i'm qualified to throw my spanner in here, having just received a new r2 xl today.
the packaging is excellent. two big foamy supports at each end that wedge the case perfectly into a tough box. the box has had what appears to be a little mishap in transit, with an L-shaped cut on one side (like the type of rip that always happens when i snag my kecks on barbed wire). however, even if the three stooges delivered this, they'd have a hard time breaking it. the only way i could see this becoming damaged in transit is if someone booted it from the side (with enough force to split the tough box and travel far enough to hit the case, which is a few inches back), where there is no foam protection, or if it was dropped from a decent height...and it'd take a strong bugger indeed to lift it high enough for that to happen. it's pretty heavy and awkward to lift, and i managed to smack my elbow on the wall when carrying it up to the command centre, which is a testament to its said awkwardness.
the only area of concern i can see is on the front door of the case. it arrives with a film sheath to protect it. good idea, as that bit is shiny plastic, and it would rub up against the packing foam and become soiled without it. however, there are a couple of minor (but potentially nasty) scratches in this film. luckily it's only the film, and not the door. there's no way i can see how that could be associated with the courier...it's just not possible to do without penetrating the box and the packing foam, which is intact in that area. so these little scratches must have occurred pre-courier. whether they're from the manufacturer or re-seller, i don't know, but the mind boggles how someone would be so uncareful with such a fine looking piece of engineering.
