Originally Posted by
coxta
Perhaps you have a luggage repair shop nearby. If so, they probably have a contract with the manufacturer. I've done that a few times and it works well. They may also have loaners or other cheap luggage you could purchase.
+1
I took my B&R to my local luggage shop (
Alba Luggage in London) and even though I bought my roller about 20 years ago in Connecticut they repaired it under warranty at no charge, and no questions asked. I didn't think to ask about a loaner, but I didn't get the impression one would be on offer, and I didn't need one at the time.
No bag is indestructible (okay, maybe Zero but it screams steal me). The real cost of a less well-built bit of luggage is what happens when it breaks in a strange place and/or while you're in a rush to catch a flight. It was under this exact circumstance that I found myself reaching into my pocket for $300 in some mall in Stamford, CT 20 years ago to buy a ballistic roller (what's that!) from a company that sounded like it made lawn mower engines.
B&R: I'm a fan.