So here's what happened:
I put my laptop down by a pole under an overhang at school
A golf car ran over it
the bottom two inches of my screen are useless.
the bottom line is: i am going to have to get a new something. either replace the screen or replace the laptop.
I currently have an iBook G4 from 2004. It has served me very well - I love this laptop. I don't particularly want a new one. Not yet. Everything is in great shape except the screen.
To get a new white MacBook from Apple is $1099. I just checked - Amazon is the same. A "Certified Pre-Owned iBook G4" from an independent user off Amazon is $797.77.

Does anyone know how much it would cost to just replace the screen?

A golf cart ran over it?! Thank goodness it didn't hit the bottom half! At least your data's still OK.

A new LCD screen can cost a few hundred dollars. But the screen will most likely come without the plastic case around it. You'll have some tricky installation to do in order to put it in.

Most laptop LCD's these days have a pretty basic hookup to the motherboard. If you can remove the keyboard, you'll probably see a ribbon cable that runs from the motherboard to the screen. This is probably the only plug you need to unattach.

But then you've got the business of prying open the plastic casing around the screen. that thing probably won't come apart easily. Try and work slowly and gradually so you don't scratch or crack the plastic badly.

But that's assuming the plastic is still intact. If a golf cart hit it...do you need a whole new lid? Because it might actually be harder to purchase the plastic lid than the screen.

Take it to a local Apple Store. They should be able to repair it good as new. Not sure how much it will cost though. That's a bummer.

i called Apple Tech Support.
$830 for screen repair

I called a third-party apple fix-up store
they said the actual screen would cost anywhere from $200 - $400
but when I describe the problem, the man on the phone said "well, it sounds like you hurt the logic board too, i dont know how much that will cost."
but i can take it an to get a free diagnosis.

if a golf cart ran over it I would suspect that more than just the screen is damaged, definitely take it in to apple and see what they have to say about it.

Girl... you have to watch where you leave that thing.

Hopefully you can figure out a cheaper way to get this fixed. The best thing at least is that you didn't ruin your motherboard or hard drive.

When will you decide what to do?

i talked to the head of school today and described the list of possible costs. he said "you know what? it would probably be a lot easier for us to just get you a new laptop. how much would that be?" i said $1100, and he said "probably cheaper than getting everything fixed."
so i might be getting a new laptop :)

well at least you won't be having any problems. No but seriously it's good to hear that the situation is working out, if my laptop screen got crushed then I'd be crushed. *tear

so now i have no sound. as of this morning.
and its running slower than ever
and anything USB must be plugged directly in, i used to use a hub, but it won't register anything in the hub anymore.
the black is spreading farther every day
and the head of school still hasn't called back.

oy. and. vey.

It sounds like the motherboard (or logic board.. as Apple calls them) is done for. My opinion is that a new laptop is the only way to go... here's to hoping that the school gets you a new one.