Tex is the all-time deflector-pro.
I believe every fact I posted is accurate and I believe that Chris Coffee would do anything and everything possible to satisfy a customer (based on my experience).
But that wouldn't fit into Tex's world-view. Rather than help the guy get the machine working well by getting on the phone to Chris' and walking through a few steps with both the neighbor and a service tech, it's easier to keep pounding the pulpit and shout the 'I can do anything with a Gaggia' matra a little louder.
A few steps? Now you're showing your ignorance peter - must be contagious, whatever GC7 has.
What possible help could a service technician offer over the phone, accepting that few people have a 53mm portafilter mounted manometer to adjust the group pressure or 53mm Scace device to adjust the group temp? In fact I know a handful of professional technicians and none of them happen to carry those particular tools around.
It was much easier to swap machines for awhile, so I could take his machine home and tune it.