Htc one m8 replacement screen story....

davido_labido · 31 Jul 2014 at 11:47

Well, I got my m8 shortly after release and the screen cracked within a month of me owning it. I have no idea how it happened and it's a small almost invisible crack running through the bottom corner of the glass. It hasn't been dropped, I'm pretty sure I havnt sat on it etc and it was in one of the HTC dot cases to try and protect it.

I contacted htc on the same day to find out the cost to get the glass replaced and was told

"send it to us and we will replace it and let you know the cost"

I wanted the price before they went ahead with the replacement as if it's too pricey I'm not that fussed, its an almost invisible crack, not interfering with anything etc.

Their answer" to get a price you would have to send it in and we will inspect it and let you know the cost to fix it. The inspection will cost £ 27 if you don't go ahead with the repair"

I told them it's JUST a replacement glass peice thats needed, there's no other damage and everything else is fine. They refused to give me an estimate.

What annoys me the most is in the US htc are replacing one screen for free as long as it breaks in the first 6 months, yet we can't even find out how much it costs to get one fixed.

Two months on and I'm trying again with HTC. This time via twitter.... Same story.

It's put me off the company tbh. This is my first htc. It will be my last.

Tl:dr

Crack phone screen, htc won't give me a quote on price to fix it unless I pay 30 quid nearly, the US get one replacement for free. We don't. HTC are crap.

Nabzlfc · 31 Jul 2014 at 12:30

E-mail [email protected] and CC in [email protected].

Advise how you are disappointing and how US customer's are getting it replaced free for the same given scenario.

Let me know what they reply

mattyfez · 31 Jul 2014 at 12:37

interesting, that Americans are getting a free screen within 6 months suggests an inherent manufacturing issue.. if this is the case (I can't see why they would make such a generous offer otherwise) then surely all customers should be entitled to the same.

davido_labido · 31 Jul 2014 at 13:51

Nabzlfc said:
E-mail [email protected] and CC in [email protected].

Advise how you are disappointing and how US customer's are getting it replaced free for the same given scenario.

Let me know what they reply

Yeah this was actually my next step (assuming they are the CEOs) ive asked for a contact for complaints and they just sent me the link to the 'contact us' page which doesn't have have a section for complaints...

mattyfez said:
interesting, that Americans are getting a free screen within 6 months suggests an inherent manufacturing issue.. if this is the case (I can't see why they would make such a generous offer otherwise) then surely all customers should be entitled to the same.

Exactly what I said the first time I contacted them. They said that it's just a trial in the US to see if people will buy more phones etc...

davido_labido · 31 Jul 2014 at 16:49

Just a bit of an update, I've been passed on to the

HTC Escalations Manager

Now after emailing 3 email addresses with @htc at the end. One of them was one of the above.

He has basically said he is going to look into it for me and wanted some contact details.

Il have to see how this pans out!!

doggo · 31 Jul 2014 at 17:36

When htc announced the M8 I'm sure I remember Peter Chou saying they were so confident people would love the screen on M8 if it was broken for any reason they would replace it foc in the first six months.

Matt-Page · 31 Jul 2014 at 17:40

Similar to me pal. I've got the M7 though and dropped the HTC which shattered the glass. Phone is still useable, but it looks terrible and I wanted it fixed by people who will use decent parts.

I called HTC, and tried via their Web chat, but got told the same as you. I told them the same, the glass is shattered but everything else on it is fine and I just wanted a ball park figure. I wasn't prepared to be without the phone, and pay £27 to be told the repair cost was astronomical.

What I can tell you is that regenersis.com is who they use for their repairs, HTC themselves don't do it. You may be able to email them [email protected] to get a rough estimate, but I expect they will direct you to contact HTC and book it through them.

I googled quite a bit and found very little in terms of companies offering the replacement that I could trust apart from Geek Squad (CPW) but they basically give you a refurbed phone in exchange for yours (£170). I've decided to have a bash at doing it myself as the parts are relatively cheap but then you can't guarantee the quality of them. Tearing down the HTC is a nightmare though, and a lot more involved than an iPhone.

Good luck!

Matt-Page · 31 Jul 2014 at 17:41

doggo said:
When htc announced the M8 I'm sure I remember Peter Chou saying they were so confident people would love the screen on M8 if it was broken for any reason they would replace it foc in the first six months.

