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Orion27 · Jan 7, 2008, 12:43 PM

Went to the Apple Store today hoping to get a keyboard replaced on my three month old MacBook Pro. I was told to leave my laptop and it would be 5-10 business days. This really seems like unreasonable amount of time for such a simple repair. Needless to say I couldn't leave my laptop because I depend on it for work. I was offered Pro-Care with no assurances. Sonow my typing lookslike this becuase thespacebar doesnot work and I have todouble click return most of the time.
I believeI'm witness to cracks in the Apple Facade. Does anyone remember overnight service? I've evenhad a display repalcedon my PowerBook at the Genius Bar in under 45minutes in the past.

ibook_steve · Jan 7, 2008, 01:11 PM

External keyboard in the meantime, perhaps?

Steve

MacosNerd · Jan 7, 2008, 01:37 PM

I think the issue is because they're (the apple store) not going to do the repair but send it into apple for the repair.

Perhaps with the popularity of the apple products (as witnessed by the long lead times for an appt. for a genius) means they're sending more work out to the apple instead of doing it themselves.

I agree with steve that using an external keyboard should be help you use it until you can find the time to live w/o the computer for a while.

1150A · Jan 9, 2008, 01:12 AM

my keyboard broke as well.. I've been using an external keyboard.
By any chance do you know how much they're charging for the keyboard + installation?

ghporter · Jan 9, 2008, 06:49 AM

Having the parts needed for any particular repair is an inexact science. If the store you took the computer to didn't have a keyboard for your computer, they certainly couldn't invent one to throw into the machine, right? So there would be two choices: order the keyboard and wait for it to come in, or ship it off. This decision may be made for the store by corporate, but either way, they have to have the part to put it in, otherwise they just have to ask you to leave the computer.

Swapping out the keyboard should be a very quick operation, but with teardown and installation, plus testing to make sure it works, you could be looking at a couple of hours shop time (=labor) plus the cost of the keyboard (I have no clue how much that is). The going rate for any computer shop can be anywhere from $50-$200/hour for labor, by the way...

driven · Jan 9, 2008, 09:26 AM

If you call Apple they'll probably send you a box to send it to them for repair. You should have it back within 3 days from shipping.
(Assuming you are still under your warrante or you've purchased AppleCare)

VetPsychWars · Jan 10, 2008, 06:44 AM

I had my keyboard replaced under warranty because of backlight issues. I kept my MacBook Pro until they told me the keyboard came in, and then I left it overnight... had it back the next day. Perhaps you can schedule the repair?

Tom

The Placid Casual · Jan 10, 2008, 07:10 AM

I am not one to defend Apple at all, but, well, it's not a really quick and simple drop in...

You first need to take off the top case. Not that quick as there are 15+ small screws, and disconnecting the connectors inside.

You then have to remove the black plastic on the underside of the keyboard, and remove 25+ small screws again to remove the board.

Sounds easy enough, but some of it is pretty fiddly, and can take easily 1 hour+ if not more.

When you add in that, at least wen I worked for them, they could not keep parts in stock, and they had to be ordered daily, and also you have to run ASD on loop for a few hours after every repair...

I'd say 3 days was fair, although I can and do see your point.

JKT · Jan 10, 2008, 12:44 PM

I'm not one to defend Apple either and I'm certainly not going to do it here - their service is utterly appalling in this regard. They need to get their ****ing act together when it comes to repairing gear at Apple Stores. It should be a single afternoon or overnight job for the majority of the work and the main reason why it is not is because they don't employ enough staff to do it. Plain, simple fact. The last time I had to use them for my Powerbook, their flagship store in the UK, London Regent Street, was incapable of doing repairs within two weeks because of this (and I know for a fact that they had the part sitting ready to be installed after 3 days because they told me).

ibook_steve · Jan 10, 2008, 01:34 PM

Apple has a central repair site (in Texas, I believe), where all portables get sent for repairs. Even if they had the parts, Geniuses probably just don't have the time to go around and make such types of repairs. I have no idea how repairs in the UK are handled.

Steve

harbinger75 · Jan 10, 2008, 01:35 PM

You also have to remember that you're not the only person on earth who needs repairs (potentially). If there are twenty-seven repair orders for that day, they're not going to drop all the work that came before yours so they can get to you.

I've been on the waiting end of repairs before, and it is frustrating, no doubt, but sometimes that's just the way it is. My experience with Apple repairs is that (since I had Applecare Warranties) I've gotten replacements back very quickly.

No complaints about service, save for the Nano they couldn't find anything wrong with, even though it was still FUBAR'ed when I got it back the SECOND time...but that is another story.

Tomchu · Jan 10, 2008, 01:53 PM

I get all of my repairs done at Discount Mac Club in Richmond, BC. The tech there is fantastic -- he calls when the ordered parts come in, I drop off my machine in the morning, and come back after lunch to pick it up.

He did a logic board and inverter board replacement on my MacBook Pro in that exact time frame one time.

JKT · Jan 10, 2008, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by harbinger75

You also have to remember that you're not the only person on earth who needs repairs (potentially). If there are twenty-seven repair orders for that day, they're not going to drop all the work that came before yours so they can get to you.

I was told point blank by the Genius at the store that the only reason there was such a delay in my repair on the third time I'd gone in to find out what the hell was going on, was a lack of staff to do the amount of repair work they were getting and that Apple were doing nothing to improve matters. It had nothing to do with an abnormal number of repairs in house at the time (however, part of the problem was the number of iPods that they were having to fix, as well as the number of moronic iPod users who couldn't RTFM that they were having to handle at the same time). Regardless of that, this is their flagship store in the UK (and the rest of Europe for that matter) where this sort of thing simply should not happen - it is almost everyone's first contact with Apple gear in this country so it should have the best damned service possible so that switchers are not made to regret their purchase. It just makes Apple look like rank amateurs.

At that time they were chronically understaffed and were unable to offer an even moderately decent level of service to everyone needing repairs (not just me). I sure as hell hope it has improved since then, but I'm not holding my breath (because it was almost as bad the previous time I had to use them about a year beforehand and as far as I could tell, nothing had changed).