Short version: stay way they had my computer more then a month and they couldn't fix it.\r
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Long Version: It's been 15 years since I couldn't fix a computer on my own, but when a friend's cat launched itself on the desk and slid a cup of water into my MacBook Pro I knew I was going to need help. This is also the first new Apple I've ever owned and a friend later explained the importance of Apple Certified repair shops and how to look them up on Apple's website. Nerds on Call is not certified.\r
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When I brought the computer to the shop, Jason told me he would send it to their specialist in Sacramento. I use this computer for my work and needed it back in a hurry and told him so. He said he'd put a note on the order, but it would likely be 10-12 days before I got it back. A figure he repeated several times in the course of our discussion. He also told me I hear from their technician to get my approval for repairs.\r
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When I didn't hear from them I called them on day 11. I called again on day 12, and I got ahold of Tony. He told me the keyboard was the only problem with the computer, and that everything else was fine. I told him to go ahead and fix it. He told me I'd have my computer by Wednesday (10 more days). After a little back and forth about the time frame I agreed, because I thought I was getting off pretty easy for a water spill, and I just wanted my computer back, and working.\r
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Wednesday came and I called them to find out where my computer was. Tony told me they were testing the new keyboard, and if everything went ok I'd have it Friday. I called them Thursday to confirm it had been shipped, only to find out that the motherboard was bad too, and if I wanted to fix that it was going to cost more then 2/3rds the current value of the laptop. I'm not sure what the non-refundable diagnostics deposit was for given that they didn't figure out what was broken, and should have been able to if they had tested all the parts in the first place!\r
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So I asked to speak with Tony's supervisor, and I spoke with Don. I explained the situation, and the time frame. Ultimately he was unable to help me. The conversation ended with me repeating my story to Don's supervisor, Kelly.\r
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When I first spoke with Kelly, he really ticked me off by telling me that 22 days (and counting) for a repair really wasn't that long and that their only fault was that they hadn't kept me in the loop. Eventually I calmed down and I began to feel like he was trying to help. He offered me a pretty good deal on the repair, though it was basically going to be “as-is”. Given that it was going to be far more costly to go somewhere else at this point, I decided to have them do the repairs, but it was going to be another 10 days. I grudgingly agreed. Kelly called me on day 33 when they put the board in the computer and told me it was bad, and they'd have to get another logic board.\r
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He called back a couple of days later to let me know he couldn't get another logic board, because it was an upgraded board and they were “rare and hard to get”. He offered to send it back to me and give me almost a full refund including most of the non-refundable portion because of the all the problems that had occurred. I finally got my computer back, still broken, on day 40, and I got my refund on day 47.
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