While I've never had a specific problem with AppleCare, that may be about to change. I bought my son a new MacBook and he sent me his old G-3 iBook. It had stopped working again (for the 4th time) so I decided to investigate the cause. The first failure was the logic board. The second and third failures were caused by defective hard drives and the final failure was the logic board again. Since we didn't purchase Applecare with the iBook, I paid for every repair.

The Apple authorized repair shop that changed the hard drive wanted $90 to return the original hard drive. Since there was sensitive data on the drive, we reluctantly paid the $90. I thought I had purchased and paid for a retail replacement of the hard drive so I didn't understand when MY hard drive became THEIR hard drive. A read of Apple's repair policy explains it all. It states: If repairing your product under your product’s warranty or extended service contract, Apple may use new, used or reconditioned parts, if permitted by the terms. If repairing parts outside of warranty or extended service contract, Apple may use new, used or reconditioned parts. Apple will retain the replaced part that is exchanged under repair service as its property, and the replacement part will become your property. Replaced parts are generally repairable and are exchanged or repaired by Apple for value. If applicable law requires Apple to return a replaced part to you, you agree to pay Apple the additional cost of the replacement item.

That's a bunch of crap and I'm surprised no one has filed a class action lawsuit against Apple, any computer reseller or an Apple authorized repair facility demanding damages. This is pure fraud. No way can a person accept a used or refurbished part as new without specific prior approval. Plus, who want's someone else's old logic board or hard drive. Call me disgruntled.

You think that is just Apple? Think again...

From Dell's repair policy:

"How will you fix my product?

We use new and refurbished parts made by various manufacturers in performing warranty repairs and in building replacement parts and systems. Refurbished parts and systems are parts or systems that have been returned to Dell, some of which were never used by a customer. All parts and systems are inspected and tested for quality. Replacement parts and systems are covered for the remaining period of the limited warranty for the product you bought. Dell owns all parts removed from repaired products. "

Also:

"During the remaining years: For the remaining period of the limited warranty, we will replace any defective part with new or refurbished parts, if we agree that it needs to be replaced. When you contact us, we will require a valid credit card number at the time you request a replacement part, but we will not charge you for the replacement part as long as you return the original part to us within 30 days after we ship the replacement part to you. If we do not receive the original part within 30 days, we will charge to your credit card the then-current standard price for that part.

They all do the same thing.