Best Place to Find Obsolete Working Used Android Mobile Phones

wisdomtooth on 20/08/2025 - 16:41
Last edited 23/08/2025 - 21:04

The old phone the kid used for playing podcasts and audiobooks (a Xiaomi Redmi Note 8) just got dropped and cracked. I was gonna replace the screen — have done it before, and see them going for ~$20 with case on AliEx (or ~$12 without) — but it occurred to me that with recent 4G changes in Australia, a lot of people's phones must've been rendered obsolete. Where best to find them? I'm not seeing a whole lot of them for under $100 on facebook, eBay or Gumtree… Any suggestions? Best I found so far is a used Honor 8X (2018) for $70+GST–CB on AliEx.

Update: On @shxhshzhz's suggestion, I decided for a cheap locked phone instead: Vodafone V Lite 2 for $49 @ Coles. The phone feels pretty much like a toy, which fits the bill perfectly: a glorified kids media player.

Mobile Mobile Phone

Comments

  • Benoffie on 20/08/2025 - 16:43

    Auctions will sell boxes of old phones.

    • wisdomtooth on 20/08/2025 - 16:53

      Thanks, but I don't need a full pallet of phones; just a couple. Who buys those auctioned phones, and retails them?

      • Benoffie on 20/08/2025 - 19:52
        +1

        Buys them? Repair shops, tech heads, overseas and country communities, illicit trades wanting a stack of IMEIs on rotation.

  • 87percent on 20/08/2025 - 17:31
    -2

    You want to buy obsolete phones to what? Repair your busted phone?

    • wisdomtooth on 20/08/2025 - 17:48
      +3

      No, to use them as glorified MP3 players.

      • wisdomtooth on 20/08/2025 - 18:07

        Looks like there's a drive-by negger here… Damn anonymity!

  • spackbace on 20/08/2025 - 17:53
    +1

    Pawn shops?

    This is the cheapest option in WA

    • wisdomtooth on 20/08/2025 - 18:05

      Thanks. Not sure why you got downvoted… Pawn shops not good, negger?

      • BestTechAdvisor on 20/08/2025 - 18:55
        +2

        Cex is another one like cashies.

        More expensive, but if you want a warranty then you can checkout KingIT.com.au

        A good phone to get is a first generation Google Pixel XL with 128GB storage. Getting harder to come by but they have unlimited, full quality Google photo backup.

        Otherwise, if you don't need 4G, why not just get a dedicated Android media player on AliExpress?

        Or a cheap small tablet?

        • wisdomtooth on 20/08/2025 - 20:34

          He has a not so small 10" tablet (a $100 hand me down Lenovo m10), but it's sorta cumbersome as an audio remote.

          if you don't need 4G, why not just get a dedicated Android media player on AliExpress?

          Like this? Well, we need a screen; more of an iPod setup.

          A good phone to get is a first generation Google Pixel XL with 128GB storage … they have unlimited, full quality Google photo backup.

          Never knew that! 😯

          I'll look for it.

  • garetz on 20/08/2025 - 18:07
    +1

    The best audio phone is a lg v30+, i use it as a music player.

    I would say your best bet is ebay or gumtree.

    • wisdomtooth on 20/08/2025 - 18:21
      -1

      By "audio phone" are you referring to the quality of the phone's own speakers? I generally connect the phone to a cheapo BT speaker, so the kid can move around with it instead of carrying an actual screen in his hand (which is what ended up cracking it today — beside the unneeded screen exposure).

      • spackbace on 20/08/2025 - 18:26

        Curious, could you just use a google home device? Ask google to play stuff etc

        • wisdomtooth on 20/08/2025 - 20:23

          He takes the speaker everywhere with him; to the bathroom, in the car, in the bedroom… He listens to audiobooks nonstop. Besides, we don't leave devices constantly listening to us at home.

  • Ocker on 20/08/2025 - 18:48

    Our local council has a drop off centre for "e" waste. There is a 20' skip that has heaps of phones that have been thrown out. Maybe there is a similar facility close to where OP lives?

    • 87percent on 20/08/2025 - 18:50

      Except often they won’t let you take stuff out of those bins.

      • localhost on 20/08/2025 - 21:46
        -1

        Then take the bin….

      • kiitos on 21/08/2025 - 07:24
        +2

        Wear a hi-vis vest?

  • mskeggs on 20/08/2025 - 18:53
    +1

    Ask around at work/friends for any old phones in the junk draw.

  • shangoz on 20/08/2025 - 20:04
    +2

    Brand New Mobile phone sometimes down to $89 each with brand new battery and 128GB internal memory, no point to purchase old and half hour run time phone.

  • shxhshzhz on 20/08/2025 - 21:09
    +2

    A brand new locked phone is much better than old phones if it's just for podcasts and audiobooks.

    The $99 Optus X Total has a 5000mAh battery and a 6.75" display.

    If you can spend $50 more for a phone he can use later as a normal phone, the Vodafone Motorola G35 has a FHD+ screen, 5G and a faster processor.

    • wisdomtooth on 21/08/2025 - 10:43
      -1

      Not a bad idea, thanks.

      Using it later means sticking with Vodafone or rooting it, right?

      • shxhshzhz on 21/08/2025 - 11:49
        +1

        Use with Vodafone or Vodafone MVNOs like Kogan or unlock for $25 after 6 months

        • wisdomtooth on 21/08/2025 - 13:46

          Damn, they both went up $30 today 😮‍💨

          • shxhshzhz on 21/08/2025 - 13:50
            +1

            @wisdomtooth: Both prices are still available at Coles

            • wisdomtooth on 23/08/2025 - 20:59
              +1

              @shxhshzhz: I took your suggestion, but decided for one of the cheapest available.

              • shxhshzhz on 23/08/2025 - 21:06

                @wisdomtooth: How is it? I didn't suggest the cheap ones as they are usually slow with small batteries and low quality screens. If it can play the podcasts and audiobooks, it's ok for $49

                • wisdomtooth on 23/08/2025 - 21:15
                  +1

                  @shxhshzhz: Yeah, feels like a toy phone—small and plasticky—which is just perfect for an 8-year old who's gonna drop it again anyway.

                  I picked the Vodafone one, after consulting chatgpt, bc the Optus and Telstra $49 ones have older wifi and bt protocols (b/g/n and 4.2, respectively), which is what the phone is mostly used for: streaming, downloading and playing podcasts and audiobooks. I uninstalled and disabled all bloatware, and installed Niagara launcher, so it doesn't feel slow at all, and the 3Ah battery is more than enough for that purpose.

  • Far Cough on 20/08/2025 - 23:17
    -1

    i have a few,
    motorola v3xx
    nokia e71
    motorola Q

    • wisdomtooth on 20/08/2025 - 23:55
      -1

      Ha! I had a Motorola Q!! Last time I'd ever had a Motorola, after all the trouble it got me into. Somehow it leaked data, and by the end of the month Vodafone handed me a $2000 data charge (20 years ago!), and wouldn't back down, though they sold me the phone themselves. Had to have the TIO intervene, to finally have it lifted from me.

      But, no, should've been clearer; I'm looking for android phones.

  • Orgazmo on 21/08/2025 - 18:01
    +1

    I have a few: (working) S5, S7,
    iphone 4 (unknown condition)

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