Earlier this year we tried to buy an R60V from a dealer in Canada. It was either banged up in shipping or maybe the bench test reassembly/assembly was not so good, or both. Either way, and we have reason to suspect both, it was resolved, and the machine went back for keeps.

So we thought about it, and decided to splurge on a GS3. We found a dealer in the US that would ship.

The attached photo shows the condition of the package we just received about 3 hours ago. (That's the maple paddle, damaged by both discoloration and denting, protruding through the side of the box.)


There is a large metal staple nearly pulled free of the box on that side at the top, and one top corner on that side was clearly smashed hard enough to crumple. It's obviously been really banged. Can't tell if it's received a tape-over or not. (You can see the paddle protruding below on that side, and you can also see nothing more than the standard 4 inch by 4 inch "fragile" stickers, which almost every Fedex package has, and thus are mostly invisible to Fedex workers, according to a conversation I actually had a few months ago with Fedex. (They say go MASSIVELY LARGE and PROFUSE, with "High Value" and "High Claim" and lots of dollar signs, and no stack.) Lastly, you can see this was allowed to be stacked 3 high (the first photo), which I believe La Marzocco does not allow. Maybe mine was on top and an entire stack fell off a forklift?)


We have contacted Fedex, and the dealer. Have heard back from Fedex and have sent photos to them. Have NOT opened the box, and have no plans to open the box until told to do so by people who will be willing to pay if there's a problem.

Anyone know what I can expect now?

Clearly, I'm worried. The paddle is chipped, dented, and obviously has been subjected to severe impact, and severe shock just to get it outside of the box. I can't really even imagine such an impact.

It's a control mechanism, too, and directly connected to other delicate parts of the group. Who knows what else is damaged? Internally, as well, there are boilers, tubing, and welds of course. Who knows what else might have failed, and even worse, what might work at first blush, but have a significantly shortened lifespan due to enough shock to force the paddle through what seems a rather substantial La Marzocco box? A pinprick leak somewhere developing rather quickly thereafter into a slow water leak somewhere, and then a big failure? I don't know? How can I know?

At the very, very least, the maple paddle will need replacing. But the other concerns are valid, we think. This is the MP version, so there's a manometer on top of the group, and that may ultimately have been the only thing that kept more of the group from coming through, but at what damage to that?

So the big reason for this post:

What should I do under the various options that might be presented to me?

What should I be prepared to do if I'm offered something that seems unfair?

I'm so very, very, disappointed.

Once again.

Fortunately, maybe, I signed "unable to inspect at delivery" (recommended by La Marzocco in fact on their site) because the delivery people were in a hurry. Within seconds of sliding it on a throw rug into the kitchen, I saw the damage.

Yuki

No wooden pallet? Should always be on a wooden pallet. Edit - ok see the wooden pallet now. Hmmm

Yes, it's on a wooden pallet.

Wow, so sorry that happened. My first thought is that I would ask the dealer to arrange to have the damaged machine picked up for return and ship another new machine to you right away. They probably have a procedure they follow in these cases, and hopefully it will be relatively painless for you other than the inconvenience of not having a new machine yet.

Rocky

So sorry to hear of this. I'm kind of at a loss for how the paddle went through the side of the box. Unless the packaging has changed, my machine's paddle was nowhere near the edge of the container. My machine sat in a cradle with recesses cut into 2x2's (IIRC) that was lined with protective foam. There was plenty of space all around the machine. Your paddle sticking out the side seems like your whole machine shifted (by quite a bit) to make that hole.

The packaging use to come with capsules on the side that would break if they exceeded a threshold of force when being moved (dropped, etc.). Does your packaging have those?

You did the right thing by not opening it. Also, I would video record the opening of the package once FedEx shows up. Depending on the outcome, you'll need a LM tech to go over the machine to assess any damage outside of the visible paddle. Any idea if you have one local?

Sheesh, another episode to this sad saga. I'm so sorry to hear this. I personally don't think you should keep the machine...who knows what "gremlins" will appear over time from the shipping damage...

Precisely our worry. Thanks for your input.

uscfroadie wrote:So sorry to hear of this. I'm kind of at a loss for how the paddle went through the side of the box. Unless the packaging has changed, mine was nowhere near the edge of the container. Mine sat in a cradle cut into 2x2's (IIRC) that was lined with protective foam. There was plenty of space all around the machine. Your paddle sticking out the side seems like your whole machine shifted (by quite a bit) to make that hole.

The packaging use to come with capsules on the side that would break if they exceeded a threshold of force when being moved (dropped, etc.). Does your packaging have those?

You did the right thing by not opening it. Also, I would video record the opening of the package once FedEx shows up. Depending on the outcome, you'll need a LM tech to go over the machine to assess any damage outside of the visible paddle. Any idea if you have one local?

Many thanks for your ideas about video, etc.

We are in contact with Scott Manley at LM USA, and the dealer says they are in contact with LM as well. So we're hopeful for a good outcome. And our thinking at this time at least is that a good outcome means total replacement, because even if it works now, components may have been weakened considerably.

Unfortunately, this is an "international incident".

There *might be an LM qualified tech down in Osaka, but that is apparently the only dealer in Japan, and they do not even offer the GS3. Moreover, that dealer seem to refuse to work on or look at machines not purchased from them (however LM may have the final word on that -- especially in this case I should think -- given that LM probably wants a good outcome here, and that the Osaka dealer probably wishes to remain in LM's good graces).

I'm a bit disappointed in the US dealer, because we specifically asked (while the machine was being customized) about packaging, specifically about an attached inertial shock indicator, and about "signage". We received no replies to these inquiries, although others were attended to promptly. I have seen images on the web of LM packaging for GS3 machines, and it seems (or at one time seemed) superb, with huge "High Claim", "$$$$$", and "High Value" signage, as well as "Do NOT stack". (Our box, which is an LM box, is marked "Do not stack more than 3 high".)

Our box came only with the standard 4 inch by 4 inch "Fragile" stickers, which according to a conversation I had months ago with a Fedex person, "become virtually invisible to employees, as almost every package we handle is marked this way."

But it was an LM box, which is no weak thing. That machine had to accelerate massively to push that paddle through that side. This was no casual "bump".

I've also alerted Fedex to the chance that Japanese customs might have some liability here, too. The box is marked with tape saying they opened it for inspection. (Why they felt this was necessary since they have dogs, scanners & other methods for detecting contraband is beside the point, but they did, and they have the right of course.) They will need to be interviewed about the condition of the package when they received it, and how carefully they repackaged, or if they knew what they were doing at all in that regard. Somehow, I would get some measure of satisfaction if they have some liability here.

Then again, maybe the employee at the US dealer who handled it had just taken a "bathroom break" and trace amounts of something were on the box, and the dogs went crazy.

USA LM says to us: "Usually there is there is not room in the box, due to packing material, for it shift that much." This would have been our initial thinking as well. Nobody sane would pack without a nice thick piece of foam surrounding the group, I'm sure, arguably the component most exposed to damage from an inertial shock. I'm really still quite stunned that paddle was able to go through the side of that sturdy box, again indicating to me massive force.

Thanks again for your input.

Yuki

I thought someone had suggested earlier to buy from a local dealer to avoid these kinds of problems. It may limit your choices but at least you'd get a machine that wasn't damaged.

No local option for that machine. And I'm not sure you can guarantee "you'd get a machine that wasn't damaged."

This wasn't mere "air turbulence".