Google's refurbished replacement phones, are they all that bad?!

[Rukbat]

I went through 3 in a row, trying to find one without a particular problem that mine developed. No luck, 4 phones with the same "apparent bug". While we were doing debug report emailings and talking to the developer at Google who was working (or trying to work) on the "bug", the original phone started to work correctly.

But 3 refurbs and not a single problem other than the apparent bug, and no one (including me, and I spent 46 years developing communications electronics before I retired, so I'm not just some old fart who doesn't know anything about cellphones) could figure out a "bug" that was apparently bad hardware, but started to work all by itself after a couple of months.

As you said, all the refurbs looked brand new and worked (as far as I worked with them) just fine - no charging problem, no earphone problem, Bluetooth worked on all of them, even rooting and TWRP went fine.

Price? I never bothered to ask, since the hold was taken off for all of them, and my bank assured me that I was still earning interest on the ~$2,500 while the holds were on. But I think that's standard in the industry.

 

[J Dubbs]

I don't do used electronics, I've been fortunate enough to only have one device failure ever, that was a Fitbit surge, they wanted to send me somebody else's problem under warranty, but I got my credit card company involved and got a brand new replacement ;-)

Ironically enough the defective surge I had started working when I fought with it and the crappy app long enough (fitbit's watches and software are complete s**t, stay FAR away)... they let me keep the defective one because they were discontinued and being cleared out, so I ended up with 2 for the price of one (which is actually what they're worth lol).

Everyone I've ever known or read about getting refurbished units have had nothing but problems..... regardless of the company involved.

 

[Andy Bredemeyer]

To be fair, people don't gush all over comment threads about their great experiences with refurbs. My wife got a refurbished Toshiba Chromebook over two years ago for like $200 and has used it ever since without issue.

 

[Ziich47]

I was about to trade in my pixel and of course i drop it and break the back glass. Luckily it was still under the protection plan so they over -nighted me a replacement after i begrudgingly paid 99. To my surprise it was brand new device with the box and accessories and everything i mean it Is still on android 7! I kinda don't want to trade in anymore

 

[dannybdannyb]

I ordered a new Pixel 3 XL 128GB from the Google Store, within a week the screen went bad, it developed a green vertical line from top to bottom, Hardware issue. Got a replacement.
The replacement had a "speck of dirt" in the camera lens visible thru the camera, not visible even with a jewelers loop.
Requested another replacement, this one lasted 3 days and it died, the phone was running sluggish, I rebooted it, it powered down and never came back on. I took them THREE weeks to send me the last phone!
My assessment id that the first phone, had a hardware defect, which I can understand, it happens. The other two were refurbished piece of crap phones!
I contacted Google again and demanded to return the phone, I don't want to pay $1K for a refurbished phone and they would not send me a new one.
I'm just going to walk into Best Buy and buy me a NEW Pixel.
BTW, both replacements came in a box that was like new, with accessories and all!
Refurbished phones are someone else's phone problems that their diagnostics could not detect!
Horrible! Never had a such bad experience.

 

[Yavuzkurt]

I literally had 3 "factory refurbished" Google pixel XL phones with problems right out of the box. The first one I bought from a top seller from eBay, and it would not connect to any cellular network. I returned it and gave the seller a neutral, NOT positive review. II II I got from Amazon from a supposedly factory refurbished Amazon renewed program. The first one the microphone did not work. Spent another week and a half getting that return, and the third one I got would not charge or power on. At that point I returned it and will never get another Google refurbished OR new phone again. They obviously have very little quality control.

 

[chefdiane]

This makes me so mad. I bought a Pixel 3 phone. Four months later it freezes and fries. So I get my first Verizon insurance refurbished phone that screeches through the bluetooth speakers of my 2015 Subaru Forester. I then go through Google and get yet another refurbished Pixel phone and the same thing happens. Screeching whenever I take a call in my car. I am so over all of this. I feel very unprotected by Verizon and Google. I have always been a Google fan but I am feeling bitter and taken advantage of. Any advice?
Thank you!
Diane

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Are you certain it's the phone that's causing the problem, or could it be the car's Bluetooth system? Have you already tested other phones on the car's system? Can you test your Pixel 3 on another car?

 

[frizzo123]

Im waiting for my second replacement for Pixel 2 XL. Has a great camera but Terrible warranty service. Waiting over 2 weeks already and not even a tracking #. .. Im going back to iphone....

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Sorry to hear that. Your phone was still under warranty, or did you have insurance? Have you been staying in touch with Google support?

 

[Philip Royer]

I think a similar issue is happening to me with the Pixel 3. My initial device was fine until I dropped it, but I have now had two replacement devices that were "refurbished". The first one stopped charging when plugged into power, and the second one has an error turning on Wifi, Bluetooth, and the Wifi hotspot. Now they are planning to send me a 4th phone, and I have no assurance that it will be fully working.

 

[swebb]

I also had some issues with a refurb. Checked the mfg date from serial number, and it was made before the phone I was turning in. In little time, the refurb got the same issue as the original. Since you have a P3, you're likely getting the best cosmetically looking trade in they have, which will be over 2 years old. It's going to be a crap shoot.