MJimLay
aka FlexBaud
Premium
join:2004-10-06
Beach Haven
clubs:
 ·Cox HSI
|  Notebook Repair
I made the mistake of loaning out my notebook to my mom's boyfriend (at the time) while I had a notebook provided to me by work.
He did not take care of the laptop and it's in pretty rough shape but still works without any issues.
However, the last time I used it I noticed that the power connector in the back is becoming very loose and will need repair. It still works but I'm sure it won't be long before it stops getting power.
My question is... How much am I look at to get this repaired? The laptop is 3 or 4 years old so I'm not wanting to spend a lot to get it fixed.
Suggestions? |
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psafux
Got Grep?
VIP
join:2005-11-10
| we charge $250 to replace jacks in my shop. Best Buy in town has been known to quote people over $700, plus they ship it elsewhere so you dont have it for weeks. Another shop in town charges $200 but has been known to screw up frequently. (we get a LOT of their business)
prices are probably different in your area though.
If you know how to solder electronics, the hardest part is tearing the laptop apart, keeping all the screws straight and putting it back together without having 9 screws and some parts leftover.
The jack itself is generally pretty cheap, you can find them on ebay, as well as through several legitimate websites. If you can find someone to do the labor for you, you can buy the jack yourself and save some cash.
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Yes. the cat in my avatar is indeed mine. |
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MJimLay
aka FlexBaud
Premium
join:2004-10-06
Beach Haven
clubs:
·Cox HSI
1 edit | reply to MJimLay
Sheesh. It almost isn't worth it. I called Dell and they want near $500 for it and I hear that my local best buy would want $150 to $250 for it.
The laptop is 3 or 4 years old and it's pretty scrached up on the outside. Plus the fact that it only has a 80 GB Drive and 1.5 GB Ram.
The ONLY reason I like that laptop is because it has a 15" LCD running at 1680 X 1050 and has a Radeon X300 video card.
Dell currently has a laptop on sale for $349 which has a 160 GB Drive and 2 GB Ram, but it has some Intel video card and a low resolution 15" WLED display  1388 X 788 or something like that. |
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MJimLay
aka FlexBaud
Premium
join:2004-10-06
Beach Haven
clubs:
·Cox HSI
| I just called one of my local shops and they can fix it for $125 or so. I don't know. By the time I upgrade the hard drive and ram.... I'd be up to the same price as a new laptop.... and I'm sure the battery on this one will need replacing soon as it's 3 years old now. |
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MnR
Premium
join:2002-05-27
Iron Mountain, MI
1 edit | reply to MJimLay
Hi,
Wow, Am I under priced!!! I won't tell what My partner and I charge for a power jack replacement...
You never did say what laptop you have. Like what was said the jack itself is fairly cheap. the fun is taking the laptop apart to get at it and remove the old one and solder in the new one and reinforce it if possible.
It is not the part that is the big cost, It is the labor...
MnR
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No one is listening until you make a mistake! |
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PeteC2
Got Mouse?
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-20
Bristol, CT
clubs:
 ·AT&T Yahoo
| reply to MJimLay
said by MJimLay  :I just called one of my local shops and they can fix it for $125 or so. I don't know. By the time I upgrade the hard drive and ram.... I'd be up to the same price as a new laptop.... and I'm sure the battery on this one will need replacing soon as it's 3 years old now. Sad but true. Unlike desktops, notebooks are still not very upgradable at a decent cost versus value rate. I have known folks who replace their notebook when the battery goes in 2 to 4 years, as by then, combined with the price of a new battery, upgrading ram, hard drives, etc., with no ability to upgrade the motherboard/chipset, makes this a tough proposition to recommend.
No matter what the value of your notebook was initially, almost any $400 - $500 lappy will easily beat it, plus you have a warranty to boot.
This may not be a popular thing to say, but frankly, I look at "owning" a notebook as being more like leasing a car! You get it for a couple of years or so and then move on to a newer model...IMHO, one should never, ever, ever look at a notebook as an "investment", and should only buy the features and level of performance to match one's immediate to short-term future needs.
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Deeds, not words |
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