Apple Macbook Pro 15" Cracked Display: Repair recommendations (Toronto)

cyberphoo · Apr 25th, 2009, 09:56 PM

My macbook pro display cracked and I need to get it repaired. I took it to an apple store and was told the warranty is voided because there was physical damage.

They are quoting ~1000 to replace the display. An authorized mac repair store also gave me a similar quote.

I got a quote from on-site computer experts who gave me a quote around ~300.

I'm looking for recommendations around where I should get my macbook pro repaired (I'm in Toronto). I don't wanna spend ~1000+ to get it repaired but I'm a bit reluctant handing it over to on-site computer experts.

Here's how my display is looking currently:

monokitty · Apr 25th, 2009, 10:00 PM

Any local Apple Store or AASP will quote you ~$1K to replace the display. Beyond that, you can perhaps look for a pre-owned display from another MacBook Pro of the same model to save some money. Regardless, it will cost at least several hundred to replace the LCD/display assembly depending on where you get the replacement part from, plus labor to install it.

HowEver · Apr 25th, 2009, 10:38 PM

There isn't a single review of expertsonsite.ca that I could find. Their address is not exactly a neighbourhood of distinction. I'm guessing it's some cat lady's basement apartment, or more likely just a mailbox. The address, the website, and the ridiculously low fee do not inspire confidence.

Sorry to hear about your loss btw. How did it happen?

If you can stand giving up portability, you could also consider a monitor/LCD for now.

Fred · Apr 25th, 2009, 11:12 PM

"at cost" the display in question is more than 300. There is no accounting for labour costs at that price. They most likely quoted you the price for scavenged parts from a used Mac to begin with. I do not recommend going that route as used parts may fail unexpectedly for other reasons not related to the original crack (like static discharge damage - every Apple certified technician is trained in matters of how to handle static-sensitive components, but the same cannot always be said about those running most self-employed PC repair shops) - and you'd still be out several hundred dollars. If you're OK with throwing several hundred dollars in to what could become a repeat service issue, go ahead, but I do not recommend it.

chas_m · Apr 26th, 2009, 12:14 AM

I second what Fred (and everyone else here) said. The company you linked to sound like they think this is a "generic PC job" at best, and I would NEVER hand a still-valuable Mac to a PC technician to fix *for any reason.*

Sorry to hear about the screen, but I think it's going to cost you a bundle no matter how you slice it.

shredder · Apr 28th, 2009, 11:22 AM

first off the people who are giving you these prices are apple certified , this is a finely tuned business and that is what they are all about. how do you think they pay for that goofy kid in the commercials.

second the people giving you the advice like fred and lars are apple techs so there is a bit of a conflict of interest here .. they will tell you this is what it costs because that is all they know and they will discredit other smaller people that they know nothing about , who are probalby engeineers and can build you a bomb if you ask nice enough.. this is a business and they are all businessmen. one should only mention their own skills and not discredit others because of the area they live in , especially having never met them.

I'm sure if you go to a GM dealer they will quote you $150 to screw in a bolt but if the same guy does it on the weekend at his house he will charge you a pack of smokes.

If you find the LCD , the labor is nothing .. 1 HR at the most

I have assembled 400 piece car transmissions and they drove 100k and beat out the factory installations but I'm sure if I compared myself to an apple tech they would say I'm not as good as them.

If you need help from a straight shooter and not someone in the business PM me.. the rest of the people are only going tell you the little they know and what apple tells them to.

Chuck · Apr 28th, 2009, 11:47 AM

My son-in-law did the replacement with instructions downloaded from the internet. The computer is still working a year later. He did take digital pictures every step just in case.

HowEver · Apr 28th, 2009, 12:04 PM

So explain how you replace a $300 part for $300--labour is free?

No, I think you're misunderstanding the ad that was referenced. I'm not an Apple tech, obviously, but I am a careful shopper.

Certified work is certified work.

	Quote:			Originally Posted by shredder
	first off the people who are giving you these prices are apple certified , this is a finely tuned business and that is what they are all about. how do you think they pay for that goofy kid in the commercials. second the people giving you the advice like fred and lars are apple techs so there is a bit of a conflict of interest here .. they will tell you this is what it costs because that is all they know and they will discredit other smaller people that they know nothing about , who are probalby engeineers and can build you a bomb if you ask nice enough.. this is a business and they are all businessmen. one should only mention their own skills and not discredit others because of the area they live in , especially having never met them. I'm sure if you go to a GM dealer they will quote you $150 to screw in a bolt but if the same guy does it on the weekend at his house he will charge you a pack of smokes. If you find the LCD , the labor is nothing .. 1 HR at the most I have assembled 400 piece car transmissions and they drove 100k and beat out the factory installations but I'm sure if I compared myself to an apple tech they would say I'm not as good as them. If you need help from a straight shooter and not someone in the business PM me.. the rest of the people are only going tell you the little they know and what apple tells them to.

Fred · Apr 28th, 2009, 02:21 PM

That's right, certified work is just that - certified. You know you're getting a good part from a good source, and getting good work done by a trained professional. I have to question where a non-certified person gets Apple-certified parts, because only Apple-certified professionals have access to the repair parts supply chain.

The only parts I can safely recommend that don't need to be Apple-certified are hard drives and RAM.

Apple certified professionals don't necessarily charge an arm and a leg for labour. For example, my store does out-of-warranty work for $75 an hour, but most repairs like hard drive replacements come as a package deal ($199 including installation - reassembly and Mac OS X installed - for a Seagate Barracuda 500GB 7200rpm SATA).

Of course, I can also do warranty work - which means - FREE! (so long as your parrot didn't eat your keyboard - no kidding, happened to a customer of mine yesterday.)

P.S. Finding instructions on the web about how to do a repair is never as good as reading the complete repair manual, which only Apple-certified professionals have 'Legal' access to.

monokitty · Apr 28th, 2009, 02:57 PM

I haven't discredited the "smaller guys" in my last reply, PS. I was just pointing out that beyond purchasing a pre-owned display or going third-party, it will cost you an enormous amount to have the damage repaired at any Apple-certified shop, locally speaking. That said, are the guys running that online business actually Apple-certified, or do they just have some experience in disassembling Mac computers?