Why AppleCare?: My Story

In December of 2004 I was excited beyond excited to get my very own laptop computer! I had dreamed since the age of 6 of its existence in my life (and at 6, laptops having not or just barely been invented, all I was thinking was this tiny, miniature version of my dad's big Macintosh)

I was a senior in high school and being in an Audio/Visual club, we practically cherished Apple products. We edited in iMovie on iMacs. The love was quite strong. I knew I wanted to get a laptop for college and I knew it just had to be a Mac.

I took all of the savings bonds my grandparents had given me over the years and cashed those puppies in. I purchased a brand new 13" iBook for $1200. I named him Nacho.

From first glance it was love. I referred to my iBook as if he were my best friend. I was reluctant to let anyone use it for any reason and I brought it to school every day. I was one of only a few lucky kids to have a laptop in high school and once my best friend bought hers a couple of months later, we would sit around with our iBooks side by side in class, gleefull of our priced possessions. Over the year, once we were all in our first year of college, 3 more of our close circle of friends purchased iBooks. The "new" ones came with 512mb of RAM and Tiger, the new operating system! I was jealous! I needed those new fast things on my laptop too, so I convinced my A/V teacher to give me Tiger and I bough 256mb extra RAM for Nacho. I was quite a happy camper.

Every once in a while I would have a problem with Nacho. The screen would go blank, he would freeze up, or something or that sort. I got very skilled at calling Apple, describing my problem and waiting for a brown box to arrive at my door. I would bid my goodbye, wrap Nacho up in the caring packaging (gleefully putting away the extra pre-cut packing tape strips the box came with) and waited for my Nacho to come back to me as good as new.

Not that most people would care, but I tried to keep an ongoing record of the maladies Nacho encountered over his 3 year lifespan:

August 11, 2005: Add spiral tubing/ Replace logic board

August 20, 2005: Purchase AppleCare (I guess my one year was almost up, so extended another 2, I don't believe you are allowed to purchase AppleCare after purchase like this anymore)

August 28, 2005: Add Spiral Tubing/ Replace Logic Board (Sound familiar yet?)

April 4, 2007: Replace Hardrive

July 18, 2007: Replace VRAM, Replace Hardrive, Replace flex-cable (familiar again?)

August 7, 2007: Replace VRAM (Oh dear...)

At this point I was getting worried, I was about to embark on a 3.5 month journey to study in England, Getting my iBook serviced in England may be a little bit harder. I called Apple about my problems. They said, Ah, yes, you are having problems. Why don't you send it to us again, we'll fix it. If it's still broken, call XXX person personally and we'll see what we can do.

Ok Apple. I go to England

2 days before my 3 15-20 page final essays were due, Nacho goes to sleep and doesn't wake up. This is a problem. Thankfully, 2 things save me:

1. I had backed up all my data on my external a couple days before

2. My friend Nathan was visiting me and he had brought his own laptop.

I was able to retrieve my drafts with his laptop, update them and turn them in on time (Lesson #1: Back up!!!)

Things go fuzzy here, but I think at some point in time, Nacho magically came back to life, but I was very concerned. I called the Apple guy that had told me he would help me out should Nacho fall ill once more. He didn't pick up. I left a message. This continued for a month.

Then in January, I sent Nacho in for service one more time.

January 8, 2008: Battery Replaced

I was actually fairly pleased with this one. I had been slave to a battery that lasted half an hour for the past 2 years. Now I could actually use my computer away from its power tether.

But I wasn't satisfied.

I called Apple again and this time escalated my case to a different manager. This manager listened to my woes for probably about 15 minutes. I remember I kept saying the same things over and over.

-I am a great fan of your products, you have served me well in the past

-I rely on this and only this computer for all of my school work

-The machine keeps constantly failing

-I have researched a weakness in the logic boards of this model

-I really can't afford to work on a laptop that needs to be serviced every couple months.

Then I heard what I wanted. Oh, I'm sorry, said the Apple representative. I'm going to set youup with a replacement.

YOU ARE?!?!

Yes, yes. And we also do not downgrade. Since the iBook 13" no longer exists, we're going to have to give you a 15" MacBook Pro. Would that be ok?

WOULD IT EVER!

At this point I am trying very, very hard to contain my glee. Once the deal was sealed I excitedly texted Nate at work. I was getting a machine twice the value, 3 times the speed nearly 3 years later FOR FREE!!

February 13, 2008: Nacho II is born.

sometime in March, I realize that my new MacBook Pro is not charging correctly. I take it to the Apple store to discover I had somehow swapped my power adapter with my friend's. Problem was, she was using 65w and I needed 85w. Insufficient. Apple replaced it for me free of charge.

March 13, 2009: Replacement of power adapter

But then, as with all machines, Nacho II fell ill. Upon running CPU-intensive programs, Nacho began to get very hot to the touch right under the CPU. The fan would start up, whirring away but I very well couldn't touch or carry my laptop without pain. I called Apple and got sent another box.

May 14, 2009: Replacement of fans, bezel, and a bunch of stuff

September 9, 2009: Replacement of microphone

January 17, 2010: call to Apple about heat problem, was told to go to Genius Bar

January 17, 2010: Cleaned out vent, Replacement of battery

February 4, 2010: Replacement of fans, Replacement of logic board

Oh dear, I began thinking at this point. This is all sounding way too familiar. I decided to do some extensive research on Apple's replacement policy and this is what I came up with. Upon the 4th repair on the same problem of a major part, the customer has the right to ask Apple for a replacement. It is up to the technician you asked to decide your fate. If the Apple representative feels you have a case, he will offer you a replacement. I believe this is just a rule of thumb, not an official policy.

Under this guise, I decided to send Nacho II in a few more times for repairs on the heat problem, as it continually persisted. I called Apple to ask for a box. Just to see, I told the Apple representative that it was my understanding that I can ask for a replacement upon the 4th repair. Yes, that is correct he said, let me get you to my manager. Oh, I think, don't hold your breathe. As soon as I get on the phone with the next guy, he looks through my file. "I see you have had 7 repairs on this machine" he says. Oh, I think, I suppose I have. "I see you have had consistent problems, even after continuous repairs" he says. Oh, I think, I suppose I have. "I think it's time we set you up with a replacement" he say. Oh, I think, well.... I suppose you should.

And that, my friends sums up some more lessons.

-Do your research

-Keep records

-Do the work to contact the company

- BUY APPLE CARE

I could not have done any of this if I wasn't covered under Apple Care. With both replacement units, I purchased a new warranty plan. It is WELL WORTH IT. I promise you.

I am now the proud new owner of a 15" unibody MacBook Pro. 5 full years later, I have only purchased my original machine, and 3 Apple Care protection plans, but I have now owned 3 separate machines. Apple stands by their customers and by their products. I wouldn't be a PC for anything in the world.

:)

~Out