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Should I fight harder to have Apple Cover This Repair?

S

Statelymwhite

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 1, 2011
108
5
A few weeks ago my mid-2011 iMac refused to boot up. I tried various tests and couldn't come up with a reason, so I took it to the Apple Store. Within minutes they determined it was the video card, and that it would cost about $225 to replace.

I mentioned to them that they recently had a program where they were replacing defective video cards from this model, and even pointed to Apple's own website on the issue. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203787

They pointed out, correctly, that the program was no longer being offered. I tried to plead for good will and that this is a known issue and only six months out of the coverage period, but they wouldn't budge. I went ahead with the repair and paid it, knowing that it would have been futile to get upset with the people there that probably had no power to change the situation, anyway.

Should I escalate this to a higher authority within Apple? Something doesn't sit right with me on this. It's a known issue and they still made me pay for it. That doesn't seem like the Apple way. Or is it the Apple way and I'm just naive or expect too much?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Edited for typos
 
As far as Apple Repairs go, that's a pretty reasonably priced one. I wouldn't worry about it. You have a working Mac :)
 
Statelymwhite said:
A few weeks ago my mid-2011 iMac refused to boot up. I tried various tests and couldn't come up with a reason, so I took it to the Apple Store. Within minutes they determined it was the video card, and that it would cost about $225 to replace.

I mentioned to them that they recently had a program where they were replacing defective video cards from this model, and even pointed to Apple's own website on the issue. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203787

They pointed out, correctly, that the program was no longer being offered. I tried to plead for good will and that this is a known issue and only six months out of the coverage period, but they wouldn't budge. I went ahead with the repair and paid it, knowing that it would have been futile to get upset with the people there that probably had no power to change the situation, anyway.

Should I escalate this to a higher authority within Apple? Something doesn't sit right with me on this. It's a known issue and they still made me pay for it. That doesn't seem like the Apple way. Or is it the Apple way and I'm just naive or expect too much?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Edited for typos
Click to expand...

You should have tried another apple store. Some stores have better employees than others and may be willing to do things that others won't. For example, I ordered the iphone 6 last year and saw it was not making phone calls. I went to one apple store, they ran tests on it and told me I made some kind of hardware change to it so it was out of warranty, there was nothing they could do. I waited 2 hours to be told "**** off" basically.

Then I went to another apple store and within 10 minutes they replaced the phone and gave me a new one.

I would say it's too late to try to get your money back. It wouldn't hurt to submit a customer complaint and see if anyone responds but don't expect anything.
 
I'd say call them, I have always had good experiences over the phone. I have in person as well, but they always seemed more flexible over the phone.
 
Statelymwhite said:
A few weeks ago my mid-2011 iMac refused to boot up. I tried various tests and couldn't come up with a reason, so I took it to the Apple Store. Within minutes they determined it was the video card, and that it would cost about $225 to replace.

I mentioned to them that they recently had a program where they were replacing defective video cards from this model, and even pointed to Apple's own website on the issue. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203787

They pointed out, correctly, that the program was no longer being offered. I tried to plead for good will and that this is a known issue and only six months out of the coverage period, but they wouldn't budge. I went ahead with the repair and paid it, knowing that it would have been futile to get upset with the people there that probably had no power to change the situation, anyway.

Should I escalate this to a higher authority within Apple? Something doesn't sit right with me on this. It's a known issue and they still made me pay for it. That doesn't seem like the Apple way. Or is it the Apple way and I'm just naive or expect too much?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Edited for typos
Click to expand...
It never hurts to ask.

However, given that you're six months out of coverage on an REP, they're perfectly within their right to decline free coverage. The argument here is always that if they make an exception for you, why not make one if you're 9 months out, or a year? The buck has to stop somewhere.

When did you purchase? Did you have AppleCare?
 
Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the thoughts. I went ahead and filled out the survey I received on my repair receipt, and I mentioned my concerns and gave them my phone number to call me. If they do, great, if not, life goes on. It's not the money so much as the principle. It's a known issue, so really the right thing to do is cover it for everyone. That's my opinion.
 
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Statelymwhite said:
A few weeks ago my mid-2011 iMac refused to boot up. I tried various tests and couldn't come up with a reason, so I took it to the Apple Store. Within minutes they determined it was the video card, and that it would cost about $225 to replace.

