Well, if you were trying to buy a Brompton here in the States right now, you would have difficulty finding any selection. They seem to sell well and there is a backlog of orders for both standard-spec bikes as well as a four-month (and rising, I'm told) wait for custom-spec units. The reason given is a problem with quality control from their frame painters. Apparently large percentages of frames being delivered to the Brompton factory have been rejected and returned.

So is this a problem? Hard to say. Customers willing to wait suggests the public thinks they are worth the wait. Waiting because the paint (powdercoat, really) quality is not up to production standard begs your question. But missing screws suggests your dealer didn't do an adequate job himself of inspection and prep before delivery to you. I recommend you take it up with the shop first.

But the quality question is important. I guess it is reassuring to know their frames' finishes have to meet some standard before being built, but all the same, if I were in manufacturing and had a significant production delay from an under-performing supplier, I would probably make it very clear to that supplier that the continuing relationship would depend on how well he fulfilled the order with acceptable levels of quality the first time around. I can't believe Brompton couldn't find another frame painter if it had to. And their customers are certainly paying enough for the product, several times more than Asian-sourced folders cost. Timeliness is part of the overall purchase experience. Their product is unique in many ways, but as other makers improve their designs, the Brompton premium may seem less worth paying.