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Certified Like New OR Is it?

I've had my Droid since launch day and have never had any major problems with it. One time it froze on me and I did a factor reset and it worked again fine. Until about 2 weeks ago that is. It started going crazy, choosing random inputs when I wasn't even touching it. I've seen other with the same problem in forums.

After trying everything I could to fix it, I took the unusable phone to the store. I used to work in the indirect channel, so I am familiar with what to expect. I took it in, signed my name in and waiting a few moments. The rep came over and I explained the issue, then I showed him. He obviously had seen this before, because he didn't even bother asking about doing a battery pull or anything and said, "let's get you a replacement". I expected a FRU, which I guess they now call CLNR(Certified Like New Replacement), but they didn't have any in stock. Not a big deal, they were going to ship one out to me. It's a bummer, but at least the process was painless. (Or so I thought).

Two days later I got the replacement. It looked like it was in good condition. But I noticed something wrong as soon as I powered it up, dead pixels. I realize one or two dead pixels on an LCD screen don't usually make a defect by most manufactures policies. But this was a "certified" like new device. I expect like new. How'd this thing get out the door with dead pixels? So I called up CS and they we nice, apologetic and without a hassle, agreed to send me another replacement over night. Cool, I am still happy, least I can make a phone call on this one for the day.

Next day comes, I miss the FedEx guy by 15 min. So I have to drive up to the Pick up place in traffic. It's annoying but, that's life. I get the phone home, I set it up. Eveything seems to be working good through initial tests. I start to put it through some paces to make sure it will run okay and I notice the hepatic feedback feels kind of different. Then I notice as I press down on the screen, there is some give. I look a little closer, and sure enough the screen is not aligned right with the keyboard and it's all loose. It's even at a slight angle.

Sure the phone functions right, but comparing this phone to the two previous phones, it's obvious this one was not assembled correctly. Again, how'd this get certified with such a flaw. (106 point inspection my butt). Sure this may be picky, since the phone works and all. But who's going to have to pay to replace it in 2 months when the hinge gives and the screen falls off. Me, that's who. So I call up again and get another replacement with no hassle have not received this one yet, but I'm already wondering what is going to be wrong with it.

I give it to the reps that I've dealt with. They all have been doing a good job. I am pleased with the service. But I am not pleased with "not like new" phones that are supposed to be "like new". I don't care if it's a refer, I don't care if it's a return. I just want it to function and be constructed like my original phone. Is that too much to ask?

And then if this next phone has any defect at all, should I just call again and get another "like new" phone and hope for the best, or should I put my foot down? Demand them to replace it with a new phone, since their stock of like new are not. I realize they no longer make new "Droids". I'm not sure I want a Droid 2 cause it has MotoBlur on it, but I'm not convinced I am going to be able to get a referb I trust from Verizon. What do you all think?

Comments

screwedover

After recieving 2 Incredibles that fail to work as a phone... *Telling me that refurbished phones are better*

I'm done with Verizon. You can keep trying, But I'm tired of them not willing to send me a new phone for more crap. Beware, though... they are charging me the 300.00 to cancel for a phone that couldn't do what it was supposed to do.

lex22

I posted something like this earlier, but here is my tale.

My original Droid died in late summer. When I called, they made me try a bunch of things and then sent me a "like new" phone. The screen had a fair amount of give, but the phone worked and I just figured I'd live with it.

This past Saturday (October 30), the refurb just died. It would do nothing. I was travelling so this was a major inconvenience but stuff happens. I called Verizon from my wife's Droid, and they agreed to send me another Refurb. The CSR was very nice.

The refurb arrived on Tuesday as promised, but the battery cover would not go on. Obviously, the previous owner got something jammed in one of the slots and whatever the refurbing outfit performed did not look for this. Another call to Verizon, another friendly and helpful CSR, who immediately sends out another refurb. Unfortunately, she put my wife's phone number on the order. So when I go to activate the latest refurb, I call Verizon and get yet another friendly CSR. She fixes the system so that the new refurb is associated with the correct phone number. Then we activate the phone and she places a test call. It does not go through. She tells me to sign in with Google so I try, but the "s" key on the keyboard did not work and since my gmail account has an "s" in the user name, this phone was useless. I was a very upset and asked to send me a new phone and not a refurb but she said Motorola does not allow that. I was also disappointed because unlike the two previous refurbs, this phone's screen had no "give" to it. Oh well.

So today the third refurbed Droid of the week showed up. This one has a tight screen and seems to work ok but I'll reserve judgment for a little while.

Anyway, what this proves to me is that the refurbing process is a joke and that refurbed phones are not nearly as good as new ones.

nrl05

Well every like new replacement i get is no where as good as when i first bught my droid.

xj04

I received 3 Droid 3 "certified like new" phones. none of them worked correctly (2 keyboards bad and one that crashed constantly) and I am currently trying to get this rectified. It seems that these phones are poorly repaired and then sent out. Before anyway jumps on my case and says how do I know? I have repaired laptops and PC's my whole life and its pretty easy to spot one that was done poorly. I have also repaired iphones for friends in the past. And now it dawns on me how old this post is. Opps. Glad to see I am not alone though

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