If your issue is outside of the stated warranty, I would not expect them to help you.

When I asked for the service fixes for my LOTR machine troubles, Stern was charging for the repair kits, because my game was outside of warranty. I purchased the game brand new, and the issues developed after some time (my home use is less plays then a location)

ref: http://www.sternpinball.com/games/213/the-lord-of-the-rings
- Service bulletin 154 post repair kit
- Service bulletin 146 Balrog LEDs kit

So, while some people are opening up their boxes and finding the issue right away, they have a chance of recovery.

Good luck after your warranty period is over.

If you paid by credit card, you should think about starting the charge-back process.

If we learned anything the predator scam, it was those that filed early, fared the best, and the American Express CC customers also got the best buyer protection.

I'm not a stern hater, and have 5 modern machines from them.

I was ready to buy two NIB's, but this playfield issues has halted my order.

We want facts, not speculation.

The old-process before these issues was just fine. We don't need a new process, we want the old process that worked good enough

I was ready to order Spiderman VE, and I would still like to order one,
but I can't imagine going through what we are seeing, and being at the mercy of Stern.

Like others, I have friends that were talking of ordering a new machine, and they ask me for my thoughts and the status of the quality, of what I have heard or read.

Does this make me have a dog-in-the-fight?

I there is a pattern.

Was your playfield made by Churchill ?

They were the only supplier, up until recently.

Just when you thought it was safe to return to go back in to the water,...

I have masked the names/faces , since I did not get their permission for their stories....

Good thing he posted his story, as I was preparing to order another NIB. That won't happen now.

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