Apple fixes two eMacs for free

[Mike Richardson]

Typing this on a 1.42 GHz eMac, one of four I got in a pallet along with other stuff for about $25 total.

Apple has fixed two eMacs free of charge after I called their support line and spoke to a supervisor. The 1.42 GHz board was out of stock but they found it somewhere and had it shipped in. I also have a 1.25 GHz that was fixed for free. Both would boot and freeze immediately and you could see the bulging capacitors on the board.

One was outside of the serial number range and the other one was older than three years old but the supervisor at Apple got the free repairs pushed through anyway.

I am keeping the 1.42 GHz and maybe even another one. These are great litle Macs that work perfectly now! Thanks Apple!

 

[Quadraman]

They most likely did it because the eMacs have known issues that Apple originally refused to cover under warranty until they were threatened with legal action. They most likely didn't want their name in negative headlines out of fear it might impact iPhone 3G sales.

 

[Patrickool93]

The eMac repair program has been going on long before the iPhone 3G was on sale... And before the 1st Gen iPhone was introduced in fact...

 

[Mike Richardson]

What's cool is neither eMac qualified under the program but Apple fixed them anyway because they did exhibit the actual problem, which is the bulging capacitors.

 

[Mac128]

What's cool is neither eMac qualified under the program but Apple fixed them anyway because they did exhibit the actual problem, which is the bulging capacitors.

I have an SE/30 with this problem ... think they'll fix it for free? LOL

 

[Quadraman]

The eMac repair program has been going on long before the iPhone 3G was on sale... And before the 1st Gen iPhone was introduced in fact...

Do you think I don't know that? The point I was making is the timing of his warranty claim so close to the iPhone 3G launch probably had a lot to do with the claim being honored. What Apple doesn't want after the launch of a new product is someone slagging them off in the press and online that might kill sales so they did the repair to make sure no bad publicity is generated. Whether MR would have complained, I don't know, but businesses don't take risks when it comes to bad publicity killing their sales. Sourcing a couple of eMac motherboards costs a lot less than a negative newspaper headline or internet buzz. Had the iPhone 3G been an established product and Apple had no new product releases in the immediate future, it's possible the outcome might have been different.

 

[Patrickool93]

That sounds... really unlikely, but that's just me.

 

[Dan 7.1]

yeah...i'm in agreement with Patrickcool here. i don't think the iphone has any bearing on their decision to repair those machines.

in fact, i'm going to be so bold as to say thats lollable.

 

[MacDan]

Wha??

You are my hero!!! I have to try reasoning with them if I ever need to have an eMac fixed. Thanks for the example!

 

[Cory5412]

Too much longer and Apple will actually stop honoring requests to have eMacs fixed for free.

 

[Christopher]

What's cool is neither eMac qualified under the program but Apple fixed them anyway because they did exhibit the actual problem, which is the bulging capacitors.

I have an SE/30 with this problem ... think they'll fix it for free? LOL

You should try anyways.

 

[benjgvps]

What's cool is neither eMac qualified under the program but Apple fixed them anyway because they did exhibit the actual problem, which is the bulging capacitors.

I have an SE/30 with this problem ... think they'll fix it for free? LOL

Bring a hidden camera!

 

[Cory5412]

"You're on 68kMLAers Visit the Apple Store! A totally cool hidden camera show about old computers!"