Nikon responds- "rapid deterioration in the market occurred and fiercer competition"

Those three months were probably lost because your camera went back before a proper fix was available. The process probably went something like this: Customers begin complaining. Reports are sent back to Nikon, Japan. Enough complaints have to build up for them to realize the scope and nature of the problem. Then they have to engineer a fix. Then the service centers around the world need to be trained about the new fix, and new equipment may be necessary. It is quite possible that Nikon thought they had a fix, sent it out to service centers, and then found it wasn't working for all cameras. So, much of the process had to be repeated. This took time. This process isn't unique to Nikon. I saw similar things happen with MINI/BMW. I bought a 2007 MINI Cooper S. This was the introduction of the second generation of BMW's MINI. It had an all new engine, transmission, etc. There were teething problems that the forum members were aware of before the dealers were. More time passed before official memos reached the dealers about BMW's official response and authorized repair. A few things became recalls (a fix to prevent burns from the tail pipes) and others were handled quietly when cars came in for other service matters. There were complaints about cars that had gone in to repair a certain problem several times. A few invoked the lemon law in their state because they lost patience before a proper fix was found.

Reports are that Nikon's left AF problem has now been fixed. Time to move on.

--
Robin Casady
http://www.robincasady.com/Photo/index.html
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts."
— Bertrand Russell