Need advice about selling my old iphone 3g

davetaylor

Hi,

I recently upgraded to the iphone 4 and am looking to sell my 18 month old iphone 3g. There is one little catch though. On my first week of owning the iphone 3g I managed to drop it in the bath. I scooped it out quick, and left in in airing cupboard, switched off for several days. Switched it back on and it was like nothing happened. It worked (and has worked) perfectly fine.

I do know though that these phones have water sensors. In fact there is one you can see if you shine a torch down the bottom of the earphone socket and I know my sensor has changed colour.

So I'm thinking that this will rule out me selling the phone the down the conventional methods of sending it to one of those companies that gives you cash for your old mobile as they will check it over. Am I right in thinking this?

I'm guessing he best option is a private sale on ebay?

The phone otherwise is in great condition, it was always in a case and does not have a mark on it.

Dave

Oscar_The_Grouch

Hi Dave

It's up to you how you want to sell your phone - privately will maximise your profit but cost you time and effort. With a phone buying firm, they will offer you less than you could get privately, but it's simple and quick.

If you want to go down the route of the quick sale, look at the MSE mobile valuer website (clicky) to see which ones offer the best price. It looks like Envirofone (clicky) are usually 2nd or 3rd, but they do offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee or they will return your mobile for free. I haven't looked at what the rest offer, but think it is something worth looking at before you send anyone your phone.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

davetaylor

Thanks for the advice Oscar, but what do you think about the fact that my water damage sensors have been activated? I'm not sure whether my phone is classed as being 'water damaged' or not? I mean, it works perfectly well and has never shown any effects from being drowned but an expert will see that the white strip of paper (water sensor) is now pink.

Exhortation

I would wait until they have a free listings day on Ebay and then put it on there but be totally honest about the water sensor. If no one bites then you can always use the recyclers as a fallback option, plus you haven't lost any money on the Ebay listing.

Oscar_The_Grouch

There's loads of articles on the internet about how the external sensors on the iPhone go pink just from daily use, so it's the internal sensors that matter. If water got in to the "guts" of your phone, the internal sensor may have turned pink. Without taking the phone to bits, there's no way to find that out.

This is my view:

I'd send the phone off to Envirofone. If they have an issue with it, they will tell you (and explain why). In other words, they'll look at it for you for free!! If they offer you a reduced price and you're not happy with it, get the phone returned (again for free). You can then sell it on eBay as "has pink sensors but phone has worked fine for 18 months" or get an appointment in an Apple Store for them to give you a quote to check the phone and replace the sensors.

As I said, this is just what I would do. I've got a phone to sell when I get my iPhone and I'm intending to use Envirofone.

davetaylor

Great advice Oscar. I've applied to Enirofone and am just waiting for my envelope to arrive!

woodhead

I used Enirofone to fell my 3g after upgrading - no problems at all with them!

gjchester

davetaylor wrote: »

In fact there is one you can see if you shine a torch down the bottom of the earphone socket and I know my sensor has changed colour.

The sensors are mainly so water damage can be rejected under any warranty claim. If it's 18 months old it's off warranty anyway so as long as it works there should be no issue.

Longer term there may be corrosion inside but if it's working I suspect that's all that will be checked.