Anyplace to buy a Galaxy SII that won't cost an arm & leg?

[aroundincircles]

Well, my coveted phone is on the fritz. Rather than giving me a new one while under warranty (thanks, AT&T), they replaced the battery for a second time. I'm now six weeks out and its doing the same thing - shutting down.

They're telling me that I have three choices:
1. Pay $199.00 for a refurb from the insurance,
2. Upgrade and do a new 2-year contract (really don't want this),
3. "Trouble shoot" and bring the phone back to factory defaults for a second time.

I am cancelling the insurance but still need to find a phone before this one dies.

Is there anywhere I can find another SII that won't cost a gold bar? I would like the same since I already have all of the components.

Thanks!
AG

 

[s44]

$200 is about the going secondhand rate.

 

[Dumac]

Does it simply shut down, or reboot? Did this start happening after the JB update?

 

[khha4113]

Does it simply shut down, or reboot? Did this start happening after the JB update?

Galaxy S2 still is ICS. Although, there is report JB update coming soon
http://www.sammobile.com/2013/01/05/samsung-korea-posts-galaxy-s-ii-jelly-bean-update-details/

 

[Dari]

It's 2013. Why would you want a GSII when you can get a midrange or even low end phone with better specs?

 

[SAWYER]

Why does anyone uses att for warranty work? You can use Samsung and they are fairly quick. Att is so full of crap. I know someone who has an iPhone and it messed up, Att informed them their only option was their pos insurance which would have cost. I told them to call apple because they will take care of it and att didn't even mention it

 

[SAWYER]

It's 2013. Why would you want a GSII when you can get a midrange or even low end phone with better specs?

The gs2 is a great phone even today and the body and size is excellent

 

[gorcorps]

Wedge a piece of paper (folded once or twice depending on paper thickness) at the bottom of the battery to make better contact with the battery connectors at the top. My galaxy S2 seemed to randomly shut itself off too and it turned out to be a pretty poor connection with the contacts. After this it didn't happen again.

 

[GregMal]

I had a rebooting problem. Removed the SD card and it went away.....

 

[Red Storm]

Take it to a store and explain to them how the problem won't go away and you need a working phone. I had issues with network connectivity on the Galaxy Nexus, on 3 separate models, so I went in to a Verizon store after the 3rd time and said this was unacceptable. After speaking to someone on the phone they took my Nexus and gave me an S3.

 

[Radeon962]

Wedge a piece of paper (folded once or twice depending on paper thickness) at the bottom of the battery to make better contact with the battery connectors at the top. My galaxy S2 seemed to randomly shut itself off too and it turned out to be a pretty poor connection with the contacts. After this it didn't happen again.

Second this as it solved my issues when I had an S2.

 

[Dumac]

Galaxy S2 still is ICS. Although, there is report JB update coming soon
http://www.sammobile.com/2013/01/05/samsung-korea-posts-galaxy-s-ii-jelly-bean-update-details/

Whoops, read it as SIII. Didn't know people still wanted to buy the SII.

 

[gorcorps]

I had a rebooting problem. Removed the SD card and it went away.....

Yeah, I think I had a corrupt SD card at one point too. Though mine wasn't causing any boot problems it was just causing "Android Media Process" to run all the time and drain my battery. I used watchdog to find out what it was and it's usually due to a corrupt mp3 or other media file that part of the system scanned over and it got hung up. Reformatted the card and all was good.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

It's 2013. Why would you want a GSII when you can get a midrange or even low end phone with better specs?

It's still a damn good phone that's very popular. I saw many in Asia during my December trip. Furthermore, its horsepower is still plenty sufficient.

 

[Dari]

It's still a damn good phone that's very popular. I saw many in Asia during my December trip. Furthermore, its horsepower is still plenty sufficient.

It may be a good phone today but it isn't worth the price of entry today. The phones came out in 2011 and for anyone to pay more than $100 for it off contract is crazy.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

It may be a good phone today but it isn't worth the price of entry today. The phones came out in 2011 and for anyone to pay more than $100 for it off contract is crazy.

welcome to the world of unlocked phone pricing? the market dictates those prices.

let's not forget iPhones resell pretty well too.

 

[Red Storm]

It may be a good phone today but it isn't worth the price of entry today. The phones came out in 2011 and for anyone to pay more than $100 for it off contract is crazy.

Care to link a good unlocked smartphone that's less than $100?

 

[Jinny]

It may be a good phone today but it isn't worth the price of entry today. The phones came out in 2011 and for anyone to pay more than $100 for it off contract is crazy.

LOL good luck getting ANY smartphone for $100 much less a galaxy s2

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

the US market does have some cheap phones though. those used carrier phones resell for pretty lowass prices. I think it's because people are used to contract pricing and so there's no other way to get rid of them but to sell them for cheap.

Meanwhile a i9000 still runs for $300+ while a i9100 is $400+

 

[Dari]

Care to link a good unlocked smartphone that's less than $100?

I'm sure there are many used that came out last year that are $100. OP was offered $199 for a refurb contract phone from 2011...

 

[SAWYER]

You are wrong about the gs2, look on ebay and amazon and you will see. The original Galaxy still sells for 100 or so

 

[Dari]

You are wrong about the gs2, look on ebay and amazon and you will see. The original Galaxy still sells for 100 or so

Whatever. Fact of the matter is it's better to just replace the phone with something else, preferably something that'll last a lot longer than less than two years. Samsung is not known for its build quality. OP should take that to heart. I just don't see the point in replacing an old phone with an old phone. Makes no sense.

 

[gorcorps]

Whatever. Fact of the matter is it's better to just replace the phone with something else, preferably something that'll last a lot longer than less than two years. Samsung is not known for its build quality. OP should take that to heart. I just don't see the point in replacing an old phone with an old phone. Makes no sense.

Not everybody has the money for the latest and greatest, okay? Some people will stick to whatever budget they need to stick to but still need a phone.

 

[Dari]

Not everybody has the money for the latest and greatest, okay? Some people will stick to whatever budget they need to stick to but still need a phone.

Who said anything about the latest and greatest? I mentioned midrange and used. He wants another GS2 primarily because he already has accessories for it. So he does not want to be inconvenienced.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Whatever. Fact of the matter is it's better to just replace the phone with something else, preferably something that'll last a lot longer than less than two years. Samsung is not known for its build quality. OP should take that to heart. I just don't see the point in replacing an old phone with an old phone. Makes no sense.

Who said anything about the latest and greatest? I mentioned midrange and used. He wants another GS2 primarily because he already has accessories for it. So he does not want to be inconvenienced.

But you kinda did. :/

Anyhoo, I'd suggest checking out Craigslist - if you check often enough you can find someone with a fair price (and a lot of time they're willing to haggle as well) and you can check the condition of the phone before buying (I usually meet at a local starbucks if I'm buying/selling something from craigslist).