Opinions on broken iPhone 5 please...

[j.dstasio]

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?

 

[DesertEagle]

I would rather fix it for $229 (and then either keep it or sell it) than have all the hassle with selling a broken phone.

 

[boshii]

How much did you buy it for?

 

[j.dstasio]

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.

 

[BHP41]

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.

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

 

[Han Solo 1]

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

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

 

[DesertEagle]

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

Why would it break in the process? The phone may have been broken before OP came across it.

 

[j.dstasio]

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

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]

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.

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

 

[boshii]

Wouldn't you need to know the cost of the repair before buying a broken iPhone?

 

[Ryan Burgess]

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]

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!

EDIT: I misread your comment.

 

[thehustleman]

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]

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

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.

 

[0r30]

get the OOW


try it out and if you dont like it sell it for some extra cash.

 

[j.dstasio]

Wouldn't you need to know the cost of the repair before buying a broken iPhone?

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.

 

[617aircav]

Why would anyone have the screen fixed when you can just go the oow route.

 

[Mrg02d]

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!

You haven't seen what "I" do for a living.

 

[Bryanpog]

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.

 

[monsterdustin1]

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.