Customer Reviews

Attache, Briefcase, Black

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Dear Samsonite Engineering Department:

Why did you cheapen your Samsonite Briefcase so very much?

The Samsonite Briefcase of the 1970s is great, has a nice compartment for file folders, pens, and calculator.

The new Product does NOT have a nice place for File Folders, pens or calculator, instead it has a very cheap hard non-flexible plastic inside. Very cheap Lock. No Aluminum frame.

The product of the 1970s was great, why did you cheapen this new replacement product so much and increase the price greatly?

I bought a 5" Samsonite Delegate II hard case to replace a superior but now unavailable 5" American Tourister hard case that lasted about 30 years until the handle broke off. Less than 2 years later, the latch on the right side froze, fortunately when the case was open. The latch/lock mechanism is a one-piece assembly held in place by 4 screws. I removed the screws and removed the assembly. There is a bar that swings down to lock the latches when the combination lock is moved from the Open combination. In the Open position, the bar moved up properly on one side, but on the other side it remained far enough down to lock the latch on that side. I moved it up with a screwdriver, and it now seems to work properly again. However, it could freeze up again at any time. If it freezes when the case is closed, I will have to break the case apart to get it open.

I called Samsonite repair service, (800) 262-8282, to find out it I could get a replacement part under the 10-year warranty. First, they said that warranty repair was available only if I took or shipped the entire case to an authorized warranty repair center. However, there isn't a repair center convenient to where I live. Second, it's like car repair -- the case will work fine if I send it in because I "fixed" it temporarily, and the shop won't be able to duplicate the problem, although they must know that the part is inherently defective and prone to failure. I asked Samsonite if I could order a replacement latch/lock mechanism, but was advised that the part is on back order. No wonder! It's a piece of cheap junk. Samsonite couldn't even advise how much it would cost if it were available. They estimated $10, plus another $4.95 for shipping.

Rather than buying this overpriced and unreliable product, I would recommend watching eBay and Craigslist for an old American Tourister 5" hard case in good condition. That's what I will be doing. Then I'll sell my Samsonite on Amazon Marketplace.

We had our previous Samsonite briefcase for almost 20 years before the latch wouldn't close any longer.

We purchased this Samsonite (mfg # 10485-1041) and within the first year, the inner compartments came apart

and now papers and documents slip out the back of the case. The latch freezes and the case won't close

at times unless we jiggle and mess with it. This briefcase is awful and I am so sorry we purchased it.

It is complete junk compared to our previous case which lasted two decades. Where has quality workmanship gone?