XL1 Owners Club Worries
 

How do I get to the XL1 Owner's Club page? The links on the XL1 Watchdog site are extremely outdated, and Canon's web site is a lesson on what NOT to do when you design a webpage (re: it's a jumbled mess).

I got my shipping box from them today, and plan on shipping it UPS. But the little piece of paper that was included said to only ship it via the terms and agreements of the XL1 Owner's Club, which I probably lost years and years ago. They probably don't want me to ship UPS, knowing my luck. I don't like the box they sent. It was very difficult to get the device in there properly (especially the lenses in their pouches). I had to punch in my own hole for the microphone. Putting the misshapen piece of styrofoam on the top of everything was a challenge in itself. I practically had to stand on it in order for it to sink far enough for the box to close. And yes, I packed it in there EXACTLY as the instructions say. And no, I didn't get the top and bottom styrofoam pieces mixed. I am thinking I could have done a much better job with my own box than Canon's lousy box.

I have no idea how they will charge me. They can't get ahold of me at work and I am not always home to answer the phone. Can I e-mail these guys? I put my correct contact info on an index card in the box with the correct spelling of my name and street (they couldn't get it right I guess) and also put my e-mail address on there. I'll probably never see my camera again. It took them 4 days to get the box to me! I am very nervous about sending this in.

Here's the only XL1 Owners Club page I know:

http://canondv.com/xl1owners/index.html

Good luck, Joe.

I just went thorugh the drill this month.

Ship it by a method you can insure and track delivery. UPS and FEDEX work fine. Canon returns it via FEDEX next day shipping. Therefore you have to use a shipping address that is a street address (no PO boxes). Also, someone will have to be around to sign for it due to the value. Alternatively you will have to pick it up from a FEDEX counter somewhere.

The charge for a routine XL1 Owner's Club maintenance (assuming no repairs are required) is $95 plus tax and return shipping. On the order of $115 total depending on where you are located.

Give them an e-mail address and you will get the estimate via e-mail. OR give them a fax number for a fax estimate. You can speed things up a bit by giving them a credit card numbr and a proceed not to exceed some reasonable dollar figure authorization.

Be sure the RMA number is on the box.
The Xl1 will spend 3-5 work days at Canon plus one work day return shipping.

The Watchdog link is now updated. Thanks for the correction.

I wonder where the average person finds the time to be home when the Fed Ex truck rolls around (whenever that may be, next day is rarely "before 10:30am". Also, what if one gets off of work after the Fed Ex counter closes? I'll never see my camera again.....

...Actually I think I signed one of those Fed Ex waiver things... but last time they DID still want a signature. Are those good for only a limited amount of time?

<<<-- Originally posted by Joe Redifer :
...Actually I think I signed one of those Fed Ex waiver things... but last time they DID still want a signature. Are those good for only a limited amount of time? -->>>

It depends on the value of the equipment. I have also signed a signature release, but it does not cover every instance. Which I am glad for. I could not imagine having my new Xl1s sitting on the front door step waiting for me!

Aren't there 'MailBoxes, etc.' sort of places that will hold items for pickup? Also, it is not possible to have stuff shipped to a FEDEX counter and held for pickup?

When I bought my XL1s , the store had to get it from their office in Tampa. They said they would ship it to me ( At cost! Lucky me! ) when they got it in. Seeing how I was going to be away from home on Saturday, I asked them to not ship it till Monday, and require a signature.

Guess what I found on my front porch Saturday afternoon? I was pissed. I was ecstatic that it was still there, but would have demanded blood if it had been stolen. I wish you better luck. Nobody deserves this kind of service.
Keith

<<<-- Originally posted by Capt Quirk : When I bought my XL1s ,
Guess what I found on my front porch Saturday afternoon? I was pissed. I was ecstatic that it was still there, but would have demanded blood if it had been stolen. I wish you better luck. Nobody deserves this kind of service.
Keith -->>>

That sends a chill down my spine.

Well as long as it arrives back at my place on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday I should be OK. Monday or Friday I cannot be there. Guess when it will arrive.

Just shipped it. Oy! They wanted over $70 for UPS 3 day BEFORE insurance! Screw that, they're getting it UPS Ground. That had better be good enough for Canon. Then they'll get my camera and fix the dead pixels, which will cost probably $1,000 knowing them (on top of the $90 service charge). Might have been easier to just get a new camera. I hope I am able to come back later on this thread and report a happy ending!

Fed Ex is usually cheaper than UPS for packages of that size. The price really goes up when the box is big enough to hold an XL1

Well I got my estimate back today. It is $40 plus $400 labor plus a little tax thrown in as well. Here is what they found wrong:

"Examination / Request Details
PLAYBACK IMAGE DISTORTED/DIGITIZED WHEN CAMERA MOVED. CHECK DRUM/TAPE PATH. UNIT ALSO NEEDS NEW MIC HOLDER ASSEMBLY. ANNUAL CLEAN & ADJUST ALL"

All I asked was to fix dead pixels, which is what I ASSUME they mean by "playback image distorted". I have no idea what "digitized when camera moves" means. Hopefully they will answer when I replied asking "what da hell iz u talkin about foo?"

I got my camera back today and so far all works well and they fixed the dead pixels as well as a few other things. It wasn't exactly a quick a turnaround as I had expected based on posts from members here such as "I called and asked for the shipping container on Monday, I got it on Tuesday and sent my camera in and I had my camera back at my place by Thursday!" Yes somebody literally posted something very similar to that on this here forum. Instead it took them nearly two weeks all said and done.

Overall I am satisfied, but I don't think this is something I should routinely do as the hassle level is sky high and Canon's shipping containers do not exactly fit the camera and accesories *well*. I will only do this again if picture or sound quality is impaired, as was the case with my dead pixels.

I have a permanent sign on my front door that says: “Parcel Express: Don't leave items unless I'm home.
Leave a notice and I'll pick them up at your depot tonight." It's a small bother to ride a few miles and get the shipments and have no chance of passers-by bagging them off the porch. I've had multi-K $ items left on the porch in plain view of the drug-users in my neighborhood (who doesn't have them?), before_I posted this message.

Steve McDonald