Where do i stand on this?

setanta5

I was on here about 3 months ago asking about my MBP (last rev) 2.33 Ghz.

The Logic Board was faulty and i managed to get it replaced at an authorized Apple repair centre (Scotsys in Glasgow...as i've moved since i bought the machine in Mactivate) in August. About 3 weeks after it was returned it had same problem again random crashing and refusing to restart. So i brought into the Apple store on buchanen st. who replaced the motherboard and had it back to me same day. Very impressed.

I asked the guy if the problem persisted what would i need to do and he said they would have to examine other areas but if not the motherboard it was most likely a manufacture fault somewhere else on the machine.

This weekend, lo and behold, the thing crashed again. Now its back up and running but i called into the shop today to ask them what i should do and they advised, given its history, that i should bring it in tomorrow.

Now i have seen several discussions on here about people having their machine replaced when there is persistent faults. What is the legal position here. Should i be pushing for replacement product instead of repair? As this was a custom build, (HD and Glossy) should i get at least the same, or the same in value terms for replacement? Has anyone had to pursue this before or had experience of it before (i mean the customer services side) who can give me some advice on what i should say or what approach i should take?

ZENER

Are the symptoms identical each time ? I'd be hard to convince that 3 different boards could display the same fault so I'd have to look elsewhere for the fault.

Aside from the logic board there isn't much else that could cause this behavior but there a few add ons that might. Especially if these add ons were never replaced at the same time the as the logic board.

Top of my list would be the Memory modules, replace or substitute with known good modules.
Airport and/or BT module.
Hard disk errors would be another prime candidate, after each repair was the same drive put back in ? Did you reinstall ? Have you tried this.
How you use it could be another factor, they get pretty hot and sitting it on your lap is not the ideal way of getting rid of all this heat. This could make it unstable too.

Did you get an Apple hardware diagnostic disc with you MBP ? If so insert it and boot from it and let it do its tests.

If you're more comfortable with just bringing it back then I think at this stage I'd be looking for a replacement rather than a repair. They may just give you a refurbished model though.

ZEN

setanta5

The first place kept the machine for about 2 weeks and ran every test they could think of. They told me it was fine up until the day before it was to be returned when it crashed on them and they replaced the Logic Board.

When i went to apple store a month later they ran some reports and took the results and from whatever he saw, the genius just said he'd replace the board. When i picked up from a different guy he was quite chatty about it and said that it sometimes happens and that i should come back if it crashes again like that. He said they replaced logic board as it was most likely but if it happened again it would most likely be a manufacturing fault that was causing it.

The laptop is on a Glass desk most of the time and crashes randomly. Last time i thik i had iPhoto and mail open....hardly pushing the machine to its limits. As i said it is seemingly total random crashes.

I'm more concerned about how i go about pushing for a replacement. Don't really want to hold the machine as its too unreliable for my liking. My brothers G4 PB never crashes. Even his OSX86 machine never crashes.

setanta5

They may just give you a refurbished model though.

ZEN

That would be fine as long as i get something thats reliable...not looking for a new spec machine...just equivilant of what i paid for.

ZENER

Having dismantled one of these there isn't much else aside from the logic board, a RAM module, Airport Card and BT module. If that logic board has been replaced 3 times then I'd be looking elsewhere.

I had a PowerMac G4 that occasionally threw a wobbler every couple of weeks out of the blue and no matter how many times I restarted it the fault always appeared a couple of minutes later only to disappear and work perfectly for another 2 or 3 weeks. This turned out to be a dud RAM module.

I think you should just demand a replacement and argue that you've been more than willing to comply with their wishes up till now but it's become a joke now. Try ringing Apple directly rather than an agent and have a go at them, at least they have the power to authorise a replacement.

ZEN

whiterebel

Push for a replacement. After 3 repairs thats what they should do for you - And a brand new one, not a refurb.
Mention th eusual line guaranteed to get Customer Service running - "Not fit for the purpose intended".

setanta5

thanks guys...going to the genuis bar at lunchtime so will let you know then how i get on