Grey Market D750's - $450 off

[Horoscope Fish]

Nikon USA has numerous "Authorized Repair Centers" all across the country that use genuine Nikon parts to effect repairs both in and out of warranty. If you live anywhere remotely civilized you likely have one (relatively) close to you. They are are staffed by factory-certified technicians who can work on your Nikon without voiding the manufacturer warranty.

Further, and like most companies, Nikon does not sell "small parts" at the consumer level because it encourages many practices, both business and non-business related, that are not favorable to the environment as a whole (please don't make me spell them out, just *think* about it for a minute).

Helpful Link

.....

 

[sonicbuffalo_RIP]

Here are some articles on Gray Market Equipment and Nikon

Thom Hogan

Nikon

 

[yauman]

Yes, it true - Nikon is very difficult to deal with from the dealer and camera repairer point of view!

It's not just grey market, it's if you did not buy in the USA (or territories) Nikon will NOT repair it under any circumstances - even if you offer to pay for the repair. The camera shop I work in has an inhouse repair service and Nikon will not sell us repair parts because there are not such thing as an "authorized Nikon repair service." (With one exception that I know of - read on..) Our repair tech has to cannibalize unrepairable cameras for parts when it comes to Nikons. When an in-warranty camera comes in and we sent it to Nikon, we don't get fully reimbursed for the shipping cost! When we have customers who need repairs for their Nikon which they bought while on vacation in Japan, Nikon USA will have nothing to do with it.

There is an outfit in Sacramento, Calif which Nikon USA will refer non-US purchased Nikons to for repairs - it California Precision Service. They are always very busy.

So buy grey market Nikons at your own risk!

 

[traceyjj]

So, if hubby and I visited the US on "vacation" and bought a camera from B&H, nobody in the UK would touch it if it went wrong? Hardly seems fair to me

 

[Marcel]

So, if hubby and I visited the US on "vacation" and bought a camera from B&H, nobody in the UK would touch it if it went wrong? Hardly seems fair to me

Fair or not fair? I don't know. From an unsuspected Nikon user, this would seem unfair at first sight, but let me try to put you in the distributor's shoes for a moment.
Nikon USA, Nikon Canada and Nikon Europe are all different companies. Buying a Nikon in China and trying Nikon USA to repair it under warranty is like buying a Ford and trying to have a GM dealership repair it for free under warranty. It's only because of how the companies are setup. Nikon (the camera manufacturer) sells it's products to different distributors. These distributors are responsible for the product they sell in their respective countries and the customer buys this warranty when they buy from the distributor. So Nikon (manufacturer) is only responsible to it's distributors, not to the end user. Eventually, when the distributors complain enough (after much complaints from the end users) the main office will do something and compensate the distributors, but this only happens after a lot of discussions and negotiations between distributor and manufacturer. One thing I know is that Japanese companies don't like to be proven wrong and they will try to deny their wrongs and blame someone else for as long as it takes.

I hope this can explain what seems so unfair.

 

[mikew_RIP]

If you live in the UK and want to buy grey this company has a good reputation as far as price and back up go.

Panamoz Frequently Asked Questions

Not that ime recommending them just throwing it in.

 

[mikew_RIP]

From what i understand Sigma UK has a good policy for grey imports,all sigma lenses have a one year worldwide warranty, they will honor this providing you have a reciept showing all UK taxes and import duties have been paid,there argument being if you have paid all the taxes it would not be that much cheaper and you would be losing there extra two year warranty, so you may as well buy genuine imports from them.

 

[grandpaw]

Just my personal opinion but I do not even consider anything grey market.

 

[sonicbuffalo_RIP]

The e-bay website that had 62 sold, and 2 remaining STILL had the same totals this morning. I think their counters do not effectively track their orders. Furthermore, I have to say that they would most likely take your money and then you'd have to fight to get it back. I think they have sold out to people who don't know any better. I no longer trust e-bay (for the most part).

 

[mikew_RIP]

Just my personal opinion but I do not even consider anything grey market.

The only thing i have bought was my 55-300,every thing else is through my local dealer so it can go back there with any problems.

 

[carguy]

The e-bay website that had 62 sold, and 2 remaining STILL had the same totals this morning. I think their counters do not effectively track their orders. Furthermore, I have to say that they would most likely take your money and then you'd have to fight to get it back. I think they have sold out to people who don't know any better. I no longer trust e-bay (for the most part).

Major assumptions going on here ^^^

 

[traceyjj]

Fair or not fair? I don't know. From an unsuspected Nikon user, this would seem unfair at first sight, but let me try to put you in the distributor's shoes for a moment.
Nikon USA, Nikon Canada and Nikon Europe are all different companies. Buying a Nikon in China and trying Nikon USA to repair it under warranty is like buying a Ford and trying to have a GM dealership repair it for free under warranty. It's only because of how the companies are setup. Nikon (the camera manufacturer) sells it's products to different distributors. These distributors are responsible for the product they sell in their respective countries and the customer buys this warranty when they buy from the distributor. So Nikon (manufacturer) is only responsible to it's distributors, not to the end user. Eventually, when the distributors complain enough (after much complaints from the end users) the main office will do something and compensate the distributors, but this only happens after a lot of discussions and negotiations between distributor and manufacturer. One thing I know is that Japanese companies don't like to be proven wrong and they will try to deny their wrongs and blame someone else for as long as it takes.

I hope this can explain what seems so unfair.

I fully understand the free warranty issues not being taken care of by another Nikon Company, but the paid repairs? THATS the part I cant understand... going back to your car description, I could take my Mazda to a Mazda dealer in a different town hundreds of miles away for a service, or I could opt to take it to a non-mazda dealer in my town for service/repair where it would still be repaired with genuine Mazda parts. I dont understand WHY the UK Nikon centres cannot service a US lens or vice versa. I can see I could possibly be in trouble in the future as Hubby and I are hopefully "wintering" in the US after we retire... and if my camera develops a fault I dont want to wait 3 or 4 months to travel home to have it repaired!

