[MOTHERWELL]

This is my second iPod. I bought the original 5GB for $500, and then I bought the 30GB G3 when it first came out for $500. Well now the 30GB iPod is not working right. It freezes while playing songs, and every time I put it into the dock it runs the self diagnostic thing. When it finishes it always gives me the check mark like the disk is OK, but it still has the problems.

I tried to take my songs off of the iPod and I had huge problems. The songs would copy normally at first and then the transfer would hang. The solution was to move a few songs at a time. I have 4000 songs. This took almost an entire week.....

So I restored the ipod - erased everything and let the iPod automatically load songs. Well it got about 3600 songs on there before something went wrong. When I returned to my computer iTunes was stuck in the spinning cursor. Force quitting did nothing, so I pulled the iPod out of the dock. That fixed iTunes.

When I browsed through the iPod to see how many songs had actually been transfered I saw that there was NOTHING on the iPod even though I sat there and WATCHED the thing transfer songs. I put it back in the dock and now it is running the disk check again.

The reason I am so angry about this is:
1. I take care of my iPod, I keep it in a case, I haven't dropped it.
2. This is $1000 I have spent on IPODs alone and both of them have had some sort of problem (my 5GB's earphone jack busted right away)
3. EVERY SINGLE piece of hardware I have purchased from Apple has had problems, and I have bought A LOT of computers.
4. I have to PAY MORE MONEY to get my iPod to work again. This is where i am unclear:

The Apple website says it is $249 for them to look at my iPod, plus $30 in shipping. I thought there was an AppleCare for iPod. I was hoping maybe somebody could clear this up for me. I am going to break down if I have to pay almost $300 to get my iPod to work again.

[shrink]

Sorry to hear about your problems, but I wouldn't worry too much. I think you should be just fine.

The iPod Warranty has you covered for 1-year from date of purchase. It sounds like your iPod is over 90 days old, so you are subject to a shipping and handling fee, but I highly doubt it will cost $300. Maybe take it over to an Apple store or an authorized service center?

You could also buy for about $60 AppleCare for iPod and make a claim.

[new newton]

Originally posted by MOTHERWELL:
4. I have to PAY MORE MONEY to get my iPod to work again.

Are you aware that you have a warranty? Just pop into an Apple store and have them swap it, or call up Apple and have them send a box.

[chabig]

Yeah. The 30GB iPods were just introduced last April, so yours is less than a year old and still under warranty. Apple will take care of it.

Also, I think the original 5GB iPod was $399.

Chris

[MOTHERWELL]

Thanks for the info - I thought I had a year also, but I called Apple and the tech would not speak to me unless I paid $49. He said since it was over 90 days it would cost money - I assumed that he was talking about the warranty too.

Too bad the Apple store is about 40 minutes away from me. I am suprised becuase Boulder, CO has a large number of mac users.

[PeterKG]

Originally posted by MOTHERWELL:
Thanks for the info - I thought I had a year also, but I called Apple and the tech would not speak to me unless I paid $49. He said since it was over 90 days it would cost money - I assumed that he was talking about the warranty too.

Too bad the Apple store is about 40 minutes away from me. I am suprised becuase Boulder, CO has a large number of mac users.

They don't actually charge you the $49.00 unless the call turns out to be a software question issue. But you have to give them a CC number. Once they determine its hardware, they write it up and send you a box.

[Luca Rescigno]

The tech is mistaken if he says you have to pay $49 just to talk to him if it's more than 90 days after purchase. I called Apple twice when my iPod went screwy, both times outside the 90 days. The first time, the guy walked me through the ways to possibly fix it, and when that didn't work, I called a second time and got a shipping box sent to my house. You should call and tell them that you are simply looking to get a warranty repair (in the iPod's case, this means a replacement). That doesn't involve any tech support, it only involves giving them the address to ship the box to. I got mine the very next day in the mail, and had a new iPod back in less than a week.

[chabig]

I am suprised becuase Boulder, CO has a large number of mac users.

Yeah. Flatiron Crossing is just screaming for an Apple store, isn't it? Hey, wasn't that you in line next to me at the Aspen Grove opening?

Chris

[MOTHERWELL]

Is there any way to do this without actually calling them? I only have a cell phone and I have lost enough minutes to Apple already...

[tooki]

Call or go to an Apple-authorized service provider (which the Apple Stores are, of course, but not exclusively).

tooki

[Saddam H.]

40 minutes isn't that far. Surely you have some time to spare.

[normr]

Instead of spending $49 for one call, but the applecare on it for $59, or take it in to the applestore and they'll take care of it there.

[CatOne]

Originally posted by MOTHERWELL:
Thanks for the info - I thought I had a year also, but I called Apple and the tech would not speak to me unless I paid $49. He said since it was over 90 days it would cost money - I assumed that he was talking about the warranty too.

Too bad the Apple store is about 40 minutes away from me. I am suprised becuase Boulder, CO has a large number of mac users.

You only have a mobile phone and you're unwilling to call.

