My actions are based on Apple's recommendation: they told me that they would not warranty the laptop.
Which does not mean that you go ahead and void the little warranty that you have left... your actions may have been based on your feelings after you heard what Apple said, but they are still YOUR actions and not what Apple told you to do.
Also, Apple will probably be sued regarding the iBook's logic board. Users complains that problems show up just after the computer comes out of warranty. They call on Apple to either extend the iBook warranty or offer a replacement.
I wonder how many of these posts that say negative things about Apple products are posted by anti-Apple people? I know Apple is not perfect and I expect to hear a few problems now and then but I suspect that many of these types of post are bogus.
Apple did not refuse to fix the computer... they just said that it was not covered by the warranty...
Exactly. skimauve, if you do some research, I think you'll find that those customers who elected to have the repair done by Apple, and paid for it out of pocket *were refunded their money when Apple changed their minds*.
You could have had Apple fix it, and paid the money. You would then have been still covered under warrantee, *and* would now have that money back. At the time, did you know that? No, of course not. But the fact remains that it *was* a viable option that you chose not to take.
(Oh, and that iPod battery lawsuit? a) Ignoramouses that haven't a clue about battery technology, b) battery replacement program was put into place at about the same time, c) it's not going to go anywhere.)
I am ready to believe you, but I have read exactly the opposite on Apple's forums. Could you link to a few example? Nothing personal, but after all those calls to Apple, I am not ready to believe it.
Fair enough, and I'll admit that I'm not 100% sure in this particular case. I *do* know that with my wife's iBook, where a series of repairs were needed for logic board problems, Apple later said "Yes, there was a systemic problem. Everyone with a serial # in the A-B range, send it in, we'll fix it. If you already sent it in, and paid for it, you get a refund." It was my understanding that this also occurred for the TiBook problems. I could be wrong.
As for having to do your own research on company policies? Um, duh? That's part of being an informed consumer, in my opinion.
But...
At the time that you were faced with the decision on how to move forward, you had as options:
1) Pay Apple to repair it. Keep warrantee valid, and retain option of AppleCare later for possible future repairs on other things.
2) Do it yourself, void warrantee, negate option of AppleCare, ensuring that *all* future repairs would be out of pocket.
I would have gone with #1 from my past experiences with laptops and wear and tear over the years. You went with #2. It turned out to be a bad choice, in retrospect, due to Apple changing policies. You couldn't have known that, but it doesn't change the fact that you chose your own course, and in a court of law, that's what would be focussed on. You asked whether we thought you had a case... I honestly don't see in any way how you do. You're free to choose to move forward on one, of course, but I suspect it'll just be more money out of your wallet.
Seriously, if this was supposed to be the proper course of action, then I give up on this company! I mean, I was on the phone with Apple, but I was supposed to find the answer about their policies by doing my own research? What kind of game is it when the truth is not laid-out on the table right from the start?
Unfortunately, you probably weren't on the phone with Apple.
Unless you escalated pretty high, or got through to, say, Apple's notebook repair facility in Austin, you were talking to a drone in a contract phone bank who was reading from a script provided by Apple, and who was under pressure from his/her employer (not Apple) to complete as many calls/hour as possible, regardless of the outcome. The same guy might have been transferred over from the Dell account after Dell took their business to India. You just don't know.
This is a deeply unfortunate state of affairs, generally, but it might help to realize that if you call customer support for any tech company, you're getting a low-wage employee of a subcontractor who has little to no training, no incentive to help you, and every incentive to get you off the phone within 5-10 minutes.
I can almost guarantee that you weren't talking to an Apple employee, though. Not if you were on the phone.
Really. After your drop $50k in legal fees and still have nothing, you'll be one more person in this country who realizes that the legal system is not the best forum for communication between the upper-middle class, nor for personal conflict resolution.
Comments
Originally posted by skaimauve
My actions are based on Apple's recommendation: they told me that they would not warranty the laptop.
Which does not mean that you go ahead and void the little warranty that you have left... your actions may have been based on your feelings after you heard what Apple said, but they are still YOUR actions and not what Apple told you to do.
Originally posted by skaimauve
Also, Apple will probably be sued regarding the iBook's logic board. Users complains that problems show up just after the computer comes out of warranty. They call on Apple to either extend the iBook warranty or offer a replacement.
See here.
Sorry to hear about your PB.
