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Your Apple "Customer Relations" Experiences? Can they issue replacement macbook pro?

R

randomrazr

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 1, 2011
1,209
1
I purchased a brand new 15inch macbook pro 2011 base model in MArch.

Right out of the box i noticed there was a slight cosmetic scuff ont he right side of the lid, but only noticable under bright light. since it was new computer and everything ive decided to enjoy the machine.

a week later the hinge started to make hinge and crackling noises when u open and close it, as well as specs of dust under the screen.

i decided to take it back to best buy but i was a few days after 14day return policy. i wanted an exxchange so talked to a manager since i was a few days off.

i explained the issues and the manager laughed at my cosmestic issue, saying it was pathetic, and accused me i caused the hinge to make the noises due to user damage. there was no dent or anything to indicate user damage, and he still wouldnt do ****. so "*******" best buy.

called applecare, they said they dont offer mail in options in canada and said take it to a service ccenter. i dont want my brand new computer repaired, i wanted a new replacement as i wanted a flawless machine i initially paid for.

after multiple calls in the past couple months, i managed to talk to a supervisor and the best he could do was offer a mail in option for me, even though it wasnt avaialble in canada, he could make an exception, which i suppose is better than nothing.

anyways, my last option is to take it to an Apple store, closest one is in toronto, 3 hours away. a train ride there would be 60bucks round trip and i dont want to go there on a gamble that the apple store wont be able to do much.

ive read on here that i should request to speek to customer relations department. will i get better results there?

i know, not major issues but hey, 2000 dollar machine, u wouldnt buy a new car with a scratch on it right? lol
 
You should have exchanged the machine when you first inspected it. The other issues will not be resolved until Apple can inspect it, so get it to an Apple Store or authorized center before the one year warranty expires. No, they will not exchange it for a new machine for the cosmetic issues only since it's been four months and they might be viewed that you put them there. Sorry, after 14 days it is simply too late.
 
I had a top of the line 15" MBP from Mid 2010 that was having freezing problems. They ended up replacing the logic board for me after my first two visits. It kept freezing so I brought it in again. I got the computer back with a note saying "Unreplicable Error" or something, and they blamed my aftermarket RAM and SSD for causing the error. I had to argue with them for a while about how I put in different RAM and it still froze and that I put the SSD in my dad's MBP (exactly the same model) and it did not freeze there which meant it's not my "aftermarket" upgrades. After a long discourse about how the computer is a lemon and I can't accept a faulty computer back, I ended up walking out with a top of the line 15" 2011 MBP.

tl;dr - They will replace your computer with an equivalent current model computer if its not available if you prove to them that the computer cannot be repaired and it's not software/"aftermarket" upgrade related.

randomrazr said:
actually this is a different question.

im asking about peoples experiences with customer relations
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It's a miss or hit with people's experiences. Sometimes customers with the same problems or issues call up AppleCare and they get a CSR that is willing to process an exchange or replacement at their discretion but most of the time they end up with nothing. Under your conditions, Apple will generally not give you a replacement/exchange, only a repair as per limited warranty agreement.
 
It's really ur fault that you waited past 14 days. Apple has nothing to be blamed for and customer relations does not have to do anything what so ever.

You are talking about 2000 dollars machine and you are worried about this issue.

Why did you not think about that when you first noticed the problem?
 
hcho3 said:
It's really ur fault that you waited past 14 days. Apple has nothing to be blamed for and customer relations does not have to do anything what so ever.

You are talking about 2000 dollars machine and you are worried about this issue.

Why did you not think about that when you first noticed the problem?
Click to expand...

That's not the problem, this is...https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1163800/

Take your MBP to a repair shop. Have them disassemble it, clean it, put it back together and get on with your life. Apple does not owe you a new computer.
 
Uffish Thought said:
That's not the problem, this is...https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1163800/

Take your MBP to a repair shop. Have them disassemble it, clean it, put it back together and get on with your life. Apple does not owe you a new computer.
Click to expand...

uffish, i dont know what ur problem is, you are liek creeping all my threads. that one thread obviously ment as a joke, and people got a good laugh out of it.

apple does owe me a new computer. i did mention i did try and take it back twice in my other thread.

this is a 2000 dllar machine, and it should be flawless.

if ur tired of my threads, than honestly "gtfo" and look at something eles instead of stalking my posts.

im asking for other peoples opinions on a different question. so if you have nothing to contribute to this question, than "go away" LLOL
 
Your best shot is going to an Apple store directly. My wife broke our iPad2 64GB 3G by dropping in on pavement and shattering the glass about a week after we bought it. I went to the Apple Store and explained what happened. To make a long story short, they exchanged it for free. I was blown away.

I know you are 3 hours away from an Apple Store, but, going to one and telling them what happened is your best bet.
 
randomrazr said:
anyone eles have customer relation call experience?
Click to expand...

sure i'll get trolled

randomrazr said:
this is a 2000 dllar machine, and it should be flawless.
Click to expand...

the cost of a computer doesn't determine whether or not it will be "flawless" or have defects. it's ignorant to expect that the more you pay for something the "better" or "more flawless" it will be. paying more isn't going to make a computer less likely to have defects or reduce the chances of you getting a lemon.
 
