damage to Rimowa luggage
Nov 23, 2013, 10:28 am
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 503
Hi ente_09,
Would you mind sharing with me the process you followed to get your bag replaced? BA just cracked a corner on my Salsa 29in - it is about 18 months old. Not looking good for BA to replace - they certainly so not make it easy. Unfortunately no receipt but did buy it at a regulated store in Germany.
Thank you,
Troy
Would you mind sharing with me the process you followed to get your bag replaced? BA just cracked a corner on my Salsa 29in - it is about 18 months old. Not looking good for BA to replace - they certainly so not make it easy. Unfortunately no receipt but did buy it at a regulated store in Germany.
Thank you,
Troy
Rimowa wanted me to cut out the ID from my case (right through the polycarbonate), therefore destroying it, and send it to them with a photo of the crack.
PS-- are you guys saying that these Muji suitcases are the Japanese equivalent of Rimowa for half the price?
Would not surprise me- Good Japanese cars are equal to the BMWs , Mercedes at lower cost, IMHO.
Dec 22, 2013, 5:15 am
#20
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 10
I have more than a full dozen of Rimowa, mostly alloy one, and this is my conclusion after 13 years of experience. (Actually I bought at least 3 dozens of Rimowa, but only a dozen left intact today)
Rimowa is not a good choice for someone who want their luggages last long, unless they have their own plane or always charter a plane when they need a flight or enlisted members of private plane sharing programs so that they would never have to check-in their luggage like the pasengers of commercial airliners.
Life expectancy of frequently checked Rimowa may varies(hugely depends on how lucky you are), but I would say you should expect your Rimowa most likely gonna fall apart after 30-50 times of checking-in, no matter what kind of Rimowa you got, alloy or polycarbonate.
In short, How it look is top priority and you want that look, go buy one.
If not, buy one only if you don't care about its lifesan for some reasons. (i.e. fat wallet enough to buy a replacement frequently, don't need to check the bag cause you have your own plane or you rarely travel)
Rimowa is not a good choice for someone who want their luggages last long, unless they have their own plane or always charter a plane when they need a flight or enlisted members of private plane sharing programs so that they would never have to check-in their luggage like the pasengers of commercial airliners.
Life expectancy of frequently checked Rimowa may varies(hugely depends on how lucky you are), but I would say you should expect your Rimowa most likely gonna fall apart after 30-50 times of checking-in, no matter what kind of Rimowa you got, alloy or polycarbonate.
In short, How it look is top priority and you want that look, go buy one.
If not, buy one only if you don't care about its lifesan for some reasons. (i.e. fat wallet enough to buy a replacement frequently, don't need to check the bag cause you have your own plane or you rarely travel)
Dec 22, 2013, 11:30 am
#21
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,305
Hi Seoultalk -
That sounds like an impressive collection.
Doing the math, you averaged a purchase of one Rimowa case per year, all in aluminum.
Unlike others here, my first purchase of a Rimowa Columbus case in 1965 was not for the looks but for the function. More specifically my goal was the protection of the packed contents, and not a role-model, catalogue-lifestyle look.
Other owners of Rimowa I saw in Germany ( like any product, once an owner you then also notice other Rimowa products and their owners ) all had dents in the alu cases, especially the flight crews with Lufthansa. Some were severe dents, worthy perhaps even of a visit to a auto repair service. It did not appear to bother the owners, at least in Germany.
That Columbus case has travelled around the world many times now, including some exotic countries not known for white-glove handling treatment. It still functions today, with only one wheel having been changed.
The question then might be does one make a luggage selection as a goal-oriented user, or role-oriented user ? Function over form, or form over function ?
That sounds like an impressive collection.
Doing the math, you averaged a purchase of one Rimowa case per year, all in aluminum.
Unlike others here, my first purchase of a Rimowa Columbus case in 1965 was not for the looks but for the function. More specifically my goal was the protection of the packed contents, and not a role-model, catalogue-lifestyle look.
Other owners of Rimowa I saw in Germany ( like any product, once an owner you then also notice other Rimowa products and their owners ) all had dents in the alu cases, especially the flight crews with Lufthansa. Some were severe dents, worthy perhaps even of a visit to a auto repair service. It did not appear to bother the owners, at least in Germany.
That Columbus case has travelled around the world many times now, including some exotic countries not known for white-glove handling treatment. It still functions today, with only one wheel having been changed.
The question then might be does one make a luggage selection as a goal-oriented user, or role-oriented user ? Function over form, or form over function ?
