[RostokMcSpoons]

I've started a thread on the main forum asking for advice as I'd like a phone to replace both my current Samsung phone (with terrible standby time) and my dying iPod (60gb Photo)

I have seen 8gb iPhone 3G's going on ebay for £250 (and up) and I'm tempted - my daughters' iPod Touch is fantastic and I'd love an iPhone but can't justify an expensive monthly contract, so this'd be about my only option.

But is it a stupid one? Would I be buying a lemon at that price? I wouldn't mind the odd cosmetic scratch, but it's got to work properly!

[a l e x]

You've probably heard it all before but just use some common sense. Only buy off sellers with high numbers of positive feedback. Make sure they've sold similar priced items before and not just a few cheap items to bump up feedback. Use paypal as payment so if anything does go wrong you can appeal and get money back and finally, ask questions. Ask for extra photos if you can't see condition well enough, check with the seller everything is working etc.

Id say just remember one thing, if a deal seems too good to be true it probably is!

[tonycommander]

might be daft, but try the classifieds on here?

I got my 3g off here - a 16Gb white one for 280 shipped and it's in perfect nick...

same old stuff to bear in mind though, get names, addresses, phone numbers, look at feedback etc etc..

[tomelli]

Try and buy one with as much warranty remaining as possible. Apple are very good for replacing phones with issues. I went into an Apple store recently to buy a screen protector. I asked a queston about my phone. They looked at it and replaced it instantly.

[paulgjohnston]

As previous posters have said just be careful of Ebay and this very forum. I know to my cost as I foolishly purchased an iPhone here from someone with no feedback and surprise surprise never received it. Got the money back eventually through my credit card but a lesson learned.

[Kieron]

Originally Posted by RostokMcSpoons

I've started a thread on the main forum asking for advice as I'd like a phone to replace both my current Samsung phone (with terrible standby time) and my dying iPod (60gb Photo)

I have seen 8gb iPhone 3G's going on ebay for £250 (and up) and I'm tempted - my daughters' iPod Touch is fantastic and I'd love an iPhone but can't justify an expensive monthly contract, so this'd be about my only option.

But is it a stupid one? Would I be buying a lemon at that price? I wouldn't mind the odd cosmetic scratch, but it's got to work properly!

I may be selling my white 16gb iPhone 3G shortly - as ever to comply with the rules I'll start a for sale thread in the classifieds.

[Damien]

i sold my 2G 8GB on ebay the other week. i actually think selling is probably as risky. Looking at most of the finished auctions a lot are from bidders that have just joined and are p!ssing about. I listed that bidders with less than 10 feedback could not bid, however i was emailed by someone with 3 feedback who did a buy it now and paid instantly. Paypal account confirmed and everything was fine.

I got £199 on a buy it now, it was in 'good' condition.

I think you can normally tell a good seller

Good luck

D

[ThickBloke]

My wife has a 2G 8gig one in superb condition if anyone is interested. We both have 3G 16gig ones now so this one is not used.

If there is any interest I will set up a classified advert and take some photos.

ThickBloke

[Bungle73]

I bought an unlocked and jailbroken 16GB 2G on eBay for £192 with no problems. It's my first iPhone and I'm loving it!

Originally Posted by RostokMcSpoons

I have seen 8gb iPhone 3G's going on ebay for £250 (and up) and I'm tempted - my daughters' iPod Touch is fantastic and I'd love an iPhone but can't justify an expensive monthly contract, so this'd be about my only option.

Why don't you get a PAYG one?

[cmclean]

Bought mine on Ebay 16g 3G £270 incl p&p and its been great

[PoochJD]

Hi Rostok,

Originally Posted by RostokMcSpoons

I'd love an iPhone but can't justify an expensive monthly contract, so this'd be about my only option.

The monthly contract can be expensive, but the upsides are:

1 - the iPhone will be brand new, and you get to chose which model/version you want (e.g. 8gb-32gb)

2 - you'll have a guaranteed one-year repair warrantee, with Apple or O2, or Carphone Warehouse, depending on who you buy it from.

3 - if you look after the phone, you could still sell or upgrade to whatever the next "big" upgrade will be, for next-to-nothing, and make a nice sum of money too

4 - it'll be your iPhone, and not someone elses, that may have been tinkered with, dropped, messed with, etc, etc.

To be honest £48 a month sounds a lot, but at least your iPhone will be replaceable. With eBay, (and to a much lesser degree, via the AVForums) you've got no guarantees whatseover, of the product being what it is described as!

If I were you, I'd get a new one, not a second-hand one.


Pooch

[mikeossy]

I have bought 3 from ebay, my first I must admit was brandnew although had been opened to be jailbroken and unlocked and was the old 2g, my second the one I have now about its about 8months bought off of ebay 'as new' condition and bought another from ebay again 'as new' condition both fine both on 3.0 software unlocked and jailbroken running fine. My only concern is make sure you see pics of the actual phone many on ebay have 'library' pics and not the actual pic of the phone. Other than that try and get one from someone with high ratings of positive feedback.
Believe me and many others, the iPhone is brilliant, Ive had one since 2007 and cant fault it!.

Mike

[RostokMcSpoons]

Cheers for the comments everyone

I've checked Carphone Warehouse for a PAYG price. It's a bit better than I thought it'd be - it's approx £350 for 8gb, and £400 for the 16gb.
It comes with unlimited data and wi-fi... which is nice. That seems a generous discount compared to the prices for (presumably unlocked) iPhones on ebay.

It's just too much cash though I can get a refurb'ed Nokia 5800 for free if I take out a cheapo contract with O2 (£20 x 24, but 18 months at half-price) - which you have to admit is good value for money

PS ThickBloke - what sort of price are you looking for, for your 2G?

edit:
Never mind, I went all 'financially sensible' and got the refurb'ed Nokia. It's actually £15 per month, with 18 months at half price, so it was too good a price to pass up. No doubt my wife will spend the money I've saved on handbags or shoes, and I'll regret it in the longer run, but at least *I* don't need to feel guilty about my spending