I don't want them to fix it, I just want a new one. The new one is built out of a solid block of aluminum, so the palm rest quality should not be a problem. Also the keyboard comes out from the bottom of the palm rest. For $2,000 dollars I could have easily had gotten an even higher spec Dell or Alienware, but instead I went with the mac, expecting quality and sheer reliability. But after all of this, I'm not impressed, I'm actually somewhat regretting my decision.

I have all of the extended warranty stuff, I payed for that on top.

So, what should I tell them at the Apple Store tomorrow so they can issue me a new one? I'm fed up with this quality, and in a few months time it will probably have to be cosmetically fixed again. Do you think there is anyway they could let me return this laptop for the price I payed or something? I'm pretty annoyed.

Sorry about my rant, but I'm not exactly rich and I want a laptop that is better built then this.

Thanks for listening!

 

[Blue Velvet]

They're not going to give you a new one, no matter what you say.

 

[rychencop]

so obviously it's out of warranty since you provided no information about it. why do you think they would simply give you another one? i seriously doubt it is the kind of shape you described and none of it was from abuse. come on now! yeah maybe you should have bought a plastic laptop, i'm sure you would be much better off. good luck in your quest.

 

[imapfsr]

They're not going to give you a new one, no matter what you say.

I beg to differ I started with a MacBook Air when they first came out and with 4 months or so I was so frustrated as I couldnt watch a movie through my video out into my projo that I contacted Apple and let them know my issues. Basically stated that one of the main reasons I bought my MBA was to watch movies and I couldnt. Long story short, they replace my MBA with my current MBP. Well, as everyone is aware the MBP has issues with the graphics card and mine has acted strangely so I called them up. Well after being firm but aggressive and dealing with two reps and one supervisor the status of my brand new MBP late 08 was just changed to shipped from China !!!! So just by letting Apple know how disappointed I was in the MBP they agreed to replace it spec for spec. So DO call them and tell them how unhappy you are. Dont be rude but dont take no for an answer. If the person you are talking with cant help you ask them to speak to their supervisor. If you are stern you will get your way and you will get a new MBP.
Good luck

 

[coffey7]

I had a problem with my white macbook with the color issue and they fixed it up for me. I hope they can see that maybe your laptop is different and they replace it. Everyone gets a lemon sometimes. Many Dells are hit or miss. Lenovo and Apple are both tops in quality.

 

[rychencop]

I beg to differ I started with a MacBook Air when they first came out and with 4 months or so I was so frustrated as I couldnt watch a movie through my video out into my projo that I contacted Apple and let them know my issues. Basically stated that one of the main reasons I bought my MBA was to watch movies and I couldnt. Long story short, they replace my MBA with my current MBP. Well, as everyone is aware the MBP has issues with the graphics card and mine has acted strangely so I called them up. Well after being firm but aggressive and dealing with two reps and one supervisor the status of my brand new MBP late 08 was just changed to shipped from China !!!! So just by letting Apple know how disappointed I was in the MBP they agreed to replace it spec for spec. So DO call them and tell them how unhappy you are. Dont be rude but dont take no for an answer. If the person you are talking with cant help you ask them to speak to their supervisor. If you are stern you will get your way and you will get a new MBP.
Good luck

the difference being, yours was not over 1 year old. they will NOT give him a new one or fix his for free.

 

[CurvaciousBB]

I beg to differ I started with a MacBook Air when they first came out and with 4 months or so I was so frustrated as I couldnt watch a movie through my video out into my projo that I contacted Apple and let them know my issues. Basically stated that one of the main reasons I bought my MBA was to watch movies and I couldnt. Long story short, they replace my MBA with my current MBP. Well, as everyone is aware the MBP has issues with the graphics card and mine has acted strangely so I called them up. Well after being firm but aggressive and dealing with two reps and one supervisor the status of my brand new MBP late 08 was just changed to shipped from China !!!! So just by letting Apple know how disappointed I was in the MBP they agreed to replace it spec for spec. So DO call them and tell them how unhappy you are. Dont be rude but dont take no for an answer. If the person you are talking with cant help you ask them to speak to their supervisor. If you are stern you will get your way and you will get a new MBP.
Good luck

Hey man thanks! I did call them, and the representative said he couldn't help me and that I would have to bring it to the Apple store and tell them what the problem is. Should I call them up again and ask to speak to a supervisor?

