Quoted from Tranquilize:Not to sound like a dick or to defend Stern's quality, but that issue sounds pretty minor. I had a friend that wanted to buy a machine but had no interest in learning to fix it. After much back and forth, I convinced him not to buy one. Dive in or get ready for constant frustration. It's always been this way in pinball, but Stern does take it to new highs.
Quoted from Ty-Arnold:When I purchased my last NIB stern I asked my distributor what I should do I were to ever have a problem with the machine. I was told that the distributor can do nothing to help the customer. He then told me if I have any kind of problems to contact stern directly. I would rather deal with stern directly anyways so I had no problem with his answer.
Some friends who play my games ask me, if they can buy their own machine. I always reply sure, but expect them to brake. Since it's a mechanical game, there will always go something wrong. So they better know or learn how to fix it.
Sure I am helping my friends in the beginning when something goes wrong. But I can't always come over to fix it.
So pinball owners should learn to repair basic stuff like adjusting switches which are not behaving as they should be, learn how to solder wires back on, replace lamps or rubbers in tight locations, which does require to partially disassemble the game and so on...
Of course I can't expect them to diagnose broken PCBs and replace ICs and stuff... But basics should everyone able to fix.
It's like having old cars.
You can either learn to maintain and fix it yourself. Or pay someone to do so, which will end up being expensive...
Or option 3 leave it alone and pretend it is fully working