I mentioned to them that they recently had a program where they were replacing defective video cards from this model, and even pointed to Apple's own website on the issue. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203787

They pointed out, correctly, that the program was no longer being offered.
Click to expand...

A registered letter from your attorney should quickly sort this out with the store manager.
 
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Attorney I think is a little over the top. And I'm all for working the Apple customer service for all its got.
 
dogslobber said:
They ended a product recall for a known hardware defect. These programs don't have end dates. Any judge would quickly turn this into a class action so a registered letter from an attorney is all you need.
Click to expand...
What do you expect? A lifetime warranty? are you the person that sees a sign on gate saying "caution: dog bites" then sticking your hand in to get bit just so you can sue??
The warranty is up. Apple (generously) offered a program to help owners out. Program ended. Ask for help, maybe they'll show mercy. Be a jerk, no mercy will be shown.
 
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surf2snow1 said:
What do you expect? A lifetime warranty? are you the person that sees a sign on gate saying "caution: dog bites" then sticking your hand in to get bit just so you can sue??
The warranty is up. Apple (generously) offered a program to help owners out. Program ended. Ask for help, maybe they'll show mercy. Be a jerk, no mercy will be shown.
Click to expand...

I still don't understand your position of acting like Apple is doing you a favor in resolving their defective hardware. That is not limited by a warranty if they knowingly sold you defective hardware device. That they had a replacement policy is acknowledgement that the defect is widely known in the company. Talk with a lawyer who'll set you straight about this. A bigger example is car recalls for dodgy brakes, et al.
 
You should have gone to Customer Relations. Not too late.
I had the same type of issue with an iPod. That is, known issue but it took a while for mine to have the issue show up.
Actually it was more than a year.
My statement was, "because it didn't fail within your arbitrary window, I'm penalized?"
They did an RMA on the iPod and sent me a new iPod.
 
This exact thing happened to me last month. My 2011 iMac's graphics card died down ONE WEEK after the 4-year free replacement period ended and Apple wouldn't refund me, even after I explained everything over the phone. Had to eventually pay 300 EUR :(
 
At $225 you got out of it cheap. As suggested, I'd call, be nice and see if you can get them to give you a little relief.
 
extended warranty still has a time limit.... it is unreasonable to expect an unlimited extended warranty.
 
Statelymwhite said:
A few weeks ago my mid-2011 iMac refused to boot up. I tried various tests and couldn't come up with a reason, so I took it to the Apple Store. Within minutes they determined it was the video card, and that it would cost about $225 to replace.

I mentioned to them that they recently had a program where they were replacing defective video cards from this model, and even pointed to Apple's own website on the issue. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203787

They pointed out, correctly, that the program was no longer being offered. I tried to plead for good will and that this is a known issue and only six months out of the coverage period, but they wouldn't budge. I went ahead with the repair and paid it, knowing that it would have been futile to get upset with the people there that probably had no power to change the situation, anyway.

Should I escalate this to a higher authority within Apple? Something doesn't sit right with me on this. It's a known issue and they still made me pay for it. That doesn't seem like the Apple way. Or is it the Apple way and I'm just naive or expect too much?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Edited for typos
Click to expand...


I'm confused. the program definitely is still running. do you mean that your computer is over 4 years old and they say they won't cover it?


the reason its definitely running, and you can see i have a few threads about this, my 2011 iMac is getting problems with flashing black screens and sometimes the screen not coming on at startup.

i have the opposite problem, apple have okayed the repair but the repair guy genuinely can't see any problem. i put it in last week, he phoned me to say apple said they'd cover it as long as its the graphics card, but after 4 days he can't replicate the problem. he thought maybe it was lose cables and had unplugged and replugged everything, i took it home and its still flashing black. I've made some videos with my iPad and am taking it back tomorrow.

however when i took the mac back, the engineer was there and he reemphasised that if he could find a fault with the graphics card then they'd definitely replace it.

i think the difference is mine was bought august 2013.
 
Max(IT) said:
extended warranty still has a time limit.... it is unreasonable to expect an unlimited extended warranty.
Click to expand...

You're not expecting an unlimiteded warranty. What you are expecting is that parts be fit for the purpose and free from known defects per consumer law. Now if Apple acknowledges defective parts then they are so oblighted to replace them.
 
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