ebay purchase and warranty question

[woodleica]

If a seller on ebay is selling a new M8 or M9 with warranty cards they never filled out and they are not a dealer ( i.e they obtained the camera as a gift or otherwise ) can someone who purchases it register it and be eligible for warranty? If so, how can you verify that the camera is eligible for that?

 

[ramosa]

I am not sure. What I do know, however, is that the Leica registration and warranty application forms have a space for dealer's name and date of purchase. (And these are "required fields.") I'm not sure how that could work in your favor after making a purchase via ebay. Thus, I wouldn't expect the warranty to be valid. Of course, others may have direct experience with this and, thus, may have more pertinent input for you.

 

[bolohead]

The warranty is good from the original purchase date. I purchased a Demo M8 from PopFlash and never had a problem sending it in when it completely died on me. Based on the number of reported problems that the M8 has, I would personally be very concerned about not having a warranty.

 

[ramosa]

bolohead: i understand how your purchase would work, as popflash is a "normal" leica seller. they sell lots of new licensed leica gear. (great seller per my many experiences with them.)

woodleica: is it a normal "licensed" seller?

 

[woodleica]

Thanks for your responses. Not it is not a normal licensed seller, hence my question. If I understand bolohead correctly Leica will warranty the item from the original purchase date regardless of who sends it in. So I'm assuming if I get the serial number and call leica, I would know the purchase date and warranty period remaining, and then they would honor any remaining warranty if it needed to be sent in. That's if I understood it correctly.

 

[ramosa]

Wood: I hope that's the case. Personally, I would be wary that Leica wouldn't uphold the warranty if it is a clear "gray market" or other sale. But that may just be me. To my knowledge, Popflash has a legitimate relationship with Leica--unlike most ebay sellers. I'm not trying to discourage you. In contrast, I'm trying to make sure that this purchase is in your best interests.

 

[35mmdelux]

If a seller on ebay is selling a new M8 or M9 with warranty cards they never filled out and they are not a dealer ( i.e they obtained the camera as a gift or otherwise ) can someone who purchases it register it and be eligible for warranty? If so, how can you verify that the camera is eligible for that?

The warranty is valid to the original buyer or if you have the original receipt. you can make side "deals" but that is another issue.

 

[woodleica]

Ok, thanks guys

 

[bolohead]

Yep. Get the serial and email Leica NJ to see. They have been quick to respond to my emails in the past.

Or just purchase from a reputable seller.

 

[Fraser]

I would pay a bit more and get it from a shop.

 

[FrankHarries]

I would get the receiipt of purchase - so you know, that it's not stolen and the warranty too will be no problem at all (if the purchase date is within the warranty time.) If you get the receipt from the seller (which has to be one from a regular shop selling Leicas of course) you are on the safe side.

 

[Ronald M]

Buy multi thousand dollar item from Ebay. Absolutely no way. Hidden defects possible that will negate any savings and that is assuming you even get the item instead of an empty box. Then the guy has P.O.D. and you have nothing but an lighter wallet.

But it is your money. Do as you please.

I suggest you buy from a legit dealer like POP FLash, B&H, Calumet, etc

 

[ramosa]

Buy multi thousand dollar item from Ebay. Absolutely no way. Hidden defects possible that will negate any savings and that is assuming you even get the item instead of an empty box. Then the guy has P.O.D. and you have nothing but an lighter wallet.

But it is your money. Do as you please.

I suggest you buy from a legit dealer like POP FLash, B&H, Calumet, etc

+1 ... after commenting on the warranty situation, i should say that i, too, would definitely buy from a legit dealer. the price may be a bit more, but you can feel secure in the transaction and the warranty situation. for me, those aspects are worth a lot of money.

 

[woodleica]

Well, we all know the dealer route and yes, it is the best. I am trying to understand warranty only. As for ebay, there are good and bad people, just like on any open market. I happen to sell on ebay myself and I consider myself honest and reliable and when I make mistakes I compensate the buyer. I know there are other sellers like that out there. If you ask enough questions of the seller and look at all the data, you can make an educated decision, but it's still possible to run into a swindler. Would I buy a 6000$ camera from a non-dealer? Probably not, but I'm just trying to understand this issue. FWIW, I bought a demo M8 from a dealer with warranty more than a year ago and it's now developed the dreaded vertical line problem after the warranty expired.

 

[jesse1dog]

Not all manufacturers treat the warranty in the same way. Some like Panasonic don't seem to accept transferability - at least that is the answer I got from their Service Dept. in GB. Be careful if a seller says something like - 'bought 6 months ago with 3 year warranty'. You need to check to see what this means in practice. The implication is that if you buy you have cover for what is left of the warranty. I suspect that the reality is that the statement isn't true. Beware the seller who says - 'well, you can use my name and pretend to be me if you need to claim'!
eBay ads could well be a potential minefield.

jesse

 

[ZeissFan]

Approaching this from a manufacturer's standpoint, it's generous for a maker to warranty a product from its original purchase for five years out, regardless of how many owners might be involved.

That would be like you selling you car, and then two owners down, the person comes back to you with a problem with the engine. Or in this forum's case, two owners down the line, someone comes to you complaining that the camera doesn't work and expects you to pay to have it serviced.

In any case, as always, check with Leica. They should have more accurate knowledge than anyone on an online forum. I don't mean to offend anyone (for a change) on this topic.

 

[woodleica]

I found this interesting link on the subject that seems to say it all:

http://nemeng.com/leica/025e.shtml

 

[Johnny_Johnson]

I found this interesting link on the subject that seems to say it all:

http://nemeng.com/leica/025e.shtml

But it doesn't really say it all. It's true that Leica USA will not transfer the warranty to a new owner. But, the camera is also covered by an International warranty that will, under the proper conditions, be honored by Leica in Solms. The most important condition is that the new owner has a copy of the original bill of sale showing the purchase date when the camera was new. Of course, the camera would have to be sent to Germany for service but it would probably be worth the wait and shipping expense to repair a major problem.

You can contact Leica customer service in Solms for more information and to verify that the International warranty for a potential purchase could be transferred.

Regards,
Johnny Johnson