Panamoz (and other grey importers!) - Warranty

[Barney12]

Sorry to start yet another "Panamoz" thread but I didn't want to send off topic the others that are running (plus it helps people searching archives).

No one seems to be mentioning that your ONLY warranty is that provided by Panamoz. Thus they cease trading next month (and let's face it many high street names have ceased trading of late!) and your left high and dry.

Is the £200 saving (only £100 if you want the protection of paying using a credit card) on a D800 body (as an example) really worth the loss of a full 2 year warranty from a major manufacturer?

Sorry, not trying to be provacative but its seems a pretty important point.

Oh and before someone says "modern kit doesn't go wrong" we'll I've had a fault on a Nikon body and a Sigma lens in the past two years.

Barney

 

[Rebel t3i]

same would apply to any grey import supplier
One thing panamoz have over any other companies grey or otherwise seems to be a new replacement additional warranty not a return and repair
Seems you send your faulty item to their London address and upon receipt and confirmation of the item being faulty they send you a brand new one
seems the dogs to me

 

[KIPAX]

Oh and before someone says "modern kit doesn't go wrong"

good grief who would say that?

I dont understand... why is there no manufacturers warranty? are you sure there isn't ? I have only bought a phone from them.. more than happy wiht it.. the wife loves it and its working perfect.. but if anyting did go wrong then I would be thinking of sending it to samsung..

 

[maninsuitcase]

No one seems to be mentioning that your ONLY warranty is that provided by Panamoz. Thus they cease trading next month (and let's face it many high street names have ceased trading of late!) and your left high and dry.

Not strictly true, check with the manufacturer.

For example: http://www.europe-nikon.com/en_GB/s...0&lidsub4=0&sParamValueLbl=&sParamValue=&dcr=

International Warranty - "This applies to conventional equipment (lenses, film based cameras, Speedlights)"

So yes Nikon you loose the warranty on bodies, but pretty much the rest os covered just fine.

Sigma however won't touch a gray import item unless you can prove VAT and duty are paid. Seeing as most companies won't provide one (even if it has genuinely been paid by them) you may struggle here unless you paid it your self on receipt.

 

[JohnN]

Good point in the OP, however two things come to mind - firstly the manufacturer could go bust, as you say several companies have gone under and although Nikon\Canon are huge they could go too.

The second point is that from what I've seen should there be an issue the saving would nine times out of ten more than cover the repair anyway and having had Sigma calibrate a couple of lenses I've bought second hand I know they will work on lenses without receipts.

 

[gcogger]

Not strictly true, check with the manufacturer.

...

Sigma however won't touch a gray import item unless you can prove VAT and duty are paid. Seeing as most companies won't provide one (even if it has genuinely been paid by them) you may struggle here unless you paid it your self on receipt.

I bought a Sigma lens from a Hong Kong supplier a few years ago, I paid VAT and could prove it. Sigma UK refused to deal with it under warranty when I needed a repair.

 

[Tigger.ufo]

I bought a Sigma lens from a Hong Kong supplier a few years ago, I paid VAT and could prove it. Sigma UK refused to deal with it under warranty when I needed a repair.

That is because Sigma UK will only do warranty work on Sigma lenses from official UK sources. Your warranty would be with Sigma HK and would need to be returned to them.


Heather

 

[Galaxy66]

As Tony says the same would apply to any grey importer so seems a bit unfair to start a new thread questioning the warranty provided by Panamoz rather than make the same point about grey importers in general.

It would have been fairer to ask in the Panamoz thread after all in my opinion.

 

[gcogger]

That is because Sigma UK will only do warranty work on Sigma lenses from official UK sources. Your warranty would be with Sigma HK and would need to be returned to them.

They had previously told me over the phone that they would cover the warranty on an import as long as I could prove VAT had been paid (as 'maninsuitcase' said). Of course, I couldn't prove they'd told me that...

 

[Steep]

Sigma UK have done just that for me, on a lens that developed a fault under warranty but was bought from HK. I was able to provide receipts for tax paid and they did the work quite happily.

/edit they may have changed their procedures since then..

