Totally agree, a few years ago I had a 2015 27inch iMac with AppleCare which ended up getting a smudge under the display. Apple repaired it no problem.
About a year later, the stand became a little loose so over the course of the day it would end up tilting down.
Apple sympathised this was the 2nd time I had to send it in for a repair, they ended replacing with a similar specced iMac from the current year. They also give me the opportunity to upgrade any components I wanted just like if I was buying new. They also give me another 3 years of Apple Care. Ended up upgrading the CPU and GPU for about £300 and getting a brand new 2018 iMac
Obviously this is anecdotal but its things like this which keep me going back to Apple.
It depends on the person you get to help you, I think. Some friends have had faulty power supplies replaced even out of warranty but I was told they couldn't help me and I had to buy a new one. It's down to luck, I think.
100% agreed on the luck. I took my 2007 era MacBook to the Apple Store in 2009 or so for a battery that had begun to swell, and incidentally that had suffered from the notorious cracked top case issue. I had a friend that worked at the Genius Bar but he was busy with another customer so I just got luck of the draw with regard to technician.
Despite being out of the 1 year warranty without Apple Care, the woman who took my computer put in a work order to have the top case replaced and handed me a new battery off the shelf and rang it up $0.00
My friend was free as I was walking out of the store, and asked what it was I came in for. I explained about the top case and battery and when he realized I was getting the repair and replacement for free, he looked incredulous and said that he would've charged anyone for both of those without warranty or AppleCare.
About a year later, the stand became a little loose so over the course of the day it would end up tilting down.
Apple sympathised this was the 2nd time I had to send it in for a repair, they ended replacing with a similar specced iMac from the current year. They also give me the opportunity to upgrade any components I wanted just like if I was buying new. They also give me another 3 years of Apple Care. Ended up upgrading the CPU and GPU for about £300 and getting a brand new 2018 iMac
Obviously this is anecdotal but its things like this which keep me going back to Apple.