I dropped my Vibrant and broke the screen

[impboy]

/SIGH

I just walked dropped my Vibrant and the screen is a freakin' spider web of glass. I can still turn the phone off and on and see everything just fine. I've had the phone for about 4 or 5 months now and have no insurance of course.

What's the best route for getting it fixed?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[impboy]

In all my frustration I wrote "walked dropped" which makes no sense at all. What I meant to say was that I was walking and dropped the phone.

 

[Frisco]

Welcome to the forums, impboy.

It appears to be an expensive thing to fix in the Vibrant:

Samsung Vibrant Broken Screen | Cracked Glass Replacement Samsung Vibrant | Clean Planet Repair

I'd first try local repair shops (you say you're past the 30 day warranty, and you have no insurance) for a better deal, then online.

Another possibility is to acquire a cheap, used Vibrant from Ebay or Amazon or whatever, and have the screen swapped with yours, or even have your data moved to the new phone and deactivate your broken one.

 

[impboy]

Frisco,

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm glad that at least the internal guts are fine, at least as far as I can tell. I'll likely have to go the route of Clean Planet Repair or some other similar company.

 

[snapper.fishes]

In the future you might want to get a case. Any case. Cracks are usually caused by the phone landing on a weak point, usually the corner. Having something wrapped around the corner to soften the shock really makes a difference.

 

[over88mph]

Having Samsung do it is cheaper.
Not by much.

 

[robo21]

I would definitely let Samsung do the repair. This is the reason I use a Tmobile Gel Case (cheap insurance), it wraps around the bezel, is made of flexible gel which absorbs shock.

I haven't dropped my new warranty replacement Vibrant; but I dropped the old one I exchanged while it was encased in the Tmobile Gel Case and it survived a 5 foot face plant onto concrete.

I think insurance on these devices is overpriced and overrated. I would talk to Tmobile Customer Service BEFORE you contact Samsung. If you have enough history with Tmobile there is a chance they might give you a brand new exchange phone for less than the cost of repair.

 

[impboy]

I called T-Mobile. They told me my only options were buy a new handset or upgrade to a new handset. Whaaaat? This IS the upgrade. This phone rocks! A new Vibrant when I don't qualify for a reduced price - $500. Ouch!

I called Samsung. They can repair it for $161.29. Turn around time is about 10 business days. A bit long but it's likely to be OEM parts.

I called some place on Ebay (Pro Wireless) that's selling the repair for $99. (Samsung Vibrant Broken Glass Repair Service Center! - eBay (item 110622643539 end time Feb-07-11 09:08:48 PST)) Whoever answered the phone didn't sound reassuring to my questions about the repair.

For $60 more, it sounds like it'll be best to go directly with Samsung.

If anyone has any experience with a cheaper company and thinks the work was high quality, I'd love to hear about it soon.

Thanks again for all the replies.

 

[robo21]

For $60 more, it sounds like it'll be best to go directly with Samsung.

If anyone has any experience with a cheaper company and thinks the work was high quality, I'd love to hear about it soon.

Thanks again for all the replies.

I think you hit the nail on the head.

 

[howetechnical]

Also, for that $60 more, you're getting the Super AMOLED screen. Lots of replacements on eBay are not Super AMOLED.

 

[over88mph]

I called T-Mobile. They told me my only options were buy a new handset or upgrade to a new handset. Whaaaat? This IS the upgrade. This phone rocks! A new Vibrant when I don't qualify for a reduced price - $500. Ouch!

I called Samsung. They can repair it for $161.29. Turn around time is about 10 business days. A bit long but it's likely to be OEM parts.

I called some place on Ebay (Pro Wireless) that's selling the repair for $99. (

Samsung Vibrant Broken Glass Repair Service Center! - eBay (item 110622643539 end time Feb-07-11 09:08:48 PST)) Whoever answered the phone didn't sound reassuring to my questions about the repair.

For $60 more, it sounds like it'll be best to go directly with Samsung.

If anyone has any experience with a cheaper company and thinks the work was high quality, I'd love to hear about it soon.

Thanks again for all the replies.

I had mine repaired by Samsung and they did an excellent job.
I think I was without the phone for about a week.
Peace of mind knowing that a factory pro using real parts doing your repair is worth the xtra $60.

 

[VegasTouch]

/SIGH

I just walked dropped my Vibrant and the screen is a freakin' spider web of glass. I can still turn the phone off and on and see everything just fine. I've had the phone for about 4 or 5 months now and have no insurance of course.

What's the best route for getting it fixed?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

It has a year warranty from manufacturer. Take it to TMobile and see what they can do. I think they will replace it.