 

[maninsuitcase]

They had previously told me over the phone that they would cover the warranty on an import as long as I could prove VAT had been paid (as 'maninsuitcase' said). Of course, I couldn't prove they'd told me that...

Sigma UK have done just that for me, on a lens that developed a fault under warranty but was bought from HK. I was able to provide receipts for tax paid and they did the work quite happily.

/edit they may have changed their procedures since then..

It's written at the end of the PDF on their web page: http://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/pdfs/going_grey.pdf

 

[ajax_andy]

Out of interest if you buy a lens or body from a grey importer and after the warranty has expired would Canon or Nikon repair it (not for free, just like any other out of warranty item where you'd pay for the repair).

I keep seeing people state Canon won't touch grey imports with a barge pole but wondered if that was just items still in warranty or ALL items regardless of age?

 

[Darius]

Out of interest if you buy a lens or body from a grey importer and after the warranty has expired would Canon or Nikon repair it (not for free, just like any other out of warranty item where you'd pay for the repair).

I keep seeing people state Canon won't touch grey imports with a barge pole but wondered if that was just items still in warranty or ALL items regardless of age?

Good question, I would like to know this as well.

 

[Rebel t3i]

If you have a camera or lens and want it repairing I can't see why any of the repair centers would not be happy to take your money for the repair
The other alternative is to sell the faulty Item on ebay as faulty and go and buy another new grey probably work out cheaper lol

 

[domino1999]

To answer the OPS question....

Is the £200 saving (only £100 if you want the protection of paying using a credit card) on a D800 body (as an example) really worth the loss of a full 2 year warranty from a major manufacturer?

...that's a personal decision for the buyer to make. You, as the buyer, decide if it's worth it. Simple.

 

[Barney12]

As Tony says the same would apply to any grey importer so seems a bit unfair to start a new thread questioning the warranty provided by Panamoz rather than make the same point about grey importers in general.

It would have been fairer to ask in the Panamoz thread after all in my opinion.

That is a fair point, it applies to any grey import. However, a vast number of posts seem to exist about Panamoz in general and it was a point I hadn't seen covered so I think my post is completely reasonable.

 

[Barney12]

Not strictly true, check with the manufacturer.

For example: http://www.europe-nikon.com/en_GB/s...0&lidsub4=0&sParamValueLbl=&sParamValue=&dcr=

International Warranty - "This applies to conventional equipment (lenses, film based cameras, Speedlights)"

So yes Nikon you loose the warranty on bodies, but pretty much the rest os covered just fine.

That's really useful to know and in many ways makes the purchase of a Nikon lens from someone like Panamoz a reasonable alternative (leaving the should you shouldn't you declare the VAT as that is well trodden in other threads!)

 

[Rebel t3i]

That is a fair point, it applies to any grey import. However, a vast number of posts seem to exist about Panamoz in general and it was a point I hadn't seen covered so I think my post is completely reasonable.

It appears to me panamoz get mentioned alot as they are the cheapest of the Asian suppliers

 

[srichards]

If you buy second hand uk stock the warranty isn't transferrable always either so I'd treat grey stock as basically second hand and assume you'd have to fix it yourself. If its cheap enough it's worth the risk.

 

[Galaxy66]

ignore

 

[Galaxy66]

That is a fair point, it applies to any grey import. However, a vast number of posts seem to exist about Panamoz in general and it was a point I hadn't seen covered so I think my post is completely reasonable.

All the more reason to have raised the point in the Panamoz thread then

 

[Darius]

If you buy second hand uk stock the warranty isn't transferrable always either so I'd treat grey stock as basically second hand and assume you'd have to fix it yourself. If its cheap enough it's worth the risk.

For me that's a good way to think about it. I got the 650D with 18-135 STM lens for £611 delivered, jessops said it would be about £900, that's a massive saving.

 

[Barney12]

All the more reason to have raised the point in the Panamoz thread then

Which one of them? I counted three threads on the first page of this sub-forum alone

Perhaps we should have a "Going Grey" sub forum As an aside the wife tells me I'm going grey most days