[geeks] Another data point re: Apple Support

[Lionel Peterson]

Hello all,

Just another data point regarding Apple support - I bought a MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo for about 20% off list from the Refurb section on their site (I guess it was a returned Xmas gift someone bought new) - it was unusual that the curent model was available there.

Anyway, when I got it, the WiFi appeared dead. Rather than beat my head against the wall, I decided to take the Geek Point hit and go to the store and ask for help. Luckilly, the Guru was able to recreate my problem (got an IP from the server, but no connectivity). Then, to isolate HW from SW problems, he tried to boot off an ext. firewire drive that is known-good. That failed to boot. Then he tried a scond, known-good firewire drive - that also failed. He put his hands up., declared this a HW problem, and decided there was no point in going on debugging it.

He then told me that since I bought it refurb, he couldn't swap for a new laptop - I'd have to get it repaired or return it for credit. My local shop has an estimated 2 week backlog of systems awaiting repair...

I called Apple today, got bounced to every department, and in the end, they made me three offers:

1) Return it for 100% credit
2) Return it for credit (plus $100 more) towards any other system they sell (but they have no Core 2 Duo laptops in refurb, at _any_ price)
3) Send it in to CA for repair, with a 5-7 buiness day turn-around...

I thought hard about trading it in on a 24" iMac Core 2 Duo system (that would have taken advantage of the $100 "extra" credit they were offering), but in the end I'm going to mail it back to CA, on the hope that it will get fixed quicker (won't have to wait for parts) and be 100% right when it returns...

So now, I wait for the DHL box to arrive to return the laptop to CA...

All in all, I'm happy with the trade-off - if I bought a new MacBook Pro it would have been replaced immediately at the local store, no questions asked, but since I saved 20% on the price, I took my chances and got a bad unit - I wonder if I'll get the same unit back... 

Lionel