External Superdrive USB cable coming apart from drive-Manufacturing Defect?

Question

My drive is a little over a year old. SO i guess it does not fall under the limited warranty. But i have hardly used the thing. Just to install software, and that is pretty much it. Sits in the box used maybe 5 times a year.
I just used it today to install Snow and noticed that the USB cable that sticks out of the back of the drive has ripped/cracked/tore/etc from the support rubber. Looks like the cable cover they used is to hard of a plastic and the part that connects with the larger part of the cord before going into the drive cracked and then tore when the cable was bent/moved. Now i can see the metal jacket that covers the wires under the plastic.
Think if i bring it back to the apple store they will give me a new one or replace the wire. If you ask me it is a manufacturing defect. Like i said the drive is essentially Brand new condition. I have several macs and have been using them for many years. I know the difference between abuse and manufacturing defects.
What do you guys think?
Thanks

Answer 1

I, too, am having the Superdrive cracked-cable problem. Bought my Air and Superdrive 7/14/09, and I've probably used the Superdrive less than 10 times. Just noticed the cracking problem of the cable yesterday and plan to try to return it to my campus bookstore (where I bought it) tomorrow. I have AppleCare. I'm surprised about the poor quality of this cable. Very un-Apple-like. I should also add I've very careful in how I've stored the drive (I don't carry it around in my case), taking care to NOT force the cable to bend too much where it meets the drive. Still, all the outer white shielding is cracked through to the bare wire.
I DO hope that they eventually replace this with a retractable cable, as others on these discussions boards and elsewhere have hoped for. It would most-likely solve this problem (while, hopefully, not inducing a new one!).