[quote author=“Butter Fingers”]
My insurance policy hasn’t worked exactly how I’d hoped but it wasn’t a total waste of money.
The laptop can be repaired and the insurers will pay. But Sony UK will not say if or when the spare parts will be available. So I either have to wait and hope that Sony deliver or I get the TR1 back with the cash estimated to repair it and make my own solution.
Anbody know where I can get spare parts directly or know of any busted TR’s that could be used for spares?
They claim the unit needs:
new screen, top and bottom casing, chassis and battery compartment.
(I doubt the screen is absolutely essential because it was perfectly well after the fall). From this I assume that the complex stuff inside is all OK and that the damage was more structural/cosmetic.
I’m open to suggestions about whether I take the cash (approx USD 1400) and the laptop and try to it fix myself or hope it keeps working and keep the cash for a replacement when needed. Or do I hope that Sony delivers the parts and my TR1 gets fixed.
I know from reading the posts that some of you guys are far better qualified than the idiots who claim to be repairing my TR1 so what do you think is my best plan of action?
I see a few factors worth considering.
One is your budget. Could you afford to upgrade to a new(er) model TR? What could you sell your TR for, were it undamaged?
How much does a new(er) TR cost?
Can you live with the cosmetic damage as long as it’s working?
Without knowing more, I see their offer as possibly being a sweet deal. If the $1400US is close to the fair market value of your (previously undamaged) TR and new TR costs are equivilent to the US (base TR3 around $18-1900) it could be a reasonaby decent replace/upgrade path.
The bonus, in this event, is that someone would be happy to have some or all of your old TR’s working internals. You’d have to discount, but here at TR World I’ve seen people needing hinges $80 (pair) and Bluetooth Module/cable $140. I’d think your old unit might be worth a couple of hundred to someone wanting to keep their older TR on the road. Or you could just give it to a starving student. 
Unless you’re technically competent, I sell it rather than trying to find another unit to make one from two.
