Hi Everyone,
This is my first macrumors.com posting! Nice to meet you, *wave, wave*.
Im a pretty indecisive person so the questions Ive been grappling with over the past few weeks have been pretty overwhelming! (Sorry for the long posting, but please read it. I need your help!)
Basically, heres the dilemma. My 12 Powerbook (bought in Aug 2003) stopped liking me sometime ago (about a year) and has been giving me kernel panics. Now I get them 2-3 times a day! (In fact, Im writing this posting in Word so I can save it because Ive had 2 kernel panics while writing this! Darn, I hope I can get something for it on eBay.) So it is definitely time to move on especially since Ive been to the Apple Store several times and they always have a different story as to how to fix it. And no I dont have Apple Care. (Most recently they told me it would cost $350 just to send it to CA to look at!! Forget that!)
So after reading several macrumors.com postings =) Ive decided to order a 14 iBook with Apple Care protection and a 60 GB iPod (w/ $179 education mail-in rebate). Problem is that I want to order an iBook special order with 80 GB (I need the extra 20 GB for all my graphic design stuff and Im terrified of external drives, have heard they die on people! Yikes!). The Apple Store in the mall wont do special orders in store so I have to order it online.
I heard that the Apple Credit Card is offering 120 days same as cash so I applied for it online and got approved for only enough to cover the laptop. But in order to get the $179 iPod rebate I have to order them both at the same time. Therefore I have to use 2 credit cards. Apple Online accepts only 1 credit card. Same goes for 1-800-My-Apple.
So I sauntered over to the Computer Store on campus. The people there were very friendly and helpful and offered to do a special order and use 2 credit cards. They also offered to call up Apple Credit Card and see if I could get 120 days same as cash even though its not directly from Apple. But they said No. So I waited a few days for inspiration to decide for me. Got worried about waiting (Sept 24th is last day for rebate and PB is failing) and so ordered from the Computer Store on campus, put down 10 percent, and walked away with a new 60 GB iPod.
Then this morning I got a call from Apple Credit Card saying that guess what? They got a call from someone (the computer store?) and now they can up my limit to just barely cover 14 iBook plus Apple Care plus 60 GB iPod. So now I can order it online. Good news and bad news. I called up the Computer Store and they said theyd cancel my order and refund my 10 percent down payment if I brought in the new 60 GB iPod that I would receive from the online order (I already opened the iPod I brought home from the store). But now Im wondering if its worth it to order it online anymore. I would save $120 tax plus $100 in finance charges and might be able to use a coupon code if I can find an unused one on this website. However Id have to go through the hassle of canceling my order from the Computer Store (plus my guilt that they went through all that trouble and didn't land a sale).
THE DECISION: I need to decide whether to order from Apple Education Online Store or from the Computer Store on campus. I NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO ASAP! (Because Ill have to cancel the order at the Computer Store very soon if I decide to do so!)
Online Advantages:
No Tax (saves $120)
Maybe use coupon?
120 days same as cash financing (Saves about $100 or so)
Can charge everything to one finance-free card (refund $ to other CC used in down payment)
Less worry about whether the iPod rebate will be verified (no split payments and also direct from Apple)
Online Disadvantages:
Hassle of canceling order at Computer Store & bringing back new online iPod
May not get Apple Care (I heard that if Apple notices that its sent to a FL address they cancel the Apple Care? Call and check?)
Must wait longer to get computer (comes from China, 1-2 weeks)
Can only talk to Apple Customer Service if there are problems
Purely speculation, but I hear that some iBooks are screwy and maybe direct from China iBooks are more screwy than if you order it from the store?
In Store Advantages:
Get computer faster (Next Tuesday, Sept. 20)
Direct people I can talk to if I have any problems
Can order more products now on my increased limit Apple credit card since I've already charged part of my order to another card (Can order Apple Mouse and Keyboard and cases for iPod and iBook)
In Store Disadvantages:
Wont get same-as-cash financing (Will lose about $100+)
Must pay Tax (Will lose about $120)
Must go to school to pick it up (not shipped directly)
P.S. Once I make my decision Ill post what option I decided to go with! Thanks for your help!
