I am absolutely furious with my iPod

Question

Hello,
After searching the support site for someone to email, all I could find was this forum. So I will put it here in hopes someone in apple support notices it. If so, please email me so we can get this sorted out.
I bought a 40 Gig iPod, in the early months of 2005 sometime. (Not sure when, but I can go back to the store and get a copy of the receipt if needed)
I loved it. It was the best product I’ve ever owned, while it worked... One day I looked at my iPod, to see the dreaded sad iPod face. No problem, I still had the 90-day warrantee.
So I pay the $40-dollar shipping fee, and get another iPod. I was surprised with awesome service, as they were quick to send the box and also quick to send it back to me. It was good.
So couple weeks after, in fact 2 to be exact, I get the sad iPod face again. Now there was a warrantee on their repair, so I paid another $40 dollar shipping fee, and this time it took a little longer to get the iPod back but it worked.
Let’s fast forward to now. I am getting the sad iPod face, as well as the folder icon and low battery icon from time to time. All of which take turns infuriating me. I won’t go through the ‘send it in for repair’ nonsense again, due to the fact that both times I sent it in, I was told both were to be free of charge. I paid $479.00 CND for this iPod, plus another $80 to get it repaired twice. I will not pay another $40, plus whatever the repair charge would be, since I don’t have the warrantee anymore.
I’ve gone through all the steps that the support site has told me- ‘the five r’s’ as they call them. I’ve reset it, tried it with another plug, restarted my computer, reinstalled everything, and I’ve tried restoring it. Nothing works.
This may be a false hope; this could be a place where no one that actually works with apple comes to help, but it’s worth a shot. Calling them is a last resort, as the only phone I have is a cell phone, and the bill would be outrageous.
I am a 17-year-old kid from Ontario Canada, going to university next year. I was looking at converting to a Mac as my main computer and buy a power book as well, but if this is what I have to go through to get some service, I may change my mind.
Thank you for your time.
Mike Smith

Answer 1

Calling or going to an Apple Store is probably your best bet. Otherwise you can submit info here: http://www.apple.com/feedback/ though it's usually a one way form.. they don't usually reply.
Maybe it's a Canada thing, but I've had my ipod sent out for repair (under warranty) and have never paid anything at all. I've even had parts replaced (one headphone was dead when I bought mine) and I filled out the form here: http://depot.info.apple.com/ipod/ and in 2 days received new headphones and already paid packaging to mail my defective part back to them. Ask to speak to the manager at the Apple store, you will probably get further (both stores seem to be in Toronto... hope you're nearby).