Apple - AppleCare

I purchased a phone in December and was not told about AppleCare. And when I had an issue and called in, I was asked if I had purchased the Apple Care. I told them I was unaware and they told me, "Oh sorry, it's too late. You are past the first 30 days." They were rude and nasty about it. I will make sure to let everyone know how their customer service is.

We purchased numerous Macs for my family, at least 6 computers over the past few years (4 children). We bought the Apple Care protection plan for each, but rarely or never used the plan for the computers. We spent probably over $1000 on the plans, combined. When I finally had a problem and called Apple Care, they told me that my plan had recently expired and refused to help me without paying a large fee. Absurd, considering how many Apple Care Protection Plans I had purchased and not even used!

I will never buy an Apple Care Protection Plan again, and would strongly advise against it. By the time your Mac has problems, the Apple Care plan will have expired. And, the company has no common sense when it comes to taking care of good customers; they fail to give computer advice the minute the plan expires, even if the plan was never used! This is poor business ethics, desperate, actually. Common sense is to provide customers with fair customer service, regardless of anything else.

I have a brand new iPad2 (purchased 9/29) that I've synced only two times before this past weekend. With the latest sync, an operating system update was automatically installed. But, then after at least 5 tries, including rebooting my computer, the iPad wouldn't reboot or restore. It's stuck--frozen. I've been on the phone on hold with Apple twice this week for over 30 minutes and I just have to hang up. There is no indication of how much longer I'll have to wait on the phone. Certainly other horror stories indicate it could be 1.5 hours or longer. I just don't have that kind of time to waste.

So, yesterday I took the iPad2 back to the Verizon store, where I bought it, and they couldn't reboot or reset it either they said only an Apple store could. So I went to the Apple store tonight, and after waiting in line for about 15 minutes just to get into the store. I asked the gatekeeper if I had to stand in line for service/repairs. She said the Genius bar was not available for any more customers this evening and was also fully booked for the next two days. I could make an appointment for Saturday. What?! So, I have a two-week old iPad2 that won't start, won't restore, and I won't be able to get help or service for days and days.

I have a 27" iMac which is less than a year old that will not wake up from sleep without having to shut down and then repower. For at least the last two months, I have made several trips to the Apple store where they told me it was a software problem, so they reset it. Next day, I have the same problem and Apple told me it must be hardware. So they replaced the logic board and the video card.

Next day, I have the same problem. After several data capture emails from Apple Care, they determined that the problem is my hard drive. An Apple tech came to my home and replaced the hard drive and guess what happened two days later? Same problem. Since the computer is less than a year old, I have asked Apple to replace it several times and I keep getting told "no" because I have to give them reasonable time to fix the problem. On 9-20-2011, I again spoke to Apple Care and was told that after the last data capture, they think part of my memory is bad because it was installed after the purchase. I pointed out to them that the memory was purchased the same day I bought the computer and that it was purchased and installed by the Apple store. After countless hours on the phone and four hundred miles driven back and forth to the Apple store, I still do not have a fully working iMac and they still refuse to replace it.

This is an email to Apple's new CEO, Tim Cook:

I would like to voice my frustration with AppleCare. I purchased an early 2011 Macbook Pro. When I connect my Macbook Pro to my 24-inch Apple Cinema Display, the display momentarily goes black every so often. The "black screen" happens at random. I have been struggling with this issue ever since I purchased the Macbook Pro. I have contacted AppleCare numerous times. At first, it seemed that the AppleCare people were not aware of this issue. I went to my local Apple Store twice (Bridgeport Village, Tigard, OR). The first time, one of the Apple "geniuses" gave me a look like I am from another planet. I was talked down to and the person, whose job is to help customers, told me that he'd never heard about this being an issue.

Please take a look at the Apple User discussion forums. Many other people seem to have similar issues. At my second visit at the Apple Store, I had the ACD and the MBP checked out. We were not able to recreate this issue. I was told that Apple is working on a fix. This all happened a few months ago. As of today, the problem has not been solved. As a matter of fact, I spoke with Neil **, Senior Advisor from AppleCare on Saturday, 28 Aug 11. He emailed me a file to run a complete system scan. He told me that he would pass the scan results on to the Apple engineers and get back to me within 4-5 business days.

Today, I was contacted by AppleCare. I was told that nothing is wrong with my computer or the ACD. However, Apple recognizes that there is a problem and is working on a software fix. I asked the person when one could expect the fix. The AppleCare specialist told me that he didn't know. My case number on AppleCare is **.

