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So this happened to me. My 2012 retina MacBook Pro battery was dying. Which makes sense, I used it every day for over four years. I figured I could take it to

So this happened to me. My 2012 retina MacBook Pro battery was dying. Which makes sense, I used it every day for over four years. I figured I could take it to Apple for a battery replacement. They said they would do it — for $900. They told me it involved replacing the entire bottom half of the computer as the battery was glued in. So I called their support line and complained that the laptop was perfectly fine and it shouldn't cost that much to replace a battery. They ended up replacing it for free, as well as the screen (because they identified that the anti-reflective coating was starting to wear). So while the policy was ridiculous, the actual outcome was very positive.

lloeki 10y ago
> $900. They told me it involved replacing the entire bottom half of the computer as the battery was glued in. WTF? This is nonsense. Apple prices for battery repairs are clearly outlined on their web site[0]. This has always been what I (or relatives/friends/coworkers) paid for France[1] when I had to change a battery. [0]: https://support.apple.com/mac-notebooks/repair/service/pricing https://support.apple.com/mac-notebooks/repair/service/prici... [1]: https://support.apple.com/fr-fr/mac-notebooks/repair/service/pricing https://support.apple.com/fr-fr/mac-notebooks/repair/service...
- interpol_p 10y ago
  That is the exact page I used to argue my case with Apple on the phone. I said it was misleading that the price given to me at the Apple store was so much higher than what was listed on their website. They told me that those prices are the service pricing, but do not include parts. And because the entire lower-half of the laptop needed to be changed in the rMBP model, the total cost would come to about $900 AUD. The actual item listed on the repair invoice is "Top Case Assembly with Battery" @ $562.73 and the "Hardware Repair Labor" charge is listed at $289 AUD. Did you ever have friends or relatives change the battery in a retina MacBook Pro? Apple cannot remove the battery because it is glued into the lower case assembly. And so when I got my machine back from Apple the trackpad, keyboard, and lower aluminium chassis was brand new (however the bottom plate, logic board, and internals were the same).
simonh 10y ago
I've heard of this happening before. If the non-battery bit of that part of the computer breaks you pay $900 (or whatever), but if you just need the battery replacing you pay a heck of a lot less, or even nothing. The repair involves exactly the same actual work being done and part. The Apple Store employee must have accidentally selected the wrong maintenance option in the system.
- interpol_p 10y ago
  The Apple employee at the store explained that they cannot remove the battery from the rMBP model as it is glued in place. When I complained in-person and through phone support I was told the same story specifically about the retina MBP model. They said that the standard charge for battery replacement in this model included the entire lower case assembly. I heard this from about four different support agents, even when it was escalated to the special support agent that was able to eventually authorise the free repair. When I received my MacBook Pro back from battery service the keyboard, trackpad, and lower aluminium chassis were brand new. So they did change it all out just to replace the battery.

lloeki 10y ago

> $900. They told me it involved replacing the entire bottom half of the computer as the battery was glued in. WTF? This is nonsense. Apple prices for battery repairs are clearly outlined on their web site[0]. This has always been what I (or relatives/friends/coworkers) paid for France[1] when I had to change a battery. [0]: https://support.apple.com/mac-notebooks/repair/service/pricing https://support.apple.com/mac-notebooks/repair/service/prici... [1]: https://support.apple.com/fr-fr/mac-notebooks/repair/service/pricing https://support.apple.com/fr-fr/mac-notebooks/repair/service...

interpol_p 10y ago
That is the exact page I used to argue my case with Apple on the phone. I said it was misleading that the price given to me at the Apple store was so much higher than what was listed on their website. They told me that those prices are the service pricing, but do not include parts. And because the entire lower-half of the laptop needed to be changed in the rMBP model, the total cost would come to about $900 AUD. The actual item listed on the repair invoice is "Top Case Assembly with Battery" @ $562.73 and the "Hardware Repair Labor" charge is listed at $289 AUD. Did you ever have friends or relatives change the battery in a retina MacBook Pro? Apple cannot remove the battery because it is glued into the lower case assembly. And so when I got my machine back from Apple the trackpad, keyboard, and lower aluminium chassis was brand new (however the bottom plate, logic board, and internals were the same).

simonh 10y ago

I've heard of this happening before. If the non-battery bit of that part of the computer breaks you pay $900 (or whatever), but if you just need the battery replacing you pay a heck of a lot less, or even nothing. The repair involves exactly the same actual work being done and part. The Apple Store employee must have accidentally selected the wrong maintenance option in the system.

interpol_p 10y ago
The Apple employee at the store explained that they cannot remove the battery from the rMBP model as it is glued in place. When I complained in-person and through phone support I was told the same story specifically about the retina MBP model. They said that the standard charge for battery replacement in this model included the entire lower case assembly. I heard this from about four different support agents, even when it was escalated to the special support agent that was able to eventually authorise the free repair. When I received my MacBook Pro back from battery service the keyboard, trackpad, and lower aluminium chassis were brand new. So they did change it all out just to replace the battery.