Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Buying a PB15" from overseas questions

Buying a PB15" from overseas questions
Thread Tools
cash
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 26, 2004, 07:02 AM
 
Hi everyone!

Im from Australia and am looking to buy a new PB15" 1.25.

However checking the prices from the US i could save at least AU$1000 if i buy it from the US (the exact same model and modifications). Im visiting the US soon so postage wouldnt be a problem.

Has anyone done this sort of thing before? i mean buy an apple product from overseas? im worried about the warranty and apple care. also the AC adapter... is it 110-240V? of would i need a power converter?

Thanks all!

P.S. i want to get maybe 2GB RAM in the end. Standard RAM is 512 (256 x 2). Is it possible to remove both ram modules to install 2 x 1GB modules? Cause i know my sisters ibook, 1 module is not removable... (works out cheaper if i get 2 x 1GB modules and sell the other 2 )
     
Geoff Crane
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Canberra, Australia
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 26, 2004, 08:01 AM
 
Of course you'd be stuck wwith having to US > Oz power plug adaptor, but the tranformers work here and over there.

The warranty is the big issue. Apple Australia will have no record of you, and so they probably wouldn't want anything to do with repairs.

Check out the Supprt bit of the Apple (US) website to see if the thier warranty is honored outside the US, and check the same bit of Apple Australia's...

Good luck. It just feels wrong paying so much here for this gear (and mac.com...) now our dollar is so strong...

Geoff
Canberra
Geoff Crane

eMac 1.42/2048/160/SD-DL/APE
iBook 600/640/20/DVD/AP
AlBook 1.25/1024/60/SD/APE/BT (that work own...)
     
crispinwilliams
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: geneva, switzerland
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 26, 2004, 08:02 AM
 
Powerbooks and ibooks have a worldwide warranty - its seems that Apple realises that these are portable devices and may travel... desktop devices (at least this was the case 3.5 years ago) have a warranty that is coupled to the country where it was bought - so if you have problems, you are obliged to return it through Apple (or the dealer) in that country. Since you are buying a pb.. I see no problem in your case.
     
wunderkind
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jul 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 26, 2004, 10:06 AM
 
Originally posted by crispinwilliams:
Powerbooks and ibooks have a worldwide warranty - its seems that Apple realises that these are portable devices and may travel... desktop devices (at least this was the case 3.5 years ago) have a warranty that is coupled to the country where it was bought - so if you have problems, you are obliged to return it through Apple (or the dealer) in that country. Since you are buying a pb.. I see no problem in your case.
Yes, this is true. Portable computers do have worldwide warranty. But the question is probably will there be any problems registering in Australia a PB bought in the US.

I've asked a similar question about AppleCare - can I register in another country an APP bought in the US (APP for PB). And got conflicting information from AppleCare USA and Apple Asia.
PB G4 12" 1.5GHz/1.2GB/100GB/SuperDrive/AE/Mac OS X Tiger
     
bamchum
Forum Regular
Join Date: Dec 2002
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 26, 2004, 08:40 PM
 
I've got a US-bought powerbook and I live in Europe.

Mine was registered at my parents' US address but I transferred it to my European address and haven't had a problem getting it repaired in Europe (other than the fact that the repairs were botched).

There is no problem transferring the warranty abroad. I'm sure Apple deals with this situation all the time.

Have you thought of calling them?

P.S. You don't necessarily need an adapter for the power cable. I was able to buy a European cable from an AppleCare Center. So now I have one for Europe and one for the US.
     
ginoledesma
Mac Elite
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 26, 2004, 09:40 PM
 
No problem with that at all. Take note, however, that you can only purchase AppleCare from the country of origin of your portable (if I'm not mistaken).
     
superTOR
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 26, 2004, 11:29 PM
 
Just to clarify a few points. As you are now aware of, the Australian wall sockets are of course different from the ones in the US of A. I recently moved to Australia from Norway (Europe) by way of America and i can assure you the power supply is no problem. You could get the standard adapter from Dick Smiths or something like it, but i highly recommend either switching the end socket or just bending the pins a little, their size and shape are almost identical and voltage the same, all it needs is a little push

As for applecare; I�ve used it down under and all the aussie geniouses need is your receipt. Apple has a desentralized workshop system in Australia and they use third party fixer uppers, usually, they are quite fast. In brisbane there is at least 3 or 4 of them, but call apple and get the one nearest you.

Mail me on [email protected] if you want more information...
     
bamchum
Forum Regular
Join Date: Dec 2002
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2004, 08:45 AM
 
Originally posted by ginoledesma:
No problem with that at all. Take note, however, that you can only purchase AppleCare from the country of origin of your portable (if I'm not mistaken).
You are mistaken. You can buy AppleCare where you live regardless of where the PB was bought.
     
Ω
Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 27, 2004, 07:18 PM
 
Being a neighbour of Oz, and owning a PB from the States, I should be able to give you the definitive answer:

Worldwide warranty works (have used it).

Applecare - can buy in Oz no problem though I found registering online impossible, will need to ring them as your serial number is not in their online database.

Power Supply - you can either buy a wall adaptor or you can be a cheap bastard like me and get a pair of pliers and bend the two prongs to fit into the wall socket. Apple also sells an international kit as well.

With the money you save either buy a better machine or buy your new machine some friends (like an iPod)

It also must be possible to have 2 1GB sticks or else they would not have listed 2GB as the max RAM.
( Last edited by _?_; Feb 27, 2004 at 07:24 PM. )
     
PER3
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2002
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 28, 2004, 05:51 AM
 
In my experience, the warranty is not accepted everywhere. Twice in Russia, I've been refused repair by authorised Apple outlets: once with a Pismo less than one year into a normal warranty, and once with a 667 DVI 18 months into a three-year extended (education) warranty. Both were bought in Australia. I ended up paying for the repairs myself.

Perhaps the best advice is to check with Apple first in the country you are travelling to.
     
Ω
Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 28, 2004, 07:01 AM
 
You should have no issues in Oz. I have been referred to them a few times and they seem to more than helpful (so much that it hurts)
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:25 PM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,