Leica Servicing Quality Issues

[Jobetim]

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For the 1st time in 60 years, I dropped my camera (a Q2 Monochrom) causing some minor cosmetic damage to the camera body and lens cap. I took it into Leica Mayfair in London, who indicated it might take up to 6 weeks to repair. Undaunted, I went ahead. That was over 10 weeks ago. After a few weeks, I received a quote for the repair, which I accepted the same day, and sent a covering email to Leica Mayfair confirming that. When I heard nothing, I phoned them up to check that my acceptance of the quote had been received, only to be told that the individual concerned had been on leave for the past week so my reply hadn’t been seen. Further emails from me telling them I had an important event to cover have been ignored. I was then told to expect my camera to be ready for collection last Saturday, 10th July. When that date passed, I phoned again, and was promised a call-back, which didn’t happen. So I called them back again - this time, and for the 1st time, they seemed to take my frustration a little more seriously; and, again for the 1st time, did call me back as promised, this time to tell me that it would be ‘a further 2 weeks’ before my camera was returned. So, on the current schedule, the total time it has taken for Leica to effect a repair on what they say is minor cosmetic damage, will be 12 weeks - 3 months. That is, if the camera is actually returned to me in a couple of weeks time. My experience has taught me that just because you pay top prices for Leica cameras, you cannot necessarily expect to get top quality service. 

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[wda]

I expect Leica Servicing will have plausible reasons for the delay. However, the Servicing Manager should examine the way his correspondence is handled when staff shortages disrupt normal procedures.

[pedaes]

4 hours ago, Jobetim said:

who indicated it might take up to 6 weeks to repair.

Surprised at this, as everyone else knows its a minimum of three months for anything if it goes to Wetzlar. If it was being repaired in Mayfair I expect it takes time to get spares. To completely strip and rebuild a Q1/2 takes about four hours, we saw this done at a Leica Society visit..https://www.macfilos.com/2019/10/14/leica-q-strip-down-now-put-it-all-together-again/

 

Edited July 16, 2021 by pedaes

[250swb]

Is it worth mentioning that there is a deadly pandemic raging around the world? It could be that Wetzlar has been caught up in it as well, and staff in the repair dept. may perhaps be limited by social distancing, off with the Covid, being told to self isolate, etc. all of which makes deadlines a moving target.

[Pixeleater]

On 7/16/2021 at 7:54 AM, pedaes said:

Surprised at this, as everyone else knows its a minimum of three months for anything if it goes to Wetzlar. If it was being repaired in Mayfair I expect it takes time to get spares. To completely strip and rebuild a Q1/2 takes about four hours, we saw this done at a Leica Society visit..https://www.macfilos.com/2019/10/14/leica-q-strip-down-now-put-it-all-together-again/

 

I didn't know Wetzlar was a three month minimum repair when I sent my APO 50 M lens to Wetzlar to have the aperture ring tightened up. I only discovered it after the lens return. I guess that makes two of us who should have known better? Not really. The compounding aspect of the OP's predicament is faulty communication by the Leica store and their customer service manager at Leica.