Interesting... and they seem surprisingly unaware there is no US Customs import duties on camera gear.
I will avoid Leica NJ from here on...
- Thread starter sepiareverb
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jeffrypittman
Jeff Pittman
My experiences with Leica NJ have all been positive. I had two M8's upgraded to 8.2, I had an M9 upgraded to an MP, and I had one MP (film) repaired and a second serviced. All repairs were done at different times in the past few years but all were completed in 4-5 weeks and the charges were either covered under warranty or completed at the price estimated.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
No, it is a German fee if I understood the explanation I got from DHW when I sent in my Rollei a couple of years ago correctly.
raid
Dad Photographer
I have had German exchange students work with me, and they dump their used blue jeans and buy new blue jeans in the USA so that German customs will not have them pay customs on the jeans.
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
Haha, funny story🙂 :lol: Actually the rule is that duty(4.2%) has to be paid when importing goods over 150 €, VAT (21%) on goods over 22€.
However the value is not calculated from the shop price, but from the actual value. How much is a used pair of jeans worth? And how is customs going to prove that an unlabelled piece of clothing was purchased outside Germany?
It will never happen. I would import an M10 from the USA simply by hanging it over my shoulder and not declaring it... I theory they could ask for proof of purchase in the EU for such an item, in the far past it might happen occasionally (I recall my father declaring his Agfa Silette when we went on holiday 50 years ago) but nowadays? never.
Bille
Well-known
Bingo. Leica must be kidding.
Bille
Well-known
Really? When I get something from outside the European Union i am being charged 19% (nineteen) VAT. Didn´t know in the US you can import for free. 😱
Ong
Well-known
I think it's just a Leica issue worldwide to begin with.
Had to send a Leicavit MP I bought new under warranty due to the belt snapping after 1 month of use.
Initial estimated time given for the repair: 6 weeks
Then it was 1 more month "as parts weren't in stock and had to be ordered"
and then it was another month "as the wrong parts had been ordered"
All in all 3 1/2 months for a repair (sent in the first week of March, returned mid-late July) and the kicker being that while it was with the official Leica repairer, it counted against the warranty time period and the warranty was not extended for the time they held it.
I'm not looking forward to have to take it back since ever since getting it back, after loading the film, trying to advance it results in a ridiculous amount of pressure being applied to the body's advance lever in order to get it going. Never had the issue before sending it to them either 🙁
Had to send a Leicavit MP I bought new under warranty due to the belt snapping after 1 month of use.
Initial estimated time given for the repair: 6 weeks
Then it was 1 more month "as parts weren't in stock and had to be ordered"
and then it was another month "as the wrong parts had been ordered"
All in all 3 1/2 months for a repair (sent in the first week of March, returned mid-late July) and the kicker being that while it was with the official Leica repairer, it counted against the warranty time period and the warranty was not extended for the time they held it.
I'm not looking forward to have to take it back since ever since getting it back, after loading the film, trying to advance it results in a ridiculous amount of pressure being applied to the body's advance lever in order to get it going. Never had the issue before sending it to them either 🙁
Mute-on
Well-known
Borge H
Established
I got my M9 today. I have missed it! The total turn-around time was 10 weeks. I am satisfied, they said before I sent it in that it should take 6 to 8 weeks.
As it now is in August, and I see a lot of cars from Germany on the roads here i Sweden, I guess some must be working during holidays in Wetzlar. I did not expect that!🙂
The M9 feels the same, heavy and compact. New cover, but my old scratches on the screen are still there. No mistakes, it is my M9.
As it now is in August, and I see a lot of cars from Germany on the roads here i Sweden, I guess some must be working during holidays in Wetzlar. I did not expect that!🙂
The M9 feels the same, heavy and compact. New cover, but my old scratches on the screen are still there. No mistakes, it is my M9.
G Dogg
Established
Leica Monochrom sent to NJ and acknowledged receipt July 6, 2017. Today (August 23), received email, "sensor cover glass coating separation, etc..." No Charge. In the queue for replacement.
