Buying an MBP for use in the country with no Apple support. Help please!

I'm going to get a MacbookPro finally. First Apple in my life (eh, it's been 17 years since I've layed my hands on PC).

The only problem is that I'm from Russia and here MBPs are like $500 more expensive and no Apple support. But I was lucky to find a friend, who can buy one MBP for me in USA and bring it here. As there's no support for Apple products in Russia, I'll have no place to send my MBP it case it heats like hell, whines, moos, boos or spoils my joy of posessing it anyhow else.

Can anybody please tell me, which questions does my friend have to ask, when he buys my MBP (it will happen over internet with educational discount)? What can tests can he ask a manager at Apple to peform to ensure, that my MBP is perfect? Some commands, screen checking, keyboard check, DVD-check, battery-check??

Please, really need your help. It's my only shot and I can't miss. Otherwise I get stuck with a faulty MBP and wasted $$$$

Thanks everybody.

 

well i don't want to chrush your heart about getting a macvookpro but if there is no support in russia and given the number of problems with the models in the last couple of months i would not get an apple product... and if you do you might as well buy it off ebay, it will be cheaper but no warrenty ( won't be one if the ocmputer is new anyway).

i would get something that can be supported even if is a PC... well that's was i think, if that computer does go then you might as well through it out. that would be $2200 USD down the drain.

 

Don't listen to what Yuio said, yuio try reading the warranty information on apples site.

The Apple warranty states that anything that is mobile such as their notebook line has worldwide hardware repair or replacement support, now I'm not sure if its only for AppleCare extention or what? But I would assume the same applies for the normal one year warranty. (cashmonee might know more) The desktop line is the one that only has Apple Warrenty support in the USA and Canada.

Actually anything that is Apple and sold to another person, and if the warranty is still within its period, it can be transferred over to the new owner, the old owner just needs to contact Apple and give them the information of the new owner to transfer the warranty over.

yuio please research your advice before you give them out. thank you.

 

Well thanks guys, but I know for sure that I'll be stuck with my MBP here if something goes wrong... I called Apple representatives in Russia to be 100% sure. And that's not the point actually. Can you name me some questions, to be asked those Apple guys - my friend is a university professor and he's buying the MBP at educational store, so I think the managers will be nice to him and perform all the actions needed to be sure, the laptop is Ok. The question is - what are those actions (Apple presumes that their products are flawless so they won't perform any additional checks by themselves I guess)? For what issues should they check the laptop before sending it over?

 

1. Reads the DVDs and CDs placed into it.
2. Can connect and keep a stable connection on airport
3. the case is placed on securely all around.
4. Check screens for any dead pixels or light leakage (black screen)
5. iSight is working correctly
6. trackpad is secure, the buttons on it don't feel smushy.
7. keys on keyboard are secure.
8. light sensor is correctly working
9. speakers working correctly.
10. take out battery and push the button on it that shows how much power is in it, make sure all the leds light up, I think all batterys come fully charged.

Thats all I can think of, its just a matter of seeing if they will do all these checks.

 

Thanks a lot!

 

Gobzz,

Did you say when you called Apple they would have no support nonesoever?

Even when their warranty states that it offers worldwide repair/replacement support for portable products of theirs?

 

Well I don't know in Russia, but here in Brazil Apple only provides support to notebooks sold here (at almost 2x the price, mind you ). It seems you can get support on a "foreign" notebook if you can prove it entered the country with all taxes paid and so on. Of course, we have this problem with others manufacturers as well, Apple is not the only one to blame. If you do sue them you'd likely win, but then most people don't go that way because of all the hassle. So it is likely that Apple would refuse to support MBPs in Russia.

 

Exactly. They have something like... International Marketing Office or similar, which is not responsible for any tech-things.

 

I've owned a refurbished macbook pro for several weeks and haven't had any problems with overheating, mooing, or whining noises. It's the nicest product I've ever owned.

If your friend purchased the MBP in the US, would he be able get one with a Cyrillic alphabet keyboard?

How close are you to Finland? I would imagine Helsinki might have an Apple Store.

 

Well, I thought you might be living in St. Petersburg or near the Baltic region. Of course I really don't know how difficult it would be to purchase a computer from Finland and bring it back to Russia. I'm unfamiliar with the border and customs tax situation between the two nations.

I'm surprised that Russia doesn't have more Apple support or a better/cheaper way to buy Apple products. One would think at least major cities like Moscow, St. Petersburg, or Novosibirsk would have an Apple store or customer service center.

Of course, there are many states and areas in America that don't have access to nearby Apple Stores and service centers either.

 

What do you mean no support in Russia? What about this: http://www.apple.ru/service/

Also, I would get AppleCare with it. It has international coverage and with the educational discount your friend can get it for $100 less, I believe. You can then send it to whatever European service you prefer over Russian one if it ever needs a repair. However, I will admit that Russia is not a Mac-friendly country, and I assume you already know that...