Long repair waits - Is this normal?

[Mike G.]

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On October 26th, 2009 I sent in my R9 for repair of the mode switch and CLA. I got it back ten weeks later. Soon after receiving it I discovered that the aperture control was not functioning resulting in overeposures of varying severity. I notified Allendale and was told to return the camera, which I did on January 27th, 2010. I have just today been informed by email that the camera is scheduled to be returned to me on April 15th.

 

I'm not one to complain but doesn't this sound like an inordinate period to wait? I know they have limited staff there but to put my repair at the back of the line after waiting so long initially is kind of hard to swallow.

I tried to call but they have disconnected the 800 number temporarily.

[ho_co]

Mike, you're not "at the back of the line."

 

I don't know why, but a lot of repairs seem to be running behind at the moment. Several months ago, there were a number of posts praising how quickly a lot of jobs were getting done IIRC.

 

And I've never been able to get them to respond by email, so you're ahead on that count! What's your secret?

 

My M8, also a re-do, went in a couple days before your R9, and they say it will take till the end of April.

 

Remember, Leica can still repair most screw-mount equipment, so they've got a big parts inventory, and lack of one part can delay a repair.

 

Some repairs get turned around in a week, and others take their own sweet time. Nothing to worry about.

 

And of course, calling to complain just slows down all the repairs.

Edited February 17, 2010 by ho_co

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[gwelland]

It doesn't seem to be unusual at the moment. It took them nearly 3 months to code two of my lenses. I have another one that has been there since mid December for a warranty adjustment/repair and is supposed to be back at the end of Feb.

[Guest BigSplash]

Some people on this forum have gone out of their way to praise Leica after sales. My own experience has been awful ...6 months to get a Digilux2 battery contacts fixed, 2 months for a service on a M4 that was returned with the flash socket NOT connected, M5 service took 4 months etc etc. The cost of the repairs is very high also.

 

For these reasons it seems to me that in UK various ex Leica technicians have set up shop working from home...it is cheaper, and turnaround takes about a week if the parts are available.

 

Perhaps the only ray of hope is that last week Leica actually sent out a questionnaire asking for feedback about the after sales service that they provide. This for me at least was a step in the right direction

[andybarton]

It's not for those reasons.

 

I know of two Leica repair technicians in the UK, and they have been in business for donkey's years. AFAIK, neither of them work on anything other than film cameras (and lenses), though. I believe that one of them doesn't work on M7s either.

 

FWIW, I had fantastic service on my M7 from Solms last year and my R8 was seen to, evaluated and returned to me by them f.o.c. within two weeks. My M2 had a full CLA a couple of years ago, and IIRC, that was turned round within a couple of weeks too.

Edited February 18, 2010 by andybarton

[wilfredo]

I'm also waiting for the return of my M8 which should be coming back in March after a two month wait. Obviously these technicians have a lot of repairs on their hands. I have no idea how many technicians they have in Allendale, or how many cameras they have to repair, but it must be a lot.

 

I confess I am disappointed with the wait, especially since it is the second time it goes back for the same reason. My film cameras were always back within 3 weeks. I seem to remember that the first time I sent my M8 it was back in about three weeks, but all they did was give it a cleaning, this time I trust they will do a repair!

Edited February 19, 2010 by wilfredo

[tobey bilek]

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All is part of the reason I will probably never buy any additional Leica equipment. The long waits have been the norm since 1980. The way I deal with it is to have duplicate equipment. They never seem to have enough trained people and when the backlog gets great enough, they outsource without informing the customer. You get Toyota with Rolls Royce prices.

 

If their lenses were not 100% better than Pentax, I never would have bought into the system.

 

When I got digital, I bought three Nikons and none have needed repair.

I mostly use old Ai primes, but do have some AF lenses of various vintages. The only repairs were to relube a few focus mounts that took a week or so. Local people can handle it.

[Doc Henry]

For my SL it is 3 weeks and the service is flawless.

It depends on the extent of repairs I think and among the number of requests received in service after sale.