Please understand that I am in the opinion that this is not acceptable. I want this problem fixed now. I don't care how you do it, but I want it to be fixed. I suggest that you replace my 24-inch ACD with one of the new 27-inch ACDs (thunderbolt equipped). I am sincerely disappointed in how Apple has handled my problem. It almost seems like Apple does not care about their customers anymore. I have spent a fortune on Apple products over the years.

One very angry and disappointed Apple customer.

In the meantime, I was contacted by Stuart **. He is with Apple Executive Relations. He gave me the typical corporate "blah blah speech" on how much Apple values their customer and so on. He offered some sort of "beta" software fix for the issues that I am experiencing. However, there was some sort of "gag order" tied to this. I would have had to sign some sort of contract, which would have required me to not talk to anyone about how Apple handled my case and about the existence of this "beta" software/firmware update. I declined.

Overall experience rating was 0:

I bought an Apple laptop and was expecting good service from the Apple people so I bought another one for somebody else. Turns out, in only 6 months the motherboard crashes and, since it is in another country, they make you run in a loop.

When I asked them to send me a shipping box, they claim it is outside the U.S. (originally bought) so they can't help. I asked them to replace it with a new one since it is a motherboard issue and has been 1 month already sitting idle in the shop, all they say is yeah, yeah Every time they ask me to contact a new customer/sales representative, I have to explain the whole story. Seems they do not write down every detail about a case and the person on the phone doesn't even care to read.

They keep saying contact this number or this and send me in a never ending loop. I expected Apple to be at least decent enough to have a good customer care even if it failed in terms or technical issue, but seems that expectation was too much. They only know how to come up with new iPhone and Pros and fool customers to make money and just claim to be one of the very good companies, but all that is a lie.

Thinking about this, I would never buy another Apple product from now on.

My iMac would not turn on one morning, and I called AppleCare for help and to get it fixed. The guy on the phone said I would have to drive it over 100 miles one way to the closest Apple repair place. I told him I thought my service plan said I could have a tech come to my home and repair it, but he said no so I had to spend a day driving there to drop it off, and then another day to pick it up. When I got it home my iMac turned on for one minute and then shut off again. I was furious! I called AppleCare back and told them I was very upset for having to waste my time when the computer wasn't even fixed.

Then the AppleCare guy on the phone said that Apple would send a tech to repair it at my home! I said what? Why didn't Apple tell me this before instead of wasting my time! Well the Apple guy hemmed and hawed and said they would get a tech to my home to repair my iMac. I got a call the next day from a tech that does iMac repairs for my area and he came out that very day and fixed my computer within 1 1/2 hours. I am very angry at Apple for wasting my time, and I am even angrier at them for not having told me outright that my service contract says I could get service at my home. After all, I paid money for that right and I live a long ways away from any big city. It seems to me that Apple lied outright by forcing me to travel a long distance to get my computer repaired when I had the service right in my contract. I am still burning mad!

Last year, my son received an Apple laptop as a graduation gift. While we were in the store, the salesperson suggested we get the Apple Care warranty, stating that we would be crazy not to get it as it covers us for three years and is definitely worth it. We decided to purchase the Apple Care. Approximately six months later, I also purchased a new Apple desktop computer and purchased the Apple Care warranty.

Just about a year after purchasing the laptop, my son's screen got a small crack. He's not sure how it happened but brought it to the store and was told it would cost $467 plus tax to fix it and our Apple Care warranty wouldn't cover any part of it, not even a deductible. The Apple Care coverage clearly states that it includes telephone technical support, global repair coverage and on site repair. Since the computer cost $1,800 and my son needed it for school, we had no choice but to fix it but I decided to cancel the Apple Care, both for the laptop and my desktop in July, 2010 and was told I would receive a refund for the balance of both warranties. This was in July. It's now October, and after about a dozen calls, I still don't have one of the refunds.

Ive made numerous calls to Apple and was first told my refunds went to the Apple store in Braintree, where I purchased the computer and not to me? They noted the mistake and said another check would be expedited on August 17th. In September, after another few calls, I was told to expect my check any day now; it's in the mail. Finally at the end of September, I received one of the warranties. Upon calling Apple to find out about the second one, I was told it went to the wrong address and needs to be sent out again. What?

First of all, I shouldn't have had to pay close to $500 when I have a warranty. Secondly, I should have had my refunds by now and this sending of my checks to the wrong address rings ridiculous! I'm stunned that Apple would treat a customer who bought two computers from them in 2009 so horribly. Why should I wait three months for a refund and have to pay for repairs when I have a warranty? People need to know about this scam!

