Hey everyone. I don't post about my Mac problems much because I rarely have them, but I think this one is worth the read.
May 2005 - Bought a 12" PB G4 stock model. (1.5 G4, 60GB, Combo, 512)
Late May 2005 - Hard drive failed. Replaced at Apple Authorized Local Service Provider.
June 2005 - Bought AppleCare Protection Plan for Powerbook.
October 2005 - Suddenly, one day, I notice that there is an "inverted dent" (tumor) near the CD drive on the right side of the PowerBook. I know there was no way I caused this - I keep it in a case and treat it like my child. Actually, I don't like children, so I treat it better than I'd treat my child.
I took it to the local service provider and they gave me a lot of crap. How quickly they forgot that I bought my grandfather's computer from their little local store instead of saving money elsewhere because I wanted to help the little guy.
Anyway, I called Apple, spent an hour and six minutes of my life talking to three people, used two guilt trips, and they agreed to have the local place replace the bottom case for me. It took six days, but it was done.
Later that month, the same issue recurred in TWO places. One tumor was the same bulbous shape in the power port and there was a more sharply shaped one on the screen side of the back left corner. Needless to say, I called back the service center that had helped me before (they were very reluctant to do so) and they basically told me everything short of "Go **** yourself." I called Apple and spent an hour and two minutes, a crazy FOUR MINUTE gain on my old record timing, and they agreed to deal with it a second time (they had me send it to them), citing that the service provider could have made a mistake in the repair.
I received it fixed five days later, and the bottom case was not lined up when they replaced it! I called again, this time getting my work done in a whopping 28 minutes. I also mentioned to the Apple rep that my battery had never been lined up with the bottom case, and I thought this could be causing some of the problem. He told me that this time, they'd replace not only the bottom case, but also my battery.
The PowerBook should have been delivered this past Friday, but because DHL is so effing incompetent, it didn't get here until today. I immediately inspected the case, and it looked like it had been fused back together with some kind of melting device. It looked like crap. Then, I checked whether the battery lined up, to see if it was new or not. Of course, it was not. So I looked at the paper and saw that the service performed was "016-0001 REALIGN: Adjustment Performed". This was NOT what had been agreed to.
Irate as a Democrat on Election Day 2000, I called Apple up and nicely gave them hell. I told them my whole story, and I demanded a replacement. I figured "Okay, make outrageous demand, and they'll give you SOMETHING for your troubles." BUT NO. I actually was handed over to a product specialist who agreed with me and guess what...
A happy ending. I am getting my 1.5 G4 Combo 60GB replaced with a BRAND NEW 1.5 G4 Superdrive 80GB! It's going to take about a week or so because Thanksgiving cuts into the business week, but happily, I will be getting what I think I do deserve after three repairs for the same thing. I do hope you see that my situation did warrant some kind of remedial action and that I am not flamed for "getting something for nothing" because I most certainly have put up with my fair share of Apple screw-ups in the thirteen years I've been using their products. Anyway, I am very happy. Wanted to share this experience so if there are any of you in the same situation, you know there is hope, and so those of you who have had a similar experience could share.
May 2005 - Bought a 12" PB G4 stock model. (1.5 G4, 60GB, Combo, 512)
Late May 2005 - Hard drive failed. Replaced at Apple Authorized Local Service Provider.
June 2005 - Bought AppleCare Protection Plan for Powerbook.
October 2005 - Suddenly, one day, I notice that there is an "inverted dent" (tumor) near the CD drive on the right side of the PowerBook. I know there was no way I caused this - I keep it in a case and treat it like my child. Actually, I don't like children, so I treat it better than I'd treat my child.
I took it to the local service provider and they gave me a lot of crap. How quickly they forgot that I bought my grandfather's computer from their little local store instead of saving money elsewhere because I wanted to help the little guy. Anyway, I called Apple, spent an hour and six minutes of my life talking to three people, used two guilt trips, and they agreed to have the local place replace the bottom case for me. It took six days, but it was done.
Later that month, the same issue recurred in TWO places. One tumor was the same bulbous shape in the power port and there was a more sharply shaped one on the screen side of the back left corner. Needless to say, I called back the service center that had helped me before (they were very reluctant to do so) and they basically told me everything short of "Go **** yourself." I called Apple and spent an hour and two minutes, a crazy FOUR MINUTE gain on my old record timing, and they agreed to deal with it a second time (they had me send it to them), citing that the service provider could have made a mistake in the repair.
I received it fixed five days later, and the bottom case was not lined up when they replaced it! I called again, this time getting my work done in a whopping 28 minutes. I also mentioned to the Apple rep that my battery had never been lined up with the bottom case, and I thought this could be causing some of the problem. He told me that this time, they'd replace not only the bottom case, but also my battery.
The PowerBook should have been delivered this past Friday, but because DHL is so effing incompetent, it didn't get here until today. I immediately inspected the case, and it looked like it had been fused back together with some kind of melting device. It looked like crap. Then, I checked whether the battery lined up, to see if it was new or not. Of course, it was not. So I looked at the paper and saw that the service performed was "016-0001 REALIGN: Adjustment Performed". This was NOT what had been agreed to.
Irate as a Democrat on Election Day 2000, I called Apple up and nicely gave them hell. I told them my whole story, and I demanded a replacement. I figured "Okay, make outrageous demand, and they'll give you SOMETHING for your troubles." BUT NO. I actually was handed over to a product specialist who agreed with me and guess what...
A happy ending. I am getting my 1.5 G4 Combo 60GB replaced with a BRAND NEW 1.5 G4 Superdrive 80GB! It's going to take about a week or so because Thanksgiving cuts into the business week, but happily, I will be getting what I think I do deserve after three repairs for the same thing. I do hope you see that my situation did warrant some kind of remedial action and that I am not flamed for "getting something for nothing" because I most certainly have put up with my fair share of Apple screw-ups in the thirteen years I've been using their products. Anyway, I am very happy. Wanted to share this experience so if there are any of you in the same situation, you know there is hope, and so those of you who have had a similar experience could share.