Bill Blackwell
Leica M Shooter
With a few exceptions, whenever I've needed service through Leica, I've gone through my Leica dealer, Tony Rose at Popflash Photo.
Other than just wait time I've had no issues, whatsoever, with Leica service.
Other than just wait time I've had no issues, whatsoever, with Leica service.
Bill Blackwell
Leica M Shooter
To the OP:
Please post a pic of your finished camera - I'd like to see it.
Please post a pic of your finished camera - I'd like to see it.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
Here it is Bill. Very happy with it, it has already gotten pretty heavy use.
raid
Dad Photographer
Congrats! It is a beauty.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
Thanks Raid. It's exactly what I was after. Completely minimal appearance.
Bill Blackwell
Leica M Shooter
Congrats, Bob. Looks like the ultimate street camera (made for 'stealth').
jeffrypittman
Jeff Pittman
I sent my M9 in to NJ to have the sensor checked. I received confirmation on July 10th that the camera had been received. In August I received notification that the camera had been inspected and the sensor needed to be replaced (at no charge). I received a shipping notice today that the camera will arrive on November 9th. Four months or about 18 weeks is how long it took. Sharing to give others who are waiting some indication of current turnaround.
farlymac
PF McFarland
Today my Elmarit-R 2.8/28 returned from service at Leica USA (NJ). It's clean as a pin, and the focus is very smooth. Even came in a plastic bag with the Leica red dot, and a certification of repair dated Nov 18, 2017. I sent the lens to them in May, 2017. I was told in August, 2017 it was being repaired. Again in Oct, 2017 they informed me it was being repaired after I questioned the length of their technicians lunch breaks, and that it would be returned to me "by the end of next week", which would have been Nov 4, 2017. Notice the repair and inspection date previously noted (Nov 18, 2017). It wasn't shipped until Nov 24, 2017. Even with UPS Ground shipping it got here fairly quickly, with a first delivery attempt on Nov 27, 2017, and again on Nov 28, 2017. But I was out of town then with no Internet contact to know about the delivery (which had to be signed for), so I couldn't tell UPS to hold it. Luckily today I was home, other wise it would have been sent back to Allendale.
It only took three hours (3 hours!) to fix and clean the lens.
I can understand them having a large backlog of work, due to the sensor issues on more than one camera, and the lack of enough skilled techs to handle it all. If they had just said there were "X" number of customers ahead of me, and kept me apprised of the count from time to time, I would have been happy with that. But no, they had to blatantly lie about the situation time and time again. And if they had contacted me on either the 18th or 20th of Nov with the good news of the lens repair being completed, I could have told them to hold shipping for a few more days.
If something else goes bad on my Leica R system, I may just sell it off instead of investing more time and a large sum of money in fixing it. And bye-bye to Leica forever.
PF
It only took three hours (3 hours!) to fix and clean the lens.
I can understand them having a large backlog of work, due to the sensor issues on more than one camera, and the lack of enough skilled techs to handle it all. If they had just said there were "X" number of customers ahead of me, and kept me apprised of the count from time to time, I would have been happy with that. But no, they had to blatantly lie about the situation time and time again. And if they had contacted me on either the 18th or 20th of Nov with the good news of the lens repair being completed, I could have told them to hold shipping for a few more days.
If something else goes bad on my Leica R system, I may just sell it off instead of investing more time and a large sum of money in fixing it. And bye-bye to Leica forever.
PF
Huss
Veteran
It's sad how Leica NJ acts like one of those one man repair shows such as DAG, Sherry, Youxin, Lazzari etc. Instead of a professional corporate organization with man power to match the work load.
(I am in no way disparaging those indie shops, I am comparing Leica to them purely on time line. Even though, thinking about it, I'm sure that most of them are much quicker than Leica NJ!)
(I am in no way disparaging those indie shops, I am comparing Leica to them purely on time line. Even though, thinking about it, I'm sure that most of them are much quicker than Leica NJ!)
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