A RIMOWA Repair Request That Gets to the Point

Record the collection, size, colour, approximate purchase date and seller. Add the serial from the outside frame near the hinge, under the handle on some models, the invoice or an existing account entry. RIMOWA's current US repair form begins with email and serial because the model context determines compatible parts and the correct service path.

Attach the itemised receipt or gift evidence when available, especially for a guarantee request. If no proof remains, say so rather than inventing a date. Note whether the case was purchased before 25 July 2022, when different manufacturer terms applied, or after that date, when RIMOWA publishes lifetime coverage for functional aspects subject to exclusions and assessment.

• Identity: collection, exact size, colour, serial number and photographs of the complete case.
• Transaction: seller, purchase date, receipt or gift record and account registration if applicable.
• Terms context: before or after 25 July 2022, plus the market where the purchase occurred.

Take a full-case photograph from each side, a medium view locating the problem and a close view showing the component. Then record ten to twenty seconds of operation: roll the problem wheel beside a normal one, extend the handle through each stage, close the empty frame from both corners or run the zipper to the point where it separates. Daylight and a plain background reveal alignment better than flash on a dark hotel floor.

Write one factual sentence: 'Rear-right wheel binds under ordinary load and the mount moves relative to the shell after flight XX123 on 15 July.' Add when it began, whether impact or transport was involved, and whether the case can still secure and protect contents. Avoid diagnosing an internal part or promising cause unless a technician has examined it.

• Wide view: complete product and overall condition.
• Context view: exact component location relative to corner, frame, hinge or handle.
• Close view and video: material detail plus the failed movement compared with normal operation.

When damage appears after checked or gate handling, report it through the airline before leaving the airport when possible, retain the baggage tag and obtain a written reference. Do not clean, discard a detached wheel or accept an undocumented quick repair before the arrival condition is preserved. A RIMOWA assessment or estimate can then support the airline or insurer without confusing that claim with manufacturer coverage.

For a possible product defect, RIMOWA decides whether the functional issue falls within the applicable guarantee and exclusions. Its current lifetime terms exclude cosmetic wear, misuse and abuse; earlier products and UNIQUE accessories have different periods. Ordinary worn tread, a collision and a faulty new mount can produce similar symptoms but lead to different responsibility. Describe the event and let evidence carry the conclusion.

• Airline or transport event: baggage tag, flight details, arrival report, uncleaned photographs and broken parts.
• Possible guarantee issue: receipt, purchase date, serial, functional video and no unauthorised intervention.
• Paid wear repair: request scope, estimate, turnaround, shipping responsibility and returned-part policy before approving work.

Use the regional RIMOWA repair form, Client Care or a store listed for repair assistance. Submit the concise description and evidence together so the first reviewer does not have to reconstruct the product across several messages. Retain the original files and timestamped submission. Do not ship the case until RIMOWA supplies the destination, packing instruction and any required reference.

Ask whether an in-person inspection is required, whether the case should remain uncleaned, who pays inbound and return shipping, and whether an estimate must be approved before work. The US guarantee FAQ says the purchaser bears sending costs while covered repair or replacement includes costs such as return shipment; regional treatment can differ. Remove valuables, trackers, batteries and personal documents before surrendering the case.

• Ask: inspection route, evidence-preservation requirement, shipping responsibility and estimate approval process.
• Before handover: empty every pocket and remove tracker, battery, documents, valuables and unattached accessories.
• Retain: submission confirmation, shipment tracking, repair estimate, work authorisation and final service record.