Dec 22, 2013, 12:32 pm
#22
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 10
Hi swissaire.
After reading your post, I realized that I failed to mention about good side of Rimowa other than its look, so some reader might think most of Rimowa users are under heavy influence of lookism.
It was not my intention so I decided to write down about its bright side other than its look. In my POV, no zippers mean better protection of contents from theft since most zippers are vulnerable to ballpoint pen stabbing(I think there is no point of locking the luggage up in order to secure contents from thieves if they have zippers). And zippers tend to fail first because they are usually one of the weakest part of luggage. I think latches of Topas are stronger than most zippers, so that's an upside too.
In case of putting some weight over the bag, It also has an advantage of keeping the weak-to-pressure fragile contents intact over typical Polycarbonate or ABS hardside bags since Topas is metal-based hardside luggage which means less weight will be transfered to the contents of the bag.
These are prime reasons why I bought my Rimowa(other than its look) and why most of them are alloy. But it's not why i have so many of them. I have a habit of wasting my money to collect whatever items I hooked up with, and that's one of two reasons I bought over 30 Rimowas over last decade. (I once hooked up with high performance tire, and ended up with 60 of tires in my garage) The other reason is its durability.
After reading your post, I realized that I failed to mention about good side of Rimowa other than its look, so some reader might think most of Rimowa users are under heavy influence of lookism.
It was not my intention so I decided to write down about its bright side other than its look. In my POV, no zippers mean better protection of contents from theft since most zippers are vulnerable to ballpoint pen stabbing(I think there is no point of locking the luggage up in order to secure contents from thieves if they have zippers). And zippers tend to fail first because they are usually one of the weakest part of luggage. I think latches of Topas are stronger than most zippers, so that's an upside too.
In case of putting some weight over the bag, It also has an advantage of keeping the weak-to-pressure fragile contents intact over typical Polycarbonate or ABS hardside bags since Topas is metal-based hardside luggage which means less weight will be transfered to the contents of the bag.
These are prime reasons why I bought my Rimowa(other than its look) and why most of them are alloy. But it's not why i have so many of them. I have a habit of wasting my money to collect whatever items I hooked up with, and that's one of two reasons I bought over 30 Rimowas over last decade. (I once hooked up with high performance tire, and ended up with 60 of tires in my garage) The other reason is its durability.
Dec 22, 2013, 6:38 pm
#23
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriot Am, MU Pt
Posts: 3,092
I'm guilty of buying a Rimowa for the looks.
However as I have used it, I have found the quality to be terrific and so is their customer service/support. I've broken a few things and they've always managed to fix them without hassling me for a proof of purchase (a lot companies like to do that), or charging me even for something due my neglect.
Right now it's very much dented and definitely scratched, but I think that gives it character. The aluminium body makes it difficult to over pack, which I like. I have a tendency to make a poly-carbonate bag bulge.
However as I have used it, I have found the quality to be terrific and so is their customer service/support. I've broken a few things and they've always managed to fix them without hassling me for a proof of purchase (a lot companies like to do that), or charging me even for something due my neglect.
Right now it's very much dented and definitely scratched, but I think that gives it character. The aluminium body makes it difficult to over pack, which I like. I have a tendency to make a poly-carbonate bag bulge.
Dec 31, 2013, 11:32 am
#24
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1
Rimowa Duribility/Repair
I'm still using the one I bought in Frankfurt on July 6th 2005. I had to replace the telescoping handle when it was 4 years old (free in warranty--5yrs--but authorized dealers are not everywhere) and just this trip to Texas on Frontier Airlines, an already weak handle finally pulled off. Now that it's not under warranty, the easy 5-minute repair is gonna cost mucho for factory parts--they're very controlled. I have no cracks at all, but some "reshaping" of the metal-frame lip was occasionally necessary by me. And I have to say, my large case has seen 100 major cities in Asia, Europe and USA in those years. I paid 450 Euros. Outside of large-to-medium sized cities, the wheels become less useable, but the handles always held up through countless train doors and narrow stairways. Would rather not put aftermarket handles in but they won't sell me the parts--an EZ fix myself.4 of 5 stars.^
Dec 31, 2013, 3:03 pm
#25
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,305
Hi sardiniawest -
Try EBAY (USA or UK). There are sellers that occasionally advertise with these parts, here being one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ZIP-pulls-SA...item1c2769a036
Try EBAY (USA or UK). There are sellers that occasionally advertise with these parts, here being one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ZIP-pulls-SA...item1c2769a036