I'm on my second M8 body, only since the first one had to go back for the upgrade when it first came out. My M8 followed a line beginning with two M6 bodies, then M6TTL, then M7 and finally now just my trusty M8, as film processing availability (AND lack of film!) forced that decision living for over seven years in Mexico, I am now all digital pretty much in my workflow. I loved every one of my M cameras, and even with it's few quirks out of the gate, my M8's. I've shot several thousands of images with the digitals, and they have never let me down. What more can a photographer ask for, really? There is no other digital camera that I could have used to capture many of the images I have with my Leicas. None. So given everything I have in my present archives, I would have to say that I am more than pleased. It is an investment that continues to produce revenue for me, and I would imagine will continue to do so for many years to come.
It is easy to be critical of Leica, and the M8. Please don't get me wrong, Leica could have done a better job in several regards with the M8 launch, as well as been more responsive getting the problems and service issues resolved more quickly. But having shot several "new" camera bodies & lenses over my lifetime, they ALL had their initial problems. I could tell you horror stories about my original Nikon D1x or my old Canon 1Ds with it's multiple trips back to Canon service from Mexico without ever resolving the issues while it was still in warranty. I have, and still do shoot in some pretty rough environments for any camera gear. The M8 is always my "go to" camera of choice for my work, just as the film versions were before them. So like my other Leica bodies of years past, I DO expect my digital Leicas to be a "lifetime" ownership to my perspective!