Broken Screen

[althomas39]

Hi everyone.

So I just cracked the LCD screen on my Maxx. Pretty disappointed. Anyway, I'm getting pretty fed up with Motorola's repair service. I've been waiting two days for them to email me a Fed Ex shipping label so I can send my phone in for a $180 repair.

My question is...is this worth the wait? They promised me their turnaround is generally 3 to 5 days after they receive the phone, but I've heard some rumors that it could take several months for them to actually return the phone to me. Does anyone have any experience with this?

There's a shop near my house thats says they will fix it for $300 which includes a 3 month warranty on the repair. Any advice on which I should shoot for? I'm sort of leaning towards UBreakIFix (the shop near my house) simply because I don't have to send it in. But I can't exactly be throwing money around, so if Motorola will really get it back to me within a week or two, I should go that route. Suggestions?

 

[dragonsamus]

How much is Motorola charging you?

 

[d.meyer]

Sounds like it will void warranty

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Android Central Forums

 

[althomas39]

Motorola is charging $180 but at this point, after waiting 2 full days for them to EMAIL me a shipping label, I'm beginning to doubt the expediency of their service. In addition to that, uBreakIFix offers a 3 month warranty on their $300 repair, whereas Motorola offers no warranty for physical damage. It may void the software warranty, but I'm not sure how frequently people use that. I haven't had a single problem software-wise, and based on the sheer number of people who root their phones, it doesn't seem too many people are worried about Motorola's warranty.

I'd like to get my phone in working order as quickly as possible and while-you-wait repair service is starting to sound pretty good, voiding Motorola's warranty or not.

 

[Snowcrash45]

Sounds like you've already made up your mind. No insurance on your phone?

Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX!

 

[althomas39]

Admittedly, I was perhaps a bit foolish to not get the insurance, but hey, it's my first smartphone ever. I did a ton of research into which phone I wanted, but insurance vs. no insuranc never seemed to come up, so it never crossed my mind. I didn't realize how terribly fragile these things can be.

But in my mind, and hear me out, I still think the insurance is a slight bit overrated. If I pay $7 a month, with a $99 deductible, then over the course of one year, I've completely covered the cost of my repair, and I've paid around $90 for nothing if I needn't any repairs at all. Then I've got a year left on my contract, paying into an insurance policy at a greater value than the cost of the repair, itself.

The damage was my fault, I carried a heavy object with my phone in my pocket, screen facing out, no case. The heavy object squeezed against my leg, and boom, damage. Like I said, though I'm normally very careful with my possessions, I simply didn't realize the potential fragility of this phone. It will be very easy to adjust my habits to prevent further damage, (I think. Unless I'm still missing something in the proper care of these devices). But as I send this for repair, I'm immediately investing in an Otterbox, and will certainly be much more careful with where I point the screen and what I point at it!

My last response was less of a decision being made, rather, just frustration with Motorola. I'm still looking for anyone who's sent for repair to see if they can verify the 3 to 5 working day repair time I've been promised. The brick and mortar location I've also learned, has Razr Maxx screens on back order so they can't accomodate their fancy while-you-wait service so now it seems to be down to price vs. any recommendations anyone with more experience may have.

I guess I'm just looking for validation. Is Motorola's software warranty worth defending? Will sending it to Motorola preserve their software warranty, or does the damage itself negate the warranty forever? Has anyone sent their phone to be repaired at Motorola OR a third party location, and can you share your experience?

 

[paul-c]

I can't imagine it would take months for Motorola to get the phone back to you. I sent a phone to HP when they were totally in flux last year, right after they announced the end of making webOS phones and tablets. I still got it back about a week later. Save yourself some money and get it repaired by Motorola.

 

[althomas39]

I can't imagine it would take months for Motorola to get the phone back to you. I sent a phone to HP when they were totally in flux last year, right after they announced the end of making webOS phones and tablets. I still got it back about a week later. Save yourself some money and get it repaired by Motorola.

A week sounds better than "we have the item on back order", Motorola it is. Here's to hoping, it's killing me going from the Maxx back to my old Env3. Thanks!

 

[MA2GA28]

Strange that your phone would break like that, especially with Gorilla Glass on it. I assume it was the screen underneath (in other words, you can see the crack, but can't feel it). May I ask what you were carrying, and was it just the pressure of the item on your phone against your leg? If so, a case would have done little to save it.

Sending it to Moto won't void your warranty, as they're making the repair (like if your car broke in warranty, you'd take it to the dealer). I wouldn't trust a random B&M store further than I can throw them, unless I knew for a fact that they do good work (multiple good reviews from people I know), not to mention the whole voided warranty deal.

