[equinox]

Yesterday i received my new midplane for my 20" noisy iMac. I am very angry, because the midplane seems to be used! A lot of fingerprints and scratches can be seen on the metal parts and on the G5 processor-cover.

As i searched for any differences, i noticed that the replacement-midplane looks sklightly different. The layout of the condensators just above the powersupply is different. Some are missing and i can see some additional ones. Very interesting!
I was hoping that the noise would decrease with the replacement midplane, but i had no luck. The noise is nearly the same. I checked the temperatures and noticed that the cpu-temp is nearly the same under full load. About 74 Celsius, but the HD-Temps are lower! With my old midplane the hd-temps got up til 55 Celsius. With the replacement midplane i just get 47 Celsius. This difference in temperature makes some difference in noise. So it is not the CPU-fan which is noisy, it is the system fan, for me.

[Detrius]

Originally posted by equinox:
Yesterday i received my new midplane for my 20" noisy iMac. I am very angry, because the midplane seems to be used! ...

Um, it is refurbished. That means they fixed whatever was wrong with someone else's and shipped it to you. This is normal practice. In theory, this would be no different from you shipping your midplane assembly off to them, they fix it, and then they send it back. Same thing. You'd still have a refurbished assembly. What do you expect? Your machine isn't new!

[equinox]

Originally posted by Detrius:
Um, it is refurbished. That means they fixed whatever was wrong with someone else's and shipped it to you. This is normal practice. In theory, this would be no different from you shipping your midplane assembly off to them, they fix it, and then they send it back. Same thing. You'd still have a refurbished assembly. What do you expect? Your machine isn't new!

Alright, i accept that! But i don't accept that the new midplane has several scratches and has some oily substance on it! Do you think i have to accep that, too?

[Crusoe]

It's elbow grease.
Actually my Powerbook came back with a louder beeping, sizzling processor than the one that was replaced. I play music all the time so it doesn't bother me. Maybe it's your setup, you need to b more zen like this guy.

[Detrius]

Originally posted by equinox:
Alright, i accept that! But i don't accept that the new midplane has several scratches and has some oily substance on it! Do you think i have to accep that, too?

Well, I don't have much of a response for that one. Technically it's a cosmetic issue, but it is a cosmetic issue that is on the replacement--not the original. You could call them up and see what they say (be prepared to have a response about it being refurbished and that it should still at least *look* new). You may not get anywhere, but it never hurts to try.

[indigoimac]

Originally posted by Crusoe:
It's elbow grease.
Actually my Powerbook came back with a louder beeping, sizzling processor than the one that was replaced. I play music all the time so it doesn't bother me. Maybe it's your setup, you need to b more zen like this guy.

damn that's nice

[Eriamjh]

Does it work?

[iBorg]

Originally posted by Detrius:
Um, it is refurbished. That means they fixed whatever was wrong with someone else's and shipped it to you. This is normal practice. In theory, this would be no different from you shipping your midplane assembly off to them, they fix it, and then they send it back. Same thing. You'd still have a refurbished assembly. What do you expect? Your machine isn't new!

I hope you're kidding about that!! "Normal practice?" To paraphrase Will Smith ..... "HELL, NO!"

Unless the iMac he'd purchased was a "refurb," replacement parts should never be "refurbs" - any repair done should be with new parts. Would you accept a car dealer pulling a stunt like that? Of course not! (I can't think of any consumer item that I'd accept that from!) U-N-E-T-H-I-C-A-L! Refurbed parts go into refurbed units, which Apple sells plenty of, units which the buyer expects to be "refurbed," and for which he/she pays significantly less $$ for!

And "cosmetic" appearance is irrelevant - who gives a rat's behind about the cosmetic appearance of an internal component?! The complaint is getting short-changed by Apple in replacing a "new" part with a "refurb," which may have a shortened life expectancy, etc., in order to save Apple money.

equinox, I'd call Apple customer service with a complaint.



iBorg

[Detrius]

Originally posted by iBorg:
I hope you're kidding about that!! "Normal practice?" To paraphrase Will Smith ..... "HELL, NO!"

