I went into the Apple store in Charlotte, NC. Upon getting there i filled out the concierge and headed towards the “genius” bar. I get there, set my laptop down, and ask him politely to inspect the system.
The lower right side of the laptop bows down an extreme amount. I would say its close to a quarter of an inch. The “genius” that is helping me says that he “has never seen anything like this” then continues to say that this is definitely “Physical damage.” I reply that there is no way that this is physical damage, because this laptop doesn’t leave my desk or my house. He say and repeats this is “physical damage”, which is an insult considering that there is no physical damage to the case anywhere.
NO DINGS, SCRATCHES, DENTS OF ANY KIND.
He is very rude in his approach, and tells me that I am basically lying to him and that there is no possible way that this is caused from a defect of craftsmanship. I ask him to call the manager and he then goes and returns with the manager about 5 mins later. I’m guessing he’s explaining to the manager what is going on. I am a manager for a fortune 500 company and I can say that this is not a way to deal with costumers. Have the manager come out ASAP.
So then Joe repeats the same thing that the “genius” had just recited to me. I will not tolerate being cast off as a liar. He then goes on to quote that the repair would cost me $755. I have Apple Care on the machine which was another chunk of change. What does that cover? Good question. Seeing that I am not happy, he goes back to the back again and says that he will have it sent off to the Depot for them to determine whether or not the repair would cost me or Apple would cover it. What is the purpose of the manager? Good question.
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Sorry to hear that you laptop has a bow in it. But your posting it all over the place: you don’t like the employee’s attitude, you don’t like their escalation techniques, and you expect that your “Fortune 500″ status to carry some clout. It’s really about business practices. What would you tell the Goodyear store manager about your tire that failed, but looks like it was damaged? Apple has policies just like Goodyear, and either they repair it, replace it or don’t.
Gary on March 27th, 2008 at 2:55 am | Link
are you right handed? if you open the computer from the right side all the time you can bend it and it might not be a warranty repair.
steve on March 27th, 2008 at 1:42 pm | Link
Wow. I’m guessing someone doesn’t read to thoroughly. I said that I work for a fortune 500 company… “no clout implied” just general info that was given…. we aren’t allowed to treat people like that. If there is no evidence of physical damage… how can it be physical damage. There is nothing on the laptop at all to make anyone think that it would be from that.. The damage isn’t to the lid its to the bottom of the case. It is bowing in and should be something of high importance not put off as “Physical damage”. I have never taken the laptop anywhere and I open it from the center, which has no type of bearing on this situation. Why are you wasting time disputing something about someone on this site when this site is about complaints? Just chew on that for awhile. Oh btw this is the only place that I have posted on this… It happened on March, 26th at around 630est. My main concern is that this isn’t a cheap laptop and I have had it for approximately 9 months. Would you throw 3,000 dollars away in 9 months? Anyone in there right minds wouldn’t do such a thing.
William on March 27th, 2008 at 2:25 pm | Link
So you’re a manager for Walmart? Chevron? Because you work for a fortune 500 company doesn’t mean anything.
Jack Krelinstein on March 28th, 2008 at 8:03 am | Link
I think that the case looked bent… and the laptop is made from aircraft grade material. You can’t honestly fault the policy of a company when the laptop did clearly (in the photo you posted) look as if it could be damaged. Now having said that, if there happened to be a rash of people with Macbook Pros that had the same issue then yes… maybe a repair would be something I might expect, but this is really not the case. I myself have owned more than 10 macs and their service department has always been top notch in my book. In closing the title of “genius” was created by an apple executive, not the person you were dealing directly with. So I dont think you should reference that job title as if the technician you were working with claimed to be an actual genius. It’s a clever name for a technician… clever. that’s all. So don’t fault the the guy for that. Good luck with your laptop.
Gary 2 on March 28th, 2008 at 5:13 pm | Link
When i went to the genius bar they told me its the way you open the laptop. if you open it from the corners instead of grabbing it from the middle the aluminum will bend.
