(UPDATED REVIEW: The owner of this business, Joshua G., reached out to me directly regarding this review. While our exchange was lengthy, I can summarize it as a disagreement regarding whether new OEM parts are actually available to any non-Apple repair businesses. The owner of Malfunction Junction claims it is impossible, and a business called Fruit Fixed in Richmond, VA claims it is possible and they have a deal directly with some of the Chinese manufacturers who make the screens for Apple. While I don't know who to believe here, I can say plainly that there is a significant difference in screen quality between here and there, with my replacement screen from here under-performing in touch response and display quality compared to the replacement screens I received from Fruit Fixed. As such, I leave it to the reader to decide for themselves. As an added note, if the owner of Malfunction Junction is reading this, I would recommend he claim this business on Yelp, as I have no way of certifying that he is indeed the owner, and adding more photos of the location would probably aid in bringing in customers.)
Got my iPhone 7S screen fixed here today after it fell perfectly in such a way as to negate the fact that it had a case, somehow managing to break the inside components of the screen without harming the actual screen. They were conveniently located on US Route 60 close to where I live, so I stopped by. The parking lot was incredibly tiny, and getting into a space while avoiding getting hit by someone on the road is a bit of a challenge.
The gentleman who greeted me informed me it would be about an hour and a half since he had just gotten some phones in needing repair ahead of me. Quoted me $105 for the fix (which ended up being correct), and I came back an hour and a half later and picked it up.
While I can live with the price, it's concerning that they do not use OEM parts. When I asked about this, he said there was no way to get them except via refurbished phone parts. (SEE MY NOTE AT THE TOP OF THIS REVIEW FOR DETAILS) This Non-OEM screen is noticeably darker than the original screen and will undoubtedly cause issues over time. However, since the store offers a lifetime warranty on its repairs, assuming they stay in business, you can get a replacement screen if it goes bad through normal usage.
All things considered, I would come back to Malfunction Junction in the future if I needed phone repairs (mostly since my screen warranty is through them), and there are no other stores in the area that seem good enough to compete with them. Avoiding repair places in the first place is ideal, but if you have to go to one, this one will work for you.
Overall: 3.5 stars
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Pros:
- Relatively quick repair.
- Convenient location on US 60 and near I-64.
- Lifetime warranty on normal use is quite nice to have.
Cons:
- Non-OEM parts are not a good way to go with phone repairs. It can hinder functionality and definitely harms readability when it comes to Non-OEM phone screens.
- Very little parking. read more
