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Opinions on broken iPhone 5 please...

j.dstasio

j.dstasio

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 9, 2009
333
10
South Jersey
Hi all. I’m looking for opinions on what to do with a broken iPhone 5. I came across a broken iPhone 5, and I had planned to fix the screen & sell it. After seeing what the replacement LCD/ Digitizers cost for these ($250-300). I quickly ruled that out. I’ve checked the serial number and it does not have AppleCare+ on it. So I’m left really with a couple of options.

1. Take it in to Apple and pay $229 for an OOW refurb replacement.
2. Sell it as-is for less money.

If it’s in like new condition I could get more money for it, and would have an easier time selling it locally (Craigslist). Sold like new, I could probably get $450-500 for it (just my guess). If I leave it the way it is, I’d likely have to list it on eBay, deal with shipping, and pay fees. I’d guess in its current condition I’d still get $200-250 for it after fees & shipping. If you guys were me, what would you do?
 
j.dstasio

j.dstasio

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 9, 2009
333
10
South Jersey
I didn't buy it. I have $0 invested in it. Myself and my partner both have iPhone 5s and are happy with them, so I figured I'd sell it. I doubt I'd find a use for it if I kept it. I'd be open to trades on Craigslist, or the market place here I suppose.
 
Last edited:
BHP41

BHP41

macrumors 6502a
Jul 21, 2010
834
2
United States of America
j.dstasio said:
I didn't buy it. I have $0 invested in it. Myself and my partner both have iPhone 5s and are happy with them, so I figured I'd sell it. I doubt I'd find a use for it id I kept it. I'd be open to trades on Craigslist, or the market place here I suppose.
Click to expand...

If you found it and could get the serial number. Have you tried contacting the person that lost it?
 
H

Han Solo 1

macrumors 6502
Mar 12, 2013
495
11
BHP41 said:
If you found it and could get the serial number. Have you tried contacting the person that lost it?
Click to expand...

Maybe he didn't find a lost iPhone. Maybe he "came across" it by other means and the screen broke in the process?
 
j.dstasio

j.dstasio

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 9, 2009
333
10
South Jersey
BHP41 said:
If you found it and could get the serial number. Have you tried contacting the person that lost it?
Click to expand...

It wasn't lost by anyone. It's a bit of a long story, but I know how MR users can be about "finding" iPhones...

I work a part time gig a few hours a week fixing iPhones, iPods, and iPads for extra cash. The guy I work with owns three cell phone shops and people come in with broken screens, software problems, etc. I get them fixed up and back up and running. The guy that owns the shop also buys devices & then pays me to clear them out, check the IMEI,fix anything that may be wrong, and then he re-sells them or uses them for loaner phones for people waiting on repairs. He bought the iPhone 5 a few weeks ago. Once he found out how much the screens cost, he didn't want to bother with it & he gave me the iPhone.
 
BHP41

BHP41

macrumors 6502a
Jul 21, 2010
834
2
United States of America
j.dstasio said:
It wasn't lost by anyone. It's a bit of a long story, but I know how MR users can be about "finding" iPhones...

I work a part time gig a few hours a week fixing iPhones, iPods, and iPads for extra cash. The guy I work with owns three cell phone shops and people come in with broken screens, software problems, etc. I get them fixed up and back up and running. The guy that owns the shop also buys devices & then pays me to clear them out, check the IMEI,fix anything that may be wrong, and then he re-sells them or uses them for loaner phones for people waiting on repairs. He bought the iPhone 5 a few weeks ago. Once he found out how much the screens cost, he didn't want to bother with it & he gave me the iPhone.
Click to expand...

Seems an OOW replacement is your best best. $229, considering you don't have anything invested, it's going to bring a ROI.
 
R

Ryan Burgess

macrumors 6502
Jan 26, 2013
320
48
Take it to apple, buy the $229 replacement, then sell it in amazon for $600.

You can become a seller on amazon for free, and it's better than eBay cause it costs less! They only take 8%!

