Identical phone w/o contract $40 at BB. New screen is $45. Transplant?

[nedfunnell]

My wife broke the screen on her Moto G which is on Republic Wireless. I can get a replacement front panel on eBay for $45 shipped. However, Best Buy is offering an unactivated device, but Verizon branded, for $40, which I could pick up locally. Is there any reason I wouldn't just pick up the $40 phone from BB and transplant the screen? Then I'd have a second battery and everything else. I'm pretty confident (but not sure) that Republic wouldn't allow me to activate the Verizon-branded phone on their network.

 

[RossMAN]

Assuming they're 100% identical, I would do it and like you said you'd have spare parts (especially battery).

 

[styrafoam]

The site I usually get screens from only lists them for the original and 2014 model. From what i can tell, as long as they are the same generation then it should be a straight across swap.

http://www.repairsuniverse.com/motorola-moto-g-2nd-gen-screen-replacement-repair-parts.html