[headgeek]

It's been a long time since I bought my 500Mhz TiBook (01/12/2001) so it's kinda a moot point that I didn't purchase AppleCare. In the past year, my screen has gotten 6 vertical lines in the screen (which go away when you bend the screen), the DVD drive has died, and worst of all, the logic board died yesterday (all I get is death tones & other things that point to a bad logic board).

So last night I went to the Apple Store to see what I could do about salvaging the drive (as CompUSA said it would cost about $2,500 to fix everything wrong with it & I figured it was time for a new 17" PB).

Well after spending 30 minutes with the Mac Genius, he slipped in that it would only be about $310 to fix my problems. At first I shrugged it off, figuring that was their flat rate labor charge... to which they would add on $2,000+ in parts. But after asking him 5 times, he assured me that it would be only $310 + tax to get my computer back working order!

After tax, I will be paying a total of $327.36 to get a new logic board & a new dvd drive & get my screen repaired! (I'm still going to order a new 17" PB, but now I'll have a spare PB for my girlfriend to use).

Morral of the story is, if you have a broken PB or any Apple for that matter; before you give up and buy something new... go to an Apple Store & see if the flat rate repair program will work for you!

THANKS APPLE!

(keep in mind, the flat rate amount will depend on computer model & problems incurred)

[dodo_nutter]

Wow...thats a bit of a saving. $2500+ to $330!!!!!!

Shame i live in the (for now) non applestore UK

[headgeek]

If you go to http://www.apple.com/uk/support/ and click on the "Do-It-Yourself repair and upgrade" you may be able to get some parts at a flat rate (but I wouldn't think anyone would want to do a PB logic board swap themselves).

[tooki]

Yes, what you are using is their "Flat Rate Repair Pricing ($378.95 USD)", which is the one that covers any repairs that would have been covered by the warranty.

Repairs that wouldn't have been covered under warranty fall under their "Tiered Repair Pricing", which costs up to $1300 and change.

http://www.info.apple.com/support/ap...k_service.html explains them all.

tooki

[headgeek]

On the quote I got from the Apple Store, it lists:

Labor charge, PowerBook G4 15" $105.60
Flat Rate Repair Charge, PowerBook 15 $221.76
Totals: $327.36

So I guess that it is cheaper to do it at a Apple Store ($327.36) vs doing it over the phone ($378.95 USD).

The "Tiered Repair Pricing" scared me for a second, but I noticed that this is for "repairs that would not have been covered at no charge under Apple's One Year Limited Warranty" (ie: doesn't cover Damage caused by accident, abuse, misuse, and misapplication)

Hopefully they don't look at the fractures in the case arround the DVD drive & on the lcd hinge and rule it "abuse", as a lot of the original TiBooks had these problems (believe me, I baby my computer). The genius at the Apple Store felt confident that they would fix it for the flat rate... and he say the condition of my computer... so I'll try not to worry!

[Basilisk]

Hopefully they don't look at the fractures in the case arround the DVD drive & on the lcd hinge and rule it "abuse"

They won't unless its really looks like you dropped it or something... In fact, when you send it in make sure to list every repair you would want made. Its the perfect time to get minor non-fatal issues fixed too since its all under one price.

My fiancee's Pismo went in for an blown inverter board. We made sure to mention that the case bottom was cracked and the "pink" backlight issue. They replaced the inverter, the LCD assembly, and the case all under the flat rate.

Obviously YMMV but I've always been exceedingly pleased with Apple service.

Alex

[headgeek]

Just an update:

My local Apple Store sent out my TiBook 500 Wednesday, overnighted it to their depot (repair center), it arrived and got fixed Thursday and was overnighted back to my local AppleStore, & I got it back Friday.

For a total of $327.36 (including tax), I got a new motherboard (logic board), a new DVD drive, & a new LCD Screen (so beautiful & bright).

So for only $327.36, I feel like I have a new computer! I babied my computer before, but now I think I'm going to keep it out of my briefcase & travel it in a padded hardcase!

Thanks Apple