vidio1111 Posted June 12, 2013 Share #1 Posted June 12, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) After waiting 7 months for the M 240 I finally got it and intended to use the camera professionally. However I was told, as so many others were, that due to bad manufacturing the strap lugs were defective and the unit would have to be repaired. But the good news was Leica was committed to doing this operation in 48 hours! Sounded good in principal but sadly the reality is that Leica has not remotely delivered on their promise. It has been almost a month since I sent the camera in and there is still no definitive delivery date. After weeks of unknown delays the latest is that Leica Germany apparently doesn't know how to fill out customs papers and the repaired camera has been sitting in US customs since last week. And as of today they still can't say when things will be straightened out. I know I sound bitter but this has been a wakeup call for me. I am sad that I cannot depend on this company to deliver. I cannot buy a second camera because they cannot deliver any new ones and I cannot depend on their service promises. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 12, 2013 Posted June 12, 2013 Hi vidio1111, Take a look here Very disappointed in Leica service. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted June 12, 2013 Share #2 Posted June 12, 2013 US customs has caused many problems of this kind over the years... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overgaard Posted June 12, 2013 Share #3 Posted June 12, 2013 Everything else aside, I would never send my camera via somebody. I would take over the shipping my self, sending directly to Leica and get is directly back. I know this was not what was offered, but that is what I would be (insisting on) doing with this service repair and any other repair, adjustment, etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted June 12, 2013 Share #4 Posted June 12, 2013 I would take over the shipping my self, sending directly to Leica and get is directly back. I'm not sure how this would help in this instance. Unless I am misunderstanding what the OP wrote, the camera is being held in US customs on its way back from Germany ("the repaired camera has been sitting in US customs since last week'). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted June 12, 2013 Share #5 Posted June 12, 2013 Tracking the repair on the Leica website showed mine was done within 24hrs as promised ... all the rest of the time was shipping with DHL and UPS ....but it was still back in a week. I don't think it's fair to blame Leica for Customs/Carriage issues that are out of their control. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnbuckley Posted June 12, 2013 Share #6 Posted June 12, 2013 I had the same experience, and it is only indirectly Leica's fault. My camera was fixed about 36 hours after it arrived in Solms. It took two weeks to get back to me, and a big chunk of that time was spent in US Customs. I suspect it is not that "Leica doesn't know how to fill out forms." I suspect it is, first, the bizarre circumstance of re-importing a camera that has already had customs duties paid two months after it first was shipped, and second, the matter of the US budget sequester and the impact that is having on government efficiency, such as products making their way through customs. There is reason to be mad at Leica -- the very, very slow ramp up of M production, the bizarre length of time it is taking to get accessories. But come on, they've handled the recall well, given what a pain in the neck it is for them too. Don't blame Leica for DHL/UPS/U.S. Customs inefficiencies! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdriceman Posted June 12, 2013 Share #7 Posted June 12, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) But it makes no sense to me that Leica doesn't marshall resources to train or send technicians to NJ for this "one time" repair of a very expensive camera. Ultimately Leica can alleviate this customs problem. I still don't understand their reluctance to handle this repair in NJ. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michali Posted June 12, 2013 Share #8 Posted June 12, 2013 Exactly what I was thinking- surely the US must be a fairly large market for Leica, and therefore the Leica service centre in the US should be placed in a position to be able to deal with the repair locally. Instead however, the customer is placed in a position through no fault of his, of having to send his new camera back to Germany and then endure the complications and frustrations of trying to get his camera back. Furthermore the camera lugs coming off are such a basic manufacturing and quality control screw up, it's almost comical. Given that it's not an isolated incident, the situation is totally unacceptable. What I find even more unacceptable is everyone here making excuses or being Leica apologists, until of course it happens to them! Come on guys get some objectivity, put yourselves in video1111's position and see how pissed off you would be! It's perfectly understandable that he feels this way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted June 12, 2013 Share #9 Posted June 12, 2013 Customs formalities are carried out by shipping companies for account of importers normally. It's up to the importer, here Leica USA, to deal with the shipping company and/or the customs eventually. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vidio1111 Posted June 12, 2013 Author Share #10 Posted June 12, 2013 The people who are saying not to blame Leica for problems with delivery are missing the point. I am an unhappy customer plain and simple. I of course the blame the maker of the product. It was Leica that chose the delivery company and the repair process. I would have preferred to send directly to Germany but was told I had to go through NJ. And NJ only ships to Germany on Mondays and Thursdays so that adds time. And I was told by NJ that Leica left out some required info on the customs forms and that contributed to the delay. Finally - if you are Leica don't promise us that we are going to get it back in a timely manner if you can't deliver. I would have been fine if they had told me "We really don't know how long it will take because we have not tested the delivery system or repair process." I could have then decided when I could afford to be without the camera for an indefinite amount of time. Instead they told me it would be done very quickly and returned in a timely manner. Leica US said the same thing. I think this is the most frustrating part. The uncertainty of it all. I clearly explained to Leica US that I planned to use the camera professionally on upcoming projects. They knew that but have no option for me now because there are no loaners or new cameras available. All this contributes to the problem. And I can tell you very clearly they have NOT handled the recall well. There are many many frustrated US customers. I have heard it from Leica US. The others just have not vented on internet platforms, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuanLeon Posted June 12, 2013 Share #11 Posted June 12, 2013 Mine took seven labor days in total (to Spain). I am very happy with Leica Customer Service, both in recognizing and solving the problem so fast. Maybe you must blame your Customs instead of Leica. