Gouged my camera glass :-(

**skipamy** · 08-23-2010, 05:48 PM

Can't believe I did this, but I severely scratched/gouged the glass right over the camera lens/shutter. The camera works, but of course the picture is very blurry, so the camera is unusable.

No insurance, phone works fine otherwise. I've read about people replacing the front glass, but does any have advice for replacing the camera glass?

**bnob99** · 08-23-2010, 05:50 PM

How long have you had the phone? If you are within your 30 days still, just call VZW and have them add insurance and a day or two later, call and file a claim. The deductible is around 100 but thats much cheaper than having to buy a new phone.

**King Neptune117** · 08-23-2010, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by skipamy

Can't believe I did this, but I severely scratched/gouged the glass right over the camera lens/shutter. The camera works, but of course the picture is very blurry, so the camera is unusable.

No insurance, phone works fine otherwise. I've read about people replacing the front glass, but does any have advice for replacing the camera glass?

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

Dude finally someone to share my pain with. I dropped my phone and cracked my screen! Remember that way the guy above me suggested is insurance fraud

**skipamy** · 08-23-2010, 06:01 PM

Am past the 30 days - no insurance.

**brandonx1000** · 08-23-2010, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by bnob

How long have you had the phone? If you are within your 30 days still, just call VZW and have them add insurance and a day or two later, call and file a claim. The deductible is around 100 but thats much cheaper than having to buy a new phone.

and this, my friends, is insurance fraud

**doctorlove316** · 08-23-2010, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by brandonx1000

and this, my friends, is insurance fraud

Yes, yes it is and we're not going to condone that.

OP, if I see anything, I'll let you know but I haven't seen anything yet.

**kj11aw** · 08-23-2010, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by bnob

How long have you had the phone? If you are within your 30 days still, just call VZW and have them add insurance and a day or two later, call and file a claim. The deductible is around 100 but thats much cheaper than having to buy a new phone.

seriously guy? Wow.

Why not next time you see someone with a droid x, sucker punch them, take it and run

**lntennisguy02** · 08-23-2010, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by kj11aw

seriously guy? Wow.

Why not next time you see someone with a droid x, sucker punch them, take it and run

This, my friends, is robbery

**mikev#ac** · 08-23-2010, 10:46 PM

^
I lol'd

**Jubz** · 08-23-2010, 10:51 PM

Here's a link to a DX teardown. Perhaps this may help with replacing that piece if you can find the part.

**paulinbna** · 08-24-2010, 12:43 AM

How many times are we going to hear about horror stories from people that do not have insurance? The base insurance plan is very cheap in the scheme of things.

**skipamy** · 08-24-2010, 10:33 AM

Thanks Jubz, if I can find a part, I'll attempt it. The camera glass seems to be lodged in one of the cover pieces. Have used laptop disassembly instructions before, so this is really useful.

Originally Posted by Jubz

Here's a link to a DX teardown. Perhaps this may help with replacing that piece if you can find the part.

**dmcman73** · 08-24-2010, 11:48 AM

Ok, not a true replacement part but may just work:

You can probably pull the lens piece off the dummy phone and transplant it to your phone.

**bob the noob** · 08-24-2010, 12:11 PM

One alternative may be to go to an auto parts store and look at various polishing compounds. Might take a while but it could buff out the scratch if you use them right... just like sanding wood or metal, go down to 4 digit grits for a smooth finish.

**traxxas14** · 08-24-2010, 12:27 PM

I'm not going to condone the insurance fraud thing, but in this situation it's really a win win for basically all those involved. He adds insurance to his plan (8 bucks) then after a few days makes a claim and pays his deductible (89 dollars) so he's out 97 dollars for a phone that's "like new". Now asurion has his old phone, they spend the 20 minutes and the 5 dollars to replace the lens and sell it to someone else. they certainly aren't losing money on the deal.

BUT, I would personally just look for a piece and replace it that way. I'll take a look at one of the dummy phones here and see if it looks like that part is replaceable with the part from the dummy unit.

**traxxas14** · 08-24-2010, 12:29 PM

Well the dummy unit does have what appears to be the same piece in there. So hopefully you SHOULD be able to make a swap. I can't guarantee it being the same material as I am not about to do a scratch test on my X but it should work.

**dmcman73** · 08-24-2010, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by traxxas14

Well the dummy unit does have what appears to be the same piece in there. So hopefully you SHOULD be able to make a swap. I can't guarantee it being the same material as I am not about to do a scratch test on my X but it should work.

Usually the dummy models will have the same lens, buttons and decals as the real deal. The only thing fake is the screen and the insides and the insides are usually replaced by a piece of metal to give it weight.

**traxxas14** · 08-24-2010, 02:23 PM

Typically our dummy units have a piece of lead in them to simulate the extra weight where the battery would go. I have cracked open a few old ones just to see what was in there.

**jessesmith8888** · 08-24-2010, 05:18 PM

get the insurance! glad i had it. it would have been a disaster if i didnt

**aaronbwells** · 08-24-2010, 05:31 PM

My Eris' camera cover is really bad, too. It's not really badly scratched, but there are fingerprints on it that have basically ingrained themselves into the glass. What I do is just take the battery cover off, that way the camera lense isn't covered by the glass that's exposed to the elements and my clumsy hand. haha Just a tip!

**Flawson** · 08-24-2010, 07:07 PM

I have a friend who has been walking around with a very cracked up glass on her iphone 3g for ever now...it pains me a little every time she busts it out. No insurance and not due for an upgrade until next year...boo.
But yeah, hope the dummy phone thing works, I'm curious to know.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

**Stonewall#AC** · 08-24-2010, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by kingneptune117

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

Dude finally someone to share my pain with. I dropped my phone and cracked my screen! Remember that way the guy above me suggested is insurance fraud

Actually the 30 day clause is there for a reason. If you fall within that period you can sign up for insurance. That is not fraud. please seek legal advice before giving it....

**King Neptune117** · 08-24-2010, 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by Stonewall

Actually the 30 day clause is there for a reason. If you fall within that period you can sign up for insurance. That is not fraud. please seek legal advice before giving it....

ya i know that. its illegal to break the phone, then sign up for insurance after you broke it, even during the clause.

**Saturn2K** · 08-25-2010, 01:08 AM

Originally Posted by kingneptune117

ya i know that. its illegal to break the phone, then sign up for insurance after you broke it, even during the clause.

What's the difference? The monthly insurance cost is just that: monthly. So if you sign up for it under thirty days, the company will still receive the same amount of money as if you had bought the insurance on day one.

**roberte1342** · 08-25-2010, 02:13 AM

Fraud is fraud period. Yes it is easy to cheat the system but all you are doing is contributing to higher premiums for the honest while committing a felony at the same time. Look at the premiums now, it is not worth it to even consider buying it anymore.
When I picked up my X I declined the insurance, just like I did with my Palm 2 years ago, and the Razr before it. Each time the agent was very adamant about getting it but after doing the math in my head it would come out around half of what the phone was worth over the course of 2 years with the deductible. I would much rather keep that half and put it towards whatever new phone was available at that time should something bad happen instead of who knows what your will receive. Spending half of what it is you want to protect for insurance that doesn't even include depreciation over 2 years = a bad investment.
I know full well the risk I have taken and am prepared to deal with the consequence if/when it happens. I still keep my old Centro as a standby just for this reason, just like my V3C Razr before it. Yes I will be upset just like anything else, but I would be even more upset knowing that I was throwing away hundreds for a **** poor insurance premium if you can even call it insurance anymore.