Maybe Yamato should re-think their methods of testing. A little more hands on with a less or semi-experienced hand could be very helpful in assessing any possible damage of any kind to the joints. Product testers, such as yourself (Graham), understand the logistics on how to properly transform these toys and are very cautious not to force parts and cause breakage.
May Yamato might consider placing a supplemental transformation guide in English or other languages. Or just post the guides on their site.
The VF-0 design is nice, but could use some re-designing on said parts. After all, the damage appears prominent in the same area for all reported cases.