Family iMac has two problems:
1. SuperDrive (DVD drive), you put in a disc, any disc, and it spins up then down, then up then down, lather rinse repeat for a minute, then kicks the disc out. Tried a bunch of low-hanging troubleshooting fruit. Looks like the hardware failed.
2. There’s a spot on the LCD that looks like a wrinkle. It’s certainly not a software issue. When I took it into the Apple Store just now, the guy said he’s seen this before. There’s a power supply right at that point behind the LCD… heat.
The work order? For parts and labor, $615 ($400 of that is the LCD screen).
Cost to me?
$0
But only because I forked over the money for AppleCare when I bought the thing. I don’t recall how much it cost me at the time, but right now AppleCare for an iMac is $169.
I say I came out alright here.
I always get AppleCare. Well, I didn’t used to. Way way way back in the day, Apple’s quality assurance on their hardware was high. If something was going to fail, it’d fail within the base warranty and after that the machine would last until normal moving parts might wear out (e.g. hard drives are always eventually going to fail). But then over the past decade or so, quality has slipped. Many of the Apple hardware products I’ve purchased and worked with have had at least one issue in some regard, and I’ve always been thankful for AppleCare because not only was it covered but the repair was always far more expensive than the AppleCare was.
I generally avoid extended warranties, but never skim on AppleCare. Read into that as you will.
And now… let’s see how well Oldest deals with computer withdrawal while the machine is off being repaired. 🙂
Stuff From Hsoi 
Oh emm gee no backup computer? Two is one and one is none etc 🙂
(Then what’s none? Always wondered…)
That machine does have a backup drive, so I’m not worried about data loss.
But in terms of general machines for them to use in the meantime? Oh man, I’ve got machines, but that doesn’t mean they get to use them. 🙂 Wife will get by fine with her iPhone. Oldest will do well to go without for a few days. A good exercise for him. But if he starts getting the shakes, maybe he can use my iPad for a little bit. 😉
We are going through hell currently trying to get a broken iPad1 (under warranty) fixed. So far I have not found that Apple “thinks different” about customer service. They have the same maze-of-death support webpages and the usual hour-on-hold phone “all assistance but actual” helplines. We were told it would cost $80 to talk to someone about a unit that was covered by Applecare and was still under warranty.
You’re sure it’s still under warranty, via AppleCare?
If so, you should be able to log into Apple’s support area:
http://www.apple.com/support/
and do things like enter the serial number to confirm the status of the warranty and then submit a request, or even get them to call you and have a talk on it.
If in fact, it is covered and on record that way, you shouldn’t be having this much hassle.
I’ve found it’s usually faster & easier to just make an appointment at the apple store and have the Genuii take care of it than to try and go thru the support section of their site.
If I lived in an urban hipster town that *had* an Apple Store, that would be a great option. The nearest Apple Stores are 2 hours away. We have a local Apple dealer who says because of the “closed” design of the iProducts, there is little they can do in the way of support or repairs.
Sometimes. All depends when you can get an appointment.
If you always buy it, over the long term you lose and they win. That’s how it works, kinda like blackjack. ;)-~
I don’t know…. maybe it’s just the luck I’ve had or maybe they’ve just got really crappy quality assurance, but I’ve generally always ended up using the AppleCare. I don’t see how they’re making money off ME.