[jessejlt]

I dropped my PB off at the local Apple store ( not an Apple retailer but an actual Apple branded store ) on 3/25 for that dreaded uneven illumination problem. I was told that the unit would be shipped overnight to the repair depot in Houston, and would take 5 to 7 days for the turnaround.
I called today to see what the hell was going on with this thing, and they said that it has been awaiting a part since 3/29. I laughed and said how ridiculous it is to wait for anything to take that long to ship unless some guy was physically trekking this thing cross-country. The guy wasn't able to give me an ETA on the part delivery or even when it was ordered. I told him that it has been there longer than their 5 - 7 business days, and he said that they hadn't received the unit until the 29th. So does that mean that an overnighted package took 4 days to get there, or that the Apple store sent that thing ground-freight?
Has anyone else had similar problems with Apple Care? This is my first experience with them and it's not a pleasant one at all.
Terrible service.
jesse ;-)

[dwood]

part delays happen, especially with well known issues. As soon as the repair center gets the part your computer will be sent back. Also keep in mind that sat and sun there is noone there to fix your computer.

[Link]

My guess is as good as yours. Apple NEVER takes more than like 2 days to fix a laptop, if they're holding it on you then someone's goofing off on the job.

That sucks. :|

[bcaslis]

Hah! You haven't heard my story! Logic board in PowerBook G4 15" 1.25GHz dies while on trip. Call on Thursday, box arrives at house on Monday and send it same day. Gets to repair depot next day but they don't have part (how on earth can they not have parts, they do the repairs!). Waits for 10 days, part comes in they send it back.

Arrives with case not fitting and scratched. Take to Apple store and they agree and send it back that day. Arrives back three days later. All outside screws are loose to the point of falling out and discover that keyboard backlighting isn't working that night. Take to Apple store again. They open it to look for loose cable. Find out the idiot who replaced the case didn't secure anything and had smashed a daughterboard into the logic board. Needs a new logic board again. Apple store has ordered it and they say they will do the repair locally once the part comes in.

So far almost three weeks used up and it still isn't fully fixed!

I've had mostly good luck in the past, but the performance from the repair depot this time is incredibly bad!

[nica]

I'm having almost the same problem. My refurbished PowerBook needed a new logic board (after 24hrs) and Apple has been holding it for 7 days.

I called them today and talked to customer relations they told me they can only expedite the repair. But if my PowerBook returns with scratches or not working properly they will have to refund my money in full.

Make sure you document everything and at the end write them a letter telling them what you want them to do to make it right for you. That's what I will do.

[bbales]

My experience with appleCare was excellent. Took it to a branded store a week ago and had it back -- perfect, as far as I can tell and knock on the aluminimum -- within 72 hoursl

[SEkker]

My experience with Apple Care has been fast and terrific. The longest time they took to complete a repair was 2 business days.

I suspect if it's taking longer, then there really IS a parts delay or something else has gone wrong,