As fo the iBook, Apple did start something regarding the logic board problem, details of which are available here:
http://www.apple.com/support/ibook/faq/
Originally posted by skaimauve
Nope captain... not based on feelings, only pure and simple logic:
1. The only way to use the computer was to fix it.
2. Only Apple can fix the computer without voiding the warranty.
3. Apple refuses to fix the computer.
Therefore, because Apple refuses to fix the computer, the only way to use the computer was to void the warranty!
Apple did not refuse to fix the computer... they just said that it was not covered by the warranty...
To me, he sounds like an upset (and slightly ignorant) consumer.
Originally posted by \\/\\/ickes
Apple did not refuse to fix the computer... they just said that it was not covered by the warranty...
Exactly. skimauve, if you do some research, I think you'll find that those customers who elected to have the repair done by Apple, and paid for it out of pocket *were refunded their money when Apple changed their minds*.
You could have had Apple fix it, and paid the money. You would then have been still covered under warrantee, *and* would now have that money back. At the time, did you know that? No, of course not. But the fact remains that it *was* a viable option that you chose not to take.
(Oh, and that iPod battery lawsuit? a) Ignoramouses that haven't a clue about battery technology, b) battery replacement program was put into place at about the same time, c) it's not going to go anywhere.)
Originally posted by \\/\\/ickes
I think you are missing the point.
Explain?
Originally posted by skaimauve
I am ready to believe you, but I have read exactly the opposite on Apple's forums. Could you link to a few example? Nothing personal, but after all those calls to Apple, I am not ready to believe it.
Fair enough, and I'll admit that I'm not 100% sure in this particular case. I *do* know that with my wife's iBook, where a series of repairs were needed for logic board problems, Apple later said "Yes, there was a systemic problem. Everyone with a serial # in the A-B range, send it in, we'll fix it. If you already sent it in, and paid for it, you get a refund." It was my understanding that this also occurred for the TiBook problems. I could be wrong.
As for having to do your own research on company policies? Um, duh? That's part of being an informed consumer, in my opinion.
But...
At the time that you were faced with the decision on how to move forward, you had as options:
1) Pay Apple to repair it. Keep warrantee valid, and retain option of AppleCare later for possible future repairs on other things.
2) Do it yourself, void warrantee, negate option of AppleCare, ensuring that *all* future repairs would be out of pocket.
I would have gone with #1 from my past experiences with laptops and wear and tear over the years. You went with #2. It turned out to be a bad choice, in retrospect, due to Apple changing policies. You couldn't have known that, but it doesn't change the fact that you chose your own course, and in a court of law, that's what would be focussed on. You asked whether we thought you had a case... I honestly don't see in any way how you do. You're free to choose to move forward on one, of course, but I suspect it'll just be more money out of your wallet.
As before, it's your choice.
laptop screes, across most vendors have wear issues over time. you can't flex metal wires constantly and not expect them to break. it will happen.
batteries fail some time after approx. 2 years. it is the inevitable life cycle of current battery technology.
the other problems sucked, but unless you never want any warrenty work done on your machine, don't try to fix a laptop yourself.
and if you do, don't tell apple that you did it. if you do your work right, they won't be able to tell you were ever in there. no harm, no foul.
Originally posted by skaimauve
Seriously, if this was supposed to be the proper course of action, then I give up on this company! I mean, I was on the phone with Apple, but I was supposed to find the answer about their policies by doing my own research? What kind of game is it when the truth is not laid-out on the table right from the start?
Unfortunately, you probably weren't on the phone with Apple.
Unless you escalated pretty high, or got through to, say, Apple's notebook repair facility in Austin, you were talking to a drone in a contract phone bank who was reading from a script provided by Apple, and who was under pressure from his/her employer (not Apple) to complete as many calls/hour as possible, regardless of the outcome. The same guy might have been transferred over from the Dell account after Dell took their business to India. You just don't know.
This is a deeply unfortunate state of affairs, generally, but it might help to realize that if you call customer support for any tech company, you're getting a low-wage employee of a subcontractor who has little to no training, no incentive to help you, and every incentive to get you off the phone within 5-10 minutes.
I can almost guarantee that you weren't talking to an Apple employee, though. Not if you were on the phone.
Really. After your drop $50k in legal fees and still have nothing, you'll be one more person in this country who realizes that the legal system is not the best forum for communication between the upper-middle class, nor for personal conflict resolution.