EDIT**

Originally Posted by impboy
I called T-Mobile. They told me my only options were buy a new handset or upgrade to a new handset. Whaaaat? This IS the upgrade. This phone rocks! A new Vibrant when I don't qualify for a reduced price - $500. Ouch!

What? I was told over the phone by TMobile that with teh manufacturers warranty, they would replace it for the first year because "they know how important it is to you to ave your phone".

 

[over88mph]

Being a dummy an dropping your phone is not covered my the manufacturer's warranty.
Not an insult to OP. I did the same thing.

 

[Ken2681]

This same thing happened to me, I dropped my laptop on it and the screen was shattered and I got the phone for only 2 days!! I called Tmobile and see if it is cover under warrenty, unfortunately physcial damage is not cover. However, if you have insurance on the phone, it will cover it and tmobile will replace it for you with a $130 deductible. If you don't have insurance (which I don't at the time), just let them know it was never offered to you when you upgrade/purchase the phone. That's what I did and they even let me keep to broken phone which you can make a couple bucks back by selling it on ebay.

 

[impboy]

Being a dummy an dropping your phone is not covered my the manufacturer's warranty.
Not an insult to OP. I did the same thing.

I didn't take it as an insult since I called myself nearly the same thing when I dropped it. I'm not the kind of person to try to weasel around a warranty when what I did was not covered.

It's on it's way to Samsung to be repaired. I'll post how fast it took when I get it back.

Thanks to everyone who tried to help out!

 

[kbohip]

It makes you wonder why they even bother with Gorilla Glass if in the end a dropped phone equals a broken phone.

 

[Robinelli]

I don't have a screen protector on mine and it hasn't gotten scratched. I've replaced my phone 3 times but none of them have had scratches and my 2nd phone I had 6 months. I think that's why they use it. It doesn't scratch easily.

 

[over88mph]

I don't have a screen protector on mine and it hasn't gotten scratched. I've replaced my phone 3 times but none of them have had scratches and my 2nd phone I had 6 months. I think that's why they use it. It doesn't scratch easily.

I have a screen protector on mine and there are a couple of scratches caused by an airplane seat belt.

But I think the scratches are actually on the screen protector.
I'm thinking about just getting rid of the screen protector since it scratches easier than the actual screen.

 

[damewolf13]

I have a screen protector on mine and there are a couple of scratches caused by an airplane seat belt.

But I think the scratches are actually on the screen protector.
I'm thinking about just getting rid of the screen protector since it scratches easier than the actual screen.

It is also a lot easier, and less expensive to replace than the actual screen, so think twice. Those pesky little scratches on the real screen are so distracting, and they never go away.

 

[TMoVibrant]

Sadly I had a similar incident. Instead of the screen breaking, I dropped my phone and broke the glass camera protector. I called TMo who was useless (as usual) and called Samsung who would charge me $76.20 ... which is ******ed when the phone cost me $50.00

I still haven't replaced the broken glass protector lens,

 

[Vibrance]

Sadly I had a similar incident. Instead of the screen breaking, I dropped my phone and broke the glass camera protector. I called TMo who was useless (as usual) and called Samsung who would charge me $76.20 ... which is ******ed when the phone cost me $50.00

I still haven't replaced the broken glass protector lens,

TMo, check out this thread at XDA if you havent already.
Anyone need to replace broken glass over the camera lens? - xda-developers
Is this the glass piece you're trying to replace?

 

[impboy]

I sent the phone out on a Friday and it was back in my hands exactly 10 days later. Samsung prepaid the shipping although I did have to box it up so it wouldn't get damaged on the way. It looks like new, acts like new, and I'm really happy to have it back. The only thing I don't have are all my apps, contacts (which I might be able to find), and my desktop background. I'm glad I went this route rather than some other way and risk not getting the amoled screen.

Thanks to all who posted and tried to help!

 

[robo21]

I sent the phone out on a Friday and it was back in my hands exactly 10 days later. Samsung prepaid the shipping although I did have to box it up so it wouldn't get damaged on the way. It looks like new, acts like new, and I'm really happy to have it back. The only thing I don't have are all my apps, contacts (which I might be able to find), and my desktop background. I'm glad I went this route rather than some other way and risk not getting the amoled screen.

Thanks to all who posted and tried to help!

Wise choice! Glad you are Vibranting again...

 

[TMoVibrant]

TMo, check out this thread at XDA if you havent already.
Anyone need to replace broken glass over the camera lens? - xda-developers
Is this the glass piece you're trying to replace?

Thanks Vibrance, but this is the camera lens itself. I need the glass shield that covers the camera. Take a look at this image, Photo Details, its the lens on the upper-left hand side.

Thanks.

 

[HadouGhost]

my worst nightmare is dropping my phone.. =(