ampguy
Veteran
The problem with the Leica is that anyone with a good one, is going to be damn reluctant to let it go 
You can find something on ebay or wherever for the cost of a new Bessa, but IMHO, there is a HIGH probability it will need, or could use, a good CLA within a year, where the new Bessas have 1 year warranty. If the Bessas had maybe a 2 or 3 year warranty, it would be a no brainer. But buying Bessas every year, is more expensive than say buing new budget espresso machines every 2 or 3 years after they jam up from hard water.
If you need the longer baselength or quiet shutter, or are a collector, then the Leica is for you, but factor in the CLA costs.
If you need a meter, don't mind framelines going out, and replacing yearly, then the Bessa makes sense.
You can find something on ebay or wherever for the cost of a new Bessa, but IMHO, there is a HIGH probability it will need, or could use, a good CLA within a year, where the new Bessas have 1 year warranty. If the Bessas had maybe a 2 or 3 year warranty, it would be a no brainer. But buying Bessas every year, is more expensive than say buing new budget espresso machines every 2 or 3 years after they jam up from hard water.
If you need the longer baselength or quiet shutter, or are a collector, then the Leica is for you, but factor in the CLA costs.
If you need a meter, don't mind framelines going out, and replacing yearly, then the Bessa makes sense.
loneranger
Well-known
Thanks for all your responses; I have decided to avoid the bessa, since reliablity seems to be a problem. I will look for a M2 or a M4P. Maybe I can find one that has been CLA'd recently. I should have kept my M6ttl but it financed a fuji 6x9.
dcsang
Canadian & Not A Dentist
I would opt for the "old" M3/M2.
My reasoning?
There are a lot of resources for general CLAs - DAG, Sherry Krauter, Youxin Ye, David Yau (Canada) and Gerry @ Kindermann (also Canada) - can all perform any surgery necessary to bring the camera back from the dead (if it was dead to begin with that is..)
For new Bessas, I'm not sure who can fix them other than the factory or, maybe, yourself. Perhaps someone here can suggest someone or let us know if the above individuals could also work on the Bessas...
Cheers,
Dave
My reasoning?
There are a lot of resources for general CLAs - DAG, Sherry Krauter, Youxin Ye, David Yau (Canada) and Gerry @ Kindermann (also Canada) - can all perform any surgery necessary to bring the camera back from the dead (if it was dead to begin with that is..)
For new Bessas, I'm not sure who can fix them other than the factory or, maybe, yourself. Perhaps someone here can suggest someone or let us know if the above individuals could also work on the Bessas...
Cheers,
Dave