So its not your fault and apple won’t do **** about it. I am pretty angry too that I’ve payed $3000 for a laptop and get treaty like ****. I also have iMac and iPhone.
My iMac DVD-R wouldn’t burn dvd’s and the mac genius told me it was because I am burning files that are not copy-writing( downloaded movies, music, etc.) which i was told is totally retarded because this just happened recently..
After few arguments and me going back and forth couple times, they finally figured out the drive was broken.
My iPhone also was messed up and they replaced that instantly.
Sometimes, you get luck or very unlucky on who is helping you.
nh on April 1st, 2008 at 5:21 pm | Link
Hey, I feel the same way, I have the dent on the right side. In regards to what Gary 2 said, A LOT of people have this problem. Aircraft material my ass, my case got dented by the superdrive within 4 months; simple wear and tear problem. Apple should cover this, but according to the Genius I went to, they said $800 to replace the housing and that their warranty doesn’t cover “comestic” issues. Comestic issues that clearly prevented my CDs from entering the super drive on my pro.
Peter Lei on April 23rd, 2008 at 3:15 pm | Link
Hi, I bought my macbook pro 2 months ago and I noticed lately that the left side of the corver is a little bit higher and it leaves a small opening! it looks like it has a bent on that side. I didn’t notice that when i unpacked my macbook pro and i don’t think that i did something that caused that bent. After a search on the net i found this post and i realize that this has happened to others as well. i didn’t refer to the applestore yet but i intent to.
Mitsos on May 15th, 2008 at 1:16 pm | Link
I’ve the same problem! The machine was fine when delivered, then over time has become warped. I really look after mine, transporting it everywhere in a LaRobe case, but still I’ve a quarter inch gap on the right hand side, and, the casing is coming away near to the front release button. The only reason I can think for this happening is picking the machine up from the side with one hand . But if this is the case, hardly high quality you expect for £2000 worth of machine! I’m an Apple fan, but feel a little let down by this.
Zak on May 15th, 2008 at 2:22 pm | Link
Hello, what I would suggest for anyone who purchases a macbook of any kind or any device from the Apple Store is to open the box next to the clerk who sells you the item, inspect it making sure everything works 100%, do the software update right there and have him/her teach you the basics in case you’re not familiar with the item. I accidentally dropped my macbook pro on the right side where the super drive is at causing it to not work properly, it hurt me like hell, but had to live with the consequence, luckily the computer works perfectly fine, but to fix the superdrive costs $1240, which is not worth it because of the side being bent. So hopefully in a few months from now, I’ll be getting a new one, gotta save up again. So once again, after u purchase your device, open it, inspect it and do the update.
Jose on June 5th, 2008 at 10:48 am | Link
Why wouldn’t you get an iMac or a Mac Pro if it’s just going to sit on your desk all the time - better performance per dollar. Sounds like there’s more to the story than you’re telling us.
People always **** their pants that AppleCare doesn’t cover their own wear and tear, just faulty hardware and repairs. Ask questions before you buy. Not to mention, Jack is exactly right. The Genius is just a technician. Genius was thought up by corporate, it’s not like he rode in on a high horse and selected the title.
Mango on July 8th, 2008 at 1:04 pm | Link
The top of my Mac Book Pro has also bowed. I’ve seen many posts about the same exact thing. Apple’s attitude has made sure this is the last product of theirs I buy. I didn’t put out $2000 on a laptop to have it bow like that. To top it off one of my cats knocked it off a table top in the middle of the night and the case bent near the DVD drive. I figured the case could take a fall from a table top on to carpet. I expect much better for the money.