When I read that about the offer to US customers I was baffled. Why would they offer that unless there is a known fault? Almost like a recall service, but only recalled if the customer reports the fault...

davido_labido · 31 Jul 2014 at 18:11

Yeah, that's exactly the angle I used when contacting them. Hopefully with it getting escalated I will be able to get it fixed!

I'm certainly gonna play on it as much as possible, not because it's exactly a serious problem or anything but just because the actual method used to deal with the situation is dire.

Matt-Page · 31 Jul 2014 at 22:01

If you've got no other marks on your phone, surely that will help to prove you haven't dropped it. To be fair I've dropped mine loads of times just the last time the screen cracked. Good luck pal.

davido_labido · 1 Aug 2014 at 08:29

Yeh the problem is now it's a few months older and it now does have a few scuffs on it. I do have pictures of I from when I first did it though somewhere. Which shows now other marks on it.

I'm not gonna hold my breath tbh il probably go through my insurance just to keep the cost down, il only have to pay 50 quid then. If it's any more than that there's no point in me using htc to do it.

Matt-Page · 1 Aug 2014 at 09:43

For info, in my thread someone posted this place that offers repairs:

http://www.htcrepairsuk.com/save-details.php?u=1&legacy_id=3679

No idea what they are like though, couldn't find any reviews.

snitcher · 1 Aug 2014 at 09:56

you should be able to get it replaced for free.

Akagi · 1 Aug 2014 at 10:29

snitcher said:
you should be able to get it replaced for free.

Should is very much the key word there.

davido_labido · 1 Aug 2014 at 12:17

Nope, 80-100 quid. Told them they can trot on.

Looks like il leave it for now and if it gets worse il just go through my insurance. Certainly will be looking at a different manufacturer though for my next phone.

Akagi · 1 Aug 2014 at 12:35

I wouldn't judge them too harshly to be honest. They don't know how bad the crack is, they don't know if you did it yourself and are claiming you didn't, they don't have to offer the same services they offer in the USA.

Em3bbs · 1 Aug 2014 at 12:51

davido_labido said:
Nope, 80-100 quid. Told them they can trot on.

Looks like il leave it for now and if it gets worse il just go through my insurance. Certainly will be looking at a different manufacturer though for my next phone.

It's not really HTC being different here - yo'll find a lot of manufacturers of consumer goods offer customers replacements in the US to avoid class action lawsuits which you don't get over here. Same with car recalls etc.

davido_labido · 1 Aug 2014 at 16:22

They do know how badly it's cracked. I told them it was a single hairline crack from approx 4cm up the right hand side to approximately 3cm along the bottom right. I sent them a picture and because of how invisible it is, sent a picture with a line showing the path the crack was in.

I also didn't claim not to do it. I claimed I didn't drop it, sit on it or crush it etc, I know I must have done it somehow as it wasn't like that when I bought it. I explained that to them.

There is no reason not to offer this service to us. I asked them why they don't and it is a trial which may or may not be rolled out over other countries.

As I've already said, I wasn't that bothered about the price, more the fact that they simply won't tell you how much it would be for just a replacement glass. It took me going to the top just to find out a simple answer like that. I appreciate that people might say 'I've broke my glass so need it replacing how much will it be' and if they say '100 quid' and it turns out the screen is smashed because it's bent in two then obviously they will need to give another value, but like a car garage gives, or most other repair centers it wouldn't have been hard just to give me an estimate and not charge 27 quid to get the exact price.

thep02 · 1 Aug 2014 at 19:38

davido_labido said:
Just a bit of an update, I've been passed on to the

HTC Escalations Manager

Now after emailing 3 email addresses with @htc at the end. One of them was one of the above.

He has basically said he is going to look into it for me and wanted some contact details.

Il have to see how this pans out!!

The "joke" is that you weren't initially after a freeby just a price quote on a glass screen, they need to sort themselves out.

~Divine~Wind~ · 2 Aug 2014 at 18:20

My mate had a very similar issue with his last HTC phone.
He sent it in as requested to fix some issue they had stated they would repair free, they they declined it due to some "other fault" that he wasnt aware of and basically held his phone hostage until he paid. Kicked off left right and centre and after some back and forwards ended up with a repaired handset.

I'm keeping my eyes open for a new handset but HTC won't be on the shortlist.

Htc one m8 replacement screen story....

Can't type for toffee