Still an Apple Supporter

I've been lamenting about my laptop computer being in for repairs for the past two months. And I suppose I might appear to be a bit hard on Apple, as a result. But truth is, this is the third laptop in a row of theirs that has had major problems. It's interesting that the period from 1986 to 2001 gave me 20 - 25 computers that ran flawlessly.

Based on my experience, I would urge anyone who buys an Apple laptop to buy an extended warranty at the very moment they purchase their new computer.

The latest on my current problem is this:

The third party Apple reseller that has my computer continues to wait for the fourth logic board. The past three (one of them the original) have failed. This was all caused by a faulty battery that blew up in November of last year. This tells me that there's something deeper going on - but it hasn't occurred to the reseller, apparently.

However, Apple agrees with me and after a phone call Friday, has said that if I continue to have problems when it gets returned, they will replace the computer with a new one. Score one big POINT for Apple. Their customer service is hard to beat. We're getting our own Apple store in Calgary soon and it will be a welcome addition.

Even if I don't get a new computer and the current one starts to work on its own, it receives a 90 day warranty from the moment its released into the real world again. No problem. I'm going to run it through every test I can think of to try to get it to fail - to make sure it's in good shape. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going attempt anything out of the norm. I just don't need it to crater when I'm on stage with it.

The problem comes back to the extended warranty. This being the third Apple laptop in a row with problems, when I took it in (after 6 months of intermittent keyboard quitting aggravation), I asked for an extended warranty - there about were ten days to go till my first year was up). The computer store customer service rep didn't have any packages on the wall but said they would get me one. However, when I got the computer back and asked (it was then past the first year cut-off), they hadn't done anything about it.

Apple's response - "under no circumstances do we let customers purchase an extended warranty past the one year of ownership limit." When I asked about the logic in my particular case, I was told that particular Apple rep didn't have it. So, I guess I have to go to the top. And I will. More to come.

I know the third party Apple reseller isn't going to provide me an extended warranty, although they've said they'll go to bat for me. They say they've had them extended before. Apple says they have not. Who is correct? At this point, I have no idea.

In any case, my wavering support of Apple is still in their camp. However, I may have missed the very opportunity I was determined not to miss. I didn't fully understand the policy. I was naive, to say the least. I had relied on Apple's sense of fairness, again based upon my dealings with them in the past. Times have changed; they're a bigger company. Policies rule, I suppose. I will have to wait until this sick computer comes back for the fourth time and see whether it lasts to determine where I am warranty-wise.

So, as I said before, I'd recommend an extended warranty on any Apple laptop. And buy it when you buy the computer. Because if you miss the one year regular warranty cut-off, you lose.

Meanwhile, I'll write a letter regarding the policy as it relates to my case.