Recommendation on my 2016 12” Laptop

[quigpriss]

10am today

I have a late 2016 Apple 12inch Macbook, purchased in early 2017. I did have Apple replace the “butterfly” keyboard a couple of years ago. Otherwise a solid laptop. Recently the laptop would shut down around 20% battery life. Did the diagnostic on the computer, it recommended bringing in for battery replacement. I went in to Apple, they preformed the same diagnostic, recommended either $199 for new battery or $95 in trade value towards a new Apple product. Eh … $199 to extend the laptop 2+ years (hopefully) … that is the option I chose. They had the part in stock, told me to expect 3-5 business days. Left with Apple December 24. Nothing heard from Apple until late last week. They could not make the computer re-boot with new battery, they mentioned a possible cable issue? I did not ask any other questions, they said a couple of more days.

Hopefully I hear soon that all is good.

Question - If Apple has “broken” my Laptop. I left them with a fully operating Laptop that would occasionally shut down around 20% of battery life (frequency of that occurring was about 2x a week). What is just compensation to me and what should I ask for.

2pm today - Apple then called and

They are having trouble with the keyboard responding. Now they think they need a logic board. Wondered if I would consider trading in? I replied … “I asked for a new battery on a laptop that was working just fine, except for a 2x a week shut down at 20% battery life … now … with a possible need for a new logic board … it is costing you more then it is work for you to cover your coast of repairing … so is there a more generous compromise that recognizes I turned in a operating laptop and you having to incur significant costs to repair (logic board).

They said they would get back to me.

7:30 pm - they offered me $200. I said no. I asked them to fix it at their expense as they had previously offered. They said they would get back to me. I guess they are checking with management.

Best advice? … I did see the prior post from Monday this week. Guess the 12inch Macbook has had a few issues.

Thank you

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Best advice?

What I suggest is that you stop talking to the repair people at Apple. Call Apple Customer Relations, and outline the situation and ask for a more fair resolution.

You can reach Apple Customer Relations by calling: 1-800-275-2273 and asking for "customer relations."

Apple Customer Relations is staffed with people who are empowered to decide if a situation warrants their intervention, and they have the authority to do what is necessary to make you happy if you have a reasonable complaint.

When you talk to Customer Relations BE REALLY, REALLY NICE, and sound very reasonable. For instance, maybe they'd like to give you half off on an Apple Certified Refurbished laptop?:

Refurbished Mac Deals - Apple

Save up to 15% on a refurbished Mac. Tested and certified by Apple including a 1-year warranty. Free delivery and returns.

www.apple.com

If you don't know, Apple Certified Refurbished products are indistinguishable from a brand new product. Getting one for half off would be a steal.

 

[quigpriss]

Thank you … I am comfortable with their Certified Refurbished Products … was not aware of access to Customer Relations. I will try calling them later this morning.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

I've also found that it helps if you nonchalantly bring up that you heard about Apple's Customer Relations on a forum that you are a member of, and that a number of folks here told you that Apple likes to make their customers happy when their products fail. I know that it's a bit of gamesmanship, but it can't hurt to make them think that making you unhappy would lead to a public relations problem.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

I've also found that it helps if you nonchalantly bring up that you heard about Apple's Customer Relations on a forum that you are a member of, and that a number of folks here told you that Apple likes to make their customers happy when their products fail. I know that it's a bit of gamesmanship, but it can't hurt to make them think that making you unhappy would lead to a public relations problem.

 

[quigpriss]

Umm … when I called asked for “customer relations” it connected me to a support specialist, the rep said he could not connect me and wanted to transfer me to the store, I politely said I did not want to be transferred to the store … now he said he will transfer me to a senior advisor … on hold … ummm

 

[quigpriss]

The senior advisor spoke to Customer relations … customer relations told the Sr Advisor to refer me back to the store … I did ask, politely, at the beginning and end of the call to be connected to customer relations … the Sr Rep said they could not

 

[Randy B. Singer]

The senior advisor spoke to Customer relations … customer relations told the Sr Advisor to refer me back to the store … I did ask, politely, at the beginning and end of the call to be connected to customer relations … the Sr Rep said they could not

There is a level above Customer Relations, called Executive Relations. Usually it’s hard to get traction there unless you've tried with Customer Relations first. But since you've struck out with Customer Relations, it's worth a try.

