Wow.... Thats some professional work, Stern! Way to raise the bar!

Honestly with how many threads going right now I can't believe you went NIB. I wish you the best of luck, but Stern or your distro is not going to do anything. Stern does not care, especially on a problem they will consider cosmetic, hell they really don't care about anything.

I think the leg holes that will be covered by legs are fine. I can't tell how the scratches look I'm the photo. I suspect it also isn't too bad. I think it that were my game id probably just set it up and enjoy it.

agreed, NIB sterns are a gamble for sure.

Legs will hide the cab issue but I do see the scratches. It is indeed a gamble buying NIB from Stern - I was apprehensive opening my TWD Prem recently but I dodged a bullet.

Back the old days the fun was searching out games for sale and trying to find the most pristine out there and bring it home.

This way you get to see every possible flaw and know what you are getting.

I find the whole NIB thing overrated and frankly a little stressful these days. I think I'm done with it for the foreseeable future.

yes, sterns QC needs to be better

but I doubt your problems will be fixed

set up your game, see if there are major issues
if nothing else is wrong, just play and enjoy your game

Getting the game first. However in the case of a 2013 title like Metallica - zero reason to go NIB unless you ran out of patience trying to find a used one.

Sorry about your experience. I think the best you can hope for is that Stern may send you new cabinet decals. I'm sure you don't want to re-decal your game, but at least if you sold it in the future, they'd be there for the next owner if the scratches bugged them.

Most likely you will get a set of decals.

I had head box decals sent from Stern and they were not the correct size, I think they sent me the defects. The old ones came peeling/peeled off my NIB Metallica. The ones they sent were crap so I used spray adhesive to put the original ones back on. NIB Sterns are have had many issues from electrical/mechanical/assembled wrong/etc....If anyone buys a NIB Stern, CAVEAT EMPTOR

The scratches look awful.

I doubt the distributor will do much of anything. Contact your credit card company and see if they can help.

Why are these holes even visible? Shouldn't the decal go all the way to the corner?

If you feel your game issues a worth a thread go find a new hobby

Or find a company which can competently build a pinball machine.

All of the other companies build a better machine than Stern.

Stern NIB pricing at all time highs.

Stern cost of goods sold for NIB at all time lows.

Stern quality shitty as usual.

If you think that by purchasing a NIB from stern for $7k will mean you will have no problems, you need to rethink the purchase.

So does this prove that we probably just need to start fully opening the boxes while the delivery guy is there to fully inspect the machine? I never fully opened one just so driver doesn't have to wait, but after the recent events, I'm going to say too bad for delivery guys. I'm not signing off until I see entire machine. Sorry you got a machine with blemishes. If you bought a new car with scratches down the side, would that be alright? Absolutely not. Good luck with getting fixes.

I can't believe some of the responses here.

"If you feel your game issues a worth a thread go find a new hobby"

what? Talk about attitude - the guy just dropped some serious coin on a new pinball table and deserves better. I for one would be pissed as well and it's not helpful to tell him to find a diff hobby. In fact it's attitudes like that which permit Stern to continue to do this ABSOLUTE BS. Maybe b/c I'm less than 2 years into the hobby too and therefore not so "used" to this BS, but any other time you drop 7k and don't get a NIB condition - generally that's called CRAZY.

OP - work with your distro, CC, call stern - basically raise HELL. This is not the way it's supposed to be. Lesson learned is tear down the entire package before accepting - no joke.

For me, this would be entirely unacceptable. I would work through your distributor to get it corrected. The game should be picked up and a new one sent out. Stern should eat the cost because it's their screw up. That's how you conduct customer service. If stern doesn't like it, too bad, get better quality control. If they don't correct it to your satisfaction, there are legal options or just never buy nib again from sternm Just because you sign and accept delivery doesn't absolve stern of underlying issues, it only signifies that you accepted delivery, not that you certify your game is perfect inside.

Sending nee decals is a lame response.

Stern will (should) send you a new front decal free of charge. Good luck to apply that. But they should send that at least.

I got a Tron and the decal was damaged when I was putting the lockdown bar on, it was my fault anyway since I was not used to the clasp type lockdown bar, and the damage was only under the bar can't be seen so it was not a big deal but they sent me a new decal, I figure if I ever sell it the new owner might want to replace it. Probably not.

The leg bolt (IMO) is not great Quality Control but probably won't effect anything if the actual cabinet is sound and the leg bolts work properly.

I have a friend who bought a Met premium and had countless issues with he coffin ball lock (ball getting stuck) and the pin was out of service for a long time, but that's just the way things work out. Someone may get a 100% perfect pin some may get 95% perfect.

It's different than buying a car, if you get a defect on a new car they will fix it 100% but I think due to the cost of shipping a whole pin back and forth that it's not normal to get a new replacement unless the pin is really out of wack.

I'd say it's not happy time, but the two defects you see are not major. Front decal can be replaced and the leg bolts are non issue if the cabinet is structurally sound.

IMO

If Stern wants to charge a premium price, they better deliver a perfect product.

I'd want $1000 back or a new machine shipping costs covered (pickup and delivery).

Which distributor? I think you should be including the name of the guy that's telling you this is normal. I sure as hell wouldn't want to buy from somebody telling me this on NIB purchase. Make sure you press him, and return the machine before your right to a full refund expires. If he tries to delay, be wary.

It is like buying a new car special ordered, or anything else that gets delivered after bought. If you bought a new refrigerator from best and it was delivered with scratches down the front, what do you think best buy would do? They'd return it free of charge for a non damaged one. These pins cost ten times that amount. It doesn't matter what it is. Anything bought NEW should be undamaged. Otherwise we would all buy used and save money. Hell, most huo games have less issues than some of these QC issues on nib lately. That said, the particular issues here are fixable. The legs will cover up the holes and you'll forget about them. The scratches can be fixed with a new decal, but what a PITA. That's probably your best bet at this point I'm guessing though. As long as people keep buying and putting up with this stuff, it will always be something new from stern.

