I dunno, this issue is poring a lot of cold water on my plans to buy a MBA. I just have zero interest in spending over $1000 to get involved in problems like this. I guess I'm getting too old and am out of touch with the rest of the Mac market. The feature I want the most is the ability to buy with confidence, and have the purchase be a happy event uncontaminated by such worries.
I do have a solution I would accept, but I know it's no longer how Apple handles repairs. I would still buy with confidence if Apple would tell me this...
"If your Mac breaks during warranty we'll come to your house within a few days and fix it for free."
Anything less than that is shifting the seller's problems on to the buyer. Just not acceptable.
I think you may be judging Apple a bit harshly. Apple is routinely at the top of many consumer satisfaction survey's (Apple must be doing something right)
...also...how many of Apple's competitor's would do this?
On top of that...how many of Apple's competitor's have an Apple-like store...where you can take an Apple device with an issue...and many times the Apple tech's will diagnose it for free (while you wait)...no dropping it off & returning later.
Finally...if you're relatively near to an Apple Store...it's pretty easy to visit the store & drop it off for repair.
I know Apple could do this if they wanted to, because they've done it in the past and the company didn't collapse. But I know those days are over, so....
I know you shared an Apple experience you had 20 years ago with a new iMac you purchased...and Apple sent someone to your home & replaced the modem. First of all...that home visit 20 years ago was VERY unusual even for that time. Secondly...20 years ago (1999) there were no Apple Stores that Apple users could take their computer to for diagnosis/repair (Apple consumer stores didn't open until 2001).
I think if any Apple user takes everything into consideration (historical info & the competitive environment)...we are still doing way better than the average Windows or Android device based user.
- Nick