Using Applecare abroad

Question

Level 1

8 points

Using Applecare abroad

experiences with Applecare abroad
Posted by: mst2c03 (IP Logged)
Date: August 13, 2009 08:36AM

I had an issue with my Macbook Air, (overheating, stopping, slow, hard drive clicking and a drained battery in one hour). The Macbook Air is about a year old but was purchased new with Applecare. I was on a business trip to the Netherlands, called Apple Benelux and was told to bring the Macbook Air to a Apple dealer in the neighborhood (closest one was Maastricht). One week later I was called that I could pick it up, they could not find anything and because they could not find anything they charged me 90 USD for researching the issue. I called Apple Benelux again, they tell me that they cannot do anything for me, they (Apple Benelux) went out of the service business and now work through authorized dealers... they have agreements with these dealers that allow these dealers to charge if they cannot find anything because Apple does not reimburse those dealers for checking it out.. so eventhough I have Applecare and eventhough Apple sends me to this dealer I end up paying.. this has never happened to me in the US... Anyone else with this experience?.. Opinions?

Macbook Air, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Aug 13, 2009 9:32 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 13, 2009 3:12 PM in response to mst2c03

AppleCare agreements don't apply when you are outside of the USA -- they apply only while you are IN the USA. Every country has their own AppleCare policies. In the future, when you call AppleCare while overseas, call the U.S. Applecare, not the local country's applecare. They might not be able to do much for you, but they would be able to inform you as to the costs involved.

You can call AppleCare when you return to the US, but I doubt they will be able to do anything.

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Answer 2

tdowling

Level 1

44 points

Aug 13, 2009 5:35 PM in response to RonAnnArbor

Do you know where Apple's "global repair coverage" fits in to this? They state that you can get coverage when you're overseas, so I imagine that he shouldn't be completely out of luck when something happens outside of the states.

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Answer 3

mst2c03 Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 14, 2009 5:34 AM in response to RonAnnArbor

They do not dispute that I have Applecare... it's in their system via serial number... the problem is related to having outsourced repairs to 3rd parties and in allowing these 3rd parties to run their own scheme... because Apple in the Netherlands cut costs and services out of these outsourced contracts which they normally provide under Applecare in the USA.... so the customer now has to make up that difference... and the funny (rather not so funny part) is that they can claim there's nothing wrong and charge you unlimited times!!

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Answer 4

tdowling

Level 1

44 points

Aug 14, 2009 9:04 AM in response to mst2c03

So in the Netherlands, Apple does not handle any repairs themselves? That is really bizarre. Is it possible that they just don't handle mail-in repairs for computers registered internationally? I guess it's good to know that AppleCare would have covered your repair, but it does seem shady that you can get charged $90 for an in-warranty assessment.

Maybe a call to 1-800-APL-CARE can shed some light on the situation.

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Answer 5

mst2c03 Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 15, 2009 3:44 AM in response to tdowling

Applecare USA tells me that they cannot help me over there and indeed in the Netherlands do not handle any repairs themselves "they select dealers according to stringent quality standards!?"... and the solution for an in warranty assessment (the second, the first one is with Apple over the phone) is that the dealer wants to be paid for it's time, Apple Netherlands decided that it is ok to have that charge to be paid by the customer... but I bought the Macbook Air and the Applecare in the USA, what is the purpose of purchasing applecare (with global coverage!!!) if elsewhere Apple allows you to be ripped off?

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Answer 6

tdowling

Level 1

44 points

Aug 15, 2009 11:42 AM in response to mst2c03

Wow, that is a real bummer 😟

Seems like global coverage can be a bit of a crapshoot...in some countries it'll be smooth, and apparently in some countries you'll get raked over the coals.

Not that it's much consolation, but at least it sounds like everyone in the Netherlands gets the same treatment that you did, so I guess it's really an issue with the poor policies of Apple Netherlands than the general nature of AppleCare's global coverage.

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Answer 7

carl wolf

Level 6

14,625 points

Aug 16, 2009 3:15 AM in response to mst2c03

"They do not dispute that I have Applecare... it's in their system via serial number... the problem is related to having outsourced repairs to 3rd parties and in allowing these 3rd parties to run their own scheme..."

Although the AppleCare plan provides for global repair services, that's not the entire "plan". There is a stipulation - in some countries, and I'm summarizing, "if the equipment is found to be operating properly, a charge will be made for troubleshooting". This is to prevent people from making frivolous claims for service ("my computer seems to be slow", "I heard a beep", "I think my computer might be getting a little warmer than usual", "the fans make a 'whirring' sound", "I've installed some bogus software to control the fan speed, and now the fan doesn't operate properly"). I'm not familiar with the specific AppleCare plan for the country in which you are located, but it is available online.

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Answer 8

mst2c03 Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 18, 2009 1:39 AM in response to carl wolf

There are two things wrong with the suggestion that each country has it's own seperate plan... first of all, AppleCare in the Netherlands does not stipulate that there will be charges or charges allowed by dealers (the text is similar to the USA texts on line), the second problem is that I only went to a dealer after having a telephone converasation with a Dutch AppleCare technician, that technician determined I needed to bring in the Macbook Air.
And regardless of being an experienced user ( I have bought and used about 15 mac and mac laptops sofar) once an AppleCare specialist determines what needs to be done to a machine after taking me trough a number of routines then Applecare, my opinion, should pay for the dealer assessment

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