Warranty

[rjsphd]

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i am contemplating buying a new Leica M10  from Asia and am wondering if the warranty from Hong Kong is good in the US?

[6bit]

I bought my first M10 from Germany. I believe it’s the same warranty from Leica regardless.

[jaapv]

AFAIK the USA importer applies "grey import" rules, which means that you need to turn to Wetzlar for guaranty.

[rjsphd]

Thanks for the heads up on the grey market stuff.  

[jonatdonuts]

Hi Jaap, can you give us more details on the grey import rules? 

 

AFAIK the USA importer applies "grey import" rules, which means that you need to turn to Wetzlar for guaranty.

[Bill W]

I believe that if it is a new product, it has a warranty but you would need to send it direct to Leica in Germany for any warranty issues. You could not send it in the USA to Leica NJ. I may be wrong. For something like the M10 I would want a dealer in the US as my point of contact. 

[M11 for me]

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Such a clause normally means, that the importer of a country takes responsibility only for products that are bought through its own channel. As this is not the case when buying outside that country there is no warranty in the country. Nevertheless Leica in Germany will warrant according to the rules in Germany. Normally this should not be a problem. Still in case of a defect of your product you have to sent it to Germany by yourself and you are responsible for insurance as well. So some inconvenience.

 

Because of all of this i would buy outside your country only if the price is much lower than in your country. And note that normally you have a product that needs not going back to the factory. We read of a lot of problems here. But when looking at it by percent then that percentage is very small. Imagine if 20% of the products would be defective then Leica would have severe financial problems. I would run the risk.

[jaapv]

Hi Jaap, can you give us more details on the grey import rules? 

Products not sold through the local importer can be refused guaranty by that importer. In Europe this is illegal, but in the USA it is common practice.

 

As you are in the UK European rules will apply, at least they will until next year March.

 

In this case the Leica factory will extend guaranty to all their products, but on has to send it directly to Wetzlar.

[Gobert]

Within Europe it’s not allowed, but for products imported from outside Europe it is still allowed.

Nikon and Canon f/e do the same.

[jonatdonuts]

Thanks guys, very helpful.

[jaapv]

Within Europe it’s not allowed, but for products imported from outside Europe it is still allowed.

Nikon and Canon f/e do the same.

With the understanding that Leica the factory will never refuse guaranty on their products based on place of purchase, nor on second ownership.

[Gobert]

Which pleads for them.