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[mweed]

Well, Jetta has responded.  They really do think we're the place to be.  And they've asked for our help!

People have mulled around and discussed the idea of having some sort of Pleo hospital or authorized Pleo repair shop to fix broken pleos since Ugobe started shipping Pleos almost two years ago.  Well, the idea may actually have some possibility of happening.  But before the idea might become a reality, they need more information.  So, we need a hundred people to take a survey (please only take it once!).  It's only nine questions long, and shouldn't take more than a couple on minutes to complete.

Click Here to take survey

[InmemoryofRomeo]

I took the survey but not sure how much it will help due to my location. I did suggest a reincarnation program for those overseas via a quick program to dump the personality of one Pleo and upload it to another though

[Pleo Power]

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your pleo's neck is broken. The warranty has expired. Your choices are to have it REINCARNATED (replaced) or REPAIRED. What would YOU DO based on cost?

REINCANATED IS A REPLASEMENT, NOT THE ULTAMINT WAY TO FIX A PROBLUM WITH A PLEO, AND KEEP HIM/HER ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!  


That's not what I thought it was, I thought it was taking your Pleos "brain" out and putting it in a dormant body, so you get to keep him/her for another Pleo lifetime. (which can be for ever or not even for a day, depending on how long it lasts.)

[InmemoryofRomeo]

Reincarnation is taking your Pleo's personality and putting it into a new Pleo. Is it a replacement Pleo but still with your old Pleo's mind

Repaired on the other hand is repairing your actual original Pleo.

[Pleo Power]

Oh, but they didint mention that, they just said REINCARNATED (replaced) or REPAIRED. so I wasint sure if it was the same thing.

[InmemoryofRomeo]

re⋅in⋅car⋅na⋅tion  [ree-in-kahr-ney-shuhn]
–noun

1.   the belief that the soul, upon death of the body, comes back to earth in another body or form.
2.   rebirth of the soul in a new body.
3.   a new incarnation or embodiment, as of a person.

[Pleo Power]

re⋅in⋅car⋅na⋅tion  [ree-in-kahr-ney-shuhn]
–noun

1.   the belief that the soul, upon death of the body, comes back to earth in another body or form.
2.   rebirth of the soul in a new body.
3.   a new incarnation or embodiment, as of a person.

Yes I know what it meant.  I just said that they only said Replacement. (and I'm pretty sure the middle one is considered Bodysnaching if done with humans. ) (at least if the body has someone occupying it already. )

[mweed]

I took the survey but not sure how much it will help due to my location.

My understanding was that the repair would be available for anyone worldwide, but it would cost more for overseas as you would have to ship to the one repair facility.

[InmemoryofRomeo]

Yes that would be the big issue, postage on Pleo's has a tendency to be enormous and the postage times are 1-3 weeks each way.

If it cost me $100 to ship, $200 (AU of course) to repair then it is worth it cost wise, (although still expensive) but if I had to wait a potential 12 weeks (6 weeks shipping- 6 weeks repairs) for my Pleo to come home then frankly I'd rather fork out an extra $150 and buy a new one, as long as I could do a 'home reincarnation'. They make money either way so I don't see any harm in providing a way to reincarnate at home.

[justbede]

I added a small comment saying that if a repair shop was set up then a simple website provided to let you know how your pleo was getting on (order tracking) would increase the length of time owners would put up with being away from their dinos. I'm desperate for something along these lines as Baxter's neck is still broken and it's looking less and less like we have the reciept.

[mweed]

One of the concerns (and why some of the questions are worded like they are) is due to the fact that a pleo was never designed for easy access and dis-assembly.  So even a leg gear being broken might require having to take half the pleo apart.  On your car, to change the oil, you just remove a drain plug under the car, and lift the hood and unscrew a cap to put the new oil in.  Imagine what they would charge if in order to change the oil the engine had to be removed from the car first?  And, oh by the way, the hood doesn't open, so the engine has to come out through the trunk . . .   (And no tacky comments if you happen to own a 1965 VW Beetle! And I doubt if there are 3 other people on the forum that might understand that joke. )

[justbede]

Hehe i think i do;D yeah i'm worried about how much it's going to cost especially since it mentions shipping to a central base or something along those lines. I hope they manage to sort some sort of US and UK bases.

