I just replaced the battery in my Pixel 2 this past weekend. It was a 2-3 hour project that involved a whole kit of tools in addition to the new battery.
It was a PITA, but I am thankful that a) iFixit provided a helpful guide and a kit with all of the things I needed except for the rubbing alcohol and b) it was legal and there weren't any software issues to deal with.
Aside from the aging battery and occasionally running out of storage, the phone was completely fine for my needs. For ~$50 and a few hours of time, I've essentially doubled the lifespan of my $700 phone.
I'm in the same boat. What kept me from replacing the battery is that the device is EOL and won't receive any software updates, including security fixes. Did you also change the firmware?
Not yet - it's currently on stock software, but I've run custom ROMs before and I'm planning to switch back to one soon. I was basically waiting to see if I could successfully replace the battery before putting much effort into the software side.
In general, I am a big proponent of getting used equipment and keeping it running for well after the manufacturer has abandoned it.
Before the Pixel 2, I hadn't purchased a new phone in like 12 years - I had gotten a couple of used Android phones, and used Windows Mobile before that. They all had the issue of essentially 0 support from the manufacturer by the time I got them, so I was dependent on community ROMs to keep them up-to-date. The phone I was using at the time had multiple issues, including an aging battery, physical damage, and something wrong with the GPS sensor.
A couple of the big reasons I bought the new phone rather than another used one were the promise of 3 years of support (which Google delivered) and waterproofing (which has come in handy a few times). I also just liked the phone in general, and there wasn't much on the used market with a similar feature set.
I like tinkering with my phone, but this was shortly before my second child was born and I knew I wasn't going to have the time to mess with custom ROMs to fix whatever was broken that week. Now that my kids are a little bit older and I can sleep through the night most nights, I think I'm ready for that "fun" again.
That is what I have done since my first cell phone over 20 years ago. My Nokia 3310 series lasted 8 years, a Samsung slider 5 years both phone cost up front and pay as you go.(there were 2 to other short term hand me down due to dropped phones)
When the Glass Slabs and WIFI in phone became useful
I bought an unlocked Moto E2 ($200CDN @ Staples 2015) which was replace by a Moto G7 Play ($150CDN @ Costco 2019).
Did I miss anything by buying cheap. Maybe, but no one with a $1100 phone has shown me my life in "Vale of Tears" App that I cannot have.
The G7 is getting updates and works. the E2 still works and was my "Give to American's who had bad outside of the US" plan.
It was a PITA, but I am thankful that a) iFixit provided a helpful guide and a kit with all of the things I needed except for the rubbing alcohol and b) it was legal and there weren't any software issues to deal with.
Aside from the aging battery and occasionally running out of storage, the phone was completely fine for my needs. For ~$50 and a few hours of time, I've essentially doubled the lifespan of my $700 phone.