Is this M7 worth $1800? (chips on top plate)

[akptc]

Howdy, Im wondering if this M7 is worth a $1800 price tag. It has a few chips on the top plate that look like the camera was dropped:

The M7 is described as in great condition otherwise. It seems that a top plate for the M7 is about $700, i.e. too expensive. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Those don't look like chips to me. More like deep gouges.

I would walk away from this one.

 

[kbg32]

Doesn't look like this camera was dropped. Those look like scrape marks. $1800 for a used M7 isn't bad at all. See if the owner will come down $100 or so. Otherwise a few blemishes shouldn't kill the deal. If you want outward perfection, keep looking or buy one new.

Good luck.

 

[akptc]

John, Keith, thank you for your replies. I've decided to make an offer at $1500, see what happens.

 

[akptc]

Well, the seller is stuck on $1800 min.

 

[Magus]

Post deleted by posters request

 

[Avotius]

I would avoid that, I have seen a lot of m7's on epay going for 1500-1700 lately in great shape

 

[35mmdelux]

M7 prices are not holding as well as other Ms. Remember that the leica is a fine instrument above all and any such hit devalues it severely, especially gouges or dents from being dropped.

This one looks like it was scraped along the asphalt street. Take a Rolex and scrape it in the same fashion and it will devalue by half.

 

[sepiareverb]

Some of those brass-nibbling mice have gotten ahold of that one- Run Away!

 

[Leicabug]

Personally I would avoid this one unless it is a real bargain. It is not hard to get a mint condtion M7 at $1800 today.

 

[aizan]

offer a grand. then you can get a new top plate. 🙂

 

[summilux]

the serial number would also suggest it is a pre-MP model, with M6 finder. each time I press my M7's back hard enough, the lower red dot in the finder would light up, I am told it is normal for M7, so much for Leica electronics, and so much for the electronics in M8 for that matter.

 

[ray_g]

The M7 you sold was much better than that. Glad to see that you are in the market again, and that your crisis is (hopefully) passed, Andy.

 

[StuartR]

The problem is not so much the scratches, it is what they might indicate. A cosmetic blemish is annoying, the whatever caused it had to hit that top-plate rather hard. That could do some nasty things to the innards of the camera that are not readily visible. Trust me, I know because I bought a used R9 that I only found out was dropped long after I purchased it. I brought it in for routine service and Leica said the entire lens mount had been shifted and it was not performing as sharp as it should be. It was still very sharp, but not as good as it could be. A 400 dollar repair. I bought it from KEH, and I am sure they would have refunded my money, but whoever sold it to them was a crook because it was rated LN-. The exterior damage on the camera was exceedingly minor, just a little notch on the bottom, but the camera was still screwed up.

 

[akptc]

Thank you Everyone for your generous replies, I truly appreciate them. Sometimes GAS–related impulses have me in their nasty clutches and meaningful advice from the good folks here is just what the doctor ordered.

Ray, thank you, indeed, it seems the crisis has mostly passed (knock on wood) and I am permitting myself some photo-gear leisure, in moderation 🙂