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Ask HN: Apple Genius giving me a hard time
My beloved MacBook Pro died while I was traveling. It is under AppleCare until this coming December.
It was taken into the Hillsdale Store in San Mateo. The Apple "Genius" literally opened the lid, says "Smells like water damage", closed the lid and told me a new motherboard would cost $700.
1. I dont smell anything and how could one smell water damage immediately.
2. It has never had any water spilled on it, soaked in water, etc.
3. Shouldn't they be able to point out water damage? Corrosion or an obvious sign. I see them stick lights inside iphone all the time to check for this kind of damage.
4. Is this a sign that I should take it to another store where the geniuses are better?
5. Is this a ploy to get out of fixing this under AppleCare since it is a 2010 model?
Frustrated!
- lutusp 13y agoIf they can't produce some kind of evidence or test, they're most likely trying to avoid their warranty obligations. Saying "water damage" is a common dodge among unscrupulous businesses, because once the water evaporates, there's no remaining evidence -- or counterevidence. > Is this a sign that I should take it to another store where the geniuses are better? Yes, of course. It's like getting a second opinion from a doctor. But guess what? This is one of the downsides of dealing with a monolithic vendor like Apple -- you have fewer options than if you bought a non-Apple laptop. > Is this a ploy to get out of fixing this under AppleCare since it is a 2010 model? Yes, and you need to realize that they only need to stall you for a certain amount of time, after which the warranty coverage ends with no remedy.
- jason_slack 13y agoThanks! What I dont get is why the "Genius" wanted to try and intimidate with his "superior" sense of smell! It is just the oddest thing.
- lutusp 13y agoHe was betting you were a dumb consumer. You can now prove him wrong.
- dailyrorschach 13y agoTry a different genius - I did have water damage to my laptop, and he showed me the tripped indicators before agreeing to the repair.
- jason_slack 13y agoThanks. That is the plan! The Genius didn't show any indication besides opening the lid and saying "smells like water damage".
- jason_slack 13y agoSo you had your repaired? Did it cost $700. At that point, can you explain why you didn't just buy a 13-MBP or an Air? Granted, yes more money, but did you have other reasoning?