lemery@adobe.com (David Lemery) (09/13/90)
If you don't want to read about someone whining about repair prices on
Apple computers, hit 'K' now.
The power supply on my MAC II died. I tested the batteries and the
fuses in the power supply and they were fine.
I took the computer to Fry's, a local electronics supermarket. They
confirmed that my power supply was dead, but since they are not an
authorized Apple repair center, they couldn't repair it. They were
very helpful, and of course, didn't no charge me anything.
I took it to Computer One which is an authorized Apple repair center.
$279 EXCHANGE!! and minimum charge of 1 hour at $55.
$279 EXCHANGE. Just because you have someone by the balls,
you don't have to squeeze.
Sell me the power supply and let me install it. Not on your life.
Got to have that hour of service time.
Okay, enough whining.
What choices does a person have to avoid these kinds of prices for both
parts and service?
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The time for action is past! Now is the time for senseless bickering!
Ashleigh Brilliantfrancis@giza.cis.ohio-state.edu (RD Francis) (09/13/90)
In article <6441@adobe.UUCP> lemery@adobe.COM () writes: [Poster discovered power supply was dead, got confirmation from non-Apple dealer] >I took it to Computer One which is an authorized Apple repair center. >$279 EXCHANGE!! and minimum charge of 1 hour at $55. >$279 EXCHANGE. Just because you have someone by the balls, >you don't have to squeeze. > >Sell me the power supply and let me install it. Not on your life. >Got to have that hour of service time. Yeah, that sounds about right. Here's the deal. Apple Authorized repair center are "authorized" to do one thing -- swap chunks. In fact, I am under the impression that, if an Apple authorized shop were to open up your mac, open up the power supply, and actually fix the power supply, they would lose their authorization if Apple found out. There are some places that are capable of actually fixing the problem with your power supply, analog board, or whatever; please note that, by having your Macintosh repaired in such a way, you are voiding your warranty (if it's still valid). Local shop I know of charges 10% under the swap price you'd get at an Apple shop (covers their cost for those occasions where the chunk is truly toasted, and a swap is the appropriate step, I understand). As far as a $55 bench fee (minimum charge for one hour, right), sounds in line with what I've seen. -- R David Francis francis@cis.ohio-state.edu
ostroff@Oswego.EDU (Boyd Ostroff) (09/14/90)
This doesn't have anything to do with repair prices, but would certainly fit into the "predatory" category. A (computer-naive) faculty member went to a nearby, large Apple dealer to buy a modem for her Mac 512. She explained that her main concern was getting it quickly. The dealer took her order and deposit for an Apple 1200 baud personal modem and cable for the "discount" price of about $280! About a month later, she is still waiting for it to arrive. I'm sure that the Apple modem is a quality product, but $280 for a 1200 baud modem is obscene. I think the dealer did her a disservice in not at least making her aware of lower cost alternatives. She is less upset about the cost than the fact that it did not arrive when promised. My personal suggestion to her (which she took) was that she eat the $50 deposit if needed and phone order a 2400 baud modem for $150. This way she gets a modem in 2 days, it's twice as fast and should be perfectly adequate for her modest needs. Perhaps the salesperson was just unaware of the going rate for modems, but whatever short-term gain in sales and commissions they realized will ultimately be offset by the ill-will this type of practice generates. I understand that some people prefer "genuine Hayes" or "genuine Apple" modems, but this wasn't the case here; she just wanted a fast, inexpensive modem and this was what they recommended to her. ||| Boyd Ostroff - Tech Director - Dept of Theatre - SUNY Oswego ||| Sys Admin - "The CallBoard" - (315) 947-6414 - 1200/2400 baud ||| ostroff@oswego.oswego.edu - cboard!ostroff@oswego.oswego.edu
philip@pescadero.Stanford.EDU (Philip Machanick) (09/14/90)
