So I just got a MacBook Pro Retina 2 days ago and yesterday spilled water on it.

[john123]

I crashed my BMW into a pole and it crushed my hood like an accordion. I blame BMW.

Oh boy.

They say that cars are actually designed to do that these days for safety reasons—to minimize the residual force (F=ma, yay physics) on the passengers. I think that's partly true, but it's also true that it's a hell of a lot cheaper to make cars out of plastic than metals. After all, even the "chrome trim" you see on most cars isn't really chrome anymore. So sad.

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If a customer returns a product as "did not like", rather than due to faulty issues, and if it pasts basic testing, doesn't Apple have the right to sell it as new?

Nope. It's resold as a refurbished unit.

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After the apple employee turned on the laptop to see it working and when they see it working, they are not going to do any more tests before they resell it as refurbished. (unless some apple employee can confirm they open up ALL returns)

However, if it fires up and the OSX checks out, it will be re-boxed, and some poor sucker will end up with it and more than likely will have problems down the road; maybe at the 13th month, and he will be screwed simply because someone chose to be dishonest. Hopefully the next owner will purchase AppleCare.

I don't work for Apple, but in response to both of the above comments, I would be shocked if it doesn't go back to Houston (or one of their facilities), opened up, and thoroughly inspected. Most electronics manufacturers have a multi-point checklist for refurbishing items. Again, I don't have first-hand knowledge of what SOP is at Apple, but based on my experience with other companies, I doubt there's going to be an unsuspecting buyer who gets hosed down the line.

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Where our stories differ is that I was honest about what happened.

I'm giving this Air to a friend who needs a computer badly - she lost her job and needs something to use for writing and research. I'm not selling it to her. I told her about the coffee too. I hope it keeps working as well as it has (without any problems).

It never occurred to me to return property I'd damaged myself and expect a refund.

But we should not all expect others to PAY for our mistakes.

I quoted the parts that are most poignant to me. I wish there were more people like you out there, and I wish I knew more people like you.

 

[marc55]

I would be shocked if it doesn't go back to Houston (or one of their facilities), opened up, and thoroughly inspected- I doubt there's going to be an unsuspecting buyer who gets hosed down the line

I would also hope Apple's policy would be to send every unit for a teardown inspection, but since neither of us know the policy, there is always the chance it could be sold as an "Open Box" like some of the big box stores do.

Even if they do send it for a complete inspection, they may not see the apple juice residue under the keys, etc.

Bottom line: there is the potential for the next owner to get screwed.

 

[toneLA]

They say that cars are actually designed to do that these days for safety reasons—to minimize the residual force (F=ma, yay physics) on the passengers. I think that's partly true, but it's also true that it's a hell of a lot cheaper to make cars out of plastic than metals. After all, even the "chrome trim" you see on most cars isn't really chrome anymore. So sad.

Yes, especially with European Laws for pedestrians. Front bumpers need to be 'softer' as to avoid fatal injuries if you strike someone at a crosswalk.

This thread is priceless. I seriously hope they refurbish this thing properly because if they don't and someone ends up buying the laptop he returned, there's potential for a guy getting the extra-juicy rMBP. And try to go talk to Apple saying 'I never dropped juice in the keys, it was like that when I bought it.'

 

[alphaod]

If you have insurance go for that. Some credit cards offer accidental coverage for a few months if not longer. I know my Amex covers for 90 days.

If you are poor, then you can erase your information, clean the computer, and return it.

 

[johnnylarue]

This thread is priceless. I seriously hope they refurbish this thing properly because if they don't and someone ends up buying the laptop he returned, there's potential for a guy getting the extra-juicy rMBP. And try to go talk to Apple saying 'I never dropped juice in the keys, it was like that when I bought it.'

I actually never thought of that.

Boy, would that ever suck...

 

[toneLA]

I actually never thought of that.

Boy, would that ever suck...