I agree and think the same way. As others have said if Stern wants to charge high prices fine but then a high quality product needs to be offered.

Playfield issues, cabinet issues, decal issues, mechnical issues that are not fixed post release, code support issues, etc. All are unacceptable when Stern is charging customers $5k to now $15k for their games.

Cosmetically the extra drilled and filled leg holes will be fine, but with the recent cabinet sprlitting issues in that area I know I would prefer not to have extra holes drilled in my Cab.

I agree that your nib pinball should be new in box, not a crapshoot.

Crapshoots are for gamblers.

I think the increase in NIB home collectors and their expectation for "perfection" is the root cause of most of the noise on here. These are heavy, complicated, hand built items and there should be some leeway for the occasional minor manufacturing defects. Operators get this. Most home collectors do not and think any imperfection, however minor, is unacceptable and thread-worthy and then a new bitch-a-thon commences.

That filled hole is a non-issue. The scratches aren't that bad and I'm sure they'll send you new decals if you simply ask. This stuff happens. Don't let it ruin the experience for you.

Then your pinball would cost $9k.

While on a personal level I agree with you (we both route games so we are a little more forgiving on stuff like this) stern has fully admitted that the home market is their new bread and butter and makes up the majority of their buyers now. Prices have increased a lot over the last 3-4 years, which I understand and am okay with, however prices have increased while quality has gone down again and again. At this point Stern cant have their cake and eat it too. They cant say the home market (which they know is obsessive and nit picky over stuff like this) is their biggest and then expect to have the mentality of an operator when it comes to quality issues. 5,6,7k is a lot of money for the average household, these aren't ops who are getting their money back in coin drop.

Nah - Stern made the choice to go from "coin-op" to "luxury goods". They're charging a upscale price for an upscale clientele who rightfully expect a quality product. When NIB full featured games were $3500, we were a lot more lenient with our analness. Not that THAT was "cheap", mind you - but if there was a nick on the cabinet, most would let it go. Now that we're in $7k-$15k mode....yeah this shit better be perfect when it gets boxed up.

Set up the game and enjoy it.... it sucks about the scratches but they will probably send you a new decal. Keep the decal and when you go to sell it in the future, include that decal. The game will not lose value over those minor things (at least I wouldn't expect to pay less for those scratches). Sorry that this happened

Agree at 7K a pop I would expect perfection. I bought a GB prem that was damaged, sent back they then shipped a SM in a GB box (shit happens) sent back and finally got my NIB perfect GB prem.

NIB is expected to be perfect as it should be...

I do think Stern could up the quality of their packing material, it might save them and us some headache. I was surprised at the cheap shipping method and materials used...

All products, wherever you purchase, are subjected to errors and issues. When one arises a company maintains it primary reputation from it's customer service.

Call Stern, have you pictures ready, ask what they'll do for you and report back. Stern's response will help us all understand their support for their customers.

I agree with the leg bolt issues. would inspect the inside and ensure what you're seeing wont cause cabinet issues later and that it's only cosmetic which in that case I wouldn't worry about it. I wouldn't put up with the scratches. A new decal is cheep and easy. It's a pain and a little upsetting but at the end of the day you need to at least remove/replace the scratches (have you tried to "clean" them off?).

Good luck and please report back after you talk to Stern.

BTW, just bought a NIB Metallica Pro and couldn't have been more happy. Distributor is Marco Specialties. I was even able to have Dirty Donny sign the translite and apron. Love this pin !

Lastly, have you played it yet? There's a reason it remains in the top 10.(#6 at the time of this post)

Mind naming the distro?

Whos your distributor?

Tell them you want to exchange maybe?

So it's true then - Gary Stern has a Pinside account after all! Or is this Jody?

On a serious note, I really feel for you OP. After unboxing my Hobbit, I had nothing but issues for four months. Thankfully, everything seems to be rectified. Out of the box issues are by no means limited to Stern but all manufacturers if you ask me. I wish you all the best getting this handled.

Not sure if you'd want to go this route - but if you paid with a credit card, chances are you could successfully do a chargeback and at minimum avoid the restocking fee.

F that distributor. (Name please) Send it back or call your card company now.

There is no way I would be happy with the holes given the cabinet issues lately. If the cabinets are splitting without 1/8 of the surface area missing what makes anybody think yours won't. If stern says they will send you a new decal say ok come put it on.

Your distro sucks. And Stern should really offer a discount or something, although I understand why they wouldn't... otherwise everybody and their mother would just add some minor scratches to their NIB game and demand money back. With all the cc issues popping up this last year, consider yourself lucky if everything else is great. I wouldn't worry about it affecting your value, they do look fairly minor. You also should never sell it, such a great game.

Is your distributor on pinside? If so they should be called out.

Well if its a Florida distro its likely either Little Shop of Games (Curley) or Randy from Got Pinball in Largo.

After realizing those scratches​ are on front of cab, you're right. I'd be pissed everytime I looked at it...and that ain't no way to be with this machine. Your distro should exchange.

I cannot believe people defend Stern here? Would you buy a new car with scratches on it? Or holes filled with bondo? The quality control is just plain shit! The buyer has every right to get a game in new, undamaged condition. Not something scratched up with a botched repair. Is there such thing as quality control at Stern? Apparently not.

Frankly, if I were you, I would make some noise here. Call the Illonois Attorney General Department of Consumer Affairs. Make a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. If you know a lawyer, get him/her to fire off a letter. Essentally, I woudl break Sterns balls until they are sick of hearing from you.