Apple Laptop Unfit for Purpose

fleeze69

Hi, not sure if this is in the correct section of the forum but here goes.

I purchased an £1600 Apple laptop (MacBook Pro) directly from the Apple Online Store in March, after using it for a few days I noticed that the LEDs backlights that light up the screen were not firing up properly, so Id have dim bands down the screen, If i rebooted they'd go, but after a while would come back. I called Apple who sent me a replacement. After a few days receiving the replacement (April) exactly the same problem happened again, so I called again and arranged another replacement. This came (May) and shocking with exactly the same problem. On doing some research I found a forum with 10's if not 100's of people with exactly the same problem, and most receiving replacements with the same issue. I called Apple and the support person said they'd send a new one, but it was a common fault and their engineers were working on it and would hopefully have a software fix or a recall in the future. I said I'd bare with it and he made a note of my complaint.

Now as my laptop is still having the same issue months down the line, I am wondering if I have the legal right to ask for a refund as I consider it unfit for purpose. Although it doesn't render the laptop useless it looks very unprofessional rebooting my machine during a client meeting, especially when this is a "professional" £1600 laptop.

Or alternatively I believe Apple will be renewing this laptop in the next few months (before my warranty expires), so Im wondering if I should ask them to replace it with the different (newer) model. I basically want to avoid them having it in for repair as I cant be without a laptop for 2+ weeks.

What legal rights do I have in asking for a refund, taking into account that I am now on laptop number 3 which is still faulty, I know it says in Apples terms that after 28 days they will repair rather than replace/refund.

Thanks

Adam

M4RKM

it is a tricky one.... the rest of the laptop is fine, it is just one reoccuring issue?

whether you think it is unfit for purpose, and the actual laws that surround that phrase are 2 totally different things... very tricky...

the thing is, that apple keep replacing it, no questions asked... i'd just keep swapping it..

now, as for rumours.. few months.. sounds about right..

isofa

I think if you take it back to an Apple store and explain, they may well agree and offer you a refund, there customer service is excellent (IMO).

Might be worth seeing how many people have had the same problem at the forums at https://www.macuser.co.uk

Leopard

This is a documented problem that first began when Apple upgraded its range to run on the Penryn chipset last March.

I agree with isofa that it would be wise to take it to an Apple Service retailer or an Apple Retail Store to discuss the situation.

Provided that you extend the AppleCare warranty on it to the full three years (costs about £270 from Apple but can be bought on eBay for about £120) Apple will continue to supply you with replacements until three years after the initial purchase.

If you do obtain a refund, and depending upon how cutting-edge you want or need to be, you could then consider buying a refurb of the previous model (Santa Rosa - June 2007 to March 2008) from the Apple Online Store and banking the several hundred pounds difference in price.

I have two MacBook Pro (July 2007) and my companion has one (February 2008), as well: they have the same OLED display as yours but we've never had any problems with them.

Isofa is also correct that Apple's Customer Care has a very high reputation and they will look after you and your Mac without charge for as long as your AppleCare runs - so, it's worth getting the full three years of it.

esuhl

I would ask for a refund. The issue is clearly inherent, rather than something that has occured due to normal wear and tear, and falls below the standard that a reasonable person would consider acceptable, particularly given the cost of the laptop. You have acted reasonably and given Apple a chance to rectify the problem, but they have failed to do so.

Have a look at the Sale of Goods Act and write Apple a letter/email asking for a full refund.

Hope this helps...

iviv

Save esuhl's method for after you've gone and spoken to them in person.
Though there's a chance that Apply may give you vouchers or something if you go with his method, as a way to placate you and keep your custom. Maybe.

Leopard

iviv wrote: »

Save esuhl's method for after you've gone and spoken to them in person.

I agree.

Bear in mind, also, that a new range of Apple laptops is due out in the next couple of months and there is talk of them having some major technical advancements.

So, it might be worth hanging fire for a month and seeing if you can then get your afflicted one replaced with the new model.

(On the other hand, the new models may have problems of their own. )

fleeze69

Leopard wrote: »

I agree.

Bear in mind, also, that a new range of Apple laptops is due out in the next couple of months and there is talk of them having some major technical advancements.

So, it might be worth hanging fire for a month and seeing if you can then get your afflicted one replaced with the new model.

(On the other hand, the new models may have problems of their own. )

Thanks everyone for the advice, I think Ill take Leopards advice and hold out a few months until a new one is release, then ask Apple for a refund to purchase a new one, or to have mine replaced with a new one. I feel slightly cheeky as if they do this I will be getting a newer model, but as I´ve had to reload all my info onto each of the replacement machines it´d act as some sort of compensation for all the time I´ve spent on the issue. Also I have no confidence in the current Penryn based MacBook Pros, so lets hope the next ones are up to the job.

Thanks Again

Leopard

fleeze69 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the advice, I think Ill take Leopards advice and hold out a few months until a new one is release, then ask Apple for a refund to purchase a new one, or to have mine replaced with a new one. I feel slightly cheeky as if they do this I will be getting a newer model, but as I´ve had to reload all my info onto each of the replacement machines it´d act as some sort of compensation for all the time I´ve spent on the issue. Also I have no confidence in the current Penryn based MacBook Pros, so lets hope the next ones are up to the job.

Thanks Again

Shouldn't be more than six or eight weeks until the new ones are announced.

And there's certainly a good chance that they'll be available, at least from Apple's own retail shops, on the day they're announced.

The relevant point being that, from the moment that they do hit the shelves, the old ones will disappear. So, if your AppleCare is still in force and Apple is again prepared to replace it, what you'd get could be the new model.

Nevertheless, as I pointed out before, that could be a mixed blessing...:undecided

There's also the possibility that the new ones might only be sold with glossy screens; which will be bad news if you (like I) greatly prefer the matte screen.

asininity

So much for the reliable hardware heh. Refund get yourself a proper laptop for that price you'd get a laptop that would do you work for you.

Marty_J

asininity wrote: »

So much for the reliable hardware heh. Refund get yourself a proper laptop for that price you'd get a laptop that would do you work for you.

There are quite a lot of almost 10 year old Macs on eBay, but no quite so many 10 year old PCs.

I wonder what happened to them all?