Non-Functioning Exclusive X-Men vs. Sentinel Diorama

NSFolsom · 06-15-2006, 02:25 AM

Bad news...

A few days ago I walked over to my shelf that holds my X-Men Exclusive Diorama and turned it on and everything lit up but the Sentinel head. When I received it months and months ago it worked off and on and off then on again. The last time touched it is when I put it up on that shelf and it worked just fine. And now this, months later.

When it stopped working within those first 30 days I emailed Sideshow's customer service returns deptartment. Once I got an email back from them, the PFF was working again so I let the return window pass me by. I really wish I had exchanged it for a working one. I think the problem is where Colossus's foot makes contact and the metal strip inside that makes contact doesn't hold very close, to make contact to the "pole" inside.

I contacted Sideshow's customer service returns dept and the wonderful Aimee replied with:

Dear Nick,
Thank you so much for taking the time to reach us and I’m very sorry to hear that you are again having issues with the X-Men vs. Sentinel Exclusive.

We would be more than happy to bring this piece back for a full refund of your initial invoiced price or we will happily exchange this piece for the regular version X-Men vs. Sentinel. Unfortunately, we do not have any exclusive pieces remaining in stock. If you choose we would also be willing to discount your damaged piece as a consolation if you choose to keep it as is.

I sincerely look forward to your reply. As always, please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Best Regards,

Aimee Venable
Customer Service Representative

Sideshow Collectibles
2630 Conejo Spectrum Street
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320

U.S. Ph: (800) 474-3746
Int’l Ph: (805) 214-2100 ext. 2
U.S / Int’l Fx: (805) 214-2190

I really wish I didn't have to return this without getting another Exclusive edition in exchange or discounted my damaged piece. But, hey, at least I get a replacement of the regular. *SIGH*

I wonder if there is a way to serriptitiously hook a battery up to the Sentinel head and turn that on independently. Now, that I think about it, that would be kind of ...cheap.

The regular is still a fantastic piece, no doubt about that. I'm not sure if I want to exchange it with parts of it still working.

Now I'll just have to decide what to do with this thing... I ask you, what would you do?

Alice Adrenochrome · 06-15-2006, 03:07 AM

I would keep the exclusive and find a way to have it fixed. There's also the discount. Even a 'broken' exclusive as in you case, is much cooler than a regular version, IMO. There must be a way to get it fixed!

TOE · 06-15-2006, 03:16 AM

IMO, keep the broken exclusive. I mean, if it is broken, it is almost the same as the non-exclusive. And perhaps, you can get it fixed in the future and get it to work again.

carbo-fation · 06-15-2006, 03:17 AM

Mine has the same problem!! I moved mines a couple of weeks ago and worked fine then I turned it on yesterday and the lights on the head weren't working. I am trying to find a way to fix because there's no way I am going to part with it and get a regular edition.

JSA · 06-15-2006, 03:54 AM

Wiggle the Sentinel head, or move it gently around on the socket, as the
connections are very touchy. When I assembled mine, I had to get it just
right and then it works fine and dandy. I hope this is the case with others
here who think theirs is broken, to save you having to return it.

JS

Darth Loki · 06-15-2006, 03:58 AM

Damn that sucks! I would certainly dread anything like that happening to one of my favorite pieces. I wonder if the insurance I have on my collection would cover something like this?

Keep the non-perfect Exc. Try taking it apart and putting it back together. Maybe you'll get the contacts just where they need to be and then NEVER touch it again!

NSFolsom · 06-15-2006, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSAuctionService

Wiggle the Sentinel head, or move it gently around on the socket, as the
connections are very touchy. When I assembled mine, I had to get it just
right and then it works fine and dandy. I hope this is the case with others
here who think theirs is broken, to save you having to return it.

JS

Thank you. The Sentinel head works just fine when I plug the power straight in to it. The power also works when I plug the power in to where Cyclop's foot goes. The problem lies where Colossus's foot rests and I've already broken that trying to "gently" move it to make a more firm contact when the peg from the foot is inserted.

Alice Adrenochrome · 06-15-2006, 04:03 AM

If I had this problem, I'd carefully apply a few drops of contact spray on the joints to improve the electric flow. Carefully, since contact spray liquid gets almost everywhere, once applied.

NSFolsom · 06-15-2006, 04:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice Adrenochrome

If I had this problem, I'd carefully apply a few drops of contact spray on the joints to improve the electric flow. Carefully, since contact spray liquid gets almost everywhere, once applied.

Thanks, Alice. The X-Men diorama is special because it's got not one, not two but three electrical contacts. Three times the problems.

I probably won't be buying anymore statues with electronics in them. Of course... not until after I get my Darth Vader 1/4 scale PFF!

Icemizer · 06-15-2006, 04:50 AM

Yes this kit is a bear for getting all the contacts right for the head to light up. Generally the problem occurs because of poor pin placement on the non electrical foot. I had to drill this pin hole larger to get the foot to fit right and bingo the connection on the electrical side fell right into place. Be careful with that drill and slowly creep up one bit size at a time until the pin drops in smoothly.