Right to repair and choices for cheaper repairs


The Wall Street Journal investigated repairing two Mac laptops inoperable with water damage. Joanna Stern shopped the computers around and found Apple and an Apple authorized repair shop cost nearly as much as a new computer. The prospects were worse when considering the value of an older computer.

See, with no AppleCare+ to cover accidental damage, Apple said it would repair the machine in five to seven days…for $999. Nearly its original price! The Apple Genius said buying a new laptop would probably make more sense.
Then I brought it to an independent repair shop. It was fixed within a day…for $325.

It’s exactly what Apple and various tech companies don’t want you to do. It’s exactly what proponents of the â€"Right to Repair” want to make it easier to do.

The argument is right to repair gives customers options. Apple, and other makers, argue it's too dangerous to give their customers the option to repair the devices they own themselves or through non-authorized channels. While there may be some merit to the argument at times, generally, the reputation of independent repair shops speaks for itself. Generally, independent shops manage to make repairs using pirated schematics and salvaged components from used devices.

Stern brought her computers to Louis Rossmann's repair shop in New York City. Rossmann runs a popular YouTube channel where he shares his repair knowledge and generally lambasts opponents to the right to repair. He posted a video recapping the WSJ article and provided his own commentary.