I was wondering what the quality of the slider mechanism is like on the N810? Will it start getting loose or stop locking into place after a year? Or if i'm careful with it will it last several years without any major changes?

Any help would be great!

Mine has done neither, and it has seen more than a year of heavy use.

On the other hand, the paint does get scraped from the keys...

Same, slider still works like day one, but there is some scrapes on the keyboard, and the chrome thing around it is loose, but its just aesthetic.

Mine's still fine too, after 22½ months of heavier than average (I alternate between the hardware and stylus keyboards a lot) daily use.

Ok thanks. Glad to see Nokia put in a good quality slider design.

too many variables

(raw material quality, build quality, amount of unwanted particles between, ...)

so use it until it breaks (if it breaks) and stop worrying.

It's been fine for me (use it daily since spring 2007)

I've been using my N810 since January 2008 and the slider and everything else is still fine.

Uhm, how? It wasn't even available for sale until late November :-/

My unit has a saggy slider. I agree with others here that there are several variables in the build quality, and mine has always felt a bit loose. I don't think it has gotten any worse over time, the sagginess is just mildly annoying...For instance, when I am lying on my back doing a crossword or playing Angband and using the keyboard. Held normally from a standing or sitting position, the sag is not noticeable.

I am considering replacing the slide with a unit I was pointed to online. Its not critically bad (it still locks in place, but one side tends to "droop" a little...), which is why I haven't pulled the trigger on the change.