I see your point but it definitely depends on how early it breaks. If I pay for a new phone and get a refurb within a month or two, I could've just saved my money up front and got a refurb. Since I paid full price and it's THEIR product that broke, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a new phone (especially since their refurb phones all seem to have different issues).
For comparison though, cars aren't sold or marketed the same way as phones. When you buy a car, you buy (or get a loan) for the full amount and it's fully yours. You own it, you're responsible for it, it's not subsidized by the company and you're not under contract for it. If something breaks on a car, they replace the PART, whereas in phones, they just give you someone else's broken phone (which is not guaranteed to work either and there are MANY stories about that all over the forums. I think the story would be different if each phone was put through rigorous tests prior to being sent out as a "replacement"). I don't think if a car broke and they just gave you someone else's car with different problems that would fly.
Like I said, I see what you're trying to say, but it's comparing apples to golf carts. 
boobdole wrote:
I see your point but it definitely depends on how early it breaks. If I pay for a new phone and get a refurb within a month or two, I could've just saved my money up front and got a refurb. Since I paid full price and it's THEIR product that broke, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a new phone (especially since their refurb phones all seem to have different issues).
For comparison though, cars aren't sold or marketed the same way as phones. When you buy a car, you buy (or get a loan) for the full amount and it's fully yours. You own it, you're responsible for it, it's not subsidized by the company and you're not under contract for it. If something breaks on a car, they replace the PART, whereas in phones, they just give you someone else's broken phone (which is not guaranteed to work either and there are MANY stories about that all over the forums. I think the story would be different if each phone was put through rigorous tests prior to being sent out as a "replacement"). I don't think if a car broke and they just gave you someone else's car with different problems that would fly.
Like I said, I see what you're trying to say, but it's comparing apples to golf carts.
They are SOLD exactly the same way. That contract you signed with Verizon for subsidization is no different than taking out a car loan to buy a car. See Class Action lawsuit against Verizon back in 1998 for references. You don't own the car until you pay off that note, and you don't really own your phone until the contract ends. The only difference between the two is a Bank will take the car, and Verizon will charge you based on what was subsidized and how long you honored your contract.
Funny thing about it. Some people will have problems no matter what is sold. Mass production is never 100% fool proof and not everything will always work out of the box. There is this thing with the internet that most people who have problems and make it sound much larger than what it really is. People who have no problems will rarely if not ever say anything on the about it unless specifically asked about it. No company can ever account for everything, and no person let alone a manufacturing company is perfect. Since we are not perfect how can we expect everything we buy to be perfect when imperfect people are building these devices.