Help me find the best deal on a Motorola Droid...

[velocity92c]

Hello, I have made a huge mistake. I signed up for service with Verizon about a month ago and chose to try out a BlackBerry. I just eclipsed my window of opportunity to return the phone and go with something else. This was before I had discovered the Droid and the Android OS period. I am absolutely in love with the Droid now and am trying to figure out the best way I can get one without having to pay the retail price of 500 to 600 bucks.


I have tried craigslist but there are rarely ever any posted and when they are posted the people are asking 500+. I tried going into the Verizon store tonight and seeing if they could work with me but my only real choice is opening up a 2nd line. That would save me money initially but over the course of 24 months it would end up costing me hundreds more.


Are there any other options out there that I'm missing? Maybe a site that sells refurbished Droids for a decent price online? Any help is greatly appreciated. If I have to, I guess I will shell out the 500+ for the phone. Now that I've used the Droid I doubt I can ever use another phone (until the Droid 2, that is). I've gotten rid of my BlackBerry already as motivation to get the Droid ASAP.

 

[Champers]

If you pay full retail, go to Walmart for it. I bought mine full retail there and they sell it the cheapest. ($500+tax)

 

[jsh1120]

Perhaps I don't understand your problem, but can't you simply order a Droid from Amazon ($50) and add a second line to your Verizon account $10 per month? For a two year contract that would cost you an additional $290. If they won't allow you to substitute the Droid on your existing number (and the number is important to you) you could simply forward all calls to your existing line to your new number.

You'd still have to pay for an additional data plan at $30, but at that point aren't you better off simply returning the BB and paying the penalty?

I realize this isn't cheap, but it's still less than buying an unlocked phone at $500-$600.

 

[joker402]

someone aint doing the math right in this thread......

adding a second line and it being a smart phone cost more than a droid is on ebay.


ive seen people trade their bbs for droids here plus cash, matter fact a coworker traded his droid for a tour plus 100 so that guy got a droid for 100 and i see ppl on CL wanting to do this all the time.

if you do a trade make sure the phone is clean and not active

 

[velocity92c]

I was under the impression that I'd have to pay the data plan on the new line. $30 a month x 24 months is much more than I would save on the phone. Could I remove the data plan from my first (and only) line with no penalty right now? Can you order a Droid from Amazon if you already have service for $50? If so, and I can remove my data plan from the first line, that might be the best way to go. I have terrible credit so I also had to pay a $125 deposit for my first line. Would I have to pay that on the 2nd line from Amazon?

 

[velocity92c]

I just tried to check out Amazon, the only choices it gave me were to upgrade my current line or buy outright. It gave me no option to get the phone for $50 by adding a new line.

 

[Garemlin]

Add a line and buy a Droid for $50 from Wirefly. Cancel the first line and pay the ETF of $350. You are still $160 ahead and are gonna be 100% your Droid is brand new and works.

 

[joker402]

if you had to pay a deposit on one line then you would have to pay a deposit on the next line unless youve had verizon for a year

 

[velocity92c]

As I stated in the OP I no longer have the BlackBerry. I gave it to my Dad as a birthday present. I hated it anyway. I did post on craigslist for about 2 weeks offering to trade the BB + cash for a Droid but got no responses. And I was also thinking that adding a 2nd line would cost more in the long run because I'd have to pay for data on the 2nd line and also upgrade to a family plan. My current plan with data is only about 80 bucks a month with unlimited text and all the minutes I'd ever need.

 

[cpinto]

1. Do you have another line you can borrow the upgrade from? Me, my daughter, and my wife are constantly borrowing each others upgrades.

2. You can add another line for your Droid, and find some cheap phone for the other line that does not require a data plan. Your 24 mo. contract is not for the data plan. Then cancel a line as soon as you can. At least your getting something for your money. An extra phone is handy sometimes.

3. Another little known fact is that Verizon will sell you a phone at the 1 year contract price if it is reported lost or stolen.

I've done all three of the above..

Don't buy a $500 droid. Plenty of other less expensive options.

 

[velocity92c]

Add a line and buy a Droid for $50 from Wirefly. Cancel the first line and pay the ETF of $350. You are still $160 ahead and are gonna be 100% your Droid is brand new and works.

I just checked WireFly and it's 119.99. Still a decent deal. I guess I will go the WireFly route. It will be 119.99 + 125.00 and then whatever the additional line costs me. I'm sure I could 'rent' out the line to a friend of mine or something. I'm definitely not paying the ETF heh.

 

[cpinto]

You say you got rid of the BlackBerry. How did you do that without replacing it with something else?

 

[velocity92c]

I don't currently have a phone. I used the ESN from a 7 year old Nokia phone my parents had lying around from when they originally signed up with VZW.

 

[cpinto]

I don't currently have a phone. I used the ESN from a 7 year old Nokia phone my parents had lying around from when they originally signed up with VZW.

Well you're halfway there. Just go back to the store or online and start over.

 

[velocity92c]

If I could get the deal that Verizon offers for 2yr upgrades or new service ($199 including mail in rebate) I wouldn't have even posted this thread. I've only had service for a month though, unfortunately.