carlprad Posted October 10, 2010 Share #1 Posted October 10, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have an M8 that is out of warranty and have read about some pretty bad horror stories regarding all sorts of problems and mechanical breakdowns with the M8. One of my favorites is the "Shutter Lockup" that requires replacement. So, should I just get one of the upgrades and get peace of mind from the extended warranty that is included with the upgrade? Or, can I wait for a problem to occur and then get the upgrade? In other words, if you send an M8 to Leica NJ for a repair and you choose to get an upgrade at the same time; will the repairs be covered by the warranty that comes with the upgrade. For example, If I send my M8 to Leica for a repair and they quote me $500.00 for the repair, I would prefer to pay for the framelines upgrade and then have the extended warranty cover the repairs. Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 10, 2010 Posted October 10, 2010 Hi carlprad, Take a look here Should I wait for a breakdown or upgrade now?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
cbretteville Posted October 10, 2010 Share #2 Posted October 10, 2010 Most of us have never had any real problems with our M8s at all. You read about the few exceptions, not the majority. It isn't as if all of them are disasters waiting to happen. If you decide you want the upgrade, get it. I had mine upgraded last year (frame lines, shutter and sapphire glass), 8 months wait, but worth it. It was a little over three years since i bought it at that point and had gone about 20.000 exposures. Small fries compared to others here. Some times the loss of 1/8000 is an inconvenience, but it is far, far outweighed by the quietness of the new shutter. Carl 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJP Posted October 10, 2010 Share #3 Posted October 10, 2010 8 months wait That sounds like a rather long wait........ Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted October 10, 2010 Share #4 Posted October 10, 2010 Mine is not an exception, there was a really long wait last year. I ordered/booked the upgrade in December '08. Leica CS was not ready for my M8 before May '09. So it was shipped to Solms on May 18 and I got it back the first week of August. I was to have had it done in late March/early April, but they got a batch of shutters that didn't meet their with their quality requirements so everything was delayed. At least that was the way they spun it. We do know they were building M9s at that point so it is easy to jump to conclusions. Carl Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoppyman Posted October 11, 2010 Share #5 Posted October 11, 2010 I suggest that you ask Leica NJ directly to make sure that you understand exactly what is involved. If you send a camera that needs repair then have some extra work at the same time, it may be cheaper overall since you may get some efficiencies in disassembly/labour costs. But any extended warranty on the whole camera is based on the whole camera being checked and ajusted /repaired as required. That is the whole point of the extended warranty; the camera is 100% when returned. That's how Solms operates, I assume that NJ would be similar. If you are concerned about a possible "shutter fault" developing later, then of course the shutter and all of the associated functions would be checked and any needed work done if you pay for an upgrade to the quieter, later shutter setup. You could also ask Leica NJ about having the camera checked/serviced without upgrades if you believe that it may develop some future fault. Some tens of thousands of M8 have not, of course. Ask about costs compared to the upgrade/s and exactly what the warranty covers in each case. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailronin Posted October 11, 2010 Share #6 Posted October 11, 2010 As my dad would say "If it ain't broke, don't fix it..." Wait until there's a problem would be my vote. Why go without your camera when there's nothing wrong? Dave 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Johnston Posted October 11, 2010 Share #7 Posted October 11, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) from what i've heard, the current firmware addressed the issue some had with shutter fault. i agree with dave, if it ain't broke... in the meantime i'd just enjoy it and i'd be inclined to just use use use it...wear it out, and if it needs a cla at some point, send it in then. tomj Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlprad Posted October 11, 2010 Author Share #8 Posted October 11, 2010 I apologize if I was not very clear in my question. I would like to know, If my camera breaks down and I send it in to Leica for one of the M8 upgrades, will the damged camera be coverred under the extended warranty offered by Leica, when you get one of the M8 upgrades? So for example, if the shutter locks up, and I decide to send it in to Leica for the "Frame Lines' upgrade, will the shutter be covered under the new warranty? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoppyman Posted October 12, 2010 Share #9 Posted October 12, 2010 (edited) No. They would not be obliged to do that. IMO the new extended warranty would not cover an existing fault if you sent the camera to be upgraded. As the camera is out of the original warranty, you would need to pay to have the camera repaired IF there was an existing fault. But you have said that the camera is not faulty now. It sounds like you would hope to not send your camera unless it developed a fault and then would like to send it for a framelines upgrade and expect a shutter repair for free? The "Shutter Fault" report is not necessarily a shutter fault, actually! But if if your shutter was actually faulty and you paid for a shutter upgrade, it may cost not much more? The shutter upgrade is not necessarily a shutter replacement, it is thought toinclude adjustments to the existing assembly, as well as new parts like the dial of course. That is opinion, not proven, though. Happy to be proven wrong. I'm sure that lots of people would like to hear about your service experience if you send them your camera. Solms for example have been known to perform additional work for a reduced charge or for free purely for goodwill. When I paid for my upgrades to my M8 which was NOT faulty, I received next business day service at no extra charge (I was visiting as part of a Forum meeting) and two lenses were checked and adjusted for free and couriered back to me internationally at no charge whatsover. 300EURO worth of servicings Look just ask Leica NJ. Anything said here does not convey any rights it is only opinion. Edited October 12, 2010 by hoppyman Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramosa Posted October 15, 2010 Share #10 Posted October 15, 2010 If it's not broken, don't fix it (as the cliche goes). Really, I wouldn't pay to upgrade an M8 now--for any reason. I have an M8. I love it. But I won't pay for an upgrade. I would prefer to save the money, so that--if my M8 ever fails me--I will have a start toward an M9. R Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted October 15, 2010 Share #11 Posted October 15, 2010 My M8s came back transformed after the upgrade and, for reasons which I don't fully understand, I prefer using an upgraded M8 to the M9. Sapphire glass, quietest shutter, fast (relatively, certainly compared to an M9). If you plan to keep your M8 for a while (and whiy not?), I'd get the upgrades while you can; Leica will update the camera if it needs the electronic T2 upgrade and you get a warranty. The upgrades make no financial sense at all if you plan to cash in on your "investment" at any time. They simply make the bath you will take even bigger. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted October 16, 2010 Share #12 Posted October 16, 2010 As my dad would say "If it ain't broke, don't fix it..." Wait until there's a problem would be my vote. Why go without your camera when there's nothing wrong? Dave I agree... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
!Nomad64 Posted October 24, 2010 Share #13 Posted October 24, 2010 As my dad would say "If it ain't broke, don't fix it..." Wait until there's a problem would be my vote. Why go without your camera when there's nothing wrong? Dave +1! Bruno Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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