[Leica] Quality control while Leica basks in wealth

[photo.forrest at earthlink.net (Phil Forrest)]

So, I just found ANOTHER hot pixel in my M9. 
This first one I found was in the M8 a few months after I got it. I
dealt with it as long as possible but I had to have a digital
camera.
When I got the M9, I found the hot pixel 3 days after taking posession
of it. I then sent the M8 out for repair and almost 3 months later, it
came back in better condition. Right after that, I sent the M9 out for
repair and it took just over 2 months to repair. 
Here I am right now with the M8 out for a rangefinder adjustment (among
a few other dubious sounding procedures like "pixel alignment") which
is going to cost me the same amount as a user M2.
Now my M9 is going in ASAP, while it's under warranty but I'm seriously
considering selling both of them due to this lack of reliability.

I've babied both of these bodies and they have been in the shop a very
significant amount of time that I've owned them. The M9 has been out of
my hands about 1/3 of the time I owned it and the M8 has been out about
1/4 of the time. That's ridiculous. I took both my M4 and old M2 (since
sold) to hell on earth and beat the crap out of them like I wasn't
going to live past the click of the shutter. Both perform amazingly
well to this day.

I may be beating a dead horse but I "invested" in these bodies to use
for a career but I've always known that the M4 would be my reliable
backup. I can't afford to have this gear out for expensive repairs this
often. It doesn't make financial sense and regardless how much I like
the M9, I didn't want to own an Alfa-Romeo, Jaguar or a Triumph.

I'm not set up yet to sell stock to pay for the camera. I got the older
one through saving up and tightening my belt. The M9 I got through the
Student Purchase Program and had help paying for it (GI Bill.) If I
sell them, I'll never be able to own another M9 at any price over
$2000. The big question is, can I afford to NOT sell them?

So far, the cameras are glorious disappointments in reliability. They
are fantastic implementations of some kind of ideal but when the rubber
meets the road they don't work reliably. Leica has dropped the ball and
while I love them and their products, they may have lost me for future
new purchases due to their equipment failures.

I'm just sick of this and needed to rant.

Thanks all,
Phil Forrest