jrace i would say that you should have contacted kenwood they are a very customer oriented company
and as in being a kenwood dealer for close to 15 years i would rate they above most of the rest of them out there
as in kewoods changers only lasting 1.5 years i think you got a couple lemons
you must be the chosen one
as in head units i would pick a kenwood over a pioneer
the kenwood product is a more solid well built piece
the pioneer stuff has to may cheap plastic parts compared to the kenwood
i have just been carrying the pioneer for over a year now so i can't say weither they stand up better or last longer
from the service point i have found pioneer has had more common problem than the kenwood
like the cheap chicklet buttons they use
kenwood uses the carbon membrane which stand up better

 

I would use a kenwood over a pioneer as well, but as far as pioneer not being able to hold out.. I dunno about that. I bought the p-600 