Archlord said:
sure i'll get trolled



the cost of a computer doesn't determine whether or not it will be "flawless" or have defects. it's ignorant to expect that the more you pay for something the "better" or "more flawless" it will be. paying more isn't going to make a computer less likely to have defects or reduce the chances of you getting a lemon.
Click to expand...

none the less from a company like Apple and the premium quality computer your paying for, you expect it to be flawless.
 
randomrazr said:
none the less from a company like Apple and the premium quality computer your paying for, you expect it to be flawless.
Click to expand...

no, you expect it to be flawless. fact is, even with a company like Apple with premium build quality, defects happen (assuming your hinge was in fact a defect). it's your (seeing a trend?) fault that you didn't return it within the 14 days. now you have to deal with the consequences of that, and should not be expecting an exchange when you exceeded the exchange policy.
 
Archlord said:
no, you expect it to be flawless. fact is, even with a company like Apple with premium build quality, defects happen (assuming your hinge was in fact a defect). it's your (seeing a trend?) fault that you didn't return it within the 14 days. now you have to deal with the consequences of that, and should not be expecting an exchange when you exceeded the exchange policy.
Click to expand...

the hinge issue happened a couple days after the 14 day >.>
 
To be honest, I feel as if this thread only tells part of the whole story.

But nonetheless;

I highly doubt that Apple, whatever you do, will give you a brand new replacement computer. If, as you say, there are hinge problems and specks of dust under the screen and they deem this to be manufacturing defects, they will most likely just replace the top case and screen. It would make no sense to them to give you a brand new laptop for these problems that are occurring for the first time on your laptop.

If, as an example, your logic board kept on failing after three replacements then most likely you'd get a new laptop.

Anyway, if you just have hinge and dust problems, wouldn't a new top case and screen suffice?

At the end of last year, my late 2008 MBP got a new top case and display and to be honest it felt like a new computer.
 
solowmodel said:
To be honest, I feel as if this thread only tells part of the whole story.

But nonetheless;

I highly doubt that Apple, whatever you do, will give you a brand new replacement computer. If, as you say, there are hinge problems and specks of dust under the screen and they deem this to be manufacturing defects, they will most likely just replace the top case and screen. It would make no sense to them to give you a brand new laptop for these problems that are occurring for the first time on your laptop.

If, as an example, your logic board kept on failing after three replacements then most likely you'd get a new laptop.

Anyway, if you just have hinge and dust problems, wouldn't a new top case and screen suffice?

At the end of last year, my late 2008 MBP got a new top case and display and to be honest it felt like a new computer.
Click to expand...

hat do u mean part of a whole story?
 
jenzjen said:
You don't have many options, so you should either start a warranty repair process or live with your machine.
Click to expand...

no chance customer relations would do much?

this guy posted this: Call Apple's corporate number and ask for executive customer relations. Tell them everything you've said here. They will want to make you happy. 408 996 1010 The 3 repairs first thing is a guideline. In customer relations everything is possible, and the good thing you have going for you is that you've already brought it to best buy and already initiated contact with Apple. The longer you've owned the computer, the more likely they want to repair rather than replace or refund. Point out that the warranty under which you are covered confers the options of repair, replace, or refund. Those three options are at Apple's discretion (and they typically want to do them in that order). But if the rep you talk to says replace is not an option, tell them it is an option according to your warranty, and if that representative isn't able to exercise that option, you would prefer to speak to someone who could exercise that option. Be friendly and calm, though. For an Apple rep to override their guidelines (such as the 3 repairs rule), they need an exception. That's why it's important for you to tell them YOUR uniquely extenuating circumstances and frustration. They need to hear something from you that tells them it's OK to override their guidelines. Be sure to consistently stay in your reality of what has happened and what needs to happen. If they tell you they can't accommodate you, just keep responding calmly with your reality of what happened and what you need to happen. If they say all we can do is repair say, for example, "Well, unfortunately a repair isn't going to work, because I want to trust in the fidelity of this machine, and I don't want it being pieced together just months after I bought it and spent $2,000 and already had all these frustrations." Then let there be silence--let your words, your reality, hang in the air. If they keep saying they can't help, keep repeating your reality. "Well that won't work because..." At some point you can say, "I can't do a repair and need a replacement for these reasons and it seems you are unable to confer that option under the warranty, I suppose to move forward at this point I'll need to speak to someone who can help me with this more." The agent will try to present a new reality--keep maintaining your reality--the machine needs to replaced for your special reasons, whatever that is, ie, you just bought it, you wouldn't be able to trust the fidelity of a repaired machine, it was a big investment, you want to have a good experience with Apple, etc. You need to make it seem like you are willing to stay on the phone---peacefully, and in a friendly way--for an infinite amount of time repeating your reality. They'll come around. And they will never end a call unless you initiate ending it.

Good luck! You should be able to enjoy a product you spent so much money on!


____

what do you think of his opinion?
 
I honestly hope you do not get a replacement. You didn't care enough about whatever scratch(that I really don't believe was there when you got it) to deal with it during the return window of TWO WEEKS, it's not like you only had a couple hours or something. I'm sure the hinge started clicking when whatever happened that caused the scratch, but even if it didn't the most Apple should do is fix the hinge. Aside from that, what's the difference between it being fixed or replaced?

I don't want to pay more for my next Mac because you messed yours up and want to blame it on someone else.
 
My experience of Customer Relations is they are useless. Kept making me take my MacBook into an Apple store, it was the Apple store in the end that decided to replace the machine as they didn't want to replace the Logic Board again as last replacement of it caused a larger fault than originally.

I wasn't happy when the replacement then took over a month to arrive into the store as they hadn't bothered to order it in for a week after I left. Customer relations didn't help at all, never called me back when they said they would and the goodwill gesture they said they would offer me never materialised - I just gave up with them in the end.

This was European Customer Relations though, most of the negative things on the internet seem to be about them. US customer relations seem better.
 
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