How the repair odds work

Every model page shows two separate scores: a DIY score (you buy the part and fix it yourself) and a Shop score (you pay a repair shop). They can be wildly different, so we never blend them. Both are RepairOdds' own estimates: a transparent rule of thumb, not a measured probability, a guarantee, or professional advice.

The formula (same for both)

Score = 40% cost points + 40% success points + 20% difficulty points
each part is 0-100, so the score is 0-100. The DIY score is then capped on hard jobs (see Difficulty cap below).

Cost points

We divide the repair cost by the cheapest comparable replacement we found, a dated real listing. A repair that costs 10% or less of replacing the item scores 100. At 75% or more it scores 0. In between it falls in a straight line.

Formula: 100 × (1 − (ratio − 0.10) ÷ 0.65), limited to 0-100.

• DIY cost = the part price from a listing we checked (midpoint if we saw a range). If the fix needs more than one part (for example two boards, or two Joy-Con sticks) the score uses the full set, and the page says so.
• Shop cost = the midpoint of the quoted shop range. Shipping to a mail-in shop is not included.
• Tools are not priced. We have no verified tool prices, so we do not guess any. A DIY score covers parts only. On jobs rated 4/5 or 5/5 (soldering, hot-air rework, panel removal) you may also need gear that is not in the price, and the page says so next to the DIY score. The difficulty points below already take points off hard jobs, but that is a penalty, not a price.

Success points

This is our reading of the sources listed on each page, and the reason is written there. The tier is the same for the DIY and shop scores. It says how likely the fix is to work when done correctly. A shop price doesn't change that, and the extra risk for a beginner is already in the difficulty points. Shop warranties are not recorded consistently enough in our data to score, so we don't.

Difficulty points

DIY points are 100 − 20 × (difficulty − 1). The shop value is a flat 70 for every job: no hands-on risk, but shipping, waiting and a hand-off. Because it is flat, an easy DIY job tends to beat a shop and an expert job tends to favor one.

Difficulty cap (DIY score only)

Cheap parts can make a risky job look like a bargain. A beginner who attempts hot-air soldering or a panel strip swap can ruin the device, and a ruined device costs more than the repair saved. So the DIY score is capped by difficulty, after the normal formula:

• The cap only ever lowers a DIY score. It never raises one, and shop scores are never capped.
• When it applies, the card says "Capped at 60" (or 74) and the arithmetic shows the uncapped number next to it.
• The better-path call uses the capped DIY score, so a capped DIY job no longer wins a close call on cheap parts alone.
• Right now the cap changes PS5 original (CFI-10xx) (78 to 60), Switch HAC-001 / OLED (66 to 60), TCL 55S425 (77 to 74).

Bands

• 75-100 WORTH FIXING
• 50-74 COIN FLIP
• 0-49 LONG SHOT

Each score gets its own band (the DIY band uses the capped score). The page's headline is the better path: the higher of the two scores (a tie goes to the shop, the lower-effort path). If only one path has a price, the page says so and shows that one.

When a score says "No price yet"

If we have no verified part price for a DIY fix, or no shop quote, that score shows No price yet. We never estimate a missing price. Today that applies to the DIY score on PS4 Slim CUH-1215A, and to the shop score on Switch Joy-Con, Samsung UN55TU7000, LG 55UP7000PUA.

Single-quote shop scores. On Vizio V505-G9, TCL 55S425, Sony KD-65X85J the only shop price we have is one in-home quote from a Chicago-area shop, not a mail-in or local quote. We still score it, but mark it "(1 quote)". Treat that shop score as a rough guide.

Worked example: Switch HAC-001 / OLED, won't charge or power on

Replacement: Used Nintendo Switch v1 HAC-001 at $139.99 (Pawn America). Difficulty Expert (5/5). Success tier: Mixed. This is a real page and the numbers below are generated from its data.

Takeaway: The verdict flips: DIY is Coin Flip (60), a shop is Long Shot (43). Assumes you already own the tools and skill. The DIY parts are cheap, but this is a 5/5 board-level soldering job with tools we haven't priced, so the difficulty cap holds the DIY score at 60. The shop's quote is a large share of the price of a used console, which is why its score is low.

Another example: Vizio V505-G9, sound, no picture

DIY 70 (Coin Flip: strips $42.99 vs $149.50 for a new TV) against shop 48 (Long Shot, single quote: $290 midpoint, more than the TV itself). Same TV, same success tier, very different verdicts.

All current scores

Where the prices come from

• Parts and shop prices come from seller and shop pages named on each model page, in the "Prices behind the odds" table. Each row links to the seller and shows the date the price was checked. Shop prices are usually quotes or "from" prices, so the final bill can differ.
• Replacement price is the lowest credible price from a named retailer listing for the same model where possible, otherwise a comparable current model. Stock and prices change quickly, so check the seller before relying on it.
• When: all prices on the site were checked on , and each page shows its own check date. Prices change; verify before you buy.

Failure odds labels

The "what usually fails" list ranks problems by how strongly the sources support them. We do not publish percentages because we don't have failure-rate data.

• Very common: two or more independent sources describe it as the most common or one of the most common problems for this model or family.
• Common: two or more sources list it as a typical failure or sell a dedicated fix.
• Reported: at least one source documents it.
• Thin evidence: inferred from related models or parts listings only.

What the scores are not

These are RepairOdds' own estimates from public prices and source reading. They are not guarantees, not a measured chance that your repair works, and not professional advice. Your exact model, the real cause of the fault, your tools and skills, and local prices will change the outcome. Opening TVs and consoles carries risk (mains voltage, stored charge, broken panels).

Sponsors and affiliate links

Sponsors, featured shop listings and affiliate links are always labeled, and they never change a score. See sponsor options.