Scammed by Repair Depot! How do I proceed?
I dropped my macbook (late 2008 model) after returning home late from a DJing gig. It dropped straight down on its back. Unfortunately, although it was in its case, the charger was laying under the unit and must have pushed up into the back cover as there was a noticeable dent in the aluminum case. This happened right in front of my mom after she opened the door for me that night. I tryed turning it on immediately after that, and the screen had no display. I had my dad help me unscrew the back of the unit to see if their was any obvious damage. We both inspected it thoroughly. No signed of any outward damage or anything out of the ordinary.
I spoke with the people at mac to make arrangements to have it repaired. They asked me a few questions about what was functioning and what wasnt. I would have totally told them I dropped it, and was expectiing it not to be covered under the warranty, it just never came up in the conversation. I send it in, track it, and as soon as they get it, it was put on hold. I called up immediately and they tell me everything is alright, they just got it and its going to be repaired. I get an email about 20 mins later explaining that the repair was not covered under the warranty and the reason was SPILL DAMAGE!!!???!!!
I called back immediately and tell the customer support guy that it's definately NOT spill damage. I point out that their is no way for me to argue this point with him as I do not have the unit in front of me. He tells me to cancel the repair and take it to a mac genius so he can point out the spill. I wasn't that angry at this point because I figured it was mac policy to say SPILL DAMAGE whenever a repair wasn't covered under the warranty.
I didn't take it right away to the mac genius because I wanted to weigh my options for a new computer. I decided I would buy a referb and put my upgrades from the broken mac into a new one. I went lastnight to get my hard drive tested for functionality. I prefaced my conversation with the mac genius by telling him I dropped my macbook and wanted to buy a new one, that i was here to test my hard drive before buying. The genius asked me what was wrong with it. I told him right away that I dropped it, that the unit gets a charge and the lights come on but the screen has no display. His initial reaction was "And WHY wasn't this covered under the repair?" I said I don't know, that apple repair said it was SPILL DAMAGE. So he goes "Oh, it's a spill". And I said "No! It's a drop not a spill". He gives me the battery cover as he unscrews the back cover, and i immediate noticed a weird sticky brown spot on the cover. I even turned to my dad next to me as said "What the hell is that?". The genius says "definately SPILL DAMAGE" and shows me tiny drops in a V shape along something black in the unit. I FLIPPED OUT! Those drops were NOT there when me and my dad opened it up. My mom, unbeknownst to me or my dad opened the unit herself before it went to apple and confirmed as well that those drops didn't exist before we sent it. I was so angry and insensed that the genius was visibly shaken.
I have no idea how to proceed with this. I never expected mac to fix my computer. I totally intended to buy a new one, but now I have no faith in the brand!!! I have spent over $6,000 with this company since 2001. I tossed and turned all night lastnight over this. My question to everyone here is how do I get over this? Should I call someone at apple? Should I write a letter? Should I complain about the repair tech? Do I EVER by another thing from Apple? I am so lost....
I spoke with the people at mac to make arrangements to have it repaired. They asked me a few questions about what was functioning and what wasnt. I would have totally told them I dropped it, and was expectiing it not to be covered under the warranty, it just never came up in the conversation. I send it in, track it, and as soon as they get it, it was put on hold. I called up immediately and they tell me everything is alright, they just got it and its going to be repaired. I get an email about 20 mins later explaining that the repair was not covered under the warranty and the reason was SPILL DAMAGE!!!???!!!
I called back immediately and tell the customer support guy that it's definately NOT spill damage. I point out that their is no way for me to argue this point with him as I do not have the unit in front of me. He tells me to cancel the repair and take it to a mac genius so he can point out the spill. I wasn't that angry at this point because I figured it was mac policy to say SPILL DAMAGE whenever a repair wasn't covered under the warranty.
I didn't take it right away to the mac genius because I wanted to weigh my options for a new computer. I decided I would buy a referb and put my upgrades from the broken mac into a new one. I went lastnight to get my hard drive tested for functionality. I prefaced my conversation with the mac genius by telling him I dropped my macbook and wanted to buy a new one, that i was here to test my hard drive before buying. The genius asked me what was wrong with it. I told him right away that I dropped it, that the unit gets a charge and the lights come on but the screen has no display. His initial reaction was "And WHY wasn't this covered under the repair?" I said I don't know, that apple repair said it was SPILL DAMAGE. So he goes "Oh, it's a spill". And I said "No! It's a drop not a spill". He gives me the battery cover as he unscrews the back cover, and i immediate noticed a weird sticky brown spot on the cover. I even turned to my dad next to me as said "What the hell is that?". The genius says "definately SPILL DAMAGE" and shows me tiny drops in a V shape along something black in the unit. I FLIPPED OUT! Those drops were NOT there when me and my dad opened it up. My mom, unbeknownst to me or my dad opened the unit herself before it went to apple and confirmed as well that those drops didn't exist before we sent it. I was so angry and insensed that the genius was visibly shaken.
