Worst Exp I have ever seen.
Personal ownership account · India
Real experience.
Before you buy a Pixel.
I bought my Pixel 9a on 25 April 2026. On 22 September 2026, it was accidentally damaged. The following day, I took it to the F1 service centre in Ghaziabad.
Independent consumer account. Not affiliated with Google LLC, Alphabet Inc., or F1 Info Solutions.
- Purchased
- 25 Apr 2026
- Damage
- 22 Sep 2026
- Service Visit
- 23 Sep 2026
- Official Estimate
- ₹64,820.76
What happened?
On 22 September 2026, I accidentally damaged my Pixel 9a. The display was broken: approximately half of it was black, the remaining portion was visible, and touch input was not working. The outer frame was also bent.
Before taking it anywhere, I checked what was still working. Face Unlock unlocked the phone, all three physical buttons worked, charging worked, Gemini could be opened and used by voice, and the phone connected successfully to Android Auto through a cable.
On 23 September 2026, I took the phone to the F1 service centre in Ghaziabad. Before the phone was inspected, I was verbally told that the repair could cost approximately ₹50,000–₹60,000.
I asked for a breakdown. I was told that I needed to pay ₹850 for the diagnosis. After paying and waiting, I received an official estimate totalling ₹64,820.76.
The Official Repair Estimate
The following amounts are taken from the official estimate issued by the service centre on 23 September 2026.
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Frame / Enclosure | ₹5,370.34 |
| Battery | ₹1,874.52 |
| Display | ₹7,843.41 |
| Motherboard / Logic Board | ₹48,382.48 |
| Labour | ₹1,350.01 |
| Official Total | ₹64,820.76 |
The estimate total above is the exact total shown on the official estimate: ₹64,820.76 including applicable taxes.
What happened next
A concise timeline of the incident, diagnosis and independent repair.
-
22 September 2026 — Phone damaged
The display broke, half the display became black, touch stopped working and the outer frame was bent.
-
Functionality checked
Face Unlock, physical buttons, charging, Gemini voice interaction and Android Auto were tested and worked.
-
23 September 2026 — F1 Ghaziabad
I brought the phone to the F1 service centre in Ghaziabad. The initial verbal estimate was approximately ₹50,000–₹60,000.
-
₹850 diagnosis fee
I requested a cost breakdown and was told that diagnosis required an ₹850 payment. I paid the fee.
-
Official estimate — ₹64,820.76
The final official estimate listed the frame, battery, display, motherboard / logic board and labour, totalling ₹64,820.76 including taxes.
-
Motherboard assessment disputed
I questioned the motherboard replacement because the phone had been functioning before the display and frame damage. I asked to see the motherboard and requested a comparison with a new unit.
-
Replacement part unavailable
After being told a new motherboard would be shown for comparison, I was subsequently told that one was not available at the centre.
-
Independent repair — ₹10,500
I sourced an original display for ₹8,000 and a frame for ₹2,500 in Karol Bagh. The phone was repaired locally for ₹10,500 in parts, without replacing the motherboard.
Official Estimate vs. Independent Repair
The official estimate from the service centre was ₹64,820.76.
I ultimately sourced an original display for ₹8,000 and a frame for ₹2,500 in Karol Bagh, for a total of ₹10,500 in parts. The original motherboard remained in the phone.
This difference is a central part of why I decided to document the experience publicly.
What are other Pixel users experiencing?
Read experiences submitted by other Pixel owners across India, or share your own service centre experience.