iPhone Adventure, or, Apple can bite me
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Van Plexico
Jun 22, 2012, 8:07:32 PM6/22/12
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My iPhone 3Gs died on June 20. The extended warranty I purchased when I got the phone expired on June 18.
Everyone, including the people at the AT&T store where I originally got it, told me, "Oh, Apple will honor that."
Just got through at the Apple Store. They refused to honor the warranty.
"It was wrong of AT&T to set that expectation," the Apple guy told me.
"You should have come in immediately," he said. I told him I went to the store where I bought it right after it happened, but he said that didn't matter. AT&T didn't tell me I needed to go to the Apple store. Why would I have thought I did? I didn't buy it there.
He even wanted to argue "five days out of warranty" instead of "four," even though today is the 22nd. (Finally he admitted Apple starts counting from the day before it expires. Oooookay.)
The best he could offer at first was to replace it for $150. I told him I could just get a brand new 4G for $99. So he talks to the manager and comes back with an offer of replacing it with an identical phone for $99.
I was angry because they weren't willing to cover a situation that occurred two lousy days past warranty, and I didn't want to pay the same price for a 3Gs as for a 4G. I asked him what he would do if it was him. He went back to talk to the manager again. I was starting to feel like I was buying a used car.
His final offer was $75 for a replacement, which was half off their regular price and $25 less than a 4G (and with no contract) but $75 more than I wanted to pay.
I took that deal. Grudgingly.
With tax: $80.
Good side-- no new contract, and saved probably $30 for a new case.
But I'm still ticked off. I'm considering the $50 + $80 my "Apple can be bastards" fee.
--Van
Sent from my iPhone--the new one, same as the old one. For $80.
Everyone, including the people at the AT&T store where I originally got it, told me, "Oh, Apple will honor that."
Just got through at the Apple Store. They refused to honor the warranty.
"It was wrong of AT&T to set that expectation," the Apple guy told me.
"You should have come in immediately," he said. I told him I went to the store where I bought it right after it happened, but he said that didn't matter. AT&T didn't tell me I needed to go to the Apple store. Why would I have thought I did? I didn't buy it there.
He even wanted to argue "five days out of warranty" instead of "four," even though today is the 22nd. (Finally he admitted Apple starts counting from the day before it expires. Oooookay.)
The best he could offer at first was to replace it for $150. I told him I could just get a brand new 4G for $99. So he talks to the manager and comes back with an offer of replacing it with an identical phone for $99.
I was angry because they weren't willing to cover a situation that occurred two lousy days past warranty, and I didn't want to pay the same price for a 3Gs as for a 4G. I asked him what he would do if it was him. He went back to talk to the manager again. I was starting to feel like I was buying a used car.
His final offer was $75 for a replacement, which was half off their regular price and $25 less than a 4G (and with no contract) but $75 more than I wanted to pay.
I took that deal. Grudgingly.
With tax: $80.
Good side-- no new contract, and saved probably $30 for a new case.
But I'm still ticked off. I'm considering the $50 + $80 my "Apple can be bastards" fee.
--Van
Sent from my iPhone--the new one, same as the old one. For $80.
Cary Preston
Jun 22, 2012, 9:21:26 PM6/22/12
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That's a shame. I've had excellent customer service at our Apple store, it's one of the reasons I stuck with their products. You should forward your story to corporate; I don't think they'd be pleased to hear the impressions their associates are generating. I wouldn't.
I'm surprised they didn't hit you up for an AppleCare account.
Sent from my iPhone
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I'm surprised they didn't hit you up for an AppleCare account.
Sent from my iPhone
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Van
Jun 23, 2012, 12:08:47 PM6/23/12
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That was actually the one funny thing that happened. Once we settled on me getting a replacement 3Gs for $75, and I had made it VERY VERY clear to him just how unhappy I was with the whole business with the AppleCare warranty, he starts on his standard spiel about the phone and features and THEN HE CAME TO APPLE CARE.... and he got about one sentence out, looked at me, blanched, and sort of trailed off.... and then quickly changed the subject without me saying a word. LOL.
As far as forwarding the story, I had been planning to send a copy of my Auburn football book to Tim Cook, seeing as he's a fellow AU grad and a big football fan. Now I'm thinking I'll wrap the book in a little note...
--Van
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Van
Jun 23, 2012, 12:21:11 PM6/23/12
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Where specifically would you recommend I send it, Cary? I've looked all over their site and can't find anything that seems appropriate. The iPhone product comment email page wants to know what bugs my phone has, for example.
--Van
On Friday, June 22, 2012 8:21:26 PM UTC-5, cwpreston wrote:
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Cary Preston
Jun 25, 2012, 12:57:59 PM6/25/12
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