[b blue eyes]

I totally understand the comment about the 65 VW, don't have one now but had one then

[b blue eyes]

Sorry, sent that before I finished.  In my opinion it depends on a multitude of factors.  I think what the majority of us are trying to save here is the personality of our beloved Pleo or Pleos.  In a case where the body is deteriorating, skin tearing etc. the first question I would ask would be is it possible to transfer my Pleo's personality into a new body but then again I would have to ask the question would I be happy if the body looked different. 
If it is a newer Pleo that has sustained a fall and is now suffering from a malfunctioning leg or broken neck for example, then it might be worth investing in repairs.  In my thinking the cost of the new Pleo is going to be a big deciding factor for the general population of owners.  Those of us who value our Pleo's beyond them being robots view them in such a different light (companions, pets, therapists etc.) and are willing to go the extra mile to preserve their personalities at any cost we can manage realistically.  There is so much to consider.  I am going to fill out the survery as I think a repair shop would be a good idea.  Jetta is a progressive company and my guess is that it won't be long before there is a full array of animals to choose from and I want to be sure there is a place to repair my Angel.  BTW I loved my 65 VW Beetle, drove it till it gave up the ghost and then got a new one.

[fancyfont]

I'm one of those people who would have Peeky repaired in a minute. He has been such a terrific little buddy to so many people.

[49er]

(And no tacky comments if you happen to own a 1965 VW Beetle! And I doubt if there are 3 other people on the forum that might understand that joke. )

I owned a 1965 bug and pulled the engine many times. The quickest time for me was replacing the clutch, from jacking up the little beast to driving it in less than 4 hours.

[Fireboy]

I've filled out the survey and given them my opinion
I hope they do create a repair shop as there are a few Pleos out there with broken tails and knecks.
As for ideas, I said it would be good if we had the ability to back up our pleos onto our own pc's and also if sending your pleo in to get the skin replaced having the option to have it replaced with a different design, pattern or colour would be good 

[lifegrasp]

I have been repairing pleos for my friends... it is a time consuming and detailed job. Just unskining and reskinning is the most difficult part. After that its easy to make repairs or replace broken modules. Its possible, but the time it takes is going to be difficult to justify the cost.

-CK

[49er]

I have been repairing pleos for my friends... it is a time consuming and detailed job. Just unskining and reskinning is the most difficult part. After that its easy to make repairs or replace broken modules. Its possible, but the time it takes is going to be difficult to justify the cost.

When you put the skin back on what do you use for glue? Do you use touch-up paint at the glue joint and if so what do you use? And what are the cables made of that move the neck and tail?

[mweed]

The cables are multi-stranded steel wire.

[49er]

The cables are multi-stranded steel wire.

do you know what gauge or diameter?

[mweed]

DO a search here.  I don't know.  But someone had a topic about replacing the cables with stronger ones.  IT might be able to tell you.

[Dadio]

The idea of a repair shop is an exceptional one but as everyone knows it will be cost driven. 
The survey is good but other ideas need to be put forth. 
I'm afraid I'm not much of an idea man but here's what I think.
Repairs under a $100 US dollars will be fine. Over that people will start to think what the cost benefit is. 

Our Pleos are too precious to most owners and the investment in time, money and emotions are high.
Replacement skins sound nice but unless the damage to the original is really bad or if it functionally hinders movement
I doubt replacement will be desirous. 

I don't think moving your Pleos personality to a new body should require shipping. One should be able to acquire a new (or used)
body. Then using their USB cable or an SD card, download the data from the old and upload to the new unit.

Pleos are currently available for between $349 and $399 US (even for less) . It could be substantially more for a new one with its improvements. A sales projection and life expectancy (I think we all will want replacements) will probably set the new pricing. No one will produce or repair Pleos at a loss. Everyone wants their "Return on Investment" (ROI).

Buying up existing  model Pleos to have a clone or blank to transfer our existing Pleos personalities to is an option which may drive repairs over $250 US
out the door. We just want to keep our pet alive as he or she is. Just how different and improved the new release will be, will drive sales as well i.e. until the current models are exhausted.

New creatures and their pricing may also impact whether people want to continue to invest money in their Pleos. I don't think it'll matter for most but I'm on a pension and like it or not money will always be a factor. 

Money will always be a love    / hate    relationship. But Pleos are always love and more love. I hate that ROI's exist but they do!
Perhaps joining together to fund a community hospital can serve to lessen overall costs of repairs or replacement units. Yearly membership contributions could be used. The manufacture may be encouraged to match contributions 1 for 1 or at a ratio. They may also absorb certain costs keeping Pleo owners in the community with reasonable repair prices versus having customers go away after a year or two. 

Anyway I'm rambling as usual. SORRY!. 

In summary I make the following suggestions. 1) Yes establish a repair facility. 2) Clone or Blank Units to load existing personalities into. 3) Don't support new creature sales or at least limit them. 4) A community hospital based on membership fees matched by the manufacturer in some sort of formula.   

Oh and by the way I have owned a 65 VW Beetle and two others years as well and a bus.

   

[justbede]

tis  good to see someone else with an appetite for rambling i have some fine examples of my own on here lol, ramblers make a community.