Frickin' AppleCare
Apple's "AppleCare" warranty extension program apparently has some very serious data integrity issues, if my recent experience is any barometer.
Bonnie uses a flat-panel 17-inch iMac. The unit shipped from Apple last July. Apple provides a one-year warranty for its hardware. The company offers an extended warranty plan called "AppleCare" that extends the coverage to three years from the purchase date. Although they push it at the point of sale, you're eligible to buy it any time within the first year.
If you haven't bought AppleCare when you bought the computer, it's customary for Apple to send you a letter a few weeks before the end of your one-year warranty encouraging you to sign up for AppleCare. I got one of these letters today. It says my warranty expires in late March. Months before my iMac's one-year anniversary.
It gets better. Read on.
So I called AppleCare's toll-free number to argue the point that I still had at least a couple of months more warranty time than they thought I did. And here's the kicker: They're now telling me that it's two weeks out of warranty all together, and that I'm not eligible to get AppleCare at all. February 10, 2003 is recorded in AppleCare's own internal system as the sales date for this particular computer -- less than a week after the 17-inch iMacs of which this system is were refreshed with faster processors and better optical drives, and correspondingly announced.
It took me two phone calls and four different people before I finally spoke to someone on their "dispatch team" who -- after I explained the situation to him three times -- finally confirmed for me what I already knew to be true. According to Apple's own records, this iMac didn't ship from Apple until July 2, 2003. That record isn't apparently good enough, however, for the AppleCare folks to adjust their records accordingly.
AppleCare insisted that I talk with a sorceror in their sales support group who was going to be able to magically conjur a talisman that will make the AppleCare imps happy -- a sales record that would prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that this product is in warranty. Unfortunately, I have no receipt that proves I'm right and they're wrong -- I'm dreadfully bad about such things. And, of course, the sales support wizards were of no help whatsoever.
The ironic thing is that I had planned to bring this iMac in to our local independent Apple reseller and repair center to be looked at because the screen is going wonky. And until I get this bullshit figured out, it's going to come out of my pocket.
The moral of this story is to buy AppleCare at the point of purchase, the next time you buy Apple hardware. Keep your records safe. And make sure to check dates when you receive mail or e-mail from Apple that doesn't jibe with your recollection, because clearly that company's database management leaves something to be desired.
Comments
Where did you buy it? They should have a record of the sale, at my store we have records going all the way back to '94.
It isnt unheard of for apple to pick the manufacturing date as the date of sale, especially if you didnt register it online or didnt put the purchase date on your applecare enrollment application.
If you bought it from a shady retailer it may very well have been sold to someone else before you, and you were never told. I have seen it happen hundreds of times over the years.
Do you have a good relationship with anyone at your local Apple Specialist? Not just a service provider, but Specialists can reset applecare dates and purchase dates, it's a pain in the ass for us but it can be done.
BlackFly
Posted by: BlackFly | February 25, 2004 01:28 PM
flargh, can you email me directly to discuss this problem offline? thanks
Posted by: grant | June 22, 2004 07:21 PM
I am having a similar problem with Apple re an iBk I bought last December 2003 from MicroCenter in Santa Clara/SJ, Calif. Apple is telling me that it was originally sold back in Sept., but I was sold it as new by MicroCenter, an authorized Apple Retailer!
The owner of LAComputer, where I purchased my AppleCare syas he's had a lot of troulbe with Apple re this issue lately.
Anyway, what I want to know is whether you [flargh] have been able to resolve this issue.
Please email me directly [mac4me@appleisp.net]].
thanks. :) mary
Posted by: mary | December 17, 2004 04:27 PM