jason on August 31st, 2008 at 9:55 pm | Link
Well
I have to agree…..I switched from being a 25 year PC USER to MAC in April and am very happy with the OSX operating system and I dished out nearly $3000 for my macbook pro as well plus Applecare (Which should be called AppleNOCare). I have had the system just about 5 months and my screen casing is bowed as well. I then noticed tat the casing on the left side is also bent. Now I really do not travel with the system at all and it has NOT been dropped or banged on anything either. I then made and appointment with Applecare about this and when they look at the system they said that this was caused by impact damage. There are absolutely NO dents on this machine at all and after reading across the net I see that this is a common problem and Apple is dong NOTHING ABOUT IT! Not exactly what i would expect but I guess tat is my screwup fir buying one. I could have bought 3 Dells for this price. I am not saying Dell is great but I have had many of them in the past with NO problems like this. For a $3000 machine it sure is a rickety hunk of crap….and gettin not help from Apple is even more disappointing. I am thrilled with the operation of the OS but their support less than SUCKS! They know this is a design flaw and it is cause if you look around and type in “waped screen macbook pro” you will find MANY complants.
Very Dissatisfied and will not be buying another if this is not corrected. I wish we could put together a class action against them.
Matt F on September 2nd, 2008 at 1:49 pm | Link
I think given the amount of people who seem to have this issue some effort should be put into bringing this to the attention of people who can help you. If the retail store and service department doesn’t do the trick then climb the ladder.This thread has become a bit inflated. This is a place to blast off, don’t get me wrong, but exercise your right as a consumer to speak to the individual that will hear your case. If “Joe” the store manager repeated what the technician said then ask to speak to a regional manager. Apple is a large reputable brand with a dedication to customer service. They are have actual stores!!! That takes guts for a computer company. They have a place where you can go and gripe if you are having issues. Face to face… So they knew what they are getting into when they did that. If you are taking the word of a shift manager as the end of the line then that is your fault as a customer for not going through the proper channel. There many be a faulty design… I have one and it’s not the case with mine so I can’t agree there, but wither way… It’s a machine. It’s not a perfect product and honestly nothing is. I judge my service from a company on a case by case basis. I have had great interactions with apple regarding both repairs and otherwise. My advice is to look into getting in contact with someone from apple customer service or a regional apple store manager and discussing any legit concerns about your purchase or the products issues with them directly. Good Luck.
Gary 2 on September 2nd, 2008 at 2:10 pm | Link
I JUST bought my mac book pro yesterday, opened it today…and instantly notice the gap on both sides of the brim of my laptop. I searched online to see if others had this problem, or it was just a defect my laptop happened to have. This is sad news. Even if i were to go back to return my pro for another one that isn’t bent, would i be wasting my time having the chance that it could be bent again in time. Obviously, from theses cases and especially mine, the mac book pro is or will be defected with this gap. With all the complaints, apple should fix this problem….this is baaaaad. Plus, apple is known for their high-end meticulous design. And what is this i find? a computer that does not close correctly.
apple, you still don’t have my confidence that you are better than a pc.
Anna Storelli on September 6th, 2008 at 2:50 am | Link
I bought a 15″ macbook pro and it also didn’t close completely on the right side (had a curve).
Jordan on October 28th, 2008 at 3:58 pm | Link
It definitely is a manufacturing defect, but a small imperfection in my opinion. It had this curve from day-one.
I am still happy with my machine however today I dropped it for the first time in a year and dented the lower case. Everything works fine, I just wish I could replace the lower case without dishing out more than $200.
Jordan on October 28th, 2008 at 4:06 pm | Link
I’ve had the same issues, the 17″ laptops bend all the time, it’s a major design flaw. The cases are made to be light, not sturdy. I took mine in to be repaired, and they did actually cover it, but said they would only do it this time, as a favor. I make documentaries, carry it in a steel reinforced backpack case, and it still bows under its own weight. It isn’t just a cosmetic issue, eventually the bowing will damage the logic board. So….
lee on December 5th, 2008 at 1:20 pm | Link
The purpose of a manager is to make annoying customers feel important.