I just checked, and the cheapest refurbished i5 on amazon is $579 from a bad seller (only 33% positive). The next cheapest is $675. So you could easily list for $635, amazon takes $50 (8%) you keep $585. $585 minus the $229 it cost you to buy it, = $356. Easiest $356 a man can make!
 
boshii

boshii

macrumors 68040
Jul 6, 2008
3,699
784
Atlanta, GA
Ryan Burgess said:
Take it to apple, buy the $229 replacement, then sell it in amazon for $600.

You can become a seller on amazon for free, and it's better than eBay cause it costs less! They only take 8%!

I just checked, and the cheapest refurbished i5 on amazon is $579 from a bad seller (only 33% positive). The next cheapest is $675. So you could easily list for $635, amazon takes $50 (8%) you keep $585. $585 minus the $229 it cost you to buy it, = $356. Easiest $356 a man can make!
Click to expand...

EDIT: I misread your comment.
 
T

thehustleman

macrumors 65816
Jan 3, 2013
1,123
1
It's insane how expensive screens are these days.

I used to be able to buy a screen for 6 bucks and fix an iphone 3GS, fix it within 15 minutes and change 40.

Even the iphone 4/4s. 30 for the LCD assembly, i charge 80 to fix it, problem solved.

But the new phones? Iphones and galaxy s III's are insanely priced
 
boshii

boshii

macrumors 68040
Jul 6, 2008
3,699
784
Atlanta, GA
thehustleman said:
It's insane how expensive screens are these days.

I used to be able to buy a screen for 6 bucks and fix an iphone 3GS, fix it within 15 minutes and change 40.

Even the iphone 4/4s. 30 for the LCD assembly, i charge 80 to fix it, problem solved.

But the new phones? Iphones and galaxy s III's are insanely priced
Click to expand...

Supply and demand. Screen repairs are the #1 repair on these high-priced phones.

Plus the tech inside these displays is getting more and more complex.
 
j.dstasio

j.dstasio

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 9, 2009
333
10
South Jersey
boshii said:
Wouldn't you need to know the cost of the repair before buying a broken iPhone? :confused:
Click to expand...

He usually has a rough idea of what I charge to fix things and probably assumed it be around the same cost as an iPhone 4/ 4S. I wasn't there when he bought it, so I don't know the back story on it. We very very rarely buy something and lose money on it. Worst case scenario we just toss it in a box and strip parts off of them to fix other phones. I'd say in a given week we buy probably 20-30 smartphones, 10-15 laptops, and a handful of iPads. We get enough profit on the majority of it, that if a bad call happens every once in a while it's not the end of the world.

I am really surprised at the price of the iPhone 5 screens. iPhone 4 screens were pretty high shortly after release too, but they pretty quickly dropped down. The iPhone 5 parts don't seem to be following suit.
 
M

Mrg02d

macrumors 65816
Jan 27, 2012
1,102
2
Ryan Burgess said:
Take it to apple, buy the $229 replacement, then sell it in amazon for $600.

You can become a seller on amazon for free, and it's better than eBay cause it costs less! They only take 8%!

I just checked, and the cheapest refurbished i5 on amazon is $579 from a bad seller (only 33% positive). The next cheapest is $675. So you could easily list for $635, amazon takes $50 (8%) you keep $585. $585 minus the $229 it cost you to buy it, = $356. Easiest $356 a man can make!
Click to expand...

You haven't seen what "I" do for a living. :cool::D
 
B

Bryanpog

macrumors newbie
Sep 26, 2012
5
0
Gazelle is paying $150 for broken iphone 5's if u don't want to go through hassle and just dump it for some cash.
 
M

monsterdustin1

macrumors newbie
Jul 5, 2013
6
0
sell broken phone

sell it on ebay. you could sell just the broken LCD to http://www.harvestcellular.net , then get a replacement screen with that $40 or so they will pay you and then get a new screen for $120, install it and then sell it on ebay for like $500 if unlocked.
 
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