Whitebook hardware problems common?

[psychohistoric]

I bought a new white MacBook two years ago. My PC laptop died in a car accident and I'd been curious about trying a Mac (I'd been using PCs for 15 years). I decided on the MacBook and within a month it had died, and for no apparent reason. I had to send it in to have a "faulty hard drive cable" replaced. Luckily I didn't loose anything, though. Then in January of this year my CD/DVD drive stopped ejecting discs with any regularity. Sometimes it would eject the disc without a problem, and sometimes I'd have to try several times (it sounded like it was getting stuck on something). I once had a disc stuck in there for more than a week. I don't use the drive too often, so I didn't send it in for service right away because I need it for work. About 3 months after that, in March (1.5 years after buying it), the computer died again. Similar situation to the first time, no apparent reason, but instead of the flashing folder with a question mark on it, it wouldn't boot at all and I kept hearing a faint, repetitive clicking noise as it attempted to spool up. I sent it in again (thank God I bought the AppleCare plan) and they replaced the HD (lost everything this time) and the CD/DVD drive. Now, less than 5 months later my CD/DVD drive is starting to make loud clicking sounds as a disc spins. This noise is at it's worst when I burn a disc.

Here's my question: is this a common problem with MacBooks, or do I just have a real lemmon? Without a doubt this is the worst computer I've owned, hardware-wise. I love the way it runs, I love the suite of programs it comes with, and I love the customer service when I have to send it in, but 4 major problems in less than two years is ridiculous. I know it sounds like I treat my computer poorly, but that's simply not the case. I take very good care of it. This is my 3rd laptop and the other two lasted 5 years each without any such hardware problems.

I guess I'm getting worried because as I'm getting ready to send it in again, I'm realizing that I've only got about a year left on the AppleCare plan and I'm not looking forward to having to buy a new computer at the 3 year mark when it craps out again (as it inevitably will).

 

[pigoo3]

I gonna say you got a lemon. No manufacturing process is 100% perfect...so maybe you got a bad one! If some sort of failure was common in MacBooks...it would be all over the internet at most Macintosh oriented websites.

The continued failures over a long period of time is disturbing though. Thank god for the Applecare!

- Nick

 

[louishen]

I would insist they thoroughly fix it

My Macbook is only six months old, but my old G4 is still going after 7 years