I have a problem with my new Powerbook G4. It's a subtle problem, and
I (and my sysadmin) have traced it to a hardware fault in the ethernet
chips. It doesn't stop my machine working, but it reduces the
functionality.

However, Apple is being VERY uncooperative in helping me. I called the
support line, and after an hour of me explaining the problem to a
customer service rep, I was transferred to an "engineer." Now the
engineer is asking me to do a huge amount of testing on my machine,
and answer a huge number of (mostly) useless questions, most of which
I've already answered before.

I paid >$2700 for this machine. I've been a loyal Apple customer for
over a decade. I've been sold a defective machine, and they won't replace
it.

What I want to know is this: how can I get in touch with someone with
the authority to order a replacement machine (or motherboard -- that's
all that needs to be replaced.) I've already spoken to the customer
rep, and to the apple engineer.

Preferrably this would be someone keen to appease a disappointed
customer who's spent >$10,000 on Apple over the years. When my father
was alive, he used to own a fancy sportscar. He was having trouble
getting parts for it at his local dealer, and finally looked up the
CEO's name in the phonebook and wrote him a letter; the new parts
arrived in a week. This is the kind of solution I'm looking for here,
although I know that Steve Jobs isn't in the phone book and probably
(?) won't read my mail.

Please have some experience (preferrably, you work/worked there) with
Apple & its tech support, so you know what the hierarchy is and how I
can navigate it. For good answers I tip well.

Do you have AppleCare? If so, you can tell Apple this and they will
give you an easier time.

You can also try going to your local Apple retailer and complaining.

I don't have Apple Care, although I don't think it's relevant in this
case (the ethernet was DOA.)

I bought this online from Apple, not at a retailer. Will they still
help me?

I bought a powebook G4 also.  The logic board was defective from day
one; after speaking to about four people, they replaced it.  Problems
persisted, and after numerous phone calls, emails, and letters,
they've finally agreed to replace the unit (after almost a month and a
half of frustration).  I've spoken to a number of people who have
dealt with 100s (sometimes 1000s) of machines and they've all lamented
Apple's sorry reputation when it comes to defective products----its
apparently very hard to get anything.

Anyway, here are the 'higher ups' I've dealt with and their contact
info:

If you live in Canada, Gail Bartlett is manager of customer relations
(and has the authority to replace).  905.513.5809 or
bartlett.g@apple.com.

In the states, Amy Angenelli is somewhere up the ladder in what they
call Executive Relarions.  408.974.9293

Their supervisor is Jeanne Toulouse.  Everyone I've spoken to has
refused to give me her email or phone (to discourage us from trying I
suspect), but her mailing address is
Apple Computer
Attn. Jeanne Toulouse-- Senior Director of World-Wide Customer Care
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA   95014

Good Luck, I expect (unfortunately) that you'll need it.

Thank you very much for your response! I'll give it a shot.

I'm very surprised by Apple's bad reputation in this area. It's quite
disappointing coming from a company that I otherwise have respect for.

I can only add that this phenomenon (Apple's poor response to
defective products) was the object of a complaint by no less a person
than Steve Wozniak. In an interview that he gave to MacAddict (June
1997), he noted that he typically bought 50 of any new product sold by
Apple for the sole purpose of checking the quality. If he found a
problem, it would usually be replicated in every one of the machines
he had purchased, and Apple could not claim that he had got, in
effect, a "bad Apple." He also complained that it took months for
Apple to fix returned machines.

hlabadie-ga

Thanks very much to everyone who answered my question; it seems that
Apple's problem is not limited to me alone. Perhaps any Apple execs
reading this might take a hint?