My MP-09 arrived this morning, IMO this figure is amazing!

Mine shows no evidence of misassembly or stress marks on any tabs after transformation back and forth. It takes some effort to get things lined up perfectly for Hot Rod's alt mode, but if you take your time it'll come together. And if it's not, unfold it and do it again, don't try to scrunch it up to get the panels aligned.

I took a tiny flat file to the wing slot of the trailer and took the orange paint and a wee bit of the red plastic off, it's still perfectly level and you can't tell its even been done! I have zero issues with paint being scraped from the wing, I've put him in and out of winnebago alt mode 5 or 6 times now with the wing still perfect.

To me this figure is worth it's high price, maybe I just got a 'good one', maybe not. Just take care with it and treat it like a $200 unit  

 

Can you take a pic of what you did? I'd like to do it to mine as well if it means no paint scratching.

Thanks!

 

Maybe disturbed isn't the word but there is no excuse for the issues that are apparent with this $200 'masterpiece'.

 

Here you go mate, although there's nothing really to see, but it's there...
I also took a pic of the file for you to get an idea of the size.

 

Thanks dude!

I had no idea there was that much surface area.

I'm still wondering if the scotch tape idea would work. Then again, by putting on an extra layer of tape on each side might make it even more difficult to slide the spoiler in.

For those with the paint scratches, is the spoiler paint scratching on a specific side or is it on all sides?

 

Good question as I'm thinking of filing mine to when I get it. Where exactly is the rubbing issue so I know how to go about it?

 

You defo won't get it in with tape around it I'm afraid...

 

Damn. The clearance is that small? Wonder why they didn't give the spoilers more clearance.  

 

Anyone have an actual picture of the scratches so I know where to file on the trailer portion slot? Is it just the top or top and bottom of the spoiler?

 

I've only bought the US version for starscream and it lks like i'll be getting the US version of this guy as well. The extra trailer with all the paint scratching that can occur will be pointless in having it if it does that much damage and like someone said earlier I'm guessing most people will leave it in bot mode anyway.

 

I think the intention was keep the hot rod car more secure.

 

Which makes me go back to my confusion as to why the spoiler was painted instead of just using yellow plastic.

 

Yes you would think in high contact areas they would use colored plastic over paint/stickers but what can you do.

 

It still boggles my mind that something like this was overlooked.  

 

Reminds me a bit of the thigh stickers on G1 Hot Rod!

 

Mainly on the outer edges of the spoiler, both on the top and underside. It's not actually paint on the spoiler scratching but rather the magenta paint in the trailer slot scraping off and sticking to the spoiler, at least with mine.

 

Hmmm.

I think when mine gets here I'm still gonna try and see if using scotch tape will work.

If not I may have to resort to filing the slots down a bit.

 

Cool. Let us know if the scotch tape method works. I'm not too sure it will since there's already insufficient clearance in the slot. And, you'll need to tape the spoiler each time you want to transform it into space winnebago mode.

I'll be filing down the slot since it won't affect the figure aesthetically and it'll, hopefully, be a more permanent soultion to the problem. Of the 4 modes, I'm most keen to display mine in one of the two alt modes.

 

Is it possible to scotch tape the slots in the trailer instead of the spoiler?

 

I can't say for certain since I haven't tried it but I'm really doubtful it'll work. Squeezing the spoiler into the slot with tape will probably push the tape out of position.

It's also probably not going to be an easy task placing tape into the narrow slot.