Help Is fixing my galaxy s4 worth it, urgent?

[Nyannies]

Asked the question earlier today but realised I wasn't logged in, sorry! The damage is pretty extensive and replacements for the s4 can get very pricy.. Here's what happened:

I ordered a screen replacement online for my Galaxy s4 since the screen was so badly shattered I kept getting tiny glass shards in my fingers and got it replaced at a store. They used UV curable glue or something "to make it good as new" and "I wouldn't even know it was ever broken". Well, they did change it and it was great at a glance. It had some noticeable difference, a random thin line on the middle of the screen, nothing too noticeable. Quite expected since you have to essentially peel off the existing screen on the s4, also private company. Until I actually used it for like half an hour.

The back camera had some weird black circle shape when I took pictures, dots all over, the actual camera has a little speck on it and the front camera is completely blurry due to bad glue(orange and green spec on it too). A black dot developed shortly after on one corner and the screen started getting hot as soon as I opened the unlock screen. The dot spread a little discoloring the keyboard and then blacked out half the screen, now you cant see anything but phone is completely useable if you can do it blindly.

Called the store and they denied all of it, saying I left it in the sun too quickly after getting it, that I dropped it, that it "came to the store like that" and changing their story about how they did it and the methods they used. Asked the police office advice place in my area and they said they couldn't do anything since the store apparently didn't have any qualifications to do replacements like this and they just charged them for not telling customers about this, but couldn't refund any of my money or help me with my specific case. Should I try to get the lcd replaced and all or is it just cheaper to get a new phone?

 

[Hadron]

It sounds like they've made a real mess of it. How they messed-up the back camera while doing the front screen is anyone's guess - I don't suppose there's a chance that it's just dirt under the rear cover (so you can remove it and clean it)?

So by the sound you need a new LCD/digitiser/front glass, and it's hard to say from the description whether they've done something permanent to the front camera. Can only hope there is no other damage. You'd have to get someone who is actually qualified to look at it and give you a quote, but while I expect the repair would be cheaper than a new phone, I also suspect that a good second-hand S4 might cost less than the repair.

 

[hiredgun]

As the old saying goes, "it's all relative," but I'd say that Hadron has a very good point, a good second-hand S4 might cost less than the repair, so I'd start there and check out eBay or any other second hand source that you think you can trust. Just looking is free, so you have nothing to lose but time!

 

[mikedt]

Called the store and they denied all of it, saying I left it in the sun too quickly after getting it, that I dropped it, that it "came to the store like that" and changing their story about how they did it and the methods they used. Asked the police office advice place in my area and they said they couldn't do anything since the store apparently didn't have any qualifications to do replacements like this and they just charged them for not telling customers about this, but couldn't refund any of my money or help me with my specific case. Should I try to get the lcd replaced and all or is it just cheaper to get a new phone?

IANAL: I don't know where you are and what jurisdiction. But I know in the UK, the police won't be interested in a botched phone repair, or if the repairer was actually qualified to do it or not, as it's a civil matter, not criminal. You might have to pursue something like that through the civil or county courts, You vs Store. Don't even know if there are any formal qualifications for phone repairs, except maybe certificates from the manufacturers, like Samsung.

The way you descrbed the original damage, might have been easier just to buy another S4 second hand, and certainly it is now, unless you can get legal satisfaction.

 

[psionandy]

If you are looking for legal satisfaction in the UK.. Then the small claims court is your most obvious route. Your local CAB should be able to advise and then you can work out if it's worth a shot

 

[Durf]

Repair parts might be cheaper than you think. A couple years ago I repaired my Nexus screen for about 25 USD and just a few days ago I fixed a friends iphone 6 plus. He dropped it and the screen popped out on the top corner. When he put it back in it the speaker and front camera didn't work.
I looked at it and found the ribbon cable was torn. That ribbon has the chat camera, mic, light sensor, and also connector for the internal speaker.
It was $11 USD !! and that was with the camera and sensors all attached on it!

 

[quinton george]

i dropped a perfume bottle on a galaxy note 10.1 inch tab that was about 2 weeks old. . shattered the screen badly. . took it back to my contract provider for repairs. . the quote for the screen plus lcd cost around a quater the prise of a new tab. . i just decided to dump it there at ssmsung . . if i have the screen glass replaced only I'm gonna have endless problems samsung recommends replacing the whole LCD assy. . still got a year to pay on the contract. . to me it was nkt worth repairing it. . the tab cost around 10 000 Rand new.. . 2 700 to repair. . what will i get if i sell the tab the time the contract expires ..around 2 000 rand. .

 

[hiredgun]

You guys don't have a Better Business Bureau kind of organization in the U.K.??

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Business_Bureau

If you are looking for legal satisfaction in the UK.. Then the small claims court is your most obvious route. Your local CAB should be able to advise and then you can work out if it's worth a shot

 

[mikedt]

There's a similar thing in the UK... Citizen's Advice Beaureau. Which is often the first port of call for most consumer problems in the UK.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
...although I'm seeing a message from that site wanting to confirm if I'm in England, Wales, Scotland or N. Ireland......hmmm!

Nothing like BBB or CAB in China of course!

 

[hiredgun]

Thanks Mike, I had a feeling you'd have one like that too in the U.K. Just out of curiosity, what's the name of the consumer protection agency in China??? Lmao!

There's a similar thing in the UK... Citizen's Advice Beaureau. Which is often the first port of call for most consumer problems in the UK.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
...although I'm seeing a message from that site wanting to confirm if I'm in England, Wales, Scotland or N. Ireland......hmmm!

Nothing like BBB or CAB in China of course!

 

[mikedt]

Thanks Mike, I had a feeling you'd have one like that too in the U.K. Just out of curiosity, what's the name of the consumer protection agency in China??? Lmao!

Frankly I don't think there is anything intended to protect consumers from shoddy products here, or if there is I don't think it's particularly well enforced or publicised. There's regional Bureaus of Commerce, which are administered by local government. Myself, I assume caveat emptor(buyer beware) when buying things here, and if buying an iPhone or Samsung from a tech mall and it turns out to be a knock-off, hard luck! can try taking it up with the seller or see a lawyer, but that's about it. UK has Sale of Goods Act to protect consumers.

Food and toy safety, they've got somewhat better recently, and things do get checked and done, which was really after the melamine milk scandal, and that changed a lot of things.

The OP's Samsung repair, anyone can setup and say they're a "phone repairer", even in the UK. I don't think there's any formal accreditations for things like that, just manufacturers' certificates possibly, same with PC repairs.

 

[hiredgun]

Definitely no accreditations here in Spain to be a "phone repair guy" either Mike, but lately the PC repair shops are taking on more and more phone repairs here which is good because they are businesses that have been around for a while and usually stand by their work!

 

[mikedt]

OT: I know one thing you can't do and call yourself it in the UK, a "gas fitter". Because that that's definitely controlled and regulated by law, and is illegal to service or repair anything gas unless got a CORGI licence, and has been like that for decades. And some countries it's same for mains electrics as well, China no one cares much about that either I don't think.

Phones are approved and licensed, as they're radio transmitters, but on the other hand it's probably quite difficult and really have to go out of your way to make a modern smart-phone do anything illegal or dangerous, apart from possibly shorting the battery, unlike say gas appliances.

 

[hiredgun]

Same here with the "gas fitters" Mike, thank goodness, and they even have to show you their official "badge" when they come to the house to do any kind of work!