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Help Refurb vs new

I

isabm

Lurker
I am thinking about buying a Nexus 7 (2012). I can get a new one for $171 or a factory refurb one for $120 with a 90 day warranty. I've never bought a refurb before so I don't know which would be the better buy:confused: Help please! Thanks:)
 
It depends on the source. "Factory refurb" can be anything from "the case is from an old phone, but the insides are new) to "we cleaned it with a soft cloth". One of my current phones, a refurb from the carrier, looks like it's going back - it's started telling me that email is stopped - after it was noted in the record (at my request) that the phone appeared to have memory problems. If I can't resolve it as some app causing the problem, they get #3 back and I get to try #4. (Hopefully before KitKat gets stuffed into it.) #1 and #2 were new out of the box. #1 was fine, until an OTA killed it, #2 just decided to stop living, now #3, a refurb, seems to be dying slowly.

90 days? I wouldn't feel comfortable. But that's me.
 
As long as it's manufacturer refurbished, not seller refurbished, I would go for it... you usually get some sort of warranty with items anyway (maybe not as good/long a warranty as brand new items, but you get one all the same).

Perhaps I've been lucky, but the few things I've bought that were refurbs have been fine :D
 
I've had good experiences with refurbs, so decided to go that route for an N 7 (2012) tablet. I don't really need the added features of the 2013.

I just ordered a 32Gb wifi model for $130 (no tax/free shipping) from www.4doutlets.com They have other models but this one was the 'blemish free' refurb.
 
I have three Nexus 7 (2012) in the family - two refurbs, one new. The only one that's given me any problem is the new one - it would get sick at the boot logo. I had to factory reset it via fastboot to recover. This also happens to be the only one that had been rooted at one time (I unrooted it long before this issue). After recovering, I flashed factory images and relocked the boot loader.

Also, some (poorly written, IMO) apps don't handle the higher resolution of the 2013 model well - everything is shrunk down with a big black border around the edges. If you're wondering, I'm referring to CoPilot (GPS navigation app).
 
g01851 said:
Got my refurb as noted in previous reply. Works great, looks new, no issues!
Click to expand...

Excellent. You payed a good price for what is still a great machine :)
You gonna root it or keep it stock? If you think you'll ever want to root her I'd do it ASAP because the process wipes it :thumbup:
 
D-U-R-X said:
As long as it's manufacturer refurbished, not seller refurbished, I would go for it... you usually get some sort of warranty with items anyway (maybe not as good/long a warranty as brand new items, but you get one all the same).

Perhaps I've been lucky, but the few things I've bought that were refurbs have been fine :D
Click to expand...

This :thumbup:
 
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