Obviously the customer is complaining about a convoluted, possibly unfair, repair process more than trying to evade responsibility. I believe Apple has since changed their practices. The last incident I had with Apple included a free evaluation (they paid postage too) and a flat repair cost that was pretty hefty. About $200 less than a brand new computer. My guess is the estimate included the possibility of replacing the entire machine since we never discussed the possibility the machine couldn't be repaired. (but I didn't bother since it was just a banged up Ethernet port)
Anyway my personal feeling is I give a company as much respect as they give me. I admit I've tried to screw companies on warranty repair if I was either unhappy with the product or didn't like how their technical support people treated me. If a company plays it straight and fair I'll show them respect. Over a period of probably 3 years I had some awful experiences with Toshiba and I certainly will try to screw them again in the future if possible. Treat your customers with respect.
Anyway my personal feeling is I give a company as much respect as they give me. I admit I've tried to screw companies on warranty repair if I was either unhappy with the product or didn't like how their technical support people treated me. If a company plays it straight and fair I'll show them respect. Over a period of probably 3 years I had some awful experiences with Toshiba and I certainly will try to screw them again in the future if possible. Treat your customers with respect.