In article <1990Sep13.171034.8056@uokmax.uucp>, rob@uokmax.uucp (Robert K Shull) writes: > In article <83585@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> francis@giza.cis.ohio-state.edu (RD Francis) writes: > >In article <6441@adobe.UUCP> lemery@adobe.COM () writes: > >[Poster discovered power supply was dead, got confirmation from > >non-Apple dealer] > >>I took it to Computer One which is an authorized Apple repair center. > >>$279 EXCHANGE!! and minimum charge of 1 hour at $55. > >>$279 EXCHANGE. Just because you have someone by the balls, > >>you don't have to squeeze. > >Yeah, that sounds about right. Here's the deal. Apple Authorized > >repair center are "authorized" to do one thing -- swap chunks. In > > True. However, I'll point out that the prices don't appear to be fixed by > Apple in any way (or at least enforced). Example: Swapping a Mac II > motherboard through the university computer store costs about $300, including > labor. Swapping the same board through a local Apple dealer costs about > $800, NOT including labor of about $100. Calling around finds prices > ranging anywhere between these. > Robert When it comes to things like parentboards (non-sexist language), Apple has a lot of control over the price. But $279 for a refurbished power supply (including the value of the exchanged broken unit)? Sounds like a protection racket to me: buy AppleCare or we trash your wallet the first time you need a repair. Philip Machanick philip@pescadero.stanford.edu
wscott@ecn.purdue.edu (Wayne H Scott) (09/14/90)
In article <1990Sep13.171034.8056@uokmax.uucp>, rob@uokmax.uucp (Robert K Shull) writes: > In article <83585@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> >francis@giza.cis.ohio-state.edu (RD Francis) writes: >> >In article <6441@adobe.UUCP> lemery@adobe.COM () writes: >> >[Poster discovered power supply was dead, got confirmation from >> >non-Apple dealer] >> >>I took it to Computer One which is an authorized Apple repair center. >> >>$279 EXCHANGE!! and minimum charge of 1 hour at $55. >> >>$279 EXCHANGE. Just because you have someone by the balls, >> >>you don't have to squeeze. >> >Yeah, that sounds about right. Here's the deal. Apple Authorized >> >repair center are "authorized" to do one thing -- swap chunks. In >> >> True. However, I'll point out that the prices don't appear to be fixed by >> Apple in any way (or at least enforced). Example: Swapping a Mac II >> motherboard through the university computer store costs about $300, including >> labor. Swapping the same board through a local Apple dealer costs about >> $800, NOT including labor of about $100. Calling around finds prices >> ranging anywhere between these. >> Robert This is really crazy, assuming you can get the case open :), you can mail your power supply to Micro Exchange and they will send you a fixed one for $69.00. Note: The supply you recieve will not be yours. I only dealt with them once, but my new power supply works fine. the info is: Micro Exchange 682 Passaic Ave. Nutly, NJ 07110 (201) 284-1200 Note: some or all of the above address my be wrong, but I think the number is right. :) -- _______________________________________________________________________________ Wayne Scott | INTERNET: wscott@en.ecn.purdue.edu Electrical Engineering | BITNET: wscott%ea.ecn.purdue.edu@purccvm Purdue University | UUCP: {purdue, pur-ee}!en.ecn.purdue.edu!wscott
francis@giza.cis.ohio-state.edu (RD Francis) (09/14/90)
In article <1990Sep13.223619.19146@Neon.Stanford.EDU> philip@pescadero.stanford.edu writes: <In article <1990Sep13.171034.8056@uokmax.uucp>, rob@uokmax.uucp (Robert <K Shull) writes: <> In article <83585@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> <francis@giza.cis.ohio-state.edu (RD Francis) writes: <> >In article <6441@adobe.UUCP> lemery@adobe.COM () writes: <> >[Poster discovered power supply was dead, got confirmation from <> >non-Apple dealer] <> >>I took it to Computer One which is an authorized Apple repair center. <> >>$279 EXCHANGE!! and minimum charge of 1 hour at $55. <> >>$279 EXCHANGE. Just because you have someone by the balls, <> >>you don't have to squeeze. <> >Yeah, that sounds about right. Here's the deal. Apple Authorized <> >repair center are "authorized" to do one thing -- swap chunks. In <> <> True. However, I'll point out that the prices don't appear to be fixed by <> Apple in any way (or at least enforced). Example: Swapping a Mac II <> motherboard through the university computer store costs about $300, including <> labor. Swapping the same board through a local Apple dealer costs about <> $800, NOT including labor of about $100. Calling around finds prices <> ranging anywhere between these. <> Robert <When it comes to things like parentboards (non-sexist language), Apple has <a lot of control over the price. But $279 for a refurbished power supply <(including the value of the exchanged broken unit)? Sounds like a protection <racket to me: buy AppleCare or we trash your wallet the first time you need <a repair. OK, I used to work for an Apple VAR who had a repair department. While I was there, my personal Mac freaked out on me. It was a floppy drive problem, that was solved by replacing the drive unit. To the best of my knowledge, I was only charged cost on the thing. $140. Knowing Mac Plus power supplies tend to commit hari-kari, I asked about the cost on that at the same time. I don't remember the specific number, but it was significantly over $200. Now, I freely admit that I have a lousy memory, and that I can't guarantee that my (now former) employer wasn't screwing me over just as nicely as they might a customer. But I'm rather certainly of the pricing data I've listed, and despite the problems I had with my former employers business practices, I don't honestly believe that this was an incidence of them screwing me over. Unless I'm wrong about this (see above paragraph), if you don't like the high price of Mac repairs, talk to Apple. Ask them why they don;t train people that the average person can get to that can fix bad parts instead of simply replacing them. My assumption is this is a quality control issue; however, it can still leave the individual feeling screwed over royally. -- R David Francis francis@cis.ohio-state.edu
