Follow-up to "Problems with Rollei 6008 integral"

This is a follow-up to the original posting I made regarding service

problems with my Rollei. I also posted the identical response as an

answer to the original question, but figured that posting it as a new

question would gain more reader attention.

 

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Here's what I found out about the repair. As I mentioned before, I

didn't purchase the body through one of the distributor's stores, so

the distributor's repair facility will NOT honor the warranty. I

received the repair estimate (from the distributor/service center) of

$100 for parts and $200 for labor to replace a 'shutter board.' It

will take more than 3 MONTHS to receive the parts for the repair. The

problem with the magazine is that it just needs some adjustment so the

body "knows" when the darkslide is closed. That estimate is $130 for

the labor for the magazine, so the total is over $400 or more than 10%

of the price of a new body kit!

 

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I have sent email to twice Rollei at their information email address

in Germany (info@rollei.de) as well as the Rollei digest, and have yet

to receive any response from either place. It appears the only

alternative I have is to send it back to Germany and wait up to 6

months for the repair. Needless to say, especially for a product this

expensive, I'm very unhappy with the lack of product support/service.

Now is the time to show the power of the internet. I urge every MFD reader to send an email to Rollei Fototechnic at "info@rollei.de" requesting they resolve Dr. Chow's issue. Having worked in Apple Computer's Customer Services Division for almost four years, I can assure you that any company worth supporting will take care of issues such as this. If enough of us email Rollei in Dr. Chow's behalf they will have to do something. Don't flame them, just politely inform them that you will track this thread to see how Rollei responds to Dr. Chow. If, like me, you are in the market for a medium format camera system and considering the Rollei, make sure to mention so in your email.

Since I didn't receive any response from the Rollei email address and the Rollei digest

(notice how all the rep's are silent on this issue), I looked up the Rollei web page at

www.rollei.de and called the phone number for the Braunschweig factory and was given the

phone number for customer service (I don't happen to have it with me now). Upon describing

the problems to the representative there, he seemed to know exactly what was wrong (PC

board controlling the shutter electronics needs replacing) with the body and said either

I or the shop should return it to the factory (I'll probably airmail it since there's a

chance the shop might send it surface from Tokyo to Germany, and it's somewhat urgent

[need it in 1.5 months for a trip]). I'm also told the estimated repair time is 1 week, but

that sounds very optimistic to me. I'll keep the MFD posted on the outcome.