This is my first macrumors.com posting! Nice to meet you, *wave, wave*.
Im a pretty indecisive person so the questions Ive been grappling with over the past few weeks have been pretty overwhelming! (Sorry for the long posting, but please read it. I need your help!)Basically, heres the dilemma. My 12 Powerbook (bought in Aug 2003) stopped liking me sometime ago (about a year) and has been giving me kernel panics. Now I get them 2-3 times a day! (In fact, Im writing this posting in Word so I can save it because Ive had 2 kernel panics while writing this! Darn, I hope I can get something for it on eBay.) So it is definitely time to move on especially since Ive been to the Apple Store several times and they always have a different story as to how to fix it. And no I dont have Apple Care. (Most recently they told me it would cost $350 just to send it to CA to look at!! Forget that!)
So after reading several macrumors.com postings =) Ive decided to order a 14 iBook with Apple Care protection and a 60 GB iPod (w/ $179 education mail-in rebate). Problem is that I want to order an iBook special order with 80 GB (I need the extra 20 GB for all my graphic design stuff and Im terrified of external drives, have heard they die on people! Yikes!). The Apple Store in the mall wont do special orders in store so I have to order it online.
I heard that the Apple Credit Card is offering 120 days same as cash so I applied for it online and got approved for only enough to cover the laptop. But in order to get the $179 iPod rebate I have to order them both at the same time. Therefore I have to use 2 credit cards. Apple Online accepts only 1 credit card. Same goes for 1-800-My-Apple.
So I sauntered over to the Computer Store on campus. The people there were very friendly and helpful and offered to do a special order and use 2 credit cards. They also offered to call up Apple Credit Card and see if I could get 120 days same as cash even though its not directly from Apple. But they said No. So I waited a few days for inspiration to decide for me. Got worried about waiting (Sept 24th is last day for rebate and PB is failing) and so ordered from the Computer Store on campus, put down 10 percent, and walked away with a new 60 GB iPod.
Then this morning I got a call from Apple Credit Card saying that guess what? They got a call from someone (the computer store?) and now they can up my limit to just barely cover 14 iBook plus Apple Care plus 60 GB iPod. So now I can order it online. Good news and bad news. I called up the Computer Store and they said theyd cancel my order and refund my 10 percent down payment if I brought in the new 60 GB iPod that I would receive from the online order (I already opened the iPod I brought home from the store). But now Im wondering if its worth it to order it online anymore. I would save $120 tax plus $100 in finance charges and might be able to use a coupon code if I can find an unused one on this website. However Id have to go through the hassle of canceling my order from the Computer Store (plus my guilt that they went through all that trouble and didn't land a sale).
THE DECISION: I need to decide whether to order from Apple Education Online Store or from the Computer Store on campus. I NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO ASAP! (Because Ill have to cancel the order at the Computer Store very soon if I decide to do so!)
Online Advantages:
No Tax (saves $120)
Maybe use coupon?
120 days same as cash financing (Saves about $100 or so)
Can charge everything to one finance-free card (refund $ to other CC used in down payment)
Less worry about whether the iPod rebate will be verified (no split payments and also direct from Apple)
Online Disadvantages:
Hassle of canceling order at Computer Store & bringing back new online iPod
May not get Apple Care (I heard that if Apple notices that its sent to a FL address they cancel the Apple Care? Call and check?)
Must wait longer to get computer (comes from China, 1-2 weeks)
Can only talk to Apple Customer Service if there are problems
Purely speculation, but I hear that some iBooks are screwy and maybe direct from China iBooks are more screwy than if you order it from the store?
In Store Advantages:
Get computer faster (Next Tuesday, Sept. 20)
Direct people I can talk to if I have any problems
Can order more products now on my increased limit Apple credit card since I've already charged part of my order to another card (Can order Apple Mouse and Keyboard and cases for iPod and iBook)
In Store Disadvantages:
Wont get same-as-cash financing (Will lose about $100+)
Must pay Tax (Will lose about $120)
Must go to school to pick it up (not shipped directly)
P.S. Once I make my decision Ill post what option I decided to go with! Thanks for your help!