This is the story.
Three weeks ago I bought the lens in question (Maxxum AF APO TELE ZOOM 80-200mm 1:2.8(32)) from a local camera shop. Although it was a bit scruffy (turns out it was a minimum of eight years old) they said it was a good quality lens and it had just been serviced by Minolta.I pointed out a mark od one of the internal lenses. The shop said it was just a bit of dust or something and it will eventually shift in use. I was rather dubious of this, but then he said it had just been serviced and came with 3 month guarantee. I gave it a whizz on my camera, it seemed O.K. so I bought it.
A week later I was out shooting and the focus got stiffer until it started to lock up. Oh bugger.
To cut a long story short,I e-maild Minolta who confirmed it had been serviced and I should return it to them. I took it myself. They said it probably needed re-adjustment and they would clean the "dirt" off the lens. I phoned them four days later and was told it needed new focusing parts and a new internal lens(it was NOT dirt).The parts were on order from Japan estimated time 3 weeks MINIMUM.
I politely told them I could not do without it that long without much hope they could do it any faster. The receptionist asked me to hold. A few minuits later she told me the manager had decided to exchange the lens for me. Wow, I thought, thats good of them, and I bet the excange lens will be in even better condition than my one was.
Four hours later I collected a brand new 80-200 F2.8 Apo tele "G" worth over £1000.
"We couldn't have you going without your lens for too long, now could we"
I was literally dumbstruck.
A very, very big thank you to Minolta U.K. for quite outstanding service.
And a big thank you also to RonM from the forum.If you hadn't given me the link to Minoltas help line in the first place I would have just taken the lens back for a refund.

<i>Ignorance is bliss-I am a very happy bunny<i>

 

That's what I call service. Well Done Minolta!/img/wwwthreads/smile.gif/img/wwwthreads/smile.gif

Geoff

 

Brilliant of them! A big thumbs up there./img/wwwthreads/smile.gif


Get out and get shooting!!

 

John,

Glad to be of help you jammy so and so, one of the reasons I myself plumped for Minolta is the freely available help and assistance, when I bought my Dynax 600 Si second hand it didn't come with the instruction manual, so I thought I'd chance my arm and phoned minolta, asking how much for an instruction manual for my S/H 600 Si, "No problem Sir we'll post you one out to-day no charge" and 2 days later it arrived. With that type of service I was sold and I'm delighted to see that they are still setting excellent standards of 'customer care'

Regards
<font color=blue>Ron (Minolta Fan) M FRIPN

 

I am, indeed,very fortunate. This sort of occurence MAKES you want to stick with them, and I will.
The lens is a beauty and at 1.2Kg bloody heavy!
I am scared to get the thing out in public!

&lt;i&gt;Ignorance is bliss-I am a very happy bunny&lt;i&gt;

 

Er, john re. "I am scared to get the thing out in public!" We are still talking lens here aren't we?......Yes! Phew, that's a relief!
Big(The phantom flasher of Notty Ash)Will

 

I should hope so, if it weighs 1.2 Kg /img/wwwthreads/wink.gif


Get out and get shooting!!

 

Thankfully I do not suffer from elephantitis of the nether regions.
Hang on a minuit, why is Big Will called BIG Will? is it because he .....???
And will someone please confirm if I am spelling "minuit" correctly it looks a bit odd to me and I can't find my dictionary.

&lt;i&gt;Ignorance is bliss-I am a very happy bunny&lt;i&gt;

 

its "minute" John! /img/wwwthreads/smile.gif and you can take that however you want.

Get out and get shooting!!

 

Thank heavens for that , I thought I was loosing my marbles. It's funny how you can suddenly start misspelling a word you've written a thousand times before.

&lt;i&gt;Ignorance is bliss-I am a very happy bunny&lt;i&gt;

 

Don't werry abowt it John, I do it all the tyme!/img/wwwthreads/smile.gif

Mind you, I lost my marbles long ago./img/wwwthreads/wink.gif

Geoff

 

Just a minute, didn't Jan ask which minuet you preferred in another post a minute ago? I know this is a minutiae but these minute details are important to me, unlike Peter Minuit, that well known Dutch Colonial administrator, who didn't really care about such things. Oh well, I'm off for a "Jimmy Riddle". Be back in a minute.
BigWill

 

Oh, Christ.
Ta ,Will, I'm of to see a therapist

&lt;i&gt;Ignorance is bliss-I am a very happy bunny&lt;i&gt;

 

therapist? No....thereasober!
BigWill

 

Oh, Mother! What have I done to deserve this?

J(bad joke book at the ready)Hill

&lt;i&gt;Ignorance is bliss-I am a very happy bunny&lt;i&gt;

 

I'm glad to hear that. I recently sent my secondhand Minolta film scanner in for service. I got a written estimate in the mail and am now waiting for it to be returned to me. I hope they get it all sorted out as I want to be scanning my film and slides. Right now, most of my pics are scanned at the photo shop and printed on their machine. I then take the print home and scan it on the flatbed. Very inefficient and expensive.

Diane FRIPN

 

Just being nosey here, but how much did they charge you? (if you don't mind telling)

&lt;i&gt;Ignorance is bliss-I am a very happy bunny&lt;i&gt;

 

I sent you a private message.

Diane FRIPN

 

I hope my wife doesn't read it ;-)

&lt;i&gt;Ignorance is bliss-I am a very happy bunny&lt;i&gt;