Buying new in Hongkong

[ike k]

Seems that their price is cheaper than US and got a question about warranty or passport in

leica terms right? do leica USA will honour the warranty? . My Dad is travelling to

hongkong in next couple of weeks so in the mean time I'm still considering whether buy

here in US or there to save some money. So any experience from forumers will much be

appreciated, Thanks!.

 

iKe

[Bill Blackwell Images]

"Do Leica USA will honor the warranty?"

 

No!!! The Leica USA Passport is worth a premium, but it depends on you what you want to pay for it. As Leica USA prices increase, so does the Passport warranty. You can still get a new international MP or M7 for about $2,400. Leica USA (with Passport) cameras are $3,295.

[Nowhereman]

I bought two M6s in Hong Kong some years ago when I was living in Japan. After I moved

back to the States there was absolutely no problem at all when Leica USA had to fix the

rangefinder on one of the cameras under the international warranty. Just think of it: Leica

USA, like Leica importers in other countries, has to honor the international guarantee

because it's not so unusual for a person to buy a Leica in one country and then move to

another country -- that is what an international guarantee is.

 

In my view the Leica Passport Guarantee is not worth the high price you have to pay for it.

I would buy the camera in Hong Kong.

 

--Mitch/Bangkok

[ben z]

The only thing the USA Passport warranty provides for that the International Warranty doesn't, is incidental damage or destruction (but not theft). All that would probably be covered under your homeowners' insurance, it is mine, I checked. That's why I got a Demo when I got my MP. However given that a full overhaul runs about $300, and is itself guaranteed for a year, there's the maximum potential on a used M6 of paying for three overhauls in the same five year period as the MP warranty. That'd be $900 on the outside. Added to the $1000 you'd pay for a decent M6 that's still $1400 less than a new MP. If I were buying an MP today and could choose between $2400 from Hong Kong or $3300 from a US dealer, it'd be the HK without a moment's hesitation.

[wayne_murphy8]

Just to clarify things.... If you go to an authorised dealer and buy a Leica that

was supplied by the offical Leica agent in Hong Kong (Schmidt), then the

warranty is worldwide and will be honoured by the local Leica agent in

another country. However, you will NOT get the passport warranty extension

with the replacement from accidental damage.

 

If you buy a grey market Leica in Hong Kong (that is imported by someone

other than Schmidt), then you would need to send the camera back to

Germany for any warranty work. If you bought it from a non authorised dealer,

than I doubt that Leica Germany would even honour it. Schmidt's website has

a list of authorised dealers.

 

The only way to tell if it is an officially-imported Leica is to locate the Schmidt

sticker on the box or on the guarantee card. No sticker means grey market,

no matter what the shop says.

 

I have bought many Leica items in HK both grey and official, and have never

had a problem with any.