Unless the iMac he'd purchased was a "refurb," replacement parts should never be "refurbs" - any repair done should be with new parts. Would you accept a car dealer pulling a stunt like that? Of course not! (I can't think of any consumer item that I'd accept that from!) U-N-E-T-H-I-C-A-L! Refurbed parts go into refurbed units, which Apple sells plenty of, units which the buyer expects to be "refurbed," and for which he/she pays significantly less $$ for!

And "cosmetic" appearance is irrelevant - who gives a rat's behind about the cosmetic appearance of an internal component?! The complaint is getting short-changed by Apple in replacing a "new" part with a "refurb," which may have a shortened life expectancy, etc., in order to save Apple money.

equinox, I'd call Apple customer service with a complaint.



iBorg

This is normal practice across the entire industry.

Why are they going to spend the money (under warranty) to replace a used part with a brand new part? Suppose your machine is 2 years and 11 months old, under applecare. Your machine is far from new. You will get your machine back--fixed, not replaced.

Suppose you take your car into the dealer, and there is a loose bolt causing problems. The tighten the bolt. You now have a refurbished part in your car. Suppose you took your computer in, and instead of replacing the part, a replacement subcomponent was soldered in. You now have a refurbished part in your computer. You aren't going to change Apple's procedures by calling them.

Whether a new part or a fixed part is put in your machine that you purchased new, your machine is now officially a refurbished machine--not a new machine. What difference does it make if the replacement is new or refurbished if it works?

[iBorg]

Originally posted by Detrius:
This is normal practice across the entire industry.

Why are they going to spend the money (under warranty) to replace a used part with a brand new part? Suppose your machine is 2 years and 11 months old, under applecare. Your machine is far from new. You will get your machine back--fixed, not replaced.

Suppose you take your car into the dealer, and there is a loose bolt causing problems. The tighten the bolt. You now have a refurbished part in your car. Suppose you took your computer in, and instead of replacing the part, a replacement subcomponent was soldered in. You now have a refurbished part in your computer. You aren't going to change Apple's procedures by calling them.

Whether a new part or a fixed part is put in your machine that you purchased new, your machine is now officially a refurbished machine--not a new machine. What difference does it make if the replacement is new or refurbished if it works?

Your analogy is ridiculous - replacing a computer midplane is not the same as replacing a "bolt" on your car - it would be analagous to replacing the engine with a junkyard rebuilt. (Your "bolt" analogy would be equivalent to using "refurbed" screws to replace your case cover - that is kosher.)

You get documentation from someone at Apple, and post it here. I did call Apple customer service, and the rep told me that replacement parts are new parts.

You ask "why" Apple would use "new" parts for warranty service? Because you pay for warranty service, whether in the built-in price hike for the standard 1 year warranty in the purchase price, or for the $350 exceedingly profitable AppleCare extended warranty.



iBorg

[Mister T.]

Originally posted by iBorg:

You get documentation from someone at Apple, and post it here. I did call Apple customer service, and the rep told me that replacement parts are new parts.

iBorg [/B]

FYI - From the file named "AppleCareProtectionPlan_TC20050111.pdf" I just downloaded from the AppleCare section of the Apple website, which states in Section 2 d:

"d. Replacement Parts and Products. In the event Apple repairs or replaces your Covered Equipment, you understand and agree that the replacement product and parts that Apple provides may be manufactured from new, refurbished, or serviceable used parts. The replacement product and parts will be functionally equivalent to the replaced products or parts and will assume the remaining coverage under the Plan. The parts and products that are replaced become Apple’s property."

So basically, sometimes its new, sometimes its not - and yes, it happens all the time in this industry...

Mister T.
Apple Certified Help Desk Specialist
Apple Certified Desktop Technician
Apple Certified Portable Technician

Cupertino - yeah, I been there - I pity the fool who hasn't!

[Crusoe]

This is well written, if they replace a part that is broken, they can do so with a broken part that would be functionally equivalent. Lawyers created a warranty loophole.

The replacement product and parts will be functionally equivalent to the replaced products or parts

True, the parts are normally used but have been through repair, QA and testing if applicable.

[nickw311]

I just got my iPod back from AppleCare and I got a refurbished model the same as my broken one, I didnt expect to get a brand new one because my broke one was almost a year old.