This blog entry for example… $900 to replace a hard drive? Let’s look at that:

Highest rated 320GB laptop hard drive on the market: $170

The time it takes to remove and replace 29 screws, 2 connectors, and a piece of tape: $730

Wait, what?

First, let’s forget about any issues of “it will void your warranty!”, or, “I would never do that, you have to really know what you’re doing and you could break something!”. For whatever reason you want, you won’t do it and you send it to Apple. Fine. But look, it really is just screws and a couple connectors and some tape:

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac/MacBook-Pro-17-Inch-Core-Duo/Hard-Drive-Replacement/87/8/

Now I’m not an Apple Certified Repair Center, but digging around in a laptop is nothing new to me, nor is it the least bit difficult. (No matter what you think, it’s just parts put together with screws for the most part.) It took me ~20 minutes to upgrade my MBP hard drive.

20 minutes.

Now lets assume that a certified technician who has done this job countless times is a bit more efficient than I am and can do it in 15 minutes. (You can do it in 10, but we’ll give a margin here and say that they are extra special careful.)

$730 for 15 minutes of work. That’s an hourly rate of $2,920.

Hell, lets say that it takes them a half hour of processing on top of the actual repair time. 45 minutes is now a more reasonable hourly rate of $973 per hour.

How about RAM?

To upgrade from 2GB to 4GB when you are ordering, they charge $400. 3 weeks ago it was $700. Really.

Now you’re only BUYING 2GB of RAM since the price you were paying for the machine already included 2GB.

Highest rated 2GB memory module: $110. Oh, wait, sorry… that’s for all 4GB… two 2GB modules, which is what they will put in your laptop for $400.

Labor: $280 (used to be $580) for taking the battery out, removing 4 screws, and… oh, wait. That’s all there is to do.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac/MacBook-Pro-17-Inch-Core-Duo/RAM/87/3/

The bottom line is: They are ripping people off. I mean this takes ‘buyer beware’ to a whole new level. 20/20 and 60 Minutes have aired stings on automotive and appliance repair operations for much less than this, and America Was Outraged.

But then we trust Apple’s prices because their advertising and customer base seem hip and quirky? It’s a business. The part we see is the marketing facade.

It’s not all just Apple, other computer companies, other industries, they all do it. I just think it’s ironic that so many people think of Apple as a Shiny Happy All About Us Customers company, but they’re stealing your non-technical friends and family members blind.

-Doc

PS: Oh, I almost forgot: The cost of a #00 screwdriver and a T6 Torx driver: $10. Including tax.

Since you had the problems (and proof) before the warranty expired, I feel that they did the right thing and this is a rarity in today’s society. Good luck with your new-ish machine…

Tek

I’m just glad to hear your issues are being taken care of!

Glad to hear it. You played it really straight. Kudos.

HA!

I sincerely hope you’re joking – but if you’re not – it’s funny anyway.

I don’t believe for one second that Steve Jobs checks that email. High level customer service reps do, and it gets things done.

As if he doesn’t get enough emails and issues to deal with every day? All he’d do for you is forward your email to customer service anyway.

I’m sure he didn’t say, “Oh no! This poor guy is having an issue, let’s make sure he gets the white glove treatment ASAP!”

And btw – every one of you has the same power as I do in this particular situation – if you EVER have a problem like I’ve been having, and Apple gives you the brush off – just write it up and let me know about it.

I’ll be happy to publish it.

Yeah, I doubt its something that is just because of the blog. It’s possible, but I really think the first guy I talked to just wasn’t very educated about his job…and the issue has clearly been an ongoing problem.

This isn’t the first case I’ve heard of where Apple fixes something like this – so I think its just a matter of getting to the right people, and I don’t think the base level customer service guys are those right people, you know?