andrew748 Posted July 17, 2010 Share #41 Posted July 17, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) This is a very fair observation. The irony being that only the cognoscenti know (or think they know) the identity of the repairer in question, but are too sensitive to reveal the name to the non-cognoscenti who would genuinely benefit from the knowledge. Ken. I have been lucky enough to receive a pm on this so thanks to the pm-er and thank you Ken for understanding that this is a real isssue. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 17, 2010 Posted July 17, 2010 Hi andrew748, Take a look here Painfully slow service.... I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
dkCambridgeshire Posted July 23, 2010 Share #42 Posted July 23, 2010 Perhaps I am not being clear. There is no need to be rude. There is no need to lose your temper. There is no need to do anything other than be civil and polite. Business is business. A Saville Row suit takes time because it is handmade. But a commitment is made and kept to. I have never had to wait five years for a suit! I don't care whether I am dealing with a newspaper vendor or Dawkins Almighty. It is a business matter. I have reasonable expectations of a transaction being completed to my satisfaction within a reasonable time-frame. Separate your awe and admiration for the man from the fact that he has let you down. Ask, clearly and unequivocally, in writing, for your lens to be returned within seven days. No excuses, no chit-chat. Send your letter recorded delivery. If he fails to return your lens exercise your rights as a consumer. Stop being a doormat!! Regards, Bill Agree ... And add that unless he returns the lens within 7 days you will refer the matter to his local Trading Standards Office and that a County Court case could ensue. You have taken all reasonable steps to have the lens returned; he is being unreasonable in not complying with your request; a kick up the backside is in order. A telephone call to the Trading Standards Office to discuss the matter could help too. dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipper Posted August 14, 2010 Share #43 Posted August 14, 2010 SideB, you have an extreme case, and I can't offer any solution - you seem to be trying everything. But in my experience it is not totally unknown for these individual specialsts to mis-lay stuff, especially if the object in question has been put aside awaiting parts etc. I have had similar experiences with such as watchmakers too, maybe taking on too many jobs. Somebody else mentioned the well known guy in Japan (3.5 year wait), it can happen. Often these guys know they still have the part, somewhere, and they are just waiting for it to turn up on the bench. This particular individual, I have to say from my own experience over many years, has always been extremely generous to me of his help, advice and time, even when knowing there is no job at the end of it. No, this shouldn't happen and this must be extremely frustrating, and if it is any help at all I'd bet he isn't a rip-off merchant and hasn't (knowingly) sold off your lens to the best bidder,and at least he isn't overseas. Let us all know how you get on with this saga... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasticman Posted February 28, 2011 Share #44 Posted February 28, 2011 I am wondering if anyone else is having difficulty getting their gear back from a respected UK Leica restorer... I'm wondering if there was ever a resolution to this situation? I spoke on the phone again on Friday to the gentleman in question, and received the customary promises that my lens was highest up on the to-do list. I was a little more pressing this time, and said that I'd be checking-back at shorter intervals from now on. Not really sure what else can be done from this distance - particularly as I don't want the lens shipped back to me without the work actually having been done. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted February 28, 2011 Share #45 Posted February 28, 2011 I think this may have already been posted elsewhere but Optical Instruments Balham, who would do Leica lens work, including re-coating, has ceased trading. Worse, I understand from a friend that items in for repair at the time have vanished. He was trying to track down his Mountain Elmar 105 with the receivers. I have not seem him since before Christmas, so I don't know what success or not he had. I regret in these days of "if it's broke - chuck it" it is going to become increasingly difficult to get local repairs of Leica bodies and lenses done. The waiting list at CRR is not particularly short and likely to get longer, as it becomes the only shop in town. I have already suggested to Leica, that they set up a network of authorised repairers, who at the very least can do rangefinder adjustments. I regard this as at the same level of service as having the tracking adjusted on a car's steering, for which one would not expect the car to go back to Germany/Italy/Japan etc. Leica said it was an interesting suggestion and that they would get back to me but nothing ever heard again. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted February 28, 2011 Share #46 Posted February 28, 2011 Now that Leica UK have their facility opposite Mayfair up and running, maybe this is something that they might consider further, i.e. restart in-house minor adjustments as they used to in MK. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted February 28, 2011 Share #47 Posted February 28, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Haven't they sacked all the staff who knew how to do that kind of stuff though? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted February 28, 2011 Share #48 Posted February 28, 2011 Now that Leica UK have their facility opposite Mayfair up and running, maybe this is something that they might consider further, i.e. restart in-house minor adjustments as they used to in MK. You would think so but I think they are more keen to sell new kit and encourage new lens sales (via the free "how to take a photo" courses/PR exercises that they run at Mayfair) than they are in providing a proper local after-sales service. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted February 28, 2011 Share #49 Posted February 28, 2011 Haven't they sacked all the staff who knew how to do that kind of stuff though? James, I am not sure they had the right people at MK anyway. All three repairs I had done there over the last 10 years, had to go on to Solms to be redone or a replacement camera supplied. They had not been checked properly before return. The late Stuart Bean (ex Leica UK) who used to run H. A, Baker in Lewes was livid at what they did (and didn't do) to my Digilux 2 when it went to MK for repair. On the same trip to India that my Digilux started to misbehave, my wife's brand new C-Lux died after 6 days from new. MK sent back a half repaired camera in spite of a replacement being requested by the dealer. The lens extension/retraction was still sticking on start and shut down. Having less than fully competent service staff may be worse than having none, which maybe was the view that the Leica management took. Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted February 28, 2011 Share #50 Posted February 28, 2011 Members of PCCI (PCCGB as was) have access to a good but little known UK Leica repair shop ... details in their magazine I have sent several M and screw bodies there for CLA and CLA 'plus' servicing. dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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