Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/07/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>This whole story about this makes me ill..... >a) buying a $2000+ camera in Japan, >b) it breaks down in the USA 1 week later, >c) Your USA camera "DISTRIBUTOR" refuses to repair it at no cost under the >warranty, >d) You are stuck paying for the repair..... or returning the camera to the >original country and face the inevitible time waits and customs problems. Rest of rant snipped. The warranty available on Leicas in the US is essentially an insurance policy payed for up front. Leicas are available in the US that do not have the Passport warranty--they are imported indirectly from other countries and are covered under local warranties in those countries. They also cost less than the Passport warrantied US versions. If you bought a Leica in Japan you payed less for it, in US dollars (or you should have), than the same camera bought in the US with a Passport warranty. If you wanted a US Passport warranty then you could have bought the camera here (seeing as you were in the US 1 week after purchase). Leica does not mislead people about the warranties on their cameras. I can imagine several reasons why Leica would restrict warranty service as they have; they certainly haven't done it to make our lives more complicated or frustrating. I'm sure their reasons do not matter to you, however. Having the camera break within a week of buying it is very frustrating, no doubt. Rather than yelling at us about it (did we have anything to do with this situation?), however, I suggest you call Leica Japan. Explain the situation; tell them that you want a new camera (no waiting around for repair) shipped out to you; send your camera by DHL. I suspect that within five to seven business days you can have a new, functioning camera in your hands. Have them pay for customs and shipping. You might lose a day or two over having the camera replaced via Leica USA, but the energy spent worrying over that isn't worth it. If you really need the camera then work with the warranty service that you bought. - -Charlie