Disgruntled with Canons repair policy...

[Imperitus]

I have a G2 that died on me with no obvious signes of damage, just refused to turn on. So off my camera went to Canon. Since it was outside of warenty I had to pay $200 bucks or so to have them fix it.

While they were at it they replaced my backplate that showed the common corner cracks, at my request. I hadn't worried aobut them untill then since mine were pureley cosmetic.

Well I get the camera back and a week later while driving out of town on what would be a two week vacation I noticed some hairline cracks along the bottom of the camera near a screw. Over the vacation those cracks grew into this:

http://www.heidgerken.org/gfx/cracks.jpg

:(

So upon returing to town I stoped by the canon repair facility to have them take a look at it. I fully expected since it was about a month since it had been repaired that they would just fix it and everyone would be happy.

But I was told that since they had already replaced the back plate. (and not for free), they would not replace it again without another fee.

They tried telling me that the cracks were due to the camera sustaining damage from impact. I know this isn't true since I've only had the camera back for a little while and I know I haven't dropped or banged it since then.

I have to say I was so mad, it was all I could do to walk out of there with yelling and making an arse outa myself.

Expesialy since I was under the impression that their repair work was warrentied... but when I tried to make them actualy stand by their work they just said no.

Anyone else delt with this? Any suggestions on what course of action to follow? Right now I'm thinking certified letters to some top level exects eaplaining my situation and my discontent with their customer service.
I know I'm not a 1Ds owner or some pro that they might care about... but good greif this is a terrible way to treat customers.

Ahh.... sorry for venting.

[Belmondo]

Don't apologize. Things like this are upsetting.

Obviously nobody here is in a position to second guess why Canon takes the position they do on some of the repairs we ask them to make. I know the cracking G2 cases was a common problem---I experienced it myself.

I will say that the photo seems to indicate some fairly heavy use, and the crack appears to originate in the area of the accessory/tripod mount which appears to have been used at various times. I'm wondering if this crack could have anything to do with stresses caused by screwing things into the tripod mount and over-tightening them. It's really hard to say.

Anyway, I'm a little surprised that they wouldn't at least consider making the new repair in light of the short time that's elapsed since the last one for which you paid. Maybe you need to start a letter writing campaign.

[Imperitus]

The problem with the tripod theory is that between when I got the camera back from Canon and when the cracks first appeared I never put the camera on a tripod.

I have since, while on my vacation, but the cracks were showing before then.

The most frustrating thing is I have been considereng taking the plung into the world of SLRs and this doesn't build confidence in me as to Canons level of customer support.

[kb244]

Well the thing is I think level of competitence between the consumer digitals and DSLR are somewhat different, one of the main reasons I can see them giving you a hard time is because you have a G2, which is as we know discontinued, and besides its hard to get something like that repaired straight from the manufacture which is why sometimes its good to buy services from vendors (there are differences between 'service plans' and 'extended warrenties' , one just extends your warrenty time with the manufacture, the other they actually repair it themselves and if they have to send it to the manufacture they deal with the BS.)

In my opinion if you want to go into the SLR world of things, dont pass up the opportunity to pay upto 10% more just to ensure you dont screw something up and pay more later. But everyone going to have their own feelings when it comes to warrenties and 'insurance'