Mactivate Repairs

valleyoftheunos

My g4 iBook has developed a problem with its fan and needs a repair. I'm in Dublin and to the best of my knowledge Mactivate are the only authorised repair people in Dublin.

My Girlfriend had a truly awful experience with M**tivate last year, Not only did they repeatedly fail to repair her laptop they did so with the worst customer service I have ever seen or experenced and as a resut I neither trust them nor want to give them my money.

So two Questions people might be able to help me with.

1) They wouldn't quote me over the phone (fair enough) but I'd expect it to cost €200 - €300 euros, anybody else hazard a guestimate?

2) Have I got any other options I'm unaware of?

heggie

there is also Typetec, which some people have had good experiences with. My machine had been with them for weeks, and i'm constantly told it will be ready tomorrow etc so I'm far from impressed (heard bad things about mactivate also, which is why I chose typetec)

whiterebel

Typetech is another one around Dublin. people on here seem to have used them no bother. I had a couple done by mactivate and never had a problem.

Damn you heggie for your nimble fingers......:pac:

MHP

There's also Bondi in Fumbally Lane. I've never used them, so can't vouch for them.

http://www.bondigroup.ie/Home.html

heggie

they don't appear to be apple authorised tho MHP

ZENER

heggie wrote: »

they don't appear to be apple authorised tho MHP

Their home page carries the Apple Authorised logo. I know it's only a logo but doesn't it mean something though ?

ZEN

heggie

it says on the website if your in warranty, contact apple - then it gives an apple phone number

valleyoftheunos

Thanks everyone, any guesses as to what it might cost me? the computer is three and a half years old at this stage so I wonder might I be better off putting the cost of any repairs towards a new macbook? I'm reasonably confident that I haven't lost any data and that I'll be able to transfere it all to a new machine.

nialler

Valley

The ibook is an absolute bugger to take apart and put back together (about 1.5 hours) so factor in that cost, if it needs a replacement fan then there'll be a delay for that if you want I can send you the service manual for that particular model and you can give it a go yourself or you can pop it off to one of the mac people around the city, some are good, mactivate are the laptop people but without knocking them you're not far off the mark in your description, I still use them every now and then as the have access to the apple parts bin for older models.

Depending on the problem you should be looking at somewhere between €150-€250 barring any additional problems.

Niall

valleyoftheunos

nialler wrote: »

Valley

The ibook is an absolute bugger to take apart and put back together (about 1.5 hours) so factor in that cost, if it needs a replacement fan then there'll be a delay for that if you want I can send you the service manual for that particular model and you can give it a go yourself or you can pop it off to one of the mac people around the city, some are good, mactivate are the laptop people but without knocking them you're not far off the mark in your description, I still use them every now and then as the have access to the apple parts bin for older models.

Depending on the problem you should be looking at somewhere between €150-€250 barring any additional problems.

Niall

Thanks for that, Kinda what I figured. I might hold on for a while and speak to spme other companies.

nanook

heggie wrote: »

there is also Typetec, which some people have had good experiences with. My machine had been with them for weeks, and i'm constantly told it will be ready tomorrow etc so I'm far from impressed (heard bad things about mactivate also, which is why I chose typetec)

Have to say I used typetec and it did exactly what it said on the tin, they said 8 - 10 days and they were back to me in five, needed a new display and they told me it would take 3 weeks (it was over the christmas) let me take the computer home and they contacted me when the part was delivered.

Big thumbs up for typetec.

heggie

big down from me, still waiting - no explination for delay, part has been in for a week.

ozt9vdujny3srf

where exactly is this fan, is there any chance you could cool it with an external fan and use it as a desktop machine?

Personally I would never bother repairing a machine that is three years old. I generally go with extended warranty and then if it breaks after that, just replace. The current macbooks are sexy!

valleyoftheunos

Leonel Magnificent Fountain wrote: »

where exactly is this fan, is there any chance you could cool it with an external fan and use it as a desktop machine?

Personally I would never bother repairing a machine that is three years old. I generally go with extended warranty and then if it breaks after that, just replace. The current macbooks are sexy!

Thanks for all the advice everybody.

Well the loud noises are coming from the front of the keyboard, where your wrists would rest while typing.

The more and more I think about it the more it seems like folly to get the damn thing repaired, When I bought it I had hoped to get 4 or 5 years out of it although I did think that would be fairly exceptional. I plan to go back to college in September and maybe then would be a good time to spring for a new MacBook. I'd have reasonable justification for it too seeing as I'll be studying.

Thanks all, If I go ahead with any repairs I'll keep you all in the loop.

SouperComputer

MHP wrote: »

There's also Bondi in Fumbally Lane. I've never used them, so can't vouch for them.

http://www.bondigroup.ie/Home.html

Vote x2. The guy who owns the company, Dean has great knowledge an and excellent attitude to customer service.

I've both worked with and competed against (in business) Dean\Bondigroup in the Apple world and I can honestly say, they do a great job. TBH I wish more companies had the same attitude.

valleyoftheunos

SouperComputer wrote: »

Vote x2. The guy who owns the company, Dean has great knowledge an and excellent attitude to customer service.

I've both worked with and competed against (in business) Dean\Bondigroup in the Apple world and I can honestly say, they do a great job. TBH I wish more companies had the same attitude.

High praise, by any chance are you dean from Bondigroup?;)

I'll check them out.

nialler

Beta

PM me your email addy and I'll send it to you in the morning.


N

ZENER

betafrog wrote: »

Hi Nialler, any chance of you passing that service manual on to me please?
I've an iBook G4 that is need of some TLC.. Thanks...

This one worked for me recently with a customers machine. It's a .pdf file.

Taking any laptop apart requires the correct tools, a place to work (the kitchen table isn't an ideal place) and a method of recording where everything goes back together. Mac Laptops are even more difficult as Apple go out of there way to hide or not use screws at all. I'm not saying it's inadvisable - but you should realise your limits - if you don't feel comfortable taking something apart then the 200 odd quid paid to an expert may be well spent.

ZEN

SouperComputer

valleyoftheunos wrote: »

High praise, by any chance are you dean from Bondigroup?;)

I'll check them out.

Nope, no chance hehe! Im in the US now. I was plugging them because they are one of the few decent Mac service providers around that have a good attitude.

No affiliation, we did some work together a few years ago alright, but basically Im giving a plug for a good company

cabrwab

He does good work, he fixed up stuff for me before, bondigroup, and i know he knows his stuff.

Not on any sort of commission from Bondigroup or dean!
He reply's to most apple queries so drop him an email if you want a quote.