geb@dsl.pitt.edu (Gordon E. Banks) (09/14/90)
In article <1990Sep13.214746.8584@oswego.Oswego.EDU> ostroff@oswego.Oswego.EDU (Boyd Ostroff) writes: >This doesn't have anything to do with repair prices, but would certainly >fit into the "predatory" category. > >A (computer-naive) faculty member went to a nearby, large Apple dealer to >buy a modem for her Mac 512. She explained that her main concern was >getting it quickly. The dealer took her order and deposit for an >Apple 1200 baud personal modem and cable for the "discount" price of >about $280! About a month later, she is still waiting for it to arrive. > >I'm sure that the Apple modem is a quality product, but $280 for a 1200 >baud modem is obscene. I think the dealer did her a disservice in not >at least making her aware of lower cost alternatives. She is less upset >about the cost than the fact that it did not arrive when promised. My >personal suggestion to her (which she took) was that she eat the $50 deposit >if needed and phone order a 2400 baud modem for $150. This way she gets a >modem in 2 days, it's twice as fast and should be perfectly adequate for >her modest needs. > >Perhaps the salesperson was just unaware of the going rate for modems, >but whatever short-term gain in sales and commissions they realized >will ultimately be offset by the ill-will this type of practice generates. >I understand that some people prefer "genuine Hayes" or "genuine Apple" >modems, but this wasn't the case here; she just wanted a fast, inexpensive >modem and this was what they recommended to her. > Why eat the deposit? If he couldn't provide the modem in good time as promised, she is entitled to the deposit back. Clearly she should never deal with said dealer again, and should spread word-of-mouth about such service, especially if she doesn't get her deposit back.
gillies@m.cs.uiuc.edu (09/14/90)
Why wouldn't it be illegal to refuse to sell replacement parts? Sometimes, you can get a lot of mileage by threatening to talk to the better business bureau, and then your lawyer, in front of the salesmen. Why does it seem like computer salesmen get their training at automobile dealerships? The worst treatment I ever got in my life was from a computer salesman, who tried to bait-&-switch me in the university discounts program (in our town, the bookstore isn't allowed to sell the university discounted computers). On the other hand, I've received much better treatment from automobile salesmen in October, when the new years' models were released and I was anxious to buy. I'd much rather be buying *used* cars than dealing with computer salesmen.
mcousek@felix.UUCP (Charles Mcousek) (10/04/90)
In article <83585@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> francis@giza.cis.ohio-state.edu (RD Francis) writes: >In article <6441@adobe.UUCP> lemery@adobe.COM () writes: >[Poster discovered power supply was dead, got confirmation from >non-Apple dealer] > >>I took it to Computer One which is an authorized Apple repair center. >>$279 EXCHANGE!! and minimum charge of 1 hour at $55. >>$279 EXCHANGE. Just because you have someone by the balls, >>you don't have to squeeze. >> >>Sell me the power supply and let me install it. Not on your life. >>Got to have that hour of service time. > >Yeah, that sounds about right. Here's the deal. Apple Authorized >repair center are "authorized" to do one thing -- swap chunks. In >fact, I am under the impression that, if an Apple authorized shop were >to open up your mac, open up the power supply, and actually fix the >power supply, they would lose their authorization if Apple found out. There is a service which does the excellent repair job on component base level for any PC monitor, Mac, power supplies, etc. Their rates are quite reasonable. They do not have a bench fee but there is a flat charge $95 for any color monitor, Mac+, SE etc. and $60 for monochrome ( parts as CRT, power transformer, and flyback are extra, a tube regeneration is included). The repair time is also very fast, usualy 2 days ! They do not take the credit cards, however a check is O.k. Next time give them a call ! phone: (714) 968-6207 address: A-Z Systems 18582 Beach Blvd., Suite #217 Huntington Beach, CA 92648 Charles Mcousek - happy customer ! mcousek@felix.UUCP ==============================================================================