[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] chjade84:
So I've been to three stores today with three TOTALLY different experiences...

The first place, where I bought the phone, is a third party retailer. The guys there don't know much about the technical aspects of the Nexus - for instance I needed to tell them it took a micro SIM and how to get the old one out of the holder. Vut these guys sell DISH products and I think FIOS, too. They can't know everything about everything.

But they were the most helpful of anyone! They looked up my old records when I couldn't remember the password Verizon assigned me. They called Verizon and got me in my account, got me a new SIM and told me if it didn't fix the problem it would be free. Once it didn't work he said "aww man, that sucks" and then told me he would take care of the SIM cost and not for me to worry about it. He even left the old SIM active if I needed it.

Cut to Corporate Verizon and once I mention water damage he says there is nothing they can do. He suggested I try the repair shop up the street.

Now for the infuriating part... "Cell Phone City"

The experience with this guy was worse than messing up the Nexus in the first place! For starters it's a ****-hole in a run down area of town. I walk in and there is NOTHING in the place except an old glass display case with 10 or so "accessories" in it. That's about 1 case or charger per 5 square feet! A young guy about 21 years old walks through the door in the back and asks me what's up. I tell him and he says they can try to fix it. I'm already feeling nervous handing over my baby to this guy since I get the feeling there is a cellphone chop shop behind that door so I ask if they can just sell me the spare parts.

He says... "We don't use replacement parts..."

...

I say, "How do you plan on fixing it then?" He says "Well that's like you asking KFC's secret recipe."

EXCUSE ME?! He goes from unhelpful to critical at this point

At this point I realize this place is NOT the place to leave my $650 phone and I tell him that. He says "Well you can't fix it" and I say "No, I'll find the replacement board with the radio and replace it" he says "That's a horrible idea and you will break your phone. Water is strange, you can drop it in the ocean and it could be ok. You can't just replace the parts."

I grab my phone and walk out realizing that they most likely have bowls of rice and heat lamps behind that door. They "charge $90 if they can fix it and if not there's no charge". I HIGHLY doubt they are doing SMT re-flow work back there.

It's definitely rice.

And I bet if I leave it there it comes back to me in worse condition than when I dropped it off.

I'm going to see if I can find any spare parts online but I'm not holding my breath. Could be a shame and a VERY cruel irony that the only part of my phone I'm not able to rescue is the cellular radio...

Now if you'll excuse me I have to go install some Zboost signal boosters, run some 110VAC wiring for IP surveillance cameras, do some network work for Purdue University's Ag. department and flash some routers with DD-wrt to use as range extenders.

Sorry for the rant, people like that just infuriate me.

I'll break my phone......... *headshake*... dude wants $90 to put my phone in rice like he's the first one to stumble on that...