I have no idea how to proceed with this. I never expected mac to fix my computer. I totally intended to buy a new one, but now I have no faith in the brand!!! I have spent over $6,000 with this company since 2001. I tossed and turned all night lastnight over this. My question to everyone here is how do I get over this? Should I call someone at apple? Should I write a letter? Should I complain about the repair tech? Do I EVER by another thing from Apple? I am so lost....
Comments
Call AppleCare (1-800-APL-CARE (1-800-275-2273)) and tell them that you need to talk to a representative in the Customer Relations department. That guy will probably be nice and will help.
That being said, please cut in stone what I've written below.
As soon as you open Apple machine yourself or let unauthorized person do it, Apple Service Provider can do any evil and stiff whatever money they wish out of you. Just be prepared. You are gonna pay anyway; how is then spill different from a drop?
You ought to make it right other way around. You should have seen genius first and then have possibly taken the machine to AAPS.
Make appointments. Repair shop guys are used to give you a paper to sign at the end. There are results of their first observations on there; you always know how they think the machine is, when they start working with.
I dropped my macbook (late 2008 model) after returning home late from a DJing gig. It dropped straight down on its back. Unfortunately, although it was in its case, the charger was laying under the unit and must have pushed up into the back cover as there was a noticeable dent in the aluminum case. This happened right in front of my mom after she opened the door for me that night. I tryed turning it on immediately after that, and the screen had no display. I had my dad help me unscrew the back of the unit to see if their was any obvious damage. We both inspected it thoroughly. No signed of any outward damage or anything out of the ordinary.
I spoke with the people at mac to make arrangements to have it repaired. They asked me a few questions about what was functioning and what wasnt. I would have totally told them I dropped it, and was expectiing it not to be covered under the warranty, it just never came up in the conversation. I send it in, track it, and as soon as they get it, it was put on hold. I called up immediately and they tell me everything is alright, they just got it and its going to be repaired. I get an email about 20 mins later explaining that the repair was not covered under the warranty and the reason was SPILL DAMAGE!!!???!!!
I called back immediately and tell the customer support guy that it's definately NOT spill damage. I point out that their is no way for me to argue this point with him as I do not have the unit in front of me. He tells me to cancel the repair and take it to a mac genius so he can point out the spill. I wasn't that angry at this point because I figured it was mac policy to say SPILL DAMAGE whenever a repair wasn't covered under the warranty.
I didn't take it right away to the mac genius because I wanted to weigh my options for a new computer. I decided I would buy a referb and put my upgrades from the broken mac into a new one. I went lastnight to get my hard drive tested for functionality. I prefaced my conversation with the mac genius by telling him I dropped my macbook and wanted to buy a new one, that i was here to test my hard drive before buying. The genius asked me what was wrong with it. I told him right away that I dropped it, that the unit gets a charge and the lights come on but the screen has no display. His initial reaction was "And WHY wasn't this covered under the repair?" I said I don't know, that apple repair said it was SPILL DAMAGE. So he goes "Oh, it's a spill". And I said "No! It's a drop not a spill". He gives me the battery cover as he unscrews the back cover, and i immediate noticed a weird sticky brown spot on the cover. I even turned to my dad next to me as said "What the hell is that?". The genius says "definately SPILL DAMAGE" and shows me tiny drops in a V shape along something black in the unit. I FLIPPED OUT! Those drops were NOT there when me and my dad opened it up. My mom, unbeknownst to me or my dad opened the unit herself before it went to apple and confirmed as well that those drops didn't exist before we sent it. I was so angry and insensed that the genius was visibly shaken.
I have no idea how to proceed with this. I never expected mac to fix my computer. I totally intended to buy a new one, but now I have no faith in the brand!!! I have spent over $6,000 with this company since 2001. I tossed and turned all night lastnight over this. My question to everyone here is how do I get over this? Should I call someone at apple? Should I write a letter? Should I complain about the repair tech? Do I EVER by another thing from Apple? I am so lost....
You could exact revenge and drive a bulldozer into the Apple buildings (at night; when there's no people there), but I doubt that would solve anything.
Methinks you should grin and bear it, and chalk it up to experience. An expensive lesson, of course, but hey!: that's life.
Expect your next brand to have similar 'drawbacks'.