It works most of the time.
if your MacBook is like this from day one, get it exchanged.
if it happen later, that is definitely not covered by the warranty, and it make sense.
bob on December 21st, 2008 at 3:48 pm | Link
I’ve got the same bowing problem(it’s only very slight, and even on both sides, but i’m worried about it’s future!), and i’ve been insanely careful with this thing (as a student, shelling out 3500 dollars will MAKE you be careful). I have to say, the over-defensive behaviour of some mac loyalists annoys me. I love my mac, i really do. Way better than any PC i’ve ever had, but this is not a cheap product. These sorts of problems are ridiculous in a product so expensive. I can appreciate that apple will make mistakes (and i’m definitely not saying they’re worse than any you’d encounter on a PC), but this should be covered. I honestly feel like the ones who jump on this and attack people because of the problems with their mac have an inferiority complex and are terrified of mac getting a bad reputation for that reason. It’s incredibly silly. Nobody here is saying they hate their mac. Honestly, do you think if you admit there are problems apple will disappear into oblivion? or are you just scared that your pricey status symbol investment will lose it’s luster when your pc loving friends point out that you spent a buttload of cash on it? and why do i feel like every one of you dresses like members of the jonas brothers? well aren’t you hip!
it’s just hilarious watching people get personally offended because someone thinks their macbook isn’t 100% top notch. I expect some problems, and I also expect mac to fix them. For god’s sake, this isn’t your first born people.
apple isn’t perfect, deal with it and help them get better by not putting up with this crap. Hiding problems isn’t gonna sell anymore macbooks! I feel like i’m watching moron children in a sandbox.
.
Reality Check on January 5th, 2009 at 3:05 pm | Link
one more thing, the person that said that since they didn’t get a desktop instead of a macbook is some sort of indication that they are lying is insane. OMG! the audacity of someone to take their portable computer off of the desk! how dare they? don’t they know they are for decoration???! you’re supposed to show them to your poor friends and watch them salivate totally on the basis of some goofy mac vs. pc commercials!
honestly, these things aren’t cheap. I’d love to have a desktop, but i cannot afford one. I am a student, although i usually don’t bring it to class (and haven’t yet, it’s new) i may on occasion need to and enjoy the flexibility of being able to use it in both capacities. Now obviously for that reason it would make sense to go portable rather than desktop despite it not being a daily occurence. It’s nice that you have such means that you don’t have to think about that moneybags mcgee! but not all of us have that luxury. Versatility is important, and having a portable device does not immediately imply that we’re taking the thing jogging. I imagine many non students feel the same way, why buy a desktop when you can only afford one computer? it’s certainly more versatile. And why waste space with a larger model when you can get buy with a laptop? again, i’m glad you can fit all these extra gadgets in your hilltop mansion.
Reality Check on January 5th, 2009 at 3:15 pm | Link
to Reality Check
I agree.
That s why, topcases and bottom cases are by default parts that are not covered by the warranty as in most cases only external chocs are the problem that damages them. So, exactly like any other brands, you have to explain that the computer never had any external chocs, and even sometimes Applecare will ask you to send some pictures of the MacBook to prove it. This way, the tech support guy will in most cases override the ‘non warranty label’ from the bottom and top case by creating an exception in the system and attach the pictures to your case.
bob on January 5th, 2009 at 3:32 pm | Link
Yes you are correct I did lie, as the other guy said I took it joggin’ with me on a daily basis… I did not see fit to take it anywhere as to not move it because at work I am supplied with another computer. Yea im sure I took it in the kitchen…. im sure I hooked it into the living room tv to try out some functions… what I am saying is that at the time I didnt take it to class, work or to any other functions… No need to… As for all the other people that have replied saying “This isnt a common problem…” Get a freaking life you morons… Read… learn to use google. … its quite a good tool… I think I originally found this site through google… So you damn retarded internet nerds… go outside and communicate with the real world… Its really hurting your thought process… Sad thing is thats if it was you.. would you feel the same way? YEA… other people have experienced the same thing… Like I said before there were no scratches, dents, or dings… Aircraft aluminum scratches/dents by sitting it on a table… get a life. bunch of rejects… Guess society never will accept you… ONCE AGAIN READ WHAT THE URL OF THIS SITE IS… this site was created to help consumers with problems… Go find another site to post your BS comments.