BTW - I have NOT beaten on it at all. The car is worth a lot of money, beating it up is the last thing I would do. I bought it at the end of May for those who are unaware.

 

[Blue Velvet]

I beg to differ

The OP's Mac sounds a bit different from your MacBook Air. It sounds as though it's a bit battered. If it's still under AppleCare, they'll repair what they can but they're extremely unlikely to replace a heavily-used MacBook Pro with a newer updated model. No harm in trying, I guess, but don't get your hopes up.

 

[imapfsr]

Hey man thanks! I did call them, and the representative said he couldn't help me and that I would have to bring it to the Apple store and tell them what the problem is. Should I call them up again and ask to speak to a supervisor?

BTW - I have NOT beaten on it at all. The car is worth a lot of money, beating it up is the last thing I would do. I bought it at the end of May for those who are unaware.

As long as you feel that you are doing the right thing and are not trying to take advantage of a great customer service policy that Apple offers then go for it. As I said be stern but not rude. It doesnt hurt to try.

 

[CurvaciousBB]

As long as you feel that you are doing the right thing and are not trying to take advantage of a great customer service policy that Apple offers then go for it. As I said be stern but not rude. It doesnt hurt to try.

No I'm not trying to take advantage - I'm thoroughly fed up! I expect better quality from such a high end laptop. Despite all of it's flaws, it is still damn sexy!

I just hope I can get a new MBP, and I will be a LONG time Apple customer, I've already bought much from them, including multiple iPods and I've though about the iPhone, but I needed a BlackBerry for school. Thanks everyone!

 

[tcphoto]

You failed to tell us how old your computer is and when the Apple Care expires? Are these issues new or have them simply accumulated over a period of time? You should show the MBP to a genius and they will tell you about your options.

 

[CurvaciousBB]

You failed to tell us how old your computer is and when the Apple Care expires? Are these issues new or have them simply accumulated over a period of time? You should show the MBP to a genius and they will tell you about your options.

No, a few posts above yours I said I purchased it at the end of May. I do not know exactly when the Apple Care expires, it could be 2 years possibly; but I know it is not expired yet.

 

[Abstract]

They'll fix it for you if there are genuine problems. They don't owe you a new one.

 

[Eidorian]

Well I am currently in college, and bought a MacBook Pro for school. I LOVE IT, IT IS SO AWESOME, but it is beginning to fall apart at the seems. The plastic dark gray edge is beginning to separate from the palm rest and around the top of the LCD. Also, sometimes it automatically freezes, goes black, the normally flashing white LED freezes, and I have to restart it. The super drive makes there ridiculously loud clicking noises and when it is being used the processor gets ridiculously hot (downloaded SMC Fan Control for that) But never the less, that shouldn't be an issue with a $2,000 laptop. Also, the ZERO key makes a sticky noise when pressed sometimes, and some of the keys are beginning to become uneven, some look lopsided or just crooked. I don't want them to fix it, I just want a new one. The new one is built out of a solid block of aluminum, so the palm rest quality should not be a problem. Also the keyboard comes out from the bottom of the palm rest. For $2,000 dollars I could have easily had gotten an even higher spec Dell or Alienware, but instead I went with the mac, expecting quality and sheer reliability. But after all of this, I'm not impressed, I'm actually somewhat regretting my decision.

I have all of the extended warranty stuff, I payed for that on top.

So, what should I tell them at the Apple Store tomorrow so they can issue me a new one? I'm fed up with this quality, and in a few months time it will probably have to be cosmetically fixed again. Do you think there is anyway they could let me return this laptop for the price I payed or something? I'm pretty annoyed.

Sorry about my rant, but I'm not exactly rich and I want a laptop that is better built then this.

Thanks for listening!

So how did people miss that? They have AppleCare not to mention it was only purchased in May. If their hardware is in shambles from manufacturing defects while under the extended warranty then it might be going too far to just repair it. It'll more then likely come down to how Apple is going to interpret the damage and resolve this.