As a last resort, surprisingly, I've heard repeatedly that e-mailing Tim Cook directly, at:

[email protected]

works! See:

https://www.wikihow.com/Contact-Tim-Cook

 

[quigpriss]

Thank you … think I’ll wait to hear back from the store. I’d be happy with an aggressively discounted refurbished macbook … Curious … do Apple stores sell open returned items? … I’m think Christmas returns that someone didn’t like or exchanged for another model

 

[techiesteve]

Getting back to the OP's first post. The first things Apple would do on receiving your MacBook would have been a quick external visual inspection then run MRI diagnostics. This gives a quick check of most areas of the MacBook. That would have given Apple a snapshot of the MacBooks condition on receipt, logging the test results against your MacBooks serial # in GSX. Battery replacement by Apple or a service provider entails replacing the bottom case with battery, the battery is bonded to it. Tech's would then disconnect flex cables that can be fragile, then remove the speakers and logic board, and transfer to the new part. If the IPD cable had failed the keyboard and trackpad would not function, but the MacBook would power on when the power adapter USB-C cable was applied. Completely dead MacBooks are mostly due to logic board failure. Hope you resolve the issue with Apple.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Thank you … think I’ll wait to hear back from the store. I’d be happy with an aggressively discounted refurbished macbook … Curious … do Apple stores sell open returned items? … I’m think Christmas returns that someone didn’t like or exchanged for another model

They do. The thing is that Apple brick and mortar stores sell "refurbished Macs", but not Apple Certified refurbished Macs. So you never know if a refurbished Mac that you are purchasing from an Apple brick and mortar store is a computer that someone bought and just returned because they thought better of it, or if it is someone's lemon that couldn't be perfectly fixed. That's why I usually recommend against getting a refurbished Mac from a brick and mortar store, and only getting refurbished Macs from Apple's online refurbished store.

 

[quigpriss]

Randy - Thank you for the information … I have not heard back from the Apple Store / repair in over a day. I’m going to wait until Monday. Any sense if my conversation from the Sr Advisor / Customer Relations would have been shared with the Store ? and would it influence my case?

 

[quigpriss]

Getting back to the OP's first post. The first things Apple would do on receiving your MacBook would have been a quick external visual inspection then run MRI diagnostics. This gives a quick check of most areas of the MacBook. That would have given Apple a snapshot of the MacBooks condition on receipt, logging the test results against your MacBooks serial # in GSX. Battery replacement by Apple or a service provider entails replacing the bottom case with battery, the battery is bonded to it. Tech's would then disconnect flex cables that can be fragile, then remove the speakers and logic board, and transfer to the new part. If the IPD cable had failed the keyboard and trackpad would not function, but the MacBook would power on when the power adapter USB-C cable was applied. Completely dead MacBooks are mostly due to logic board failure. Hope you resolve the issue with Apple.

Steve .. Thank you for the reply … you accurately tracked the sequence of everything Apple Repair was performing. My logic board was working prior to going in for a battery replacement. My sense is that it failed / was damaged during the battery replacement process. The store doesn’t want to ”eat“ that expense and are trying to offer me fair compensation. We disagree on what is fair at this point.

Since Apple Repair mentioned I might need a new logic board (they initially indicated repair expenses beyond the battery would be the responsibility of Apple), would I have a dependable Macbook for the next couple of years? … our am I now at the point of Humpty Dumpty … and am best off negotiating the best possible compensation.

ie - Could get my laptop back and it crashes again in 60 days

 

[quigpriss]

Update - Apple has offered me $350 towards a new in-store purchase. Might be the best I can do

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Randy - Thank you for the information … I have not heard back from the Apple Store / repair in over a day. I’m going to wait until Monday. Any sense if my conversation from the Sr Advisor / Customer Relations would have been shared with the Store ? and would it influence my case?

Apparently the entire system for how Apple handles complaints has been changed. It now seems to be almost entirely store-based. That's a problem, because Apple brick and mortar stores and Apple corporate have always had a strange relationship that you wouldn't expect. Apple corporate actually limits how many returns they will take from a brick and motar store in a given period. The store has to eat any losses beyond this. So they may not be inclined to be as conciliatory as Customer Relations used to be. Of course, that may have all changed too. So, for now it's impossible for me to make any sort of educated guesses. I don't know what all the new procedures are now.

If you are unhappy with Apple's offer, you can still try e-mailing Tim Cook. You have nothing to lose.

 

[quigpriss]

What the heck … I sent Tim Cook an email. If I get no response in a few day, I’ll take the offer and put it towards a new laptop (probably MacBook Air with M2 chip).

 

[Rod]

I guess $350.00 is significant on the price of a M2 MBA but if you go that way don't skimp on storage because of price. Todays flash drives work best with around 30% free storage.

 

[MacInWin]

I guess $350.00 is significant on the price of a M2 MBA but if you go that way don't skimp on storage because of price. Todays flash drives work best with around 30% free storage.

AND, it's not upgradable post-purchase. You get what you get.

 

[quigpriss]

So what configuration would you recommend for the MBA?

 

[MacInWin]

So what configuration would you recommend for the MBA?

That would be up to you and your needs. Hard for us to make that call. But I think 16Gb of memory would be good for a long time into the future. For storage, remember that SSDs work best when at about 50% filled, so if you think you need, say 500GB of storage, get 1TB to leave that room. And if it gets expensive to get that storage, consider what you can move to external storage to lessen the need.

But others will have different suggestions.