Big Disappointment with iMac Intel (Late 2006) and Apple ProCare.

Question

I've been a Mac user, Mac enthusiast, and Mac advocate for over 15 years. I've owned multiple Macs. One of my latest acquisitions was an Intel iMac in October 2006.
A few weeks ago, the iMac started freezing and shutting down intermittently. After days of online discussions trying to figure out the problem, I finally ran out of patience, and took the iMac to my local Apple Store on 7/23/07.
Two days later, I was told that the Logic Board needed to be replaced. It's been two weeks, and every time I contact the Apple Store, I am told that they are still waiting for the part.
Meanwhile I am left without the main computer in my house, where I store all my documents, music, photos and videos. In addition, I have a ProCare membership, and even purchased the Extended 3-year warranty. In this age of instant communication and express delivery, I cannot understand why it would take two weeks to get a part from Apple.
I am very disappointed with the Apple Care for a company with such a high reputation for service.
What are my rights as a consumer? How long do I have to wait before they offer me a replacement. How do I go about requesting a replacement?

Answer 1

"The question still remains: How long am I going to be in repair mode before the Apple store decides to offer a replacement?"
Hello Herold Merisier!
The answer is that since each case may be different, there is no real set policy in this regard, with decision making and customer satisfaction in the hands of managers.
I'm surprised to hear that there is any difficulty at all getting that logic board. I just don't believe that there is any shortage, and it does not take two weeks to get one there, unless no one cares about you, which would be an unacceptable attitude. There must be something else at play in this situation.
I would guess that due to an inability to handle the work in-Store, the repair of your iMac has been handed over to an AASP, either to be performed at the AASP or somewhere on the Store premises.
Due to the disruption of the iPhone events, the repair of your iMac might have dropped off the radar screen of the Apple Store's Manager, and also of the Manager of the AASP. The problem may be an overworked AASP (not your fault), with some lower level employee there trying to pass the buck back to the Store through their lower level employees, and then on to you.
If such is the case, the job of Managers and Assistant Managers is to be aware of such things and manage them, therefore your circumstance is extremely disappointing. The first thing to do is not to try and lay blame, but make certain that the Store Manager is personally aware of your situation, and (unless you know it's already been done) to ask that all your paperwork details be verified - that your warranty and AppleCare are actually registered and in effect for your iMac, that your ProCare is recognized as being on the record, and that your iMac's repair is not accidentally misplaced, but will now be given Priority. In doing that, someone might discover the cause of your delay.
I would guess that the Manager of your Apple Store is also not aware of your exact situation, as it almost sounds as if the Manager is on vacation, or something very much worse:(
Considering the iMac product line and the age and needs of your iMac, the cost to Apple and the Manager of the Apple Store to fully satisfy you in this case will be absolutely negligible. If it's possible for you to speak to the Store Manager today or tomorrow, I'd be surprised if your iMac, or a replacement, isn't in your hands by Wednesday at the latest.
If you are unable to speak to the actual Store Manager, and if the Assistant Manager to whom you then speak is unable or unwilling to resolve this for you within 24 hours, you should call AppleCare's toll free number and ask to speak to an AppleCare Manager about your lack of service problem and what the bottleneck might possibly be.