uBreakiFix - Phone and Computer Repair — Local services in New York

Update: Got a refund for the device payments sans initial $37 after being in possession of the device for 7 weeks, and they WIPED all the data that was left on my device for no apparent reason. Manager wouldn’t come speak to me themselves, and gave the device back with a dead battery also.

This has been a journey. Fully.

I made an appointment initially for the StuyTown store for June 9th to get my game console repaired. The morning of, I received a text message from someone letting me know they were unable to repair my device there, and had rescheduled my appointment to this store. I came here to drop off my device and paid my diagnostic fee, and told it would either be one part needed or another.

I was told it was a WiFi chip issue, and it would cost a specific amount on the phone the same day. I authorized the work, and then waited for a phone call to let me know when it would be finish. In the interim, I received an email asking for my feedback and hadn’t received a call yet.

One week later, on June 16th, I received a phone call again saying my device was there and needed repair and they needed payment before proceeding, which I was not informed of in the initial conversation the week prior on the phone. As I was in transit for the following 2 weeks, and I did not feel comfortable paying over the phone, I had to wait until I was home. The manager (I assume) said they would give me a screen protector on them for the inconvenience and apologize for someone else’s alleged failure on policy.

I returned to the store on July 1st or 2nd and made the difference in payment, and was told the part would take 2 further days to arrive. Myself knowing it was 4th of July on Friday, there would likely be a delay. He ordered me a privacy screen for my phone, as I would not need a screen protector for the console.

Following the weekend and a work week, I had received no notification. I called the store Saturday morning July 12th. The manager, again confused, said the part was meant to arrive on the 8th and never arrived and said again my device would be ready by Monday latest.

I once again never received a notification, and this past Thursday July 17th received a phone call again saying my issue was still not resolved, and I would require MORE money for a different part that would effectively wipe my device. As there was data on the device that was not transferable due to this lack of ability to use WiFi, I was at loss of this and per NYC city law, I would like the removed part returned to me, which brought hesitation to the same manager I had been interacting with from the 16th of June. I authorized the work again and was told the part was in house and the device would be ready by Friday latest, and I would receive a phone call by the end of that day to confirm - which of course I didn’t receive.

This whole entire situation has been odd, as this same person made commentary that it was somehow my fault someone had created a different order after my initial drop off, and makes me feel as though this is a grab for some kind of commission or money for the store to demonstrate growth or meet goals, and I feel had. I will be contacting corporate in addition to either have my device fully replaced, returned to me in the condition I dropped it off in and a full refund, or filing a report with the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs, as at this point, the unprofessional nature of this manager’s actions had left a very sour taste in my mouth.

I’m also reading someone else is having a similar experience as I am - which also reads as something strange...

My iPhone 13 Pro suffered liquid damage, resulting in cellular signal issues and frequent "No SIM" or "SIM Failure" errors. Initially, I brought the phone to the Apple Store at Fifth Avenue, unaware that it had been water-damaged. The only visible sign of liquid damage at the time was fogging in the camera lenses. Apple offered me two options: a $549.99 repair for the antenna and phone frame (essentially the same cost of a replacement) or a trade-in value of $340 towards a new iPhone.

Feeling uncertain, I decided to research further before making a decision. Through my investigation, I discovered the liquid damage was partly due to Apple Store's earlier mishandling during a battery replacement. The technician who replaced my degraded battery failed to reapply the water-resistant adhesive around the phone's screen, leaving it vulnerable to liquid intrusion. Despite the damage, I found that most components of my phone were functioning correctly, with the exception of occasional cellular signal loss, which suggested the issue was not solely due to a faulty antenna.

Given these findings, I decided to explore alternative repair options and took my phone to uBreakiFix for their liquid damage repair services. I was fortunate to work with G and Maria, who were incredibly knowledgeable and patient in addressing my technical questions about the damage, the repair process, and the likelihood of a successful reapir. After careful consideration, I paid a non-refundable $100 fee for their liquid damage repair and cleanup service, trusting their expertise, especially since I have experience in soldering and repairing larger electronic components myself.

Post-repair, G provided a thorough explanation of the extent of the water damage, the specific cleaning fluids used, and the potential long-term impacts of the liquid exposure. Their attention to detail and willingness to answer my numerous questions left me thoroughly impressed. After several days of using the repaired phone, I can confidently say that G did an exceptional job restoring it to working condition.

In an era where many corporations prioritize profits over consumer rights and deliberately design devices to be difficult or impossible to repair, uBreakiFix stands out as a beacon of hope. Their services not only address critical repair needs but also contribute to reducing electronic waste by extending the life of devices. I’ve been a loyal customer since my iPhone 6 Plus days, and uBreakiFix has consistently delivered reasonably priced, high-quality repair options.

Today, I’m thrilled to see that their service has not only maintained but significantly improved over the years. I wholeheartedly recommend uBreakiFix to anyone seeking reliable and professional device repair. They embody the spirit of the right-to-repair movement, offering a vital alternative to the wasteful "replace rather than repair" philosophy of major...

I have been coming here for years and never had an issue, but after this most recent experience, I felt compelled to tell my story and to warn people before coming to this location.

I brought my phone in for repair and was first told it needed a new battery. Fine.

After an hour I am told they actually need to replace the entire motherboard. This is a very expensive part. I asked, will it fix the phone and bring it back to how it was? They said yes.

After 2 more hours the motherboard is now replaced. However, the phone was not the same as it was - in fact it now had none of my original data on it and acted like a new phone.

None of this info was disclosed. Had it been disclosed, I would have chosen to make an insurance claim and receive the same results for hundreds of dollars less (nearly $550 less).

BUT WAIT - even worse, the 'repaired' phone did not work correctly! The facial recognition and voice to text did not work (I may discover more issues still). I brought the phone back but they could only fix the facial recognition feature. When I asked about the voice to text, they said, 'not our problem.'

I pleaded politely both visits for anything to be done - either to compensate at ALL for not disclosing that my phone would be factory reset AND for not being able to fix the voice to text feature that clearly worked before I brought it in. They asked me to please leave the store and call corporate. I did so, and corporate could provide no help. I asked if they could explain why the factory reset was not disclosed or why they could not fix the features on my phone that still don't work. They got even angrier.

Kurram in particular was extremely rude. I wasn't asking for much, literally ANYTHING to either get my phone to work properly (despite the $550 overcharge) would have satisfied me, or ANY acceptance of liability for not letting me approve a factory reset. Instead they raised voices, were rude, and dismissive. All in front of other customers who can attest to this.

I even asked for a pen to write down the manager's name and he refused.

Please save yourself the grief. These guys are only in it for their own profit and don't care if you could go through insurance or manufacturer to save yourself some money. And they don't even care to try to explain themselves...