You may be right. It’s unfortunate. That is a pretty big oversight. Mistakes happen, sure. Having that piece of the panel in the wrong spot is pretty big and isn’t intuitive to figure out lol.

I also don’t understand why they just didn’t put it in the mounting position in the box.

 

To be fair, many transformers come out of the packaging transformed incorrectly. It's not ideal but it does happen.

 

Being that it's packaged in planet mode, even if they put the flap inside, it would eventually go back to it's position due to vibrations during shipping and what not. The thing is, the instructions for mounting the product to the stand, doesn't start till page 14/15 of the instruction booklet. That should have been the first thing to do, after showing the package contents. This was already discussed early in the thread when people started getting their Unicron in hand.

 

Not sure about that. You paid EU VAT on purchase (pre Brexit), and Customs Duty internationally is 0% on Plastic Robots. You might get stung on the couple of percent rate (the bit after free but before the commoditycode kicks in), say c.€30, but I'd be surprised if it's more. It also challenge-able if you're overcharged, surely?

 

My hope is that I'll have to pay only the difference between UK VAT and Italian VAT, which should be 2%, but I'm prepared for the worst. I don't know if I can challenge the charge if I end up paying double VAT, I'll have to look into it.

 

You definitely should. You ordered pre-Brexit, so those rules apply to the vat accounting for the supply if goods. Worst case, Kapow owe you your vat back because it's been exported and that covers a chunk of the full Italian/EU vat charge.

 

Oh lawd he coming

 

Hah! I was playing around with removing the planet kibble and the G1 prototype pic inspired me  
Kinda crazy you can do this:

This is just from removing a few screws (there's one panel on the leg that I don't think can be removed without taking out a pin). Figure a 3rd party could easily create some kind of internal crossbeam support for the planet shell that plugs properly into the stand (mine is just balancing) and has ports for the rings/it's own set of rings.

 

I believe a user already made a 3d printed support system

 

Ahh, finally we get to see picture of Unicron is separated into robot and planet mode. I would suggest you to attach the robot mode with the Studio Cell oversized wing, then you can have perfect robot mode and planet mode at the same time.

Thanks for songrobin for showing us this.

 

I wasn't aware of that. Even so, I don't have access to a 3D printer, so I'd still be interested in a proper upgrade kit.

To be honest I'm very happy with his stock bot wings. I'm a lot less impressed with how they look in planet mode with all the extra bits sticking out, so would love a kit that does a nice clean ring for the planet shell.

Interesting the abdomen is removed in that pic. Presumably Songrobin had to hack it out, as to me it looks like all part of the same torso piece (had the ab been removable from stock I'd definitely be interested in a transparent red upgrade, sadly I don't think that's doable without severe modding). Also reminds me that the old Armada mold had an opening chest with stuff going on inside. This guy appears to have a huge empty interior which you can't get at; shame as it would have been really cool to have an opening panel revealing smelting pool areas or his cluster of viewscreens etc.

 

update...UPS have found him and delivered today! (although just left outside, no signature taken - last time I use those guys!) - jesus box is massive! looks like I am having a washing machine delivered plus TF source double boxed (which was actually not bad for protection)

 

Has anyone else that has unfortunately received one with the defective should joint ran into major issues trying to ship him back?? Ignoring for a moment how ridiculous it is to 1) have a QC issue of this sort on this type of item leaving the factory, and 2) that it has to be shipped back in its entirety, rather than simply sending a replacement part....I will now have to take mine to the post office for attempt number FIVE at sending him back, ever single time because Hasbro didn't provide me with an adequate shipping label in terms of either weight, or dimensions, and usually both. It's not directly Hasbro's fault that this also doesn't fit in my car, and I've had to borrow a car 5 times for the post office trips, but between that and time spent on the phone with Hasbro, I'm over 10 hours into just trying to get the thing sent back. Other than Unicron, I'm strictly a MP guy, and I might be done with official Hasbro/TT after this. I'm a money manager, and might even vindictively sell HAS stock out our portfolios - petty, yes, but I have such a bad taste in my mouth with the name Hasbro at this point.

 

Dimensions are on the box itself, on the bottom: 23.25×23.25×23.375, in inches (59/60cm each way, basically)

Weight has varied on this thread, but I've worked on the high end, and that's 14.5kg. I believe that's 32lbs. Might be 35, I've lost track... I used my bathroom scales (me, me and box) and clocked 27lbs.

Hopefully you get sorted!

 

Thank you - at this point, a month into trying to ship this, I think I actually have the weight and dimensions permanently imprinted in my brain and dreams, at 31.15 pounds and the above stated dimensions. Luckily, I just got off the phone with Hasbro, who was nice enough to conference call into one of my local post offices (I had gone to two different ones), and it appears I've had the worst string of luck with incompetent post office workers ever (seriously, FIVE different people across two post offices?!), and Hasbro was never at fault, with their labels being sufficient all along. In case anyone else is reading this that has to send it back - Hasbro firmly believes the package weighs 18 lbs, and even told me that all the others that have been returned were returned at that weight; a fact fueled the confusion - although that would've been immediately remedied by competent post office workers knowing (or at least believing me) that the difference is levied against Hasbro's account and the package could still be accepted and sent. Upshot is I'm still frustrated, but with the good ole USPS instead of Hasbro.

 

Good that you're sorted. Also, this explains the discrepancies in weights across the thread. I strongly suspected part of it was 'underdeclared' due to corporate discount rates applying.

 

Yeah, Pastor Robin (songrobin) shared some pics of that process a few weeks ago and said it was a very labor-intensive process of basically just cutting it out with a Dremel or something. I agree, it would have been really cool to have some sort of gimmick or at least fancy plastics or paint in that area. I think outside of heavy modifications like he's doing, the best we can hope for is some sort of cover piece, similar to what people have done for the planet maw.

Take another look from the back, the multi-piece armature connecting that stack of panels does use a screw at one of the joints, which is easily removed to leave you with no leg panels.

 

Oh really? Even better. I'll have to take another look! So if full planet shell can be achieved with no awkward messing with pins, that can only make a shell upgrade kit more likely!!  

 

Are they sending you a replacement or fixing it at least? Also, couldn't they scheduled a pick up?