Pin Connector Problem-BEWARE iPhone

Hi All,
Ive been using my beloved iPhone 2G for about 18 months now without a hitch (well, except for firmware 2.1) but today catastrophe hit. Ill type this here in hopes of saving someone else this issue.
I made the mistake of sticking my phone on the iHome clock radio I have in my bedroom. Ive done this before without issue other than the speaker noise from the phone interference.
This time, however, I saw the screen start flashing and I smelled something not good for electronics. I ripped it off and everything recovered, seeming to work except for one small glitch. The external speaker crackled whenever the screen blanked itself.
After all this, the phone refused to restore both on my MBP and at the Apple Store Genius bar.
After I came home resigned to buying a 3G I started poking around and found that the first pin on the left of the connector had the copper pin all bent up and pushed to the back of the connector slot. Two other pins were lifted and a little shifted.
My point is that Ive really been cavalier about connecting my phone to car chargers, the dock, the clock radio etc. I guess over the year and a half the pins slowly lifted and finally snagged and shorted stuff.
Has anyone every seen this? Should I expect the same thing on the 3G.
Thanks..goose