Lens service recommendation

[beryllium10]

A few months ago I was the lucky first to spot a 200-400 f/4 AiS which showed up at a local camera store.  Not cheap, but the price was incredibly low compared to what these normally go for.  It's cosmetically a bit rough, but I think another reason was that it has been chipped - which may have been mistaken for some kind of damage or makeshift repair when they priced it!  Nikongear afficionados will enjoy that thought ...
Between work and Seattle rain I haven't had much chance to use it, but what I've seen from it so far I really like.  Optically this seems to be a good copy - see below. 
Zoom is smooth, but unfortunately the focus is sticky and needs attention. This may also have helped reduce the price.  Can anyone recommend a skilled and trustworthy US repair shop where I can get it serviced?  If there's a local option (Seattle or nearby) that would be ideal, but I'd also be happy to ship it to a well-recommended repair shop to be sure it gets the attention it deserves.
Cheers,  John 

Note - John Hinkey (jhinkey, also of Seattle), got interested in the 200-400 a few years ago: (http://nikongear.net/revival/index.php/topic,5449.0.html).

[charlie]

Does Glazer's do service/repair? I'd expect they'd know of any local service shops if not. There is always the Nikon service center in Los Angeles if you wanted to go that route.

[Luke Miller]

My 24-70 f2.8G is currently at APS for sticky aperture blades.

http://www.nikoncamerarepair.com/

They get great reviews, but this is my first time using them.  They are certainly responsive.  I shipped the lens last Wednesday and received their estimate on Friday.  They claim 2-3 working days turnaround so I may have it back by the end of the week.  I'll post my impression of their work when I receive it.

[beryllium10]

Charlie and Luke, thanks for the suggestions.  I haven't talked to the local camera shops yet, hoping to get an independent endorsement rather than commit to whoever they do business with.  Charlie - your suggestion gets me thinking it might be good to ask the rental staff at Glazers.  They do a brisk business renting their own stock of lenses, and must have to maintain them and repair those that come back broken.  Luke, thanks, I'll wait for your impression of APS.  Our week of snow is dissolving into a week of rain, so I won't miss a lot of photographic opportunities by waiting another week or two.
Cheers,  John

[Ashlandish]

Advance Camera (http://www.advancecamera.com) in Beaverton, Oregon has serviced a few lenses and an old FE and MD-12 for me. They also often have a variety of older bodies and lenses of various brands.

[beryllium10]

Thanks Tim, I'll add them to my list of options.  I just looked at their web site and they clearly have expertise that goes back into the pre-digital era.  I occasionally make it down to Portland, so I could even contemplate dropping it off on such a trip.  Cheers,  John

[Ashlandish]

John, there's also Camera Solutions in Portland (https://www.camerasolutionsinc.com). Long ago I had an 85 1.8 AF of my father's repaired there. My father left a soda can in the car in Redding, California, on hot summer day, and the can exploded, spraying the interior of the car, totally freezing the lens with the residue. They went through it and cleaned it, and I still use it, always a memory of my father. Sometimes they have nice older lenses in the display case.

[CS]

Thanks Tim, I'll add them to my list of options.  I just looked at their web site and they clearly have expertise that goes back into the pre-digital era.  I occasionally make it down to Portland, so I could even contemplate dropping it off on such a trip.  Cheers,  John

I recommend calling prospective shops to see if they can indeed do what is needed to your particular item. That's because the largest pro shop in Arizona told me their abilities are now limited because of Nikon USA's refusal to sell parts to the shops nowadays. They didn't say all parts, so maybe some are available.

[beryllium10]

Thanks Carl, good advice.  Hopefully it won't need any parts replaced, just cleaning and re-greasing the helicoids to get the focusing back to being smooth and uniform.  It's an old lens and I'd guess parts would be hard to come by even without the standoff between Nikon USA and all the non-affiliated repair shops.   Cheers - John

[CS]

Thanks Carl, good advice.  Hopefully it won't need any parts replaced, just cleaning and re-greasing the helicoids to get the focusing back to being smooth and uniform.  It's an old lens and I'd guess parts would be hard to come by even without the standoff between Nikon USA and all the non-affiliated repair shops.   Cheers - John

We could have a chat about all of them being "non-affiliated repair shops" since the one that I was referring to (Tempe Camera) is part of Nikon's dealer network, in fact the largest Nikon dealer in the state. Nikon only has 2 Nikon owned repair facilities in the US, Melville, NY and LA. Every other facility is privately owned. Online sales have really hit local dealers hard, reducing their income significantly. Reducing the ability of the dealers to do repair work is not strengthening their bottom line, many are folding, at which point, they truly are non-affiliated. 

[beryllium10]

Carl, you're right. 'Unsupported' or 'inadequately supported' would have been better descriptions.  Cheers again,  John

[Luke Miller]

Received the 24-70 f2.8G from APS today with the aperture blades working perfectly.  They turned it around in three working days.  I'm very impressed!  I will send them any future Nikon repair jobs.

[beryllium10]

Thanks Luke, Good to get a trustworthy endorsement.  Sounds like it will be worth giving them a call next week.  Cheers again, John