William Maurer on May 16th, 2009 at 9:27 pm | Link
hahaha
that is a frustrated message..;
poor thing, your macbook is bended..
sorry, gotta life, gotta go, but feel free to continue posting as your macbook seems to be your life
by the way, the url of the site does not matter, people can say what they think, go set up your own private blog if you re not happy with it.
bob on May 17th, 2009 at 3:16 am | Link
Interesting thread, but it is REALLY hard to read the Apple apologists who seem to think that Apple can do no wrong and that any damage to a Macbook Pro MUST be the fault of the laptop owner. Reminds me of fanatic religious fundamentalists who go around proclaiming that the Bible is perfect and the minute you point out a few obvious contradictions, mistranslations, or inconsistencies, they assume you are EVIL!
Well, I’ve been in the PC industry since I worked for Price Waterhouse in San Jose in 1979. I joined IBM in Boca Raton in 1984 and worked for them as a PC expert for 12 years. I’ve owned well over a dozen laptops since my first in 1988. Over 21 years, you get a very good feel for what kind of use a normal laptop can withstand. And it took me exactly three days of mild use to put a dent in my brand new MacBook Pro a year ago. That annoyed me, but the laptop still worked so I simply vowed to treat it as if it were made of one of the softest metals known to man (hey, wait a minute - IT IS!) and to make do with it. Well, over the next year, the case warped, as described here, which caused the dent to make the screen display go bezerk and quit working. What’s more, the CD slot warped and interfered with removal of the CD that was in there. I had to pry the slot open just to get the CD out! Sheesh!
So Apple should admit its design error (which it essentially has with its new unibody design and how it’s promoting it) and more importantly, make it right for those of us who have suffered the loss of a valuable laptop (and thousands of dollars) because of the design flaw.
If they won’t do that, then those of us who have the facts on our side and have suffered damage should join together in a class action lawsuit. Just send me an e-mail to webworking at gmail dot com if you’ve had similar problems with your MacBook. And if you haven’t had problems with your MacBook, don’t bother to e-mail me about how wonderful Apple. I already agree that the Mac OS X is the best OS I’ve ever seen. But the MacBook Pro is the worst laptop case I’ve ever used - by far - and I’m obviously not the only one who believes that. I hope to hear from you if you have relevant experience.
All the best,
Dave
My Macbook Pro has suffered the same issue and now cds/ dvds will not eject without trying to unbend the case above the drive slot. I am taking the mac into a store in a few weeks when I am back from austrailia but my guess is they will tell me its a chargable repair, and I bet they won’t admit there design fault.
Stempy on August 11th, 2009 at 1:36 am | Link
My MBP 15″ is 40 days old. Forty freaking days. I picked it up with one hand on the lower left palm rest with the lid open. I felt a pop. On the LED area near the battery button is a small dent. It looks like it was pinched. I called Apple and started a case. The rep referred me to the “Genius Bar”. Unfortunately, it’s a hundred mile round trip for me. No problem. I love my pro. I drove it happily. The moron behind the counter told me it “apparently had an impact”. He basically called me a liar and wanted to ship it away for a possible $600 repair. I went home and took the bottom lid off expecting to push it out from the inside. The “unibody” was surprisingly minimal in this area. I guess to save weight, they milled out most of the aluminum. I understand this. But the body is very light duty looking. I picked it up with one hand and it bent under it’s own weight. Give me a break. For the money we paid, we should be happy. Apple has succeeded in turning another customer away. This is the last apple core I’ll ever buy.
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bookieagentcallcentersolution on September 22nd, 2009 at 12:08 am | Link
Yeah. I noticed the top bending just a little. It bothered me, but I never realized it was an actual issue.
My MAIN concern is that the casing the the left of my mouse on my Macbook Pro has this really strange wear to it. There’s about 4 tiny indented holes in a vertical line maybe about 2cm apart from each other. I’m assuming this has formed from my hand being there and typing. But there’s nothing on the right hand side to agree with that. It really bothers me, because I don’t think it’s a normal rate of wear.
