Where can I get my iPod fixed?

January 31, 2006 11:24 AM

I have a first generation iPod which no longer charges. It is long out of warranty. I have opened it up and found that the FireWire port has 'come unstuck'. Apparently this is a common problem with these iPods. As far as I can make out, the rest of the iPod works fine. It'd be handy to have it functioning again. I'm thinking of repairing it but I don't want to spend a lot of money on it. I also don't want to repair it and have it fail again. Do people have much experience with these repairs? Do they last? Are there any reliable repair companies based in Ireland or the UK? Shipping the iPod to the US and back will probably add a lot to the cost of repair.
posted by Grinder to computers & internet (13 comments total)

you may need to send it to apple for repair.
posted by b1tr0t at 11:30 AM on January 31, 2006

My Generation 4 iPod wasn't working the other day and the guy on the phone at Apple said that the repair price reaches very close to retail cost. So I'm guessing with a G1 you'll be more than close. Does it seem feasible to sauter it back on?

If you live in the Montreal area I may buy the thing from you... But you probably don't.
posted by Napierzaza at 11:34 AM on January 31, 2006

I did ask about repairs at an Apple reseller once - they quoted a price not much below the cost of a new one.

Soldering might work but I don't have the equipment or know-how.

And, no, nowhere near Montreal, sorry... :-)
posted by Grinder at 11:37 AM on January 31, 2006

PDASmart
iPodMods
posted by designbot at 11:42 AM on January 31, 2006

iPodMods don't repair first generation iPods anymore.

PDASmart don't respond to queries about shipping costs.

Anyone know of anywhere else?
posted by Grinder at 11:45 AM on January 31, 2006

iPodResQ
iPodFixIt
posted by designbot at 11:48 AM on January 31, 2006

Well I may be willing to buy it anyway. Depending on price. email nathan dot vanfleet at gmail dot com.
posted by Napierzaza at 11:57 AM on January 31, 2006

If you can borrow a soldering iron or have a friend who's more proficient in using one than you are, there are articles about repairing the loose port here and here. (This is only my opinion, but having owned a 1st Gen 5G whose harddrive died for no discernable reason and whose battery was never really that great from the start, I wouldn't advise putting a lot of money into repairing yours.)
posted by veronica sawyer at 12:25 PM on January 31, 2006

designbot - thanks, I'll check them out

Napierzaza - I'll drop you an email

veronica - thanks, that was the sort of information I was looking for
posted by Grinder at 2:01 PM on January 31, 2006

Grinder, I think selling it and buying a new one would be the best way to go. Personally, I can't go more than a year without upgrading mine, so I would look at it as a reward for your using the same one for so long. With my educational discount, my 5G 60GB was under $400.
posted by jxpx777 at 2:47 PM on January 31, 2006

A soldering iron is as little as $5, the internet has the knowhow.

Now is a good time to say "what the hell", have a bang at it, and discover that you're becoming empowered in situations where previously you were helpless.

Actually, have a bang on some old junk for practise first, since it takes a few tries to get the hand of it, but soldering is dead cheap, easy to pick up, and becomes a valuable life skill.
posted by -harlequin- at 3:45 PM on January 31, 2006

If you are nervous about soldering your ipod, and have no skilled friends, print off the instructions for repair above and take it to your local TV repairman. If he won't solder it back together for peanuts try another.
It really is a simple fix, but I can understand your nervousness, my own soldering is closer to butchery than art.
posted by bystander at 5:03 PM on January 31, 2006

I can borrow a soldering iron... I'll give it a go!

Thanks.
posted by Grinder at 1:56 AM on February 1, 2006