I swear. They already give you such a hard time for a valid reason - imagine if you were to walk in there with an issue due to the prior liquid damage without knowing it was ever exposed to liquid. Do you think that the genius tech who's gonna open the bottom case and see the damage to the logic board will believe you when you say 'I never dropped anything in there'?

Since we won't know whether or not they open each unit they get back, there's a clear risk for that. Especially since he returned it without mentioning any hardware failure. The computer was powered on and 'everything seemed normal' for Apple. The computer was probably flagged as a 'working unit'. Do we think the OP wanted to run the risk to say something like 'there's a glitch with x, y or z' to complicate the return/refund process? Unlikely.

It is obvious that they will investigate the logic board if you bring back a laptop with a hardware failure. I just don't believe that the refurbishing process due to 'consumer dissatisfaction' involves more than a good detail of the outside of the laptop though. That's why this is messed up to even go through with such idea.

I'm 80% sure that some guy who's gonna try to save a few bucks buying refurbished, will end up paying the price for this guy's screwed up moral compass.

That's clearly not ok at all.

And finally, because this is what the real problem is. If you buy a MacBook Pro and can't pay for the repairs - then don't get a MacBook Pro. If you own a Mercedes and can't pay for service or can't pay for the transmission when it fails, then get something else. It's a sad reality but that's the world we live in and that's how it works. Why would Apple have to pay for that?

 

[Windows&Apple]

I swear. They already give you such a hard time for a valid reason - imagine if you were to walk in there with an issue due to the prior liquid damage without knowing it was ever exposed to liquid. Do you think that the genius tech who's gonna open the bottom case and see the damage to the logic board will believe you when you say 'I never dropped anything in there'?

Since we won't know whether or not they open each unit they get back, there's a clear risk for that. Especially since he returned it without mentioning any hardware failure. The computer was powered on and 'everything seemed normal' for Apple. The computer was probably flagged as a 'working unit'. Do we think the OP wanted to run the risk to say something like 'there's a glitch with x, y or z' to complicate the return/refund process? Unlikely.

It is obvious that they will investigate the logic board if you bring back a laptop with a hardware failure. I just don't believe that the refurbishing process due to 'consumer dissatisfaction' involves more than a good detail of the outside of the laptop though. That's why this is messed up to even go through with such idea.

I'm 80% sure that some guy who's gonna try to save a few bucks buying refurbished, will end up paying the price for this guy's screwed up moral compass.

That's clearly not ok at all.

And finally, because this is what the real problem is. If you buy a MacBook Pro and can't pay for the repairs - then don't get a MacBook Pro. If you own a Mercedes and can't pay for service or can't pay for the transmission when it fails, then get something else. It's a sad reality but that's the world we live in and that's how it works. Why would Apple have to pay for that?

Apple checks the computer before putting it as a refurb. You think they'll take someone's word for it? And who cares now? It's done and over with.

 

[toneLA]

Apple checks the computer before putting it as a refurb. You think they'll take someone's word for it? And who cares now? It's done and over with.

I'm sorry but my experience with their 'replacement iPhones' issued by the genius bar - essentially a refurbished iPhone for replacement purposes - tells me otherwise. If this was checked inside and out with so much scrutiny, one can question why 3 were successfully faulty and had cosmetic defects.

And forgive me but I'll do as I please - if I want to add something, I'll take the liberty to do so. Thanks.

 

[R3fr3sh]

This thread is awesome!

Really enjoyed the polarizing opinions here, good vs evil. Evil prevailed. Good thing the OP got a new macbook, and hope you learned a lesson.

 

[IndoX]

I've had apple reps refuse me service when my home bottom became unresponsive. I wanted a new unit because I was within my 14 days and the manager basically walked away. I called Apple care and told them my experience, they sent me a refund and that manager no longer works there.

The situation here and the one you mentioned before are very different. Having a defect within 14 days is understandable. Having a computer for 2 1/2 years and demanding the newest model is unrealistic.

 

[maflynn]

[MOD NOTE]
At this point it appears the discussion has been beaten to death