Then the side somehow got dented on the left where that little slot is. :[
I’m going to call them today to see if they can fix anything, because this is just silly.
Scruffs on September 24th, 2009 at 2:03 am | Link
I sort of miss the days before Apple moved to Intel and everyone including their grandma now owns an ipod or an iphone. I’m sure because of the supply and demand of their machines Apple’s customer service is going to be heading downhill and you have people like this, managing one of their stores..which is not a surprise, and which is why that as an Apple customer since 1994 until this year I am considering a purchase of windows 7 and building my own pc (which I have learned can also run mac os with just a few tweaks, and at almost half the cost.) I’ll share a story of how Apple support worked almost 8 yrs ago. I’ve purchased a lot of computers from Apple and a few monitors, one being their 17 B&W Apple Studio Display, and I had it for 3-4 yrs when it all of a sudden it went dead. I had never moved it, dropped it, or anything. I give Apple a call (before they even had a genius bar) and over the phone I found out the display was out of warranty and apple care. The lady I spoke to in Cupertino said they were getting a lot of complaints about those monitors dying after 3 yrs, and she said that because of that they would just have to replace the board inside. Apple sent me a box in which I sent in the display (and this thing was huge and weighed a lot too, it wasn’t the flat panel ones like today) and they fixed and returned back to me less than 2 weeks. No cost to me whatsoever. I guess back then they were the underdog trying to keep their customers… well, those days are obviously over and I have seen how service has changed over the past 3 yrs. I’ve spent thousands on them, even own stock. Apple may have beautiful products, but they won’t be getting a dime from me in 2010.
Ralph on January 11th, 2010 at 12:11 pm | Link
I bought a MacBook Pro back in November which I regret due to the Freaking April 2010 update. But any-who I just realized that the “RIGHT SIDE” of my Laptop is a few centimeters off and those not aline with the bottom. ( what’s Up with the Right Side of theses things I agree with Peter Lei “Aircraft material my ass”) I hate the fact that I did not notice this any sooner but I an going to try to take it in to an Apple Store in NYC to see what they tell me. But first I will call Apple since I bought it within the Apple store but online due to the fact that I got the one with anti-glare (with was free like 1 year and a half ago!!. I hope they can swap it for a upgrade which I know it’s wishful thinking. but wish me luck
Adolfo on May 26th, 2010 at 11:59 pm | Link
1st of all , to most of you complaining about the quality of apples items - I’ve purchased an iMac 24 inch from a 3rd party store selling Apple products, but purchased it brand new. I got it home and the screen or “glass” was cracked on the right side and was clearly indicative of shipping damage. I returned it and they swapped it out without question. I made sure to check this one before taking it home. So you simply must open the boxes of whatever you but, in front of everyone in the store, and in front of the manager, and person selling it to you, (I quite enjoy this because it shows everyone else in the store that perhaps Apple ISNT PERFECT) and make sure it’s as it should be.
2nd, I have the 17inch MBP late 2007 (before the unibody’s) and my screen is completely jacked up, when closed there is atleast a 1CM gap on the left side. I took this into Apple and they said that it was probably from me carrying the laptop in a backpack, with the screen against my back (instead of the battery facing my back) This being a superduty backpack that I spent $90 on FROM APPLE’s store with a furry lined laptop pouch in the back of the pack. Anyway, they took it to the back to “mess with the screws” they said sometimes loosening or tightening them will fix it. Nothing repaired it, and I continue to have cosmetic issues with this laptop. Greatest machine I’ve ever used, but not a very smart design. I’d say the point to this post is that everyone forgets that little thing called “wear and tear” and they expect it not to happen just because they spent 4,000 on their state of the art laptop. Well, 3 years down the road from any point in time, nothing is “state of the art” so it’s to be accepted, and dealt with.
Matt Binder on August 7th, 2010 at 1:23 pm | Link