I need to get my CL in for a CLA, meter work etc soon. Any recent data points on cost for such service. It needs a general CLA as well as having the RF registration (vertical) adjusted, RF accuracy adjusted, meter adjusted and having the meter needle un-stuck.

-- mark (mramra@qwest.net), September 10, 2001

Answers

Two weeks ago Sherry Krauter quoted $150 plus parts to overhaul a CL. She estimated turn around time at about 4 weeks.

-- John Sonewald (jsonewald@aol.com), September 10, 2001.

The "plus parts" thing can be the killer. The parts often needed to redo the meter cost more than the labor.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), September 10, 2001.

Andrew,

That is a pretty unfair comment. Readers, please note Andrew's choice of words, "can" and "often".

-- Steve LeHuray (icommag@toad.net), September 10, 2001.

The reason I said it is that if you expect to get the job done for about $150.00, you may be in for a real surprise. It cost my Friend $350.00 last year to have the meter repaired in his CL.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), September 10, 2001.

How was Andrew's comment unfair? It's good to have some warning on these things. I bought an old Rollei that needed a "CLA." The CLA was minor, cost-wise, but the parts were a killer. And it didn't even have a meter.

On the scale of "unfair," Andrew's comment didn't even merit a "1".

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), September 10, 2001.

Andrew is right. Leica charged me $400 (400 less NY tax) to replace metering cell and bring it up to spec. Too expensive, but what can you do - you need it to work properly.

-- Robin Smith (smith_robin@hotmail.com), September 11, 2001.

Andrew's warning is very fair(as his comments always are), CL meters can be a money pit. I rarely hear the meter is ever fixed cheap and if you do the next thing you hear is that its stopped working again. Ask for an overall quote first.

-- Joel Matherson (joel_2000@hotmail.com), September 12, 2001.