NOTE: I PERSISTED FOR 8 MONTHS+ IN GETTING THIS ISSUE RESOLVED. FINALLY, A SUPER KIND SOUL HELPED ME CONNECT DIRECTLY TO APPLE(NOT THE AUTHORISED STORE HEADS OF INDIA) AND THAT FINALLY HAS HELPED ME GET MY APPLE WORKING AGAIN. This is an email I have written to authorities at Apple Support as well as Unicorn(Their authorised sellers in Mumbai) in June 2017. I am still following up with them. but I've been kept waiting
I am being asked to pay 45K for a new motherboard the equivalent of a new, high-end laptop of any other brand,
To rub salt on my wounds - Unicorn Service Store technician has had the gall to write "Heavy Scratches and Heavy Dent" in the report which is a complete LIE! It is my error, that I did not realise this LIE until much later! When I went back to them to rectify their report - they showed me a minuscule chip in a corner which cannot possibly be responsible for the motherboard crashing!
GRRRRR!
A recent article in TOI (photo attached here) declares that Apple Systems have admitted that all their Mac, iPhones and iPads have major chip flaws.
Hello,
Precisely 2 years ago, on June 26, 2015, I purchased a MacBook Pro from the Unicorn Store at the Oberoi Mall in Mumbai for Rs. 59, 000/- which would have been equivalent to a thousand dollars around that time.
Serial number: C1MP13"
I've always been a MacBook user; my first machine having been purchased in 2007 at the iconic Apple Store of 5th Avenue, New York, when I was visiting USA as a tourist. The machine lasted a fair 5 years and eventually the hard-drive crashed.
Being a huge Apple supporter, I chose to'invest' my hard earned 59K in a MacBook Pro this time, in 2015.
There were a couple of reasons I chose this particular one:
I am a writer
It is an APPLE!
The machine is a robust one, so I knew I wouldn't have to worry for at least 5 years. I was VERY SURE this was worth every rupee.
It included a DVD drive which wasn't available in other models, and I would require it occasionally for specific writing projects.
It came with a spacious 500 GB hard drive.
About the usage:
I paid by cheque, and hence received the delivery after the cheque was cleared, so I actually started using it in the first week of July.
For my machine, I am the only user. This is my personal laptop, hence it isn't shared by anyone. It's a carefully used machine. I don't carry it around for meetings either.
Usually, every night once I have shut down my machine, I put it back in the sleeve that came with my MacBook Pro. After all, in a city like Bombay, one has to be careful with issues of dust & humidity.
Most of my work involves writing and online research, although I am aware that people use it for heavy duty editing and graphics & SFX work.
I doubt I have used even 100GB of the available memory.
The first challenge:
Sometime in October or November 2016, the machine gradually started slowing down. So much so that by December, I would type an alphabet or click on something, the action would take about 4 to 5 seconds to take place.
Assuming I had to upgrade my software to whatever was the newest version to resolve my issue, I did so. However the problem persisted.
I took it to my nearest authorized dealer and they kindly quoted Rs. 2, 000/- only to diagnose whether this was a software issue or a hardware one!
I was flabbergasted and went home. Fortunately, I went to Apple Care online and through a step-by-step process, Lisa, who was the online support person helped me reset my SMC and NVRAM and the machine was purring like new.
I was absolutely satisfied and appreciative of your online
tech-support. I went around recommending MacBooks to my contemporaries as well as my family.
When MacBook Pro isn't what it promised to be:
On 14th or 15th June, when I pressed the power button, the laptop wouldn't come on even after the starting sound. The battery was sufficient so I couldn't fathom what the matter could be. The screen stayed off. I was worried.
I went online from my phone and followed the same instructions to reboot my system.
Nothing happened.
I tried chatting with Apple Care but after submitting my serial number, and specifying the issue, apparently it wasn't in warranty, so they couldn't proceed.
The following day I called my original retail store, Unicorn, Goregaon and spoke to Ms. Sonam who was very polite and helpful. She suggested I take it to the Unicorn Andheri store which was geographically nearer.
Being a person with deadlines, I was already stressed and anxious. Ms. Sonam went out of her way to help me receive an old standby machine while they checked mine.
3 days later, to my horror and dismay, I was told on the phone, that some minor part in the Main Logic Board had gotten burnt due to either dust or moisture.
The solution: I would have to pay Rs. 40, 600/- for a NEW Logic Board / Motherboard. Had I paid Rs. 17, 000/- for an extended warranty this replacement would have been covered at no extra cost. I could also choose to re-sell it back to Apple.
What?! For a minor part?
They had tested everything else, including the screen(with another machine) and it was all fine.
My first thoughts:
- I paid 59K. Another 17K for warranty? Isn't the exorbitant cost of the MacBook Pro a warranty in itself, that
a) I wouldn't have issues for at least 5 years?
b) If anything came up, it would be taken care of?
Why should the whole Motherboard have to be replaced for 1 minor part?!
In 59+ 17, i.e 76K, I would have easily bought 2 high-end laptops of any other brand! Why did I pay so muchhhhh?!
I am an Indian:
We don't discard things because we value them. My father is a Mechanical Engineer who believes that everything should be repaired, reused or recycled. We don't throw away things that stop working properly. We find ways to get them started again! He still opens up machines and resolves issues, and they go into servicing only if something can't be sorted by him. This is for the rare cases.
He had completely supported me when I bought the MacBook Pro and now, even he is terribly upset.
Yet another challenge: Agony & Ecstasy and Agony again.
I collected my un-repaired machine from Unicorn Andheri on June 23, 2017, and brought it home.
Strangely when I opened it, it had been in standby mode. I was wondering why the engineer had not found a way to'FORCE QUIT'?! That's the norm, isn't it? Unexpectedly, for a few minutes the screen came on and I was able to use it.
I was elated. May be the diagnosis was wrong? This was really going to be such a relief! BUT.
I shut it down in normal mode. I tried re-starting it. Nothing happened. The screen stayed off.
My elation was short-lived.
After a couple of hours, I attempted to restart it and it actually came on again. Things were beginning to look up. So I tried to use it for a while and left it on while I ate my meals.
The screen came back alive from standby mode, but now there was a new issue! I had hardly used it for another hour when the screen started flickering! Every few minutes, the screen would begin flickering and stop.
(Please note: The service engineer had checked my screen and it was fine.)
I really COULD NOT believe that this is the situation with a HIGH-END Apple product!
What was this now?
I called the HELPLINE of Apple Care and after understanding the entire situation, I was back to square 1. I would have to pay another 40K+ if I wanted my machine to work again.
Can you help me?
This machine is just turning 2 this weekend. It's a carefully used, single-owner piece which is probably at work for 3-5 hours on an average day.
It isn't taken on the field nor has it been handled roughly in any way. My friend's are users of brands like DELL, HP and LENOVO and despite rugged use, their machines are going strong!
I have invested A LOT OF MONEY for this and here I am, dealing with a machine which needs an entire Logic Board replaced and even has issues with the screen now!
I request you to help me with this:
Either replace my machine with a completely new one, since I don't want one part replaced only to get yet another shock a few months later, or else refund my money with due depreciation deducted. However please calculate the cost of STRESS & ANXIETY caused to a professional and ADD back that amount.
My faith and appreciation for Apple products and their robustness has dwindled to a single digit figure. It might really be a better idea to invest in 2 solid laptops of another brand, rather than constantly have the anxiety of "what if something goes wrong again?"
This has been an absolutely stressful 6 months now - which even cost me writing assignments that I could not take on.
- Thank You! We appreciate your effort.