Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Denisism wrote:

I have even had the issues and had my logic board replaced (twice) and yet when I plug in my serial number in the "Your Service and Support Coverage" Apple webpage, it shows no information of the eligibility for the program.

 

Is anyone else have it working yet?  Is Apple trying to even further screw me over here?  I feel a lot of deep seated anger I already have for Apple due to this fiasco reaching a boiling point....

No need for anger Denisism. Your MBP is clearly listed on the announcement page, and it also states that if you are affected, you can just walk in to your nearest Apple Store. The Coverage page did not work for me either. It's probably just a glitch or something.

I was really surprised to see the announcement of a repair program for affected machines - I'd actually just commented to my partner earlier that day that it had now been 4 years since many of the early 2011 machines were manufactured, and it seemed far too late to expect anything.  So it was definitely uncanny to have to eat those words less than 12 hours later! 

I've been participating in these threads since my MBP originally died in early 2013.  The fourth logic board that was installed in September 2013 is still working well for me.  I consider this repair program to effectively give me a new 1-year warranty on that board (for GPU issues, at least).  If I make it to February 27, 2016 without additional issues, than this laptop will have made it five years and I'll be fairly satisfied with that.  But in the meantime, it's a comfort to have this new protection from failure.

One aspect of the repair program that is curious to me is the wording, "These MacBook Pro systems were sold between February 2011 and December 2013."  Apple continued to sell refurbished 2011 MBPs after December 2013, as have their authorized third party retail partners.  I assume this means the original purchase date?  I hope sales date is not an eligibility requirement that could hurt owners of those refurbs purchased after December 2013.  I don't have enough experience with Apple repair programs to know how sticky or flexible they tend to be about things like this.

I'll be curious to see how things proceed - if the logic boards replaced under the program seem to be any different than the ones they've previously used, if people seem to be able to get repairs done, if reimbursements are properly made, etc.  I'm cautiously optimistic that this repair program is a good thing.  It's a shame that it took this long to get here, but hopefully this will soften the disappointment that many of us have experienced over the past four years with this line of expensive computers.

cantasci wrote:

 

well, people. we won

That remains to be seen, as it is unclear to me what this repair program entails, exactly. If you get the quick and dirty reflow that many people got over the past year, then your problem may return within months, and you're back to square 0...

Not just 2011s:

As for the wording, I think if refers to the manufacture/release dates of the machines, rather than the date of purchase.

In any case:

"The program covers affected MacBook Pro models until February 27, 2016 or three years from its original date of sale, whichever provides longer coverage for you."

So you should be covered past 27/02/2016 if, for example, you bought one of these MBPs in 2014.

In any case, since this has finally been recognised as a "Known Issue", even if you bought a machine on 26/02//2013 (missing the deadline), you shouldn't have too much of a fight on your hands to enforce the Sale of Goods act (or any territorial version of) and get a repair.

I had my logic board replaced back in June 2013 at an Apple store. I applied for a refund yesterday, and just got it approved.

The website where you put in the serial number appears to be the normal “check coverage of your computer” page. I clicked on the link specifically for MBP video issue, submitted a ticket, and then called Apple the next day.

Mr. EMan wrote:

 

I had my logic board replaced back in June 2013 at an Apple store. I applied for a refund yesterday, and just got it approved.

 

The website where you put in the serial number appears to be the normal “check coverage of your computer” page. I clicked on the link specifically for MBP video issue, submitted a ticket, and then called Apple the next day.

First report of a refund, great!

Do you guys think it would be ethical to sell after this repair is done? Apple has now taken it into their hands so if it messes up again it should be up to them? I don't want to sell anyone a shoddy machine.

Cook1e wrote:

 

Do you guys think it would be ethical to sell after this repair is done? Apple has now taken it into their hands so if it messes up again it should be up to them? I don't want to sell anyone a shoddy machine.

There are people on this thread who have sold their 2011 MBP even without being repaired! Amazingly there are people that still buy broken MBPs... If you go on eBay, you might see what I'm talking about.

I don't think it's not ethical to sell the MBP, just as long as you let the buyer know about potential problems, just make sure that the buyer is fully aware and knows what he/she is getting themselves into. I think that is fair and ethical.

Cook1e wrote:

 

Do you guys think it would be ethical to sell after this repair is done? Apple has now taken it into their hands so if it messes up again it should be up to them? I don't want to sell anyone a shoddy machine.

If you disclose the repair it is fair.

If you explain the recall and the repair that was done and the new warranty date on the computer YES. Other wise a BIG NOOO! And In my country the buyer could easily sued you instead of dealing with Apple if the buyer finds out after the sell that the goods is undergoing recall and have a manufacturing flaw that the seller was aware of.

I would say it would only be ethical to sell to either a reputable reseller that would (should) know the history of the machine in question, or with full disclosure to the buyer in a private sale. Apple will only repair these computers for another year, so unless they are adopting a more reliable process than that which has seen some users needing more than one repair (I'm on my second failing logic board/GPU), it still wouldn't be fair to offload one of these to a third party without sharing its history.

How are you guys getting reimbursement?  I had to call the Applecare phone number, and then they said they'll send me a check in 4-6 weeks! 0.0 Holy guacamole that is a long time.  They said they have to review it and then issue the check.

Why does it have to be reviewed if my serial is under the repair program??

Hitman4000 wrote:

 

How are you guys getting reimbursement?  I had to call the Applecare phone number, and then they said they'll send me a check in 4-6 weeks! 0.0 Holy guacamole that is a long time.  They said they have to review it and then issue the check.

 

Why does it have to be reviewed if my serial is under the repair program??

4-6 weeks seems pretty normal to me, to get a few hundred dollar refund from a very large corporation. I wonder if it would be quicker contacting the Apple store where you paid for the work? They've had my $312 for 5 months now, so waiting another month won't be a bid deal.

Here's a reminder for those who are contacting Apple about this to ask the million dollar question:

"So far, many of the replacement logic boards have also failed. Are these latest replacement logic boards of a new design or manufacturing process?"

SkyHawk-YQB wrote:

 

If you explain the recall and the repair that was done and the new warranty date on the computer YES. Other wise a BIG NOOO! And In my country the buyer could easily sued you instead of dealing with Apple if the buyer finds out after the sell that the goods is undergoing recall and have a manufacturing flaw that the seller was aware of.

It may be of little note or long remembered the performance that Apple promised in their effort to lure us into buying our beloved MacBook Pros.

It may be of little note or long remembered the early firmware update that silently and deceptively stole much of the promised performance from within the confines of our homes and businesses.

It may be of little note or long remembered that Apple has began a program to make our purchases whole again.

It may be of little note or long remembered the Apple has listed certain serial numbers and listed other conditions as the only products that will receive service of the hardware.

Should we all, those repaired by Apple and those not, be brought to out knees begging for what we paid for and what belongs to us: the performance demonstrated when sold?

It may be of little note or long remembered the hours of toil represented in the funds that paid for our purchases of Apple products, our right to pursue happiness, to ownership of property free from unreasonable search and seizure.

When this repair is complete will the silent and deceptive intruder who stole our performanced be vanquished from our homes and business making our property, the Apple products we toiled to purchase, will they be made completely whole again?  Will our natural rights of ownership be preserved or will a counterfeit be left in its place?