And you're also unwilling to drive 40 minutes to the Apple store to try and get it resolved.

So is there anything else you ARE going to do but bitch here about it?

[chabig]

You can sign up for warranty service online without any phone calls or 40 minute drives:

http://www.info.apple.com/usen/ipod/tshoot.html#service

Chris

[chabig]

40 minutes isn't that far. Surely you have some time to spare.

I agree. But in what Coloradoans affectionately call "The Peoples Republic of Boulder" you have to consider the environmental damage caused by the 80 minute round trip, assuming you have a car to begin with.

Chris

[MOTHERWELL]

So I made the drive today - even though the guy on the phone said they have ONE replacement iPod and they WILL NOT hold it for me.

I get there and the RUDE 'genius' erased my iPod and told me that it was fixed. I told him I had already did this, so he said 'it must be one of your songs then, there is nothing wrong with the iPod.'

So I reluctantly take the iPod back home with me and begin to load my songs on. SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN. What makes me more angry though, is the fact that the people in the Apple store woudn't admit they were wrong.

I have been a Mac person my whole life, but I bought a Gateway once. The CD burner didn't word (actually I think it was the media, not the burner) so I called them and said I was unhappy with the computer. 'No problem, just put it in a box, ANY BOX, and send it back.' I shoved it into a brown box, sent it back and that was it. Getting a warranty replacement is like pulling teeth with Apple. I am just going to send it in now and they will send me a refurbished one.

I have personally had it with Apple's lame stores.

[Nebrie]

Originally posted by MOTHERWELL:
So I made the drive today - even though the guy on the phone said they have ONE replacement iPod and they WILL NOT hold it for me.

I get there and the RUDE 'genius' erased my iPod and told me that it was fixed. I told him I had already did this, so he said 'it must be one of your songs then, there is nothing wrong with the iPod.'

So I reluctantly take the iPod back home with me and begin to load my songs on. SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN. What makes me more angry though, is the fact that the people in the Apple store woudn't admit they were wrong.

I have been a Mac person my whole life, but I bought a Gateway once. The CD burner didn't word (actually I think it was the media, not the burner) so I called them and said I was unhappy with the computer. 'No problem, just put it in a box, ANY BOX, and send it back.' I shoved it into a brown box, sent it back and that was it. Getting a warranty replacement is like pulling teeth with Apple. I am just going to send it in now and they will send me a refurbished one.

I have personally had it with Apple's lame stores.

1. You need to take it back, tell them the problem persists. After my Apple Store Genius knew that another Genius had already tried to fix it, he went back and got a replacement ipod. This seems to be standard.

2. Do the phone thing. They won't charge your CC once you explain everything to them. If they do, dispute it with your CC company.

3. Go buy a gateway. If you loved their tech support before, you'll love it now. Gateway techs get a bonus based on how few replacement parts they send out. They're infamous for denying users replacement parts for very obvious defects such as smoke coming out of the back of the machine.

Seriously, you people think Apple is bad, you should see their competitors. Everyone has gone downhill, Apple less than others. This is what happens when everyone wants slave-labor pcs.

[hagheid]

Apple Customer 'Care' in the UK MUST be reviewed immediately by Jobs & Co. They are an absolute & TOTAL disgrace.
I'm STILL waiting on a decision about a repair to an ipod (Since Jan.'03) (See Several previous posts)
I received a mail this evening from a friend who is rethinking his decision to become a 'switcher'
He has returned his ipod to Apple twice. Still not working. Their last suggestion was that it may be the Firewire cable. They promised to send one the following day.....That was weeks ago.
This guy bought his ipod last Oct. & it has worked for 2 weeks TOTAL

He now writes:
"The p***ks at Apple still haven't sorted out my ipod.

The last thing that was agreed was they were sending me a cable
as that was the only thing that could now be wrong.

2 weeks passed and no cable, another phone call to some
**** who told me "I'm sorry for some reason the case
has been closed off, I'll re open it and get the cable sent out
within 4 - 5 days.

No sign after another week so another 35 minute wait on hold
to get through to some ***** who says the lead had to be ordered,

Still no f***** sign so I phoned again & after about what seemed
a week on hold I was told
that the cable was a consumable item & wasn't covered under the
warranty. I was also told that the credit card details I gave weren't accepted
and the case had been put on hold as they had no contact information
for me (well apart from my customer number, email address, telephone
number & postal address - both work & home!!!!).
So after about 10 minutes of explaining that if he didn't
help right now I would fly over there & shove the ******* cable up his **** he agreed to send a cable free of charge & I would have it
in 4 - 5 days (that was a week ago)."
WAY 2 GO STEVE!

[Knof8]

I don't have a boulder phone book so I'm not sure which of these are authorized by Apple, but try any of these so you don't have to make a 40 minute drive: The Mac Shack, Mac Wizard, Bright Mac PC. You might want to check locally before you start thinking you have to go that far. Most cell phone plans have free minutes on the weekend; if you don't have that then you should first rethink what kind of phone plan your on.