WORSE customer service I have ever received.
I have been a customer at MacWorks for several years. I always took my computer to them for repairs, and even recommended them to some of my friends. After being a customer and spending a fair about of money you think I would be treated better than what they treated me.
The backlight on my 2009 macbook burnt out, so I took it to macworks to get fixed. They told me that my backlight had burnt out and it would need to be replaced. So I asked them how much it would cost and they told me about $290, and that was IF they could find me a part.
Fast forward to a half a week later and they call me to tell me that they "looked"at my computer and told me the same exact thing all over again. Your backlight is out, we need to replace it, it'll cost this much, but this time he goes your computer is only worth $300 so it wouldn't really be worth it to replace.
After we got off the phone I started researching how much a new computer would cost, and started doing some price comparisons. I found that at the Apple Store a new macbook pro with a student discount would be $99, so I called MacWorks to see if they could match the price or if they could give any discounts if I traded in my computer. They told me first off that the Macbook Pro that I was wanting to purchase was a "poorly made model" and that I should instead buy the more expensive one. Then I asked about student discounts, price matching, and cost differentiation for trading in my old model. The rude man on the phone told me that they don't give student discounts, that their prices were already matched with the Apple Store, and that they wouldn't give me any discount unless I transferred my data onto the new computer from my old one and if they got to keep my old one. How unethical!! Also he told me that since they couldn't "see my screen" they would have to open up my computer to even transfer anything, which would make the data transfer more expensive. (The Apple Store found this amusing, because they were able to transfer the data by plugging in both machines without ever having to look at the screens)
At this time I also did some research to see if I could find that part that I needed cheaper so I could possibly go elsewhere to have it fixed. I found on IFixit that the part I needed was only $29.95 brand new and $19.95 used, this means that MacWorks was trying to charge me 10 times what the part was actually worth. So I printed out my findings and went to the store to pick up my computer unannounced. I showed the owner how upset I was that they were trying to charge me so much for a part that only costs $29.95. The owner then tried to tell me how I was wrong for even thinking that, because their prices were "matched with apple's repair for the genius bar" and that if I bought that part and brought it in they would replace it, but if it went wrong it would be all my fault.
Finally they brought out my computer and I opened it, and they told me it would be $50 for "diagnostics and testing". I told them how the hell did you do any diagnostics and testing when my computer was completely dead because they didn't charge the battery when they had it for 2 weeks, and because they never opened it. They told me I had to pay the $50 because I had signed the paperwork contractually binding me to it, and I wouldn't be able to take my old computer home with me.
In summary: Do not take your computer to Austin MacWorks, they are untrustworthy and they will completely screw you over with pricing. They have lost my business, and I will tell everyone I know not to go there. If you're going to buy a new computer the Apple Store is the way to go, and they will hook you up with whatever it is that you need to purchase. read more
