Gray Market -vs- USA Lenses

I first called B&H when my 50 f/1.4 died today, and the conversation went something like this...

B&H: "I see this is a Canon USA lens. It needs to be sent to a Canon Shop. If it was a gray market lens we could take care of it."

"Meaning you cover the warrantee on a gray market lens?"

"Yup. The entire thing. We'll replace it or fix it instead of Canon for the entire warrantee period."

"Hmmm. Odd," says I.

"Yeah, but it does make sense."

"errh?"

Soooo.... is it "okay" to save a few bucks and go with a gray-market lens from B&H and STILL get a decent warrantee? I've avoided gray-market lenses for fear of eating my shorts if anything bad happens. Unless B&H contracts with three-fingered toads for warrantee service, I don't see a problem with saving a few bucks.

i got the grey market 50mm f/1.8 and the aperature keeps sticking so im going hopefully test out B&H's service department soon

Read this

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Canon-Lenses/Gray-Market.aspx

dhughes wrote:
Read this

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Canon-Lenses/Gray-Market.aspx

Yup. Kind of what I gathered after my conversation today. No huge difference. Like my teenage neighbors would say..."whatever, gosh!"