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gadget123

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 17, 2011
2,261
293
United Kingdom
I dropped my Iphone 5 on concrete and the sides are chipped. The main LCD is fine but the sides are damaged and it looks like the side band and back panel may need replaced.

How much will it cost? :confused:
 

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
Really that much? :eek:
That's the cost for an out-of-warranty repair. They keep your old iPhone and hand you a replacement one.

You can call an Apple Store and ask if they just replace the back. They did with the glass ones (for like $29), but I don't know if they still do that since the backs aren't glass anymore.
 

gadget123

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 17, 2011
2,261
293
United Kingdom
Damaged as in scratched? If it still works I don't see why you'd replace it, aesthetics can't really be worth an extra $229...

Just a bit of a dent/bash in the side doesn't look great..don't think it's totally smashed or anything.

If 229 is for the phone is it worth going in about six months time seeing if they do repairs then or just to get a replacement one?
 

smallnshort247

macrumors 6502a
Oct 23, 2010
531
8
Forgot my iPhone 5 was on my lap while driving. You know what happens next.. The top and bottom got dented but no cracked screen. I had Apple Care + and I'm way too anal about the condition of my devices so I paid 49 bucks to swap it out and I now have a case on it. I can't say I'd pay 200 plus to swap it though. Good luck!
 

eeguh

macrumors member
Sep 25, 2012
39
0
Buy it on the phone

I guess that depends on the location. I couldn't buy it on the phone. A local Apple store told me I had to come in for the inspection. I had just received the phone the day before from Verizon.
 

scaredpoet

macrumors 604
Apr 6, 2007
6,627
342
Yes but I read you get a reconditioned one and a replacement still costs money.

You'll be saving yourself about $75 getting AppleCare+. And I'd take an Apple reconditioned phone over your phone in it's current state any day.
 

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
Yes but I read you get a reconditioned one and a replacement still costs money.
The reconditioned ones come with a brand-new outer shell and a brand new battery (and shrink wrapped). You shouldn't visually be able to tell that it's not brand new.

And yeah, it still costs money. In the US, it's $99 for AC+, and you get two replacements (over the new two years) at $49 each.

If you only use it once, you save $81.
If you end up using it twice, you save $261.

In the US, anyways. Not sure what the UK prices are.
 

Sedrick

macrumors 68030
Nov 10, 2010
2,596
26
I don't think you'll see many places replacing the back of the iPhone 5. The back IS the phone. It's all built on top of it:

iPhone5mod-iPhone-5-metal-backplate-001.jpg
 

tymaster50

Suspended
Oct 3, 2012
2,833
58
Oregon
Looks like just one part.

Why is it so expensive to fix then?

they have to glue all the parts back on very tightly, make sure everything's going in the right spot, have to put the glass first then the aluminum then the glass again, it's a lot of labor.
 

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
Looks like just one part.

Why is it so expensive to fix then?

Look at the picture again.
Everything mounts on that back piece.
Meaning you will have to take the iphone completelly apart to replace the back piece.
Its not just a slide and stick it in like the iphone 4 and 4S.
It looks like a real pain to do that on an i5.
If you find a back piece and want to do it yourself go for it.
 

bwhli

macrumors 6502a
Jan 9, 2012
557
210
Boston, MA
Just a bit of a dent/bash in the side doesn't look great..don't think it's totally smashed or anything.

If 229 is for the phone is it worth going in about six months time seeing if they do repairs then or just to get a replacement one?

Doubt they'll start repairing the iPhone 5. The back isn't easily replaceable like the 4 and 4S.
 
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