 

[jhamerphoto]

By the way your MBP is performing, it's likely some form of a logic board problem. Normally this is covered completely under warranty, but if they look at your notebook and it appears to have been mistreated, they might not replace your logic board, and certainly not the whole thing.
From the way you've described it, I'd say you'd be pretty lucky to receive repairs covered under your warranty, let alone a new machine. IMO, I don't think I'd trust you with a laptop with a glass screen, no offense.

 

[fleshman03]

They'll fix it for you if there are genuine problems. They don't owe you a new one.

I beg to differ. If there are genuine problems and enough of them, the OP should get a new one. Of course, it does depend on how bad they are and if Apple sees them as manufacturing problems.

Surely someone who spends 2K on a laptop deserves to be happy with his/her purchase.

However, getting a late 08 MBP is out of the question. That is not what was bought.

So how did people miss that? They have AppleCare not to mention it was only purchased in May. If their hardware is in shambles from manufacturing defects while under the extended warranty then it might be going too far to just repair it. It'll more then likely come down to how Apple is going to interpret the damage and resolve this.

exactly.

 

[CurvaciousBB]

I beg to differ. If there are genuine problems and enough of them, the OP should get a new one. Of course, it does depend on how bad they are and if Apple sees them as manufacturing problems.

Surely someone who spends 2K on a laptop deserves to be happy with his/her purchase.

However, getting a late 08 MBP is out of the question. That is not what was bought.



exactly.

Well then, can I somehow upgrade my laptop if I ask? Would there be any surcharges for upgrading?

 

[unitethenations]

I beg to differ. If there are genuine problems and enough of them, the OP should get a new one. Of course, it does depend on how bad they are and if Apple sees them as manufacturing problems.

Surely someone who spends 2K on a laptop deserves to be happy with his/her purchase.

However, getting a late 08 MBP is out of the question. That is not what was bought.



exactly.

I don't see why not. Other customers with PBs or Macbooks with problems that have had several repair attempts, or that cannot be fixed, have immediately been given appropriate refunds/replacements if covered by Applecare. By appropriate I mean they usually receive a machine which is equal in cost to the original machine, i.e. old macbook pro ~$2000, therefore the replacement machine is a new macbook pro, not a refurb old version or a macbook.

 

[sammich]

Well then, can I somehow upgrade my laptop if I ask? Would there be any surcharges for upgrading?

No. Apple Warranty policy is to replace everything 'like-for-like'. Internal components and whole products. The MBA person above had a different story, yours is simply broken.

The clearest reason for not giving your a brand new Late 08 model is simply to get rid of old stock. Why would they give you a brand new one, take it out of supply where they could sell it for money, instead of giving old ones away which would get sold for bargain prices or sit wasting space in a warehouse and bogging down balance sheets.

 

[fleshman03]

Well then, can I somehow upgrade my laptop if I ask? Would there be any surcharges for upgrading?

No. I feel your pain though. I bought my MBP in late June with Graduate School Loans. (Imagine more money in loans, more work and more roman noodles and that is grad school.) Now it's "outdated." Although take some homage in the fact that while not the newest, the hardware is very decent and capable of whatever you want to throw at it.

You do have another option. You can eBay or Craig's List your MBP. Likely you will get ~1200-1500 for it. The Apple refurbs are ~1300 for the 2.4ghz MBP, whereas the clearance 2.4 is @ $1600. Having AppleCare on it might boost it to $1500. Although not a huge discount, you would get $1200 towards a new one - worse case. More likely, you would need to pony up around $400. (With edu discount.)

Here is my plan. I've been a member here since May. I will gain access the marketplace sometime next month. (You need 6 months + 250 posts.) I plan on selling my current model sometime next summer. Hopefully by then I could get a Quad Core, 1TB MBP. You could hang around here, talk with people and become a member. Eventually when you want to sell, the community will help you for helping others here - plus you get to have fun discussing things with people.

I don't see why not. Other customers with PBs or Macbooks with problems that have had several repair attempts, or that cannot be fixed, have immediately been given appropriate refunds/replacements if covered by Applecare. By appropriate I mean they usually receive a machine which is equal in cost to the original machine, i.e. old macbook pro ~$2000, therefore the replacement machine is a new macbook pro, not a refurb old version or a macbook.

