Buying a used Nexus S 4G... Advice?

[echoromeo83]

Hi all, I'm buying a used Nexus S 4G later today, and I'd like a little advice. We are meeting at a Sprint store, so I'm pretty sure that the guy isn't going to stab me before plundering my corpse when I meet him. Anyways, I just had a couple of questions about what I should look out for.

1) I'm planning on taking a few pictures with front and back cameras, checking the power and volume buttons, playing with the phone for a bit, and taking the back cover off. Anything else?

2) I am going to check the ESN before I give him any money. Should I also insist that he stays there while I activate the phone so I can make a phone call and check if the data connection works?

3) Any other things I should ask/do?

Thanks everyone!

 

[nmoreman]

Hi all, I'm buying a used Nexus S 4G later today, and I'd like a little advice. We are meeting at a Sprint store, so I'm pretty sure that the guy isn't going to stab me before plundering my corpse when I meet him. Anyways, I just had a couple of questions about what I should look out for.

1) I'm planning on taking a few pictures with front and back cameras, checking the power and volume buttons, playing with the phone for a bit, and taking the back cover off. Anything else?

2) I am going to check the ESN before I give him any money. Should I also insist that he stays there while I activate the phone so I can make a phone call and check if the data connection works?

3) Any other things I should ask/do?

Thanks everyone!

I have bought and sold many phones, makes it easier than manipulating upgrades, or actually replacing a broken one.
Playing with it, seeing in action is good. Do NOT hand money over until Sprint tells you it is clean and clear. You can even have him give you the numbers and call the 800 number before you go, they will tell you. There can even be hangups if he is past due (I actually did that unintentionally to a buyer) but we were at store, I paid, no problem.
If its clear, it will activate, so he doesn't have to hang around.

And put TEP on it, even if its only for a month, just to be sure everything is okay, then Sprint fixes for you. You can drop later, but that will be the best $8 you spend, just in case.

And there are a lot of good sellers out there, especially if meeting at Sprint, new phones mean good sellers.

 

[echoromeo83]

If its clear, it will activate, so he doesn't have to hang around.

And put TEP on it, even if its only for a month, just to be sure everything is okay, then Sprint fixes for you. You can drop later, but that will be the best $8 you spend, just in case.

And there are a lot of good sellers out there, especially if meeting at Sprint, new phones mean good sellers.

Thank you very much for your reply! I had no idea that I could put TEP on a used phone like this... that is great. It would really put my mind to ease buying used.

Even if the phone is clean then I was still worried that maybe the phone speaker or radio is out, but I guess that's pretty unlikely. I should probably let him on his way after I find that it is clean.

I have already had about 3 sellers either not show or I was sure that they were scamming me after they would not agree to meet at a Sprint store. Hopefully this guy shows!

 

[6tr6tr]

I think the biggest issues will be:

1. Do all the radios work (wifi, 3g, 4g)

2. How's the battery (no idea how you'd test this in a short time though.

Battery's not that important I guess as you can get a new OEM one for $18 (includes shipping): Amazon.com: Samsung 1440mah Standard Battery for Samsung Google Nexus S (Retail Packaging): Cell Phones & Accessories

 

[echoromeo83]

I think the biggest issues will be:

1. Do all the radios work (wifi, 3g, 4g)

2. How's the battery (no idea how you'd test this in a short time though.

Battery's not that important I guess as you can get a new OEM one for $18 (includes shipping): Amazon.com: Samsung 1440mah Standard Battery for Samsung Google Nexus S (Retail Packaging): Cell Phones & Accessories

Thank you for the link... that battery is darn cheap. So do you think that I should insist that he waits until I activate the phone and make a call before paying him?

 

[6tr6tr]

Thank you for the link... that battery is darn cheap. So do you think that I should insist that he waits until I activate the phone and make a call before paying him?

I think you should do exactly what "nmoreman" recommends: have Sprint check that the phone is clear to be sold/activated.

 

[dj2big]

Get the TPE

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

[MBeattie]

If he's meeting in a Store, any public place really, he's not looking to scam you. Anyone with any degree of street smarts can usually tell if someone's shady right off the bat. If the price is right buy it. Even if you notice something silly like a loose power button. With TEP you'd be getting a brand new device for the price of a used one. Some would even go as far as finding the cheapest, banged up device simply because there insurable and in a month you can get yourself a replacement. Sprint takes care of customers in regards to replacements. I've had reps recommended purchasing Rep for a broken phone so I could get it replaced at no cost past the few bucks to add tep to my account. Aside from meeting a nut whose looking to murder you and everyone else in the sprint store, you can't loose as long as you go with tep.

 

[chud]

Aside from meeting a nut whose looking to murder you and everyone else in the sprint store, you can't loose

It's been almost 24 hours. Maybe he DID lose?

 

[echoromeo83]

OK an update... I met the guy at the Sprint store and everything went really well. He said that the phone was a month and a half old and he wasn't lying... the phone is perfect. It literally looks like it just came out of the box, so I think that $250 was a steal.

Also, I had no idea that you could put TEP on a used device... that is very interesting!

Thanks everyone for the comments!

 

[shortytex]

glad it all worked out for you.. hope you enjoying the phone