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neilxu · Feb 4, 2007, 09:51 PM

My Powerbook is dead. It's almost 2 years old. Black screen when I reboot it everytime though hard disk is readable.

Can I just buy Applecare and activate, then go to Applestore to ask them to repair?

Thanks

mduell · Feb 4, 2007, 10:31 PM

No, you have to buy AppleCare within the first year of ownership.

You're going to be shelling out the big bucks.

brokenjago · Feb 4, 2007, 11:23 PM

What mduell said.

Sucks, sorry!

earthlings · Feb 5, 2007, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by neilxu

My Powerbook is dead. It's almost 2 years old. Black screen when I reboot it everytime though hard disk is readable.

Can I just buy Applecare and activate, then go to Applestore to ask them to repair?

Thanks

I had the same idea, but didn't go there. I just paid $300 for a PB repair last month.
Good luck.

neilxu · Feb 5, 2007, 10:30 AM

Can you tell me $300 for what kind of repair? Hard disk?

The problem I have now is black screen. (Hard disk is fine.) LCD or video card doesn't work. If it costs me $400 to fix, that's fine. If price is higher, I may borrow a PB, export all data, then use my $300 IBM T22

Originally Posted by earthlings

I had the same idea, but didn't go there. I just paid $300 for a PB repair last month.
Good luck.

mduell · Feb 5, 2007, 05:33 PM

LCD or video card (which means the entire logic board) is going to be in the $700-1000 range.

vertigociel · Feb 5, 2007, 06:08 PM

If Apple, or any company, were to do this, they would be hemoragging money pretty quickly. Warranties are profitable because most consumers who purchase them will never have to seek service for their product, thus allowing the provider to recoup the cost of repairing the products that do become defective. If consumers were allowed to purchase after the fact, then 100% of warranty purchasers would need service on their products, and the provider would go bankrupt fixing all of them, since the cost of service is almost always much higher than the cost of the warranty. Profitability of warranty services depends on a large amount of the purchasers of said warranty paying the provider for, in the end, nothing at all, save peace of mind.

earthlings · Feb 5, 2007, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by neilxu

Can you tell me $300 for what kind of repair? Hard disk?

The problem I have now is black screen. (Hard disk is fine.) LCD or video card doesn't work. If it costs me $400 to fix, that's fine. If price is higher, I may borrow a PB, export all data, then use my $300 IBM T22

Logic board

Dork. · Feb 5, 2007, 06:22 PM

Did you buy it by credit card? Some credit cards have a purchase protection benefit which doubles the manufacturers' warranty. Since Apple's is 1 year, if you really are at less than 2 years you'd be in luck. Call your card company and ask them.

mduell · Feb 5, 2007, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by vertigociel

If Apple, or any company, were to do this, they would be hemoragging money pretty quickly. Warranties are profitable because most consumers who purchase them will never have to seek service for their product, thus allowing the provider to recoup the cost of repairing the products that do become defective. If consumers were allowed to purchase after the fact, then 100% of warranty purchasers would need service on their products, and the provider would go bankrupt fixing all of them, since the cost of service is almost always much higher than the cost of the warranty. Profitability of warranty services depends on a large amount of the purchasers of said warranty paying the provider for, in the end, nothing at all, save peace of mind.

Actually, I've done business with some companies who will allow you to buy an extended warranty after the regular warranty expires. I had a broken camcorder and treadmill (from different companies) and I was able to buy an extended warranty for less than the price of flat-rate service.

neilxu · Feb 5, 2007, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by Dork.

Did you buy it by credit card? Some credit cards have a purchase protection benefit which doubles the manufacturers' warranty. Since Apple's is 1 year, if you really are at less than 2 years you'd be in luck. Call your card company and ask them.

thank you. I think I used my AMEX which provides additional one year puchase protection. But I need to find the statement.

Where is it now???

ghporter · Feb 6, 2007, 07:11 AM

Typically, even if the company lets you buy extended coverage after the basic warranty expires, there's a clause in there somewhere that says "I certify that the equipment is in good working order," and if you lie, it's goodbye to your extended warranty - and you forfeit the cost. It's purely a business decision. As is "no, we won't sell you AppleCare just so you can get your out-of-warranty PowerBook fixed for less out of pocket cost. The high cost of laptop repairs is the major reason I bought AppleCare with my MBP.

neilxu · Feb 6, 2007, 11:09 AM

Downloaded the statement, called AMEX and they sounded very helpful. No idea if this will work.

earthlings · Feb 6, 2007, 02:38 PM

So is this why people purchase new computers every few years, because of the price of repair?

romeosc · Feb 6, 2007, 03:23 PM

Yes,

We live in a disposable society. Try getting a quote on repairing a TV or VCR! Much cheaper to buy a new one!

earthlings · Feb 6, 2007, 06:26 PM

If I had the extra cash, instead of the $300 repair, I should of upgraded, like I said. But the cash flow was low.

GSixZero · Feb 6, 2007, 06:51 PM

There's some misinformation in this thread. Apple will fix any thing that's not accidental damage or abuse for about $300 flat fee when they send it to the repair depot. If your logic board dies and takes your LCD, keyboard, and superdrive with it, it's just $300ish. ($330 or so, I think, actually.)

If there's accidental damage/spills/drops/bangs, etc that's when the big price tags come out. They quoted me $1200 to fix a shattered LCD a few weeks ago.

jamito · Feb 8, 2007, 01:15 AM

you can call amex and get a printout sent to you. cost is usually around 15 or so. much cheaper than a repair also.

Leonard · Feb 9, 2007, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by GSixZero

There's some misinformation in this thread. Apple will fix any thing that's not accidental damage or abuse for about $300 flat fee when they send it to the repair depot. If your logic board dies and takes your LCD, keyboard, and superdrive with it, it's just $300ish. ($330 or so, I think, actually.)

In your dreams maybe... I've never heard of this. On the other hand I've heard of $800 - $1000 repair bills out of warrantee...

GSixZero · Feb 12, 2007, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by Leonard

In your dreams maybe... I've never heard of this. On the other hand I've heard of $800 - $1000 repair bills out of warrantee...

Perhaps it's different in Canada, but I'd be happy to scan some receipts showing this service being performed.

romeosc · Feb 12, 2007, 03:12 PM

Apple Genuis bar employees are trained to "show accidental damage" by putting PB on a flat surface and sliding a sheet a paper under a corner to show it is warped from lifting by 1 corner!

earthlings · Feb 12, 2007, 03:27 PM

well I got a full refund on my repair.

marissa · Feb 16, 2007, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by Leonard

In your dreams maybe... I've never heard of this. On the other hand I've heard of $800 - $1000 repair bills out of warrantee...

No, he's right. In some cases, Apple does do flat rate repairs. I'm not positive on how/when they decide to offer it, but I've had it done on an old Powerbook once. I needed a new logic board and was charged a flat rate of $210. Perhaps, they do it as a service to those who don't instantly complain and yell across the store or demand immediate replacements.

kcmac · Feb 16, 2007, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by romeosc

Apple Genuis bar employees are trained to "show accidental damage" by putting PB on a flat surface and sliding a sheet a paper under a corner to show it is warped from lifting by 1 corner!

This wouldn't work on a rev A 12" PB. They were warped on purchase. (At least the screen/lid). There was even a internet posted trick to bend it yourself to flatten it.

When I used Applecare once for something else, they fixed this situation, at least temporarily.