No service in Argentina for iMac´s bought before 2011 ?

"If you buy an iMac in the USA you don't have official service if bought prior to 2013"

It's not necessarily the date the iMac was purchased that's the issue. It's the warranty. Even if you purchased an iMac in 2007 or 2008, the one year limited warranty would have expired long ago. Same goes for the Apple Care extended warranty.

You can take an iMac in for service in the USA to any Apple Store, but if it's out of warranty, the owner is responsible for the repair costs.

It's not about Apple not caring about their customers. It's about the warranty.

Rodolfo,

You are not communicating with Apple on these forums. Apple does not read or participate in them, we are all end-users like yourself. I am sure there is official South American Apple representation however I cannot tell you how to contact them.

BTW, I was in Argentina for about 3 weeks last summer and loved it. You have a lovely country.

Well, even in the US, Apple does not support older Macs forever - they cannot possibly maintain parts for all old models at all times - so, they decide that after so many years, there will no longer be parts available. It is unfortunate for consumers, but I also understand the manufacturers. I do not know how long Apple officially maintains parts for older devices, but you might have just fallen into that category (just a guess).

Did you try one of the other Apple stores in Buenos Aires?

babowa wrote:

I do not know how long Apple officially maintains parts for older devices

Vintage and obsolete products - https://support.apple.com/HT201624

"Vintage and obsolete products

Owners of iPad, iPhone, iPod or Mac products may obtain service and parts from Apple or Apple service providers for 5 years after the product is no longer manufactured (or longer where required by law). Apple has discontinued support for certain technologically obsolete and vintage products.

Vintage products are those that have not been manufactured for more than five and less than seven years ago. Apple has discontinued hardware service for vintage products with the following exceptions:

[snip]

Obsolete products are those that were discontinued more than seven years ago. Apple has discontinued all hardware service for obsolete products with no exceptions. Service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products.

Rodolfoasin wrote:

I am sure that if you bought a USD 300.000 Ferrari in 2005, they won't let you down with spare parts.

Dealerships are required by law in the USA to stock parts for 20 years. 20 years + 1 day, nothing (I own a 35 year old car). They don't even have the parts number in the catalog.

A Mac isn't a $300k Ferrari. It is more like a Toyota in terms of the demographic who own one (and a Toyota is the 35 year old car I own for which when I needed parts when it was 20.5 years old I went into a dealership and they said it was impossible to get parts through them).

Unless laws are passed requiring longer support terms (a few have been if you read the link I posted) the companies won't stock parts unless it fits an economic optimization model ( = makes them more money than not stocking them).

Thanks for that link - I thought I remembered something about the 5 years, but wasn't sure enough to mention it.

FWIW, that brings up an interesting possibility: I purchased a refurb late 2012 iMac in early 2015 with Applecare which means it is fully covered until early 2018 (6 years later) - I wonder what they would do if something happened after 5 + years (but before the warranty expires). Do they stock parts for devices covered by Applecare until that expires or do they simply replace the device?

Rodolfoasin wrote:

I am sure that if you bought a USD 300.000 Ferrari in 2005, they won't let you down with spare parts.

FWIW, Ferrari's warranty is 3 years. You can purchase an extended warranty, a kind of "FerrariCare" for a total of up to 5 years. So you would have to pay for any work on your 2005 Ferrari. As far as where they may find the parts they would need, I have no idea. 😎

I have no idea what they would do. It is possible they may still stock parts for those places where coverage is required for longer and could get one from there. Alternatively don't some warranties say something about replacing with an equivalent model?

It's their choice. Applecare says:

Apple will either (a) repair the defect at no charge, using new or refurbished parts that are equivalent to new in performance and reliability, or (b) exchange the Covered Equipment with a replacement product that is new or equivalent to new in performance and reliability, and is at least functionally equivalent to the original product. If Apple exchanges the Covered Equipment, the original product becomes Apple’s property and the replacement product is your property with coverage for the remaining period of the Plan.