I don't think you are being too anal. I bought a new car this year and if it had a dented bumper or a ding in the door I would have been pissed. When you buy a new machine it should look new.

Nib should be in prestine condition but shipping and handling makes it almost impossible because of the size and weight of the box

Still there is a limit in what is acceptable

It should look new . not slightly new . I agree that things will need adjusted but as far as cosmetic wise it should be pristine.

It shouldn't be dented up if it's NIB.

These are commercial machines. Very minor flaws are acceptable. Less so on the premiums and LE's because of the premium price you pay. It's acceptable to ask for another piece until you get one that is nice.

Tell that to the guy that installs the T- molding on new Sterns.

I usually peel that gaudy crap off of there and replace it with bumpy black if the game has black armor.
It makes the games look cheap IMO.
YMMV.

Cosmetically, it should be 99% pristine. If this is a stern and your having a problem with trim, lockdown bar, etc...they won't have any problems replacing it. They may ask for pics or for you to send the bunk trim back. But they've always supported their product.

I figure on an LE, It shouldn't look like somebody installed that stuff with a hammer.

But it *was* installed with a hammer!

Oh pinside!

Theres got to be a better way, actually it looks like it might have been the end of the roll.
Ya still want this one Rob?

Never mind, my shaker just arrived! Forget about the trim for now.

Not acceptable at all. When you pay $6000+ for a product it should be perfect. I had problems with both my Tron and XMEN. Tron had a deep scratch on the playfield and bubbling in the clear coat. XMEN was a disaster it didn't even mechanically work. With XMEN I had to send the whole unit back for a new one and they took care of me with Tron too. Stern has crappy QA but top notch customer service. They really do stand behind their product.

Someone explained it to me once that Stern is used to making pinball machines for operators. Operators won't care if there is bubbling in the clear coat or a ding here or there because it is just going on route to be beat up anyway. Stern is not used to making pinball machines for picky home collectors, where it will be going into there basement. Home collectors are much more picky, myself included, Stern is just getting used to this idea. They are taking baby steps towards us home collectors high standards but they are improving in the QA department with every new run though.

they need to take giant steps to rectify the quality problem. in the past when 95% of the games went to operators. now? it has swung polar opposite. When i think of any area where I know of pinballs in the wild I know of 5 times as many games in collectors homes. in the tri cities locally I know of three in the wild and 20 or more in collections? north of here? I only know of pins in private residences. the same applies to my second home in the south. I know of five locations that have a total of 10 games and an additional 50 games (or more) in collections. stern needs to keep up with the market.

I want nothing less than MINTY

are you ok with dents in new cars?

Just my opinion flame on.

perfect. If they didn't design the packing against shipping damage; it's the seller's fault.
I wouldn't expect a single issue with my NIB machine. Even the code should be "finished" given what they charge

has to be in tip top condition, when you drop x amount on a new machine you should get a new machine without dings, scratches or broken shit!