M9 dent on top, cost to repair or replace?

[ronone10]

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Hello All, my first post. A local Leica dealer has a used M9 for sale but it has a dent on top of the body, less than .5 cm in diam. I haven't seem the camera yet. The dealer said it would be more than half the cost of the camera to have it repaired. I am told the camera functions perfectly despite the cosmetic flaw. The price of the M9 is far below the current market price so I am seriously considering the camera.

 

My question is from your experience, what can I expect to pay to either have the dent hammered out or the top replaced?

 

Thanks, Ron

Washington State

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[robsteve]

To get Leica to repair it, they will probably insist on a Cleaning, Lube and Adjust (CLA) at about $400 plus the price of the top plate, which may be cheaper than you think. I am not sure if there are any third party shops that can take the top cover and pound out the dent.

 

If the camera is cheap enough and the dent doesn't affect its function or the bump that caused the dent hasn't put the rangefinder out of adjustment, you might want to buy the camera and deal with it the next time it gets serviced.

[Bill W]

Welcome Ron,

One other thought is that someone that has had their M9 converted to the M9p might have a top plate they will part with or even donate. I would certainly have the rangefinder checked.

[earleygallery]

We don't know how much the dealer has allowed in their asking price for the damage, but I'm confident in saying that if the dent bothers you, you would be better off just buying a 'perfect' example.

[Ecar]

Welcome Ron,

One other thought is that someone that has had their M9 converted to the M9p might have a top plate they will part with or even donate. I would certainly have the rangefinder checked.

 

FWIW, an M9 top plate with a small dent is currently being offered on the Bay for about 450 USD (I'm not the seller nor am I related to him).

[andyedward]

The dent may be small, but the impact may have been quite substantial, so I would insist on trying the camera before purchase, thereby giving you opportunity to ascertain whether internal damage has been sustained. Closely examine the images at home in your own time

Edited December 26, 2012 by andyedward

[ronone10]

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Thanks all for the suggestions.

 

Heading to the store tomorrow to check out the camera. I am in no hurry to buy the M9 especially with the M just around the corner. I can live with a dent if I knew the cost to repair/replace plus the price of the body is what I would pay for a dent free body. I have a good relationship with the dealer so lets see where this goes.

 

Good suggestion on pursuing a donor top plate...

 

Ron

[k_g_wolf ✝]

I had a an M9-topplate changed recently because of a dent.

The charge (SOLMS) was about EUR 300.00

 

Try to live with the dent, I couldn´t ...

 

best

GEORG

[tele_player]

Which would be about $400 USD. I wonder why the Leica dealer said " it would be more than half the cost of the camera to have it repaired", and what price the dealer is asking for the M9.

 

Leica replaced a cracked sensor on my M9, one month out of warranty, for free. They might not have done so if there was any indication the camera had ever taken a big hit.

 

Bottom line for me: I'd probably not buy this camera, unless the price was super low, like maybe $2000. Owning an out-of-warranty digital Leica exposes the owner to the risk of some VERY expensive repairs.

 

-Robert

 

 

I had a an M9-topplate changed recently because of a dent.

The charge (SOLMS) was about EUR 300.00

 

Try to live with the dent, I couldn´t ...

 

best

GEORG

[ronone10]

Thanks for the prices. This helps. We shall see what happens tomorrow.

 

Ron

[D&A]

Thanks for the prices. This helps. We shall see what happens tomorrow.

 

Ron

 

I'd be curious to hear what they say. An aquantence of mine inquired with Leica in NJ a few years ago how much it would cost to replace his slightly damaged top plate (it simply had scratches). From what I recall, they quoted him in the neighborhood of approx $1200-1300 dollars. I don't recall if that included the labor charge to change it but I believe it didn't. Either way, the price of approx $1200, is a long way for the $400 quoted by Solms.

 

Dave (D&A)

[jaapv]

I would guess 400$ is more near the mark, as it is a very simple. Labor, including RF adjustment etc. is less than 200 Euro, and I don't know the price of a top plate, but it is not that crazy, albeit a bit more than 100 Euro I guess.

[tobey bilek]

They can be tapped out to some extent if it is not a sharp dent. Realize a dent means the metal has been stretched and there is really no way to unstretch it. That is why fillers are used to repair auto dings after they remove as much as possible with special hammers and tools.

 

A ding means the camera has had a shock and a number of things could be wrong the most obvious being RF alignment.

[enboe]

I remember dropping my M8 onto a tile floor, and the resultant repair of top plate and rangefinder mechanism came close to $1000US. Beware hidden defects, and ask for a return option if possible.

[viramati]

Leica are sensitive to knocks so I would make sure that the alignment of the RF mechanism AND the sensor alignment are Ok. I say this as I sent mine in for a totally unrelated issue and Solms said the the RF and sensor were both out to a slight knock.

[ayewing]

Ron, another possibility would be to have the camera upgraded to M9P specification at Solms. This would mean that you would get a new top plate and Leica would clean, check and adjust the whole camera and you would get a year's warranty. This would be an expensive solution, about 1250 euros at present I think, plus of course the cost of the camera. I do not know if the sums would add up.

[farnz]

Ron, another possibility would be to have the camera upgraded to M9P specification at Solms. This would mean that you would get a new top plate and Leica would clean, check and adjust the whole camera and you would get a year's warranty. This would be an expensive solution, about 1250 euros at present I think, plus of course the cost of the camera. I do not know if the sums would add up.

Wouldn't he also get the Sapphire LCD screen?

 

Pete

[tele_player]

The M9-P upgrade only includes the warranty extension if the camera is still within the original two year warranty.

From the Leica site:

"After the two-year period this one year warranty extension will not apply."

 

-robert

 

Ron, another possibility would be to have the camera upgraded to M9P specification at Solms. This would mean that you would get a new top plate and Leica would clean, check and adjust the whole camera and you would get a year's warranty. This would be an expensive solution, about 1250 euros at present I think, plus of course the cost of the camera. I do not know if the sums would add up.

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[ayewing]

Wouldn't he also get the Sapphire LCD screen?

 

Pete

 

Yes, that would be an added bonus

 

 

The M9-P upgrade only includes the warranty extension if the camera is still within the original two year warranty.

From the Leica site:

"After the two-year period this one year warranty extension will not apply."

 

-robert

 

I am afraid that you are right, Still if anything went wrong soon after an upgrade I would expect Leica to do the decent thing and fix it

[Stripey_Badger]

I put a dent into my M9 top plate by bending down to pick up something off the ground. The camera itself was on the top of my thigh. I had three or four accessories attached to the strap and somehow they came together so that pressing down my left shoulder to reach the ground caused my chest to force those accessories to form a 'chain' that enabled the pressure to be applied to the top plate.

Can you understand that? It was an unhappy combination of circumstances that though rare must happen to other Leica M owners. The slight dent is just north of the shoe slot.

Apart from having a catastrophic effect on its resale price is has not affected the performance of my M9 in any way whatsoever. I bet this is what has happened to the one you are talking about. If that is all that is wrong with it I would not hesitate to buy if the price is right.