Quoted from jar155:The scratches should warrant a decal, for sure. I'm not so sure about the leg bolt holes. Would I be mad about it? Sure. But my NIB AC/DC had a few minor scuffs from the factory (seriously, minor) and my GBLE had a couple of dents from packing it up. It happens. It doesn't mean that it's not disappointing.
The real issue is that it won't affect anything on how the game plays at all, but some jerk will hammer the OP about condition if/when he tries to sell the game. I get that he doesn't want something on his game that somebody is going to want to ding him $300-$400 for, especially for something that was present direct from the factory.
Personally, I wish we could chill a bit more about those little flaws when buying a game. As long as the playfield is in good shape and there's no structural damage, I tend to let any other little concerns just go. Maybe it means that have a cab with a hidden ding or scratch in my row of pins, but nobody ever cares until I try to sell it on Pinside and suddenly it's a HUGE ISSUE.
All that said, because of the resale value issue, I hope the OP gets taken care of properly by Stern.
Remember, he also has holes drilled in the wrong spot which could possibly cause the wood to split.
Phoenix, AZ
