I think everyone on here knows that all pins new or used need to be maintained, tweaked, etc. BUT - anything you buy should work as its supposed to. Do any of you tolerate fixing your own TV, stereo system, or fridge. Ummm.. no. The expectation is that it will work.. as it should. I guess we just accept that pinball games are less than perfect and we just learn how to fix and take care of them. Sad that we accept this as normal for our hobby. The OP does need to learn dine basics or be prepared to pay a tech or find a different hobby. And its not just Stern.. its all manufacturers.

I'd expect my boat to work too. I'm pretty sure most electronics are "handmade". Regardless, if you sell a product it should work when you get it. There's a very distinct difference between not working when purchased and having to maintain it to keep it working correctly.