[AndyJPartridge]

Good customer support experience:

My laptop went wonky, and it appeared to me to be the HDD.

Took it into Apple store, they agreed and quoted me £156 for replacement HDD. I happily agreed.

Next morning, they called to say it was ready. When I went to collect I was handed another bill for £40 for the HDD cable. Again, I was happy about that £196 to fix a ~£2000 laptop.

They then told me, no sir, it's just the £40. The HDD turned out to be fine.

They COULD have merrily charged me the £196 and I'd have been quite happy. Very honest of them.

[bruceboughton]

To charge you £196 would surely have been fraud.

[bonzoesc]

That's standard operating procedure at most computer repair chains.

Edit: if they don't also end up replacing the main logic board due to failure to troubleshoot.

[protomyth]

Every time I hear "replaced main logic board", I just assume they didn't actually know what the problem was. Had an iMac at an Apple authorized independent service center (not owned by Apple) and they replaced the main logic board, then assorted other parts. Finally changed the graphic board and all was well with the world. Lucky, it was under warranty.

[bonzoesc]

I had the last model of iBook with notoriously bad memory controller, and a MacBook that had sleep problems, and the MLB was the smallest replaceable part.

Still smaller than the part replaced when the display on my iPad developed a discoloration; walked out of there with a whole new unit.

[protomyth]

Oh I'm not saying it isn't needed sometimes, it just seems like the code word for "no clue" or "nuke it from orbit, only way to be sure". It has just happened to me way too often to not be a little suspicious.

I would love to get the figures on the "whole unit iPad repair / sell old one has refurbished".