Personally i trust Solms and i always send there

My local Leica agent takes care of everything

Henry

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-collectors-historica/97395-i-am-sad.html

[jaapv]

Of seven times I used CS Solms over the last three years I only experienced one longer wait. They took four weeks to adjust a Summilux 50 asph due to a shortage of spare parts. Normally I get my gear back within two weeks. Most of these complaints seem to come from the USA. The Service Department at Allendale has only been upgraded last year. I should think these are teething troubles. It takes years to train a fully experienced technician.

Edited February 20, 2010 by jaapv

[wilfredo]

Well, at least this gives me a chance to use my D2.

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/people/116513-modesty-series-3-a.html

[adan]

My Leica NJ experiences, FWTW:

 

2003 M6ttl burned shutter replacement under Passport - about 6-8 weeks

2004 Digilux 2 replaced after impact damage (paid) - 2-3 weeks

2007 coding two lenses (free with M8 purchase) - about 6 weeks

2007 M8 sensor replacement (warranty - likely included trip to Germany) - about 3 months (March - June)

2008 recover/CLA M4-2 body + code 50 Summicron (paid) - about 2 months

2009 Digilux 2 sensor replacement (free) - about 1 month

 

I've just learned to have backup equipment so I can work around the absences.

[ho_co]

... They never seem to have enough trained people and when the backlog gets great enough, they outsource without informing the customer. ...

 

1) Never heard that before.

2) "Outsource"--to whom? Who can repair M8s, M9s, lenses as well as / as fast as Leica?

3) "Without informing the customer." So where did you get this information if you weren't informed?

 

IMHO that's balderdash. Do you have a source for the claim?

Edited February 20, 2010 by ho_co

[Mike G.]

Subsequent calls to Allendale (the phone number was back in service soon after the first post) resulted in the repair being expedited and the camera returned to me almost immediately. I must say that their response to my call was extraordinarily positive. They made every effort to make sure I was satisfied. I will have no reservations about sending my equipment to them again in the future.

[gwelland]

I would consider sending items to Leica as somewhat lower than volunteering for root canal surgery. It seems to me that they work on the principle that if the customer isn't calling and complaining then it isn't urgent and so it gets put in the slow lane.

[dwind]

I sent a 90mm cron for a focus problem the beginning of November via my dealer. In December I was told it was being sent to Germany and it would be back Feb. 17th. The dealer called today and found it had never been shipped to Germany and was still on a shelf 'waiting'. They were supposed to call back today with a date but didn't.

Dennis

[andybarton]

Your dealer needs to get his act together and get his postal department into gear. If I'd left my lens with my dealer at the beginning of November and he hadn't bothered to ship it for nearly 4 months, I'd get myself another dealer.

[dwind]

Your dealer needs to get his act together and get his postal department into gear. If I'd left my lens with my dealer at the beginning of November and he hadn't bothered to ship it for nearly 4 months, I'd get myself another dealer.

 

It's not at the dealers, it's at Leica in New Jersey and has been there since early November. My dealer is a tad upset also.

[tdtaylor]

Leica NJ-

 

My new M9 was severely front focusing with all lenses. After talking to my dealer, they recommended I send it in directly and stay on them- it would be considerably quicker. Never really did know how to take these statements.

 

It was 4 -1/2 weeks to correct the focus on a 2 week old M9, and I did call many times. It did come back perfectly focused, so at least the repair was done correctly. I guess in hind sight 4.5 weeks is fast for Allendale.

[andybarton]

It's not at the dealers, it's at Leica in New Jersey and has been there since early November. My dealer is a tad upset also.

 

In that case your dealer needs to get his "proactive" department into gear. It's his responsibility to chase these things, IMHO. You left your lens in his care, and he has failed to deliver. Phoning Leica NJ on the day before they said it would be ready isn't really god enough.

Edited February 24, 2010 by andybarton

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[doug_m]

Leica NJ-

 

My new M9 was severely front focusing with all lenses. After talking to my dealer, they recommended I send it in directly and stay on them- it would be considerably quicker. Never really did know how to take these statements.

 

It was 4 -1/2 weeks to correct the focus on a 2 week old M9, and I did call many times. It did come back perfectly focused, so at least the repair was done correctly. I guess in hind sight 4.5 weeks is fast for Allendale.

 

 

If your dealer is local they should be sending the camera in for repair and dealing with the hassles of shipping to NJ. My dealer (Glazers in Seattle) has been doing this for me for years.