I bought a brand new Mac Book Pro for Christmas. I am a DJ in local nightclubs and went with Apple thinking they offered the best options for professional audio. I was also persuaded to buy the extended Apple Care under the pretense that Apple would cover any regular damage that might occur while using the computer for work-related activities.

At a gig this weekend, someone spilled a drink on the keyboard. After a visit to the Apple store, I was told that any liquid damage voids the Apple Care and regular 1-year warranty. Now not only must I dish out the money to fix my trackpad and keyboard, the Apple Care is voided and will not cover any other problem that might occur even if it is a manufacturing defect. After reading the fine print, I now understand that Apple Care does not cover accidental damage, but was never aware that any warranty would be voided if the computer incurred water damage.

I wish Apple would have been clearer when selling me the computer and had made me aware of this loophole in their service, as I would have chosen a different company to purchase a computer from. I also want people to be educated about this and realize that Apple is giving them a false sense of security when purchasing Apple Care.

My son bought a $999 MacBook 13" with the $200 AppleCare Extended warranty. He had it 3-4 weeks and it was handled with kid gloves'. It was used for Video chatting and music, in our home. It never left my home and was never dropped. My son closed the Mac one evening after video chatting with his sister (I was there watching). No pencil or pen was left on the portable, when it closed as the Apple store manager, and then 3 top Apple Care reps over the phone imply was left in the Portable when it was closed.

The next day, my son opens it and starts screaming that his screen was cracked. The machine was 3 weeks old. And he paid for it with his own money. I called my daughter who owns a Mac, and she asked if it was an internal or external? Apparently, this is common place, as her friend had the identical situation happen to her and mind you, Apple repaired it for free, after they tried their its physical damage routine and it will cost you $800. Her friend cried, and the Apple store felt bad and wrote down a different reason!

It is seems widely apparent that there is some defect in the sensitivity of the screens on the Mac portables; if when you close them (with care, without a pencil/pen in between), and you reopen them, hundreds of people throughout the US and around the world are finding a 'Cracked internal screen. "Apples universal answer is "We are not liable, the warranty doesn't cover, the customer did "physical damage", you must have dropped it, closed it with a pencil/pen in it, did something wrong.

It is an abomination that Apple apparently trains its staff at AppleCare and at stores to do this, to imply that people are lying, and to not stand by your product. I understand that someone may have dropped theirs and did cause the damage, but this is certainly not the case here, nor when reading a blog on this, I can't believe people are lying about their experiences either.

I thought you'd be interested in the following comments (starting on page 2) that are publicized on a blog about Macs-Internal cracks - from all over the US and the world. They are all comments from various people who opened their Macs to find internal cracks, and who were all told by stores, and technicians, that it was physical damage. We lost $1299. 999 for the portable, 200 or 249 for the Apple Care plus tax to = the 1312. We did get back $100 rebate on purchase. So we are out 1199.

Mac Book Pro with Applecare waranty. The laptop was sent in with a problem with it's keyboard in 2008, applecare covered the repair. The computer had a dent on it's case when it was sent in and was returned with a dent after it was repaired. When the computer completely failed about a year and a half later, the computer was sent back in for warranty coverage. Apple refused to honor the warranty due to "damage" to the case. This is the same damage that was returned after the first repair. One applecare phone person said he saw a record of the original repair with "damage" to the case and told me that they made a one time exception to make the repair. When I spoke to the next person, they denied any record of any damage with the first repair and claimed the "damage" was new to the laptop when sent in the second time.

The last person I talked to told me that the laptop never would have been returned from the first repair with a dent, that they only send back perfectly repaired machines.

So one person I talked to said there was a record of the dent, and the second said there was no record of the dent. I was unable to get anyone to talk to the person who had told me about the record of the dent even though they knew his name (eric). This was a big run around, I got conflicting information from different people and ran into a wall. I used to be an complete devotee to apple products but will avoid them in the future. They are no better than any other big corporation.

Never again. I bought a 12-inch powerbook G4 from CompUSA back in Sept of 03, was talked into the extended warranty and all. The unit was a display model. After 4 months and about 5 uses of the cd-rom drive it quit working. Now Apple is not going to honor the warranty because they say the drive is damaged and the case in bent. Why did I spend $350 for extended apple care?

And on top of this I bought thru Mac Goldbook, Live Channel broadcast software for $1000.00 and I was to get a $200 refund. After many e-mails saying I had the refund comming... Nothing... Never again will I deal with Apple OR and Apple softwware products OR CompUSA. Back To WINXP and never ever buy ON-LINE Software for a discount.