Best place for MacBook repair?

calum

Where's a good place to get a MacBook Pro repair these days? I'm in Meath, so the nearest options I know about are Mactivate (who I used for a warranty repair years ago) and CompuB in Swords (never used).

The MBP in question is a mid-2015 that's out of warranty, so I'm less fussed about being Apple Authorised if there's somewhere else reputable that might be a bit cheaper, and preferably not in Dublin city centre as I can't really get there during the week.

If anyone wants a punt at diagnosis:

• I was using it a couple of days ago when the screen went completely white and froze.
• Upon reboot, once it got past the FileVault password, the screen went completely blue and froze, with the fans spinning up after a while.
• After that, it just did the same whenever I rebooted. Sometimes it kernel panicked rather than froze.
• After doing that a few times, the disk got more hosed and it would only see my Bootcamp partition. That did much the same thing: got past the spinny Windows logo, then froze.
• Have since done a reformat and restore from backup, but when it reboots near the end of the restore, it still freezes on a black screen.
• Everything works fine in Safe Mode, and the hardware diagnostics (holding D when booting) reports no issues.

I suspect an issue with the discrete graphics card (don't think Safe Mode uses that?), sadly there's no extension programme for 2015 MBPs I'm aware of...

keyboard_cat

calum wrote: »

Where's a good place to get a MacBook Pro repair these days? I'm in Meath, so my nearest options are Mactivate (who I used for a warranty repair years ago and CompuB in Swords (never used).

The MBP in question is a mid-2015 that's out of warranty, so I'm less fussed about being Apple Authorised if there's somewhere else reputable that might be a bit cheaper, and preferably not in Dublin city centre as I can't really get there during the week.

If anyone wants a punt at diagnosis:

• I was using it a couple of days ago when the screen went completely white and froze.
• Upon reboot, once it got past the FileVault password, the screen went completely blue and froze, with the fans spinning up after a while.
• After that, it just did the same whenever I rebooted. Sometimes it kernel panicked rather than froze.
• After doing that a few times, the disk got more hosed and it would only see my Bootcamp partition. That did much the same thing: got past the spinny Windows logo, then froze.
• Have since done a reformat and restore from backup, but when it reboots near the end of the restore, it still freezes on a black screen.
• Everything works fine in Safe Mode, and the hardware diagnostics (holding D when booting) reports no issues.

I suspect an issue with the discrete graphics card (don't think Safe Mode uses that?), sadly there's no extension programme for 2015 MBPs I'm aware of...

I had an issue (graphics card) with my late 2011 MacBook which was way out of warranty. And I brought it to an authorised apple repair store and they fixed it for free (apperently some known issues will be fixed by apple for free even when the device is out of warranty)

calum

keyboard_cat wrote: »

I had an issue (graphics card) with my late 2011 MacBook which was way out of warranty. And I brought it to an authorised apple repair store and they fixed it for free (apperently some known issues will be fixed by apple for free even when the device is out of warranty)

Yeah, there was a known issue with graphics cards in the 2011-2013 models that Apple would fix for free:
https://www.apple.com/ie/support/macbookpro-videoissues/

Not so for the 2015, though

Dades

CompuB in Dundrum repaired my 2015 MBP for me in October 2017 for free (except for a €20 euro repair charge).

They can check if you're still covered by an EU goods warranty which I think is 7 years.

You'll need to give them some details such as your serial number and a reference from your original order receipt from Apple. I think it was the order number - I was able to dig out the email from 2 years ago from my Gmail and give them this.

My Mac was bought on the refurb store, too, which meant it only had a one year Apple warranty.

calum

Dades wrote: »

CompuB in Dundrum repaired my 2015 MBP for me in October 2017 for free (except for a €20 euro repair charge).

They can check if you're still covered by an EU goods warranty which I think is 7 years.

You'll need to give them some details such as your serial number and a reference from your original order receipt from Apple. I think it was the order number - I was able to dig out the email from 2 years ago from my Gmail and give them this.

My Mac was bought on the refurb store, too, which meant it only had a one year Apple warranty.

Good tip, thanks. I certainly still have all the original order details.

jeepcj

calum wrote: »

Good tip, thanks. I certainly still have all the original order details.

You have a good chance of getting it repaired under warranty then, its 6 years under Irish consumer law https://www.apple.com/ie/legal/statutory-warranty/. Compu b are now charging a small service charge if the computer was not bought from them but I don't think its much. I had my 2010 machine in a couple years ago, it was just over 5 years old, they changed the hardrive, screen and wifi card all for free. They also offer a hire unit if you really need a computer

calum

jeepcj wrote: »

You have a good chance of getting it repaired under warranty then, its 6 years under Irish consumer law https://www.apple.com/ie/legal/statutory-warranty/. 

Let's hope so  I dropped it off at CompuB this afternoon, and indeed the first thing they asked was whether I still had the receipt, which thanks to @Dades post I'd printed off and taken with me.  So fingers crossed...

calum

Sure enough, picked up my laptop today: new logic board, no charge other than the €25 flat fee. Thanks, Irish consumer law :)

jeepcj

calum wrote: »

Sure enough, picked up my laptop today: new logic board, no charge other than the €25 flat fee. Thanks, Irish consumer law :)

Nice result. It's crazy people buying out of the country to save a few euro's when you can get this sort of warranty if its bought local. Also goes to show that the 2 year apple care is a total waste of money

calum

To be fair, Apple Care covers more than just repairs for defective parts. But yes, for most people you'd have to say it's probably not worth it.