As for insurance, you answered your own question. You don't sign a contract for the insurance, its month-to-month. So, after that first year or so, when you've covered your deductible and the phone is readily available for purchase off-contract for less, cancel the insurance. One phone call is all it takes.

And FYI, the screen isn't an LCD.

 

[rbess1965]

MA got it right. My opinion is carry ins the first year or so, for at least the piece of mind and to let the new wear off When the cost of a craigslist purchase of it equates to the cost of the ins. Then drop the ins. I also use a coil lanyard on my shell/holster and keep it on my belt. Again, piece of mind. Sorry about your bad luck.

Sent using Droid Razr Maxx

 

[NickA]

Why not just call Motorola back and ask what the deal is? If it's just e-mail, they should have been able to generate/send that while on the phone with you. Sounds simple, but did you check your spam folder?

 

[althomas39]

Strange that your phone would break like that, especially with Gorilla Glass on it. I assume it was the screen underneath (in other words, you can see the crack, but can't feel it). May I ask what you were carrying, and was it just the pressure of the item on your phone against your leg? If so, a case would have done little to save it.

Sending it to Moto won't void your warranty, as they're making the repair (like if your car broke in warranty, you'd take it to the dealer). I wouldn't trust a random B&M store further than I can throw them, unless I knew for a fact that they do good work (multiple good reviews from people I know), not to mention the whole voided warranty deal.

As for insurance, you answered your own question. You don't sign a contract for the insurance, its month-to-month. So, after that first year or so, when you've covered your deductible and the phone is readily available for purchase off-contract for less, cancel the insurance. One phone call is all it takes.

And FYI, the screen isn't an LCD.

Right, as far as I can tell, I couldn't feel the crack (I did have a screen protector over it, I didn't want to touch a thing to see if I could feel the crack, but it did look like it was under it). And you're right, AMOLED/LCD/the-thing-that-shows-me-pretty-colors. Unfortunately, it was a laundry basket, and yes, it was direct pressure to the screen. You're right that a case won't defend against that (although, does anyone know of a case that has a flip-lid? I've found leather ones, but I'm thinking more Otterbox style...hard top that puts a bit of space between the lid and the actual screen.) but a case, along with better practices (keep my screen facing towards my leg, never place the phone face down, etc) can prevent this from happening again. I guess in this particular instance, a belt-clip is the way to go, but I find them terribly unsightly...not my style at all.

 

[jrduck1]

Re: Broken Screen Razr Maxx

My Razr Maxx also cracked the screen, upper right corner near the power button, less then a 1/4" long, it did fall off my lap while sitting down, maybe a 2 foot drop and bounce, LOL, yeah the ad says it can take anything you throw at it, just got off phone with Motorola, $159.00 plus any taxes to fix it, they said I abused it, 4 months old, yeah right, have had my blackberry 2 years, dropped it from 10' or more, still works great, had my old motorola flip phone for 3 years still was like new, but lost it at a construction auction, so went to the Razr 1st, had poor battery life, then got the Razr Maxx, last all day, but I leave this phone in my work truck all day, never carry on job sites, personal use only, I think this is a poor design, I really hope enough people get fed up with this crappy screen that breaks, I hope there is a recall and or class action lawsuit, but they are still selling them, so I'm sure many more will come, I hate when a company keeps selling a defective product and won't admit to design or engineering flaws. Cost me $99.00 thru my insurance to get a new phone, plus $50.00 more to get a Otter Box Defender case, and afraid to use it, LOL, they should call it the Razr Maxx Stress, I may just cancel my contract with Verizon, pay the penalty and go to a different carrier, that still has the old flip phones, this has me pissed that Verizon and Motorola won't stand behind their products they sell. Good luck all, who has a Razr. What ccomes around goes around. Slim Jim

 

[durango992007]

I can say that these phones are beyond the point of being fragile. I'm on phone 3 from the same thing. Inner screen cracked, gorilla glass and everything else is fine. The first took a 3 foot fall from my night stand one night and cracked the inner screen. The second, i'm not honestly sure what happened. I sent a text, set it down on my table, went and moved some things in a different room, came back, inner screen was cracked.

Do a google search on these screens cracking. It seems phantom cracking, at least what these people claim, but I will also from phone #2, is starting to become a problem.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Android Central Forums

 

[jrydberg2]

horror story repair from Moto:

Sent mine in, and after 11 days, and numerous calls, I finally got pissed, and called the Moto consumer advocate group at their Corporate headquarters. Both the repair center as well as the advocate group were rude, didn't care at all about my problem, and finally SENT MY BROKEN SCREEN MAXX BACK to me saying that "THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS!!!!