iMechanic, Apple iPhone Repair — Attraction in Columbus

Have an air 2 Ipad. The screen cracked and I thus began exploring my options. I called Apple and their repair of the screen for the air 2 is $379. Steep, but I knew that they would be. I also know that Apple will repair correctly. So, when I called imechanic and asked the first thing they told me was "I think I've only seen one ipad air 2 in here before, so I'm not sure on the price". Should have been a red flag. They then look into it and tell me it would be $250-$300. We all know what that means when they give you a range. It is always the high end and it was for this one, $300 to have them repair it verses $379 for the Apple repair. 5-7 business days for the repair and they are a local business, so I agreed to have them repair it.

Dropped it off on a Monday and began calling to check on it that following Thursday. The part had not arrived yet. When I, of course, asked when it would arrive, they didn't know. They assumed it would be the following Tuesday (they get shipments on Tuesdays and Thursdays). Of course, I indicated that this is now beyond the 5-7 days that they had said it would take. They were sorry, but there is nothing they can do (common theme). I called back on Tuesday and they put me on hold and had to check the shipment that had arrived, so they hadn't been watching for the part, even though they had gone past the timing they had told me. He comes back, no part. "Maybe it was shipped to the office in Bloomington", he tells me. "I bet that is what happened, I'll call them and run to Bloomington today and get it", he says. So, he agrees to call me right back and let me know. A few hours pass and I get no call. I call back, it's not in Bloomington. Where is it? They don't know, it "must" be coming on Thursday. I call back on Thursday, note that they don't call to give me updates on my late, overpriced, repair. The part did not arrive on Thursday either. So, I ask, are you sure that it has been ordered? When did the supplier say it would arrive? They don't know. You see, apparently, they never know when parts will show up, they just cross their fingers and tell the customer and estimate on time that suits them. Of course, I have to wait til the following Tuesday and call them, yet again. Again, shipment there but they don't know if my part is there. I'm on hold. At this point, I'm ready to tell them to cancel if they don't have the part. The part is finally there!

So, this is at 3:30 on a Tuesday (over 2 weeks from when I dropped it off). They are open til 7, so I figure they can finish the repair on Tuesday, right? I told him I would come by around 12 on the following Wednesday to get it, of course I'm thinking that it would be done Tuesday night. I call back Tuesday night at 6:30, nope, not done. I called on Wednesday morning at 11:30, ready to go get it, not done. "It's a lengthy repair, should be done by 1"!

So, amidst all of this, I also indicated that I believe they should discount the quoted price due to their handling of this. Seemed fair to me, if they had told me 2.5 weeks at the beginning, I would have repaired it through Apple. I had been very patient. Well, it seems "the $300 price is pretty much at cost". Really? First, "pretty much" is not at cost and I don't think it is unreasonable for this to have been at cost for them, if they cared for the customer at all. He did offer to put a $30 glass protector on top of the screen for free for me. Once I found out that it adheres to the glass, I passed on that. Again, you would think if they could offer a $30 glass protector, they could offer to take $30 off. Nope. This tells me they can't move the glass protectors and pass them to unhappy customers for free.

In Summary, if you want to have to call and check continually on your repair, have the time far exceed the quoted time, pay a premium price, and have them unwilling to ensure your satisfaction, then use imechanic. Otherwise, skip. They are not...

The staff is very attentious and seems to know things, BUT, here is my experience: Came in Friday morning with a deffective screen (basically part of the screen went bad from the touch standpoint and colors). Phone and apps (which I could touch and open) were working just fine. Battery was fine as well. Screen replacement was detected to be the problem. It was supposed to be done same day by 3pm. my personal whole hypostesis was that was VAPOR may have gotten into the screen. But this was NOT confirmed.

Here is where the problem starts: Got there at 3:10pm, and screen was not replaced. Around 4pm they were done and phone was handed to me. I paid for the service. Turned on the phone. Battery was showing 1% ... and then 13% ... and then 25% ... and then 33% ... and then 14% ... and then phone restarted. No apps would open after restart and the described cycle kept happening. Requested for a fix. They took back. By 5:10pm they came out with no solution. Had to leave the store due to personal commitments. Came back Monday by lunch time. Was told 4:30pm was going to be done. Got there by 5:15pm and they were working on the phone. No solution. Offered to give my screen back and give me a refund (was planning to take to my carrier to just buy a new phone). My screen was off somewhere and it would take 2 days to get back. Not an option for me. Offered if they could give me even an used phone for the price of the screen since it came in working (except for the screen) and no, they dont have that option. Offered if they could give me another phone since it came in "working" and I was leaving with a damaged phone that could potentially have happened during screen replacement. Answer was NO since it had water damage. Asked for any evidence on the phone of that, and they said no. Then I was offered to wait for a 15 mins cleaning, which lasted for 50 minutes AND absolutely contracditcs the "water damage" theory (why would you clean it if you already said it was water damaged?).

Long story short, they are getting one start only because:

1. the fact something happened while or was triggered by the screen replacement and they stated there was water damage for sure with absolute no evidence of it other than my hypotesis
2. the stor ehas no policy from damagings your customers and put all the costs on your shoulders.
3. absolutely no respect to agreed schedule / fix times. They got it wrong by about 2hrs on both days made me stay at the store.

I dont think anyone had any bad intentions on any of the sides, but the above is a compbination of business policy and lack of commitment to...

Update: Actually did receive my device on Sunday. However, my perfectly functioning iPod now has a small crack in the screen, and the power button, volume up button, and wifi no longer work. This place is ridiculous. Their communication is horrible and they can't seem to meet a deadline. I brought an iPod in for a new battery on December 15. He said it would be done the next day, Sunday, and they would call to let me know. Monday comes around with no call, so I call them multiple times and no answer. Call them Tuesday, no answer. On Thursday I decide to go pick it up, and they hadn't even gotten started because they said they tried to call (I had no calls from them) to get confirmation that I wanted the battery replaced. Why did they need another confirmation? She said they would get it done that evening. I called just before they closed and it wasn't done. Called again Friday afternoon and they said their batteries were defective so they needed to order a new one and it would be 5 or so days. This was to be a Christmas gift for a young kid, so we made arrangements for me to come pick it up, with the old battery put back in, Friday evening. I called before leaving and they say it isn't done but will get it done before closing. Then they called back a few minutes later and say that only the manager can do it so it will be done Saturday by noon. My husband went to get it Saturday afternoon and it's still not done! They claim that they called, yet we have no calls from them. They say it will be done tomorrow, Sunday, but I'm not counting on it. I have to drive 30 minutes to get to the store, so I would appreciate it actually being done when they say or them calling to let me know what's going on. Simply put, this place is unreliable and the service is very dissapointing. I should have trusted the bad reviews and went...