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Macbook pro is dead - how to get a new one?

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1080ski
Posts: 4424 - Karma: 191
So my Macbook Pro has been giving me tons of problems, and it finally stopped starting up. Through the Apple Hardware Test (on the boot CD) I am receiving a "video controller problem." After some research, I found that the Macbook Pros that shipped with my video card have been having problems with the video card, and Apple will replace it for free (if that is the problem with the video controller) even though I have voided my warrenty. I am going to bring it to an Apple store this weekend.

My question is this- How easy is it to get Apple to just replace my computer (maybe with one of the newer ones)? I am fine with just getting it fixed, but a new one would be pretty nice. I can say that I need it for college and that sending it out will take too much time, but I am unsure as to weather or not this is a good enough excuse to get a new one. What are some good things to tell them so that maybe the "genious" at the apple store will give me a new computer?


Oct 21 2009 7:34PM
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Goku
Posts: 8119 - Karma: 4,223
thats how i feel, i have the 13.3 MB unibody, and i really want the 13 MBP because of the fire wire and SD
Oct 21 2009 7:39PM
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appa
Posts: 2249 - Karma: 1,739
that is the tricky part. my brother and i have both gotten really lucky with our macbooks. there was a bug on his macbook pro's screen and he hit it and cracked the screen (dumb yea) and he brought it in and was like yea i'm leaving for college soon i don't know if i have the money to get it repaired so i'll just deal with the cracked scree. the genius pulled him aside from the bar and was like yo man i feel you on this one i'll hook it up with a free repair.

as for me, i got my brother's old macbook when he got a pro for college and it was so shitty. slow as hell with a 60 gb hard drive. sucked ass. after maybe 3-4 months of my use, it fucked up. i emptied the trash and i left it (it was a lot of trash to free up hard drive space) and when i get back it won't boot up properly so i take it to the apple store (warranty has been up for some months at this point) genius says your hard drive is shot (i had everything backed up) and goes we'll trash this one and you can get the new macbook with a bigger hard drive or pay the difference for a pro. i took the free macbook with twice as much memory and faster processor. that is i think the 3 generation of free macbooks that has been got out of the first one.

good luck just say that it stopped working and what did you do to void the warranty?
Oct 21 2009 7:48PM
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1080ski
Posts: 4424 - Karma: 191
word i'll try to do something similar to that.

To void the warranty, installed a new HD as well as new ram in my computer (not sure if the ram voids the warranty). To do that I had to open up the computer.
Oct 21 2009 7:58PM
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thegreyarea
Posts: 3265 - Karma: 34
Installing RAM doesn't void your warranty. Changing the hard drive does. Put the old one back in and they most likely won't care. There's almost zero chance that they'll give you a new machine. It is going in for a recall issue.
Oct 21 2009 8:06PM
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PagesHouse
Posts: 6024 - Karma: 104
I just got a new battery and graphics card fo free because the battery broke and the graphics card just failed one day.... took it to an apple store and since I have applecare they took care of it no questions ask.

So basically... if you have applecare.... you don't need to say anything
Oct 21 2009 8:08PM
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Parker.
Posts: 1637 - Karma: 108
if you have applecare you should be set.  my macbook pro shit the bed last month and they ended up replacing all the broken parts and then some.  brand new case, screen, battery, logic board, basically everything except the hard drive.  but beware, they claim that any physical damage to your computer will void the applecare protection plan. 
Oct 21 2009 10:39PM
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1080ski
Posts: 4424 - Karma: 191
Too bad. I'll try to see if I can convince the apple employees otherwise haha. Ill post up how it goes once I get to the store.
Oct 22 2009 2:25PM
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FrenchToastMafia
Posts: 2195 - Karma: 452
sucks that broke, in my opinion in depends on the store, the apple store in Mass is extremly good, my brother went there with a 2 year old ipod touch that was real banged up and had a broke screen, he got it refunded with no warrentlly pretty dope, so if it doesnt work a one store id recommend trying another if there are any close by
Oct 22 2009 2:31PM
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dbstar
Posts: 2038 - Karma: 20
have fun apple is one of the biggest corporations in the world... that would be like trying on convince a walmart employee to give you a free TV... except appple store employees are in general, faggots.
Oct 22 2009 2:33PM
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babujib
Posts: 5039 - Karma: 104
yeah i had the same exact video software problem. The graphics card was shit or something. Just go in and make a huge fucking scene about it. My guys initially were going to make me pay 500 bills or some shit, and I just flipped out and asked to talk to the manager who gave me it for free. I was two months out of my applecare too.
Oct 22 2009 2:50PM
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