Yes, they can get a new one - if you have a PowerBook or an old MacBook. They won't get a new once if Apple has unused, new older models around. They typically won't give you a new one while having plenty of the original model around.


I know all this sucks and is crapy news. I really do feel for you. What you do is entirely your choice. Let us know. I'm always interested in what people do the the advice given in the forums.

BTW - the COD2 issue is fixed if you install Windows in Boot Camp. To do that, just click the magnifying glass on the top right and type boot camp. (Two Words.) It will let you install Windows so it can run natively. If you have questions about that too, ask. I'll check back @ this thread. (No one in the other thread seemed to really explain what it is and how to do it.)

 

[MowingDevil]

There's no way all those problems could come naturally to a computer thats only 5 months old (you'd have to have one hell of a lemon) and the people at Apple aren't idiots. Its sounds to me like its a combination of you being a tad hard on the machine or are overly eager to get a free upgrade to the new machines. Perhaps you regret not waiting for the model? If those are legit manufacturing defects it will speak for itself and they'll fix the problems. 5 months is practically brand new. Post some pics of these problems so we can see. Its kinda hard to go on just a description.

 

[apolloa]

There's no way all those problems could come naturally to a computer thats only 5 months old (you'd have to have one hell of a lemon) and the people at Apple aren't idiots. Its sounds to me like its a combination of you being a tad hard on the machine or are overly eager to get a free upgrade to the new machines. Perhaps you regret not waiting for the model? If those are legit manufacturing defects it will speak for itself and they'll fix the problems. 5 months is practically brand new. Post some pics of these problems so we can see. Its kinda hard to go on just a description.

I would say try it on but to be honest I don't think you'll get anywhere with Apple. You MAY get lucky as they will now have potentially old stock lying about.
Reply to the above post - I suspect this is why Apple have now built into all the new laptops liquid detector's, those pieces of paper that change colour when they come into contact with a liquid like spilt water. The same as used on mobile phone battery's I think? They must of had plenty of people trying it on in the past to feel the need to put them into laptops.

 

[MowingDevil]

I would say try it on but to be honest I don't think you'll get anywhere with Apple. You MAY get lucky as they will now have potentially old stock lying about.
Reply to the above post - I suspect this is why Apple have now built into all the new laptops liquid detector's, those pieces of paper that change colour when they come into contact with a liquid like spilt water. The same as used on mobile phone battery's I think? They must of had plenty of people trying it on in the past to feel the need to put them into laptops.

Absolutely. I'm astonished at the sheer amount of people who will be dishonest to try and get a free replacement/fix or are encouraged to do so by other posters. Just look at the number of wine/coffee/pop/water/sploodge spills that happen in these threads. I'm sure Apple's received enough of their share of these w/ no disclosure as to what really happened.

 

[pdxflint]

To the OP: It's a bummer that your 5-month old MBP has so many defects and the keys are already getting worn out... plastic edge lining coming off, overheating, etc...

Just to balance things out, my 7-month old MBP looks nearly perfect, and I throw it in my backpack every day. Nothing even remotely old looking about it, and I do type/bang on the keyboard all the time. It feels barely broken in, and runs cool (106F at the moment) running smcFancontrol at 2500 rpm.

I imagine it is possible that Apple quality control is so bad that two laptops of nearly the same age have such different characteristics, but I've always been lucky with every Apple product I've ever bought. Every one. Never a single warranty issue (other than a HD, which was replaced free.) I guess I can't complain about how lucky I've been, judging from all the less-than-year-old MBPs I hear about that just seem to fall apart on their own.

Your laptop should be more durable than it seems to be, so take it back to an Apple store under your warranty, and have them fix it. After several fixes under warranty, if they don't solve the problems, then you might just get a replacement for free. But, you have to go through the process of letting them take care of it through repairs first.

good luck.

 

[txhockey9404]

Just to throw this in the mix:
I had problems with my iMac shutting down by itself a few months ago, and after a week of trips to the Apple store, they replaced it with the same model, but with the Leopard OS instead of Tiger. So, depending on who you talk to, your mileage may vary.