[Leica] Re: Ship a new Rolls...

["Bill Lawlor" <wvl@infinex.com>]

The story -- perhaps apocryphal -- is that Rolls Royce would ship you a new
car, anywhere in the world, if yours broke down as a result of a
manufacturing defect.  So if you were in the middle of the Sahara, and your
engine exploded, they'd airlift you a nice sedan.  (Actually, I don't
believe this for a moment -- nevertheless, it's what I think Leica should
do....................

I don't know about the above legend, however, it reminded me of something
almost as absurd. I spent a few years in the international insurance game
and did an apprenticeship in the overseas auto department in the 1960's. Our
company insured the entertainer Sammy Davis Jr.'s  customized Cadillac
situated in London. His driver ran into something and damaged the front
wheel drive components. Because that model was not officially exported to
the U.K. at that time, there were no repair parts or trained mechanics to
service the car. True to our obligation to make the insured "whole", the
company had the entire car crated and air freighted to Detroit for repair
and flown back to London. Another claim involved an American executive who
worked for his employer's branch in Chile. We insured his classic Ford
Thunderbird. When he "totalled" the car we had to pay big bucks for that
collectible. Then we discovered the salvage wreckage had to be exported or
100% import duty was due. We hired a tug and paid a customs officer to
witness the "export" of the salvage into international waters.I believe pics
were taken with an M3(OT!) Do not even imagine an ordinary customer received
this V.I.P. service.

Bill Lawlor