Should I Have It Repaired Here (Br) Or Wait To Get To Eu?

[pschreiber]

Hi guys,

 

This is my first post here. I'm a newbie and I need advice. Sorry to bother.

 

My story is I have this nice (I'm starting to hate it tho) MB146, an oldie but goodie except for the fact that the piston is busted. I mean it won't fill properly (I know it when it does because my L2K works just fine), seems to suck a lot of air and when I force the air out and pump that piston till its filled, it leaks from the back like crazy. Sad.

 

I took it to a local pen store (the only, it seems) pen store here in São Paulo (BR) so the good man there would take a look at it, but he gave it back to me saying I'd have to take it to Montblanc itself (a boutique).

So TL;DR my question is this: Here in Brazil the service costs 300$BR (Real), which ammounts to ~73$EU (Euro). I'm travelling to Belgium later in April, so I could go to one of the zillion pen stores in Europe. Do you guys think it'd be better to get it fixed here in BR or should I wait till I get to Europe? I don't know if I want to keep this pen or find a way to exchange it, but whatever I decide I'd like to fix it before anything.

 

Once again sorry for the trouble. Hope you guys can help, specially if there are any European MB enthusiasts here.

[meiers]

WELCOME.

 

That's a wonderful 146. I love the monotone nib.

 

Montblanc will install a new piston for you. (Piston trouble is very common).

 

The price they quoted you sounds reasonable and standard.

 

I'd call your local boutique and ask them if they could install a new piston right away. Otherwise I'd take it on a pilgrimage to Europe.

 

Take care and happy trails.

Edited April 5, 2016 by meiers

[dubhe]

If you wait until you go to Europe you might find you send the pen off for repair but don't get it back in time as it can take several weeks.

 

I would have it repaired by MB-BR and then look at buying a nice used MB in Europe too.

[Lam1]

Welcome to FPN.

 

I agree with Dubhe, have it fixed in Brazil. The price quoted is standard and, unless you intend to stay a long time in Belgium, it is unlikely you would get the pen fixed before returning home and they would have to mail it back to you. And based on my experience (I'm also Brazilian) there is no telling if they wouldn't want to charge you an exorbitant amount of taxes in customs when it comes back, regardless if it was just a repair, or even worse (MB is too recognizable to risk having it in the mail). Of course, your experience may be different.

 

Good luck (oh, and I would keep the pen. After the piston is fixed it should be good to run for many years).

[penparadise]

I agree with dubhe and Lam1.

 

Go to your local Montblanc boutique in Brazil. Montblanc charges a flat rate for the repair and checks anything else on your pen and will replace other parts if necessary (except for nibs) for no extra costs.

 

Most of the Montblanc Boutiques will have to send your pen to Hamburg anyway, no matter where you are. And as Montblanc doesn't sell spare parts at all, other "normal" pen stores will have to do it the same way.

 

Only really vintage Montblanc pens, which means pens which are at least 50 years old and older, I would not send to Montblanc but to some well known specialists.

[FredRydr]

...an oldie but goodie except for the fact that the piston is busted....

 

If you want to preserve the pen rather than replace what might be the best parts, have an independent repairman in the EU fix it. Send it to one of them before you leave and then have it returned to you at your EU address.

 

Fred

Edited April 5, 2016 by FredRydr

[pschreiber]

You guys are awesome, srsly. Thank you very much for the help.

 

I guess I'll be taking the pen with me on the trip just for fun, but wait to get it repaired when I arrive back home if nothing else. Seems to be the best course of action. Btw I'm so relieved to know that piston issues are common so it shouldn't be anything reeeeally serious.