How Long for A1 CCD Repair?

My Minolta A1's viewfinder is a pretty washed out magenta color. Bummer.

How long of a turn-around time it there for the free repair from Sony? I guess the first step is to get past a busy signal on the phone.

Is there more than one service center?
Do they take donations for faster service?

Does seperation anxiety from a 2-year affair with an A1 require professional help from a psychiatrist? I'd hate to spend the next few months using my wife's Canon A95.

What are my options?

Many thanks.

FBL3

First of all, call this number: 1-877-462-4464 (It will get you the right people).

My 7i started it's journey through Sony repair hell back in June. A call to Sony led me to their eservice website. A filled in form led me to Precision Camera in CT. 2 1/2 weeks later (and two different tracking numbers) and it was repaired (accordin to PC's website). Next day it was shipped, a day later I had a tracking number, and presto, it was being shipped to Laredo, Tx (I live in Ohio). About two hours of calls later I was told that it wasn't really fixed, but they did discover that the CCD was bad and it now had to go to TX to Sony's repair facility (about ten days ago). According to the tracking number, it was received by Sony on Monday. Three calls later (this week), no one can tell me where it is in the system - just that a senior support person is tracking it down and will call me. Yow!

Apparently the rules changed midstream through my repair. I did get a letter from Precision Camera assuring me that it was the CCd and would be covered by the extended warranty.
--
John