I scored an open box 1.25GHz MDD at ChumpUSA on Oct 8, ’04 for what seemed like a pretty good price at the time…, it was purchased with AppleCare as a condition of sale. They (CUSA) supposedly “registered” the computer and AppleCare to me at the point of sale, and the computer’s serial number was even entered as part of AppleCare listing on the receipt. I was told not to send in any AppleCare documentation as CUSA was taking care of it. This seemed pretty similar to Apple’s own “auto enroll” feature for concurrently purchased AppleCare with a CPU purchase, so no apparent cause for alarm. CUSA assured me that the three years of AppleCare would be effective as of the date of my purchase after I asked specifically about that, since I’m used to seeing the “effective date” listed on open box items at MacMall.

I figured CUSA knew what they doing since the paperwork tracked, and then got the MDD home where I was going to set it up for a client that needed a dual boot (9/X) machine for a database server. I also bought a 512MB stick of RAM on the same invoice with the CUSA MDD, to put it in my own main MDD (in favor of two 256MB sticks that I then went to put in the CUSA MDD). While taking the CUSA MDD out of the box, and opening the door to install the RAM, I heard a rattling sound, and found a small electronic component lying loose on the base of the MDD’s interior. The MDD booted successfully into both 9 and X after each 256MB stick was installed, so I wasn’t overly concerned; yet.

The client then changed their mind after I already bought the MDD, and decided to wait on upgrading their database server. I figured the client would eventually need it anyway, so I put the CUSA MDD away for safekeeping. A few months later I bought a matching pair of 512MB’s for my main MDD, and did a two-for-one swap, maxing out my main MDD at 2GB, and moving the swapped out 512MB to the dormant CUSA MDD. Again, the CUSA MDD booted successfully into both 9 and X after the RAM was installed, and I put it back on the shelf, so I still wasn’t overly concerned; yet…

The saga continues in AppleCare Hell; Part II

I quit clicking after the first post. An interesting story doesn't need gimmicks.

I like this format. If you don't need to go further, you need not click for the next post.

Bravo! But no Bravo for CrapUSA when you learn about their possibly illegal manuevers.

Link to PArt two for those catching up like me...

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