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tanks Posted June 12, 2013 Share #12 Posted June 12, 2013 ... second, the matter of the US budget sequester and the impact that is having on government efficiency, such as products making their way through customs... I wouldn't blame the sequester on this. Since then, I bought an MM, and a 50mm Summilux from UK. In both cases I had the goods in my hands within 72 hours after purchase, and with no customs' fees. While tracking the items, I saw both UK, and US customs processing entries. I would blame some sort of a forms entry SNAFU. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McMaster Posted June 12, 2013 Share #13 Posted June 12, 2013 Everything else aside, I would never send my camera via somebody. I would take over the shipping my self, sending directly to Leica and get is directly back. Not so realistic if outside of Europe! When I sent my M9 and a stack of lenses off for CLA/6 bit/calibration I hand delivered them to the NZ importer. No way I could have got/afforded suitable international insurance so leave it to the importers..... john - NZ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZDavid Posted June 12, 2013 Share #14 Posted June 12, 2013 A few years ago I had to send my Leica X1 back for servicing -- twice. It was away for three months each time. I don't know which route it took, but it seems there is an enormous difference in the speed of service for different countries. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted June 12, 2013 Share #15 Posted June 12, 2013 The people who are saying not to blame Leica for problems with delivery are missing the point. I am an unhappy customer plain and simple. I of course the blame the maker of the product. It was Leica that chose the delivery company and the repair process. I would have preferred to send directly to Germany but was told I had to go through NJ. And NJ only ships to Germany on Mondays and Thursdays so that adds time. And I was told by NJ that Leica left out some required info on the customs forms and that contributed to the delay. Finally - if you are Leica don't promise us that we are going to get it back in a timely manner if you can't deliver. I would have been fine if they had told me "We really don't know how long it will take because we have not tested the delivery system or repair process." I could have then decided when I could afford to be without the camera for an indefinite amount of time. Instead they told me it would be done very quickly and returned in a timely manner. Leica US said the same thing. I think this is the most frustrating part. The uncertainty of it all. I clearly explained to Leica US that I planned to use the camera professionally on upcoming projects. They knew that but have no option for me now because there are no loaners or new cameras available. All this contributes to the problem. And I can tell you very clearly they have NOT handled the recall well. There are many many frustrated US customers. I have heard it from Leica US. The others just have not vented on internet platforms, I was quoted: (48 hr in Solms) + (One week to NJ. One Week to Solms) X 2 = They hoped under 4 weeks. Mine took 29 days. It was handled very efficiently and professionally. Other than initial frustration felt about the lug problem, that should have been avoided in the first place, I never felt a need to come on the forum and dump(vent) and throw a tantrum. I hope you feel better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
awslee Posted June 12, 2013 Share #16 Posted June 12, 2013 I never had any good experiences with any government's custom departments, even if it is tax free and you have filled in all the proper documentation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vidio1111 Posted June 13, 2013 Author Share #17 Posted June 13, 2013 I was quoted: (48 hr in Solms) + (One week to NJ. One Week to Solms) X 2 = They hoped under 4 weeks. Mine took 29 days. It was handled very efficiently and professionally. Other than initial frustration felt about the lug problem, that should have been avoided in the first place, I never felt a need to come on the forum and dump(vent) and throw a tantrum. I hope you feel better. Well look I don't want to start a flame here. You are happy because you got what was quoted. But I was quoted two weeks and its going on 4 so this is frustrating to me. I just wonder how you would have felt if it had taken 8 weeks instead of the quoted 4. Perhaps it is a bit of a tantrum but I guess I expected better service from a company selling a premium product and I hope they can improve. They seem to have a lot of expansion plans so I would hope part of that might be to offer more timely service. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted June 13, 2013 Share #18 Posted June 13, 2013 Blame for delays in service can and is often multi-apportionable. February this year I sent my M9 + Noctilux to Solms directly from Australia. It cost me just under AU$200 for the shipping. Both camera and lens required extensive rebuilding resulting from being dropped. Both were repaired and returned to me within two weeks via DHL from Solms. The camera is perfect now but the Noctilux is back focussing. My local authorized mechanic was permitted to adjust it but was travelling to Solms and suggested he take it with him. Apparently the only two factory mechanics who could work on the lens were both on sick leave. Because of Customs requirement the lens had to return to Australia with 'my' mechanic. He then had to resend the lens to Germany via 'normal' channels. It has now been one month since the lens returned to the factory and I have no projected hope of a return. I think this illustrates the virtues of 'direct' sending versus 'normal' channels, regrettably. I can only support overgaardcom's reccomendation wherever practical. This of course does not explain delays that can happen in Solms, as I have discovered to my chagrin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted June 13, 2013 Share #19 Posted June 13, 2013 I don't know, maybe we just come at this differently. I'm not a professional photographer, so I probably don't care as much about this camera as you seem to. It is just another toy in my life. I have other cameras to play with. Summer is here and I am more involved with cycling and fly fishing. I guess, in the end, this is just not that big of a deal. I like the camera a lot and I refuse to let this spoil my enjoyment of it. I'm not making excuses or being a Leica apologists, I just don't care. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesphoto99 Posted June 13, 2013 Share #20 Posted June 13, 2013 Perhaps they are to busy fixing my 35mm asph that got dropped and sent in to Leica NJ mid-March. Only one month for a Leica repair - not sure what you all are whining about! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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