 

[Marcel]

I fully understand the free warranty issues not being taken care of by another Nikon Company, but the paid repairs? THATS the part I cant understand... going back to your car description, I could take my Mazda to a Mazda dealer in a different town hundreds of miles away for a service, or I could opt to take it to a non-mazda dealer in my town for service/repair where it would still be repaired with genuine Mazda parts. I dont understand WHY the UK Nikon centres cannot service a US lens or vice versa. I can see I could possibly be in trouble in the future as Hubby and I are hopefully "wintering" in the US after we retire... and if my camera develops a fault I dont want to wait 3 or 4 months to travel home to have it repaired!

It's not that they can't, but they won't just to punish you from not buying from them... I agree that it is just silly and very immature behavior, but essentially that's what it is: "Well, you didn't buy from us so F*** you!

Maybe they would do exceptions if you cry hard enough or you actually bought it while on vacation because let's say your gear got stolen and you had to replace it...

 

[rocketman122]

I only buy grey. then I buy the mack diamond vip warranty thats a 3/5 year all risk warranty. this is to any piece of equipment I buy, flash, lens camera. If its dropped by accident it will be repaired. there is a lemon law that if it was sent in for the same repair 3 times, they will replace the item. as a pro its the best peace of mind I can have. it will cost around $170 for the insurance for 3 years. 3 years from the date it was bought. you must buy the warranty within 30 days and register the gear.

 

[Ruidoso Bill]

I have never sent a camera body back to Nikon, maybe I'm lucky but starting with a D200, D300, D700, D800 and D810, they have all been flawless, my D700 was purchased used and is a Canadian version, I'm not losing sleep over that.

 

[sonicbuffalo_RIP]

Major assumptions going on here ^^^

Ok....you're right because I called the reseller and spoke with Eli. You're only partially right or Eli is lying somewhere down the road. He said during one part of the conversation that he had sold a few hundred D750's. His pitch was geared towards offering a "worldwide warranty" after the first year. He said the first year the camera would be serviced through his company. Red flags are flying here. He wanted to sell the worldwide warranty for $350, which he said was 1/2 price. He said the gray market camera could be serviced "anywhere in the world" with that warranty. He did say he only had two left, and offered to take my credit card number over the phone, and then e-mail me a link to complete the deal (which I don't quite understand). Maybe I shouldn't say I don't trust e-bay (but for the most part I don't trust THAT MANY resellers on e-bay). This is one reason. If you feel comfortable purchasing a gray market D750 for almost the same price as a USA D750 (which includes the "world wide warranty",) then you better hurry because there's only 2 left. He said he had many, many packages with the D750 and asked me at what price I saw it being offered? I told him, and then he started his warranty spiel. Personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing business with them.

 

[sonicbuffalo_RIP]

I only buy grey. then I buy the mack diamond vip warranty thats a 3/5 year all risk warranty. this is to any piece of equipment I buy, flash, lens camera. If its dropped by accident it will be repaired. there is a lemon law that if it was sent in for the same repair 3 times, they will replace the item. as a pro its the best peace of mind I can have. it will cost around $170 for the insurance for 3 years. 3 years from the date it was bought. you must buy the warranty within 30 days and register the gear.

Who will work on your grey camera when the 3-5 years is up? Or do you sell it to someone who wouldn't know it's a grey market camera, and then they are left with a camera that can't be repaired because it's grey? Just wondering.

 

[rocketman122]

Who will work on your grey camera when the 3-5 years is up? Or do you sell it to someone who wouldn't know it's a grey market camera, and then they are left with a camera that can't be repaired because it's grey? Just wondering.

I live overseas and the best price is bought grey. I would say 60% buy grey and usually add mack warranty with that. some buy the regular mack for much cheaper and some buy the diamond. the difference is the diamond is like an all risk type warranty where if it was dropped accidentally, they will repair it. the regular one..you drop, you repair. and as a pro, Im not skimping on a hundred bucks.

there is no shortage of labs who will repair. there are many labs that work with mack. grey or US or legit from the same country, there is no shortage and no problem getting parts.
send them a message and ask them, theyll tell you who they work with. I dont know in the US. I live to the right of the US.

 

[sonicbuffalo_RIP]

I live overseas and the best price is bought grey. I would say 60% buy grey and usually add mack warranty with that. some buy the regular mack for much cheaper and some buy the diamond. the difference is the diamond is like an all risk type warranty where if it was dropped accidentally, they will repair it. the regular one..you drop, you repair. and as a pro, Im not skimping on a hundred bucks.

there is no shortage of labs who will repair. there are many labs that work with mack. grey or US or legit from the same country, there is no shortage and no problem getting parts.
send them a message and ask them, theyll tell you who they work with. I dont know in the US. I live to the right of the US.

@rocketman122.....I'm sorry.....I thought you lived in the US. I was hoping maybe you could shed some light on buying grey in the US and then having them worked on once the warranty offered expired? Thanks for replying.

 

[Vincent]

Just my personal opinion but I do not even consider anything grey market.

I seem to disagree. Does it have a Nikon serial number or not? That is all that should matter for paid repair.

=====================================================

Here in Europe some break the market, at my cheap official dealer the price of a D750 is: 2149 Eur
eglobalcentral.eu 1490 Eur (Please note that all our products are imported goods and will not come with manufacturer's warranty )
purnimadigital.com 1569 Eur (stating warranty in France)

At the end of the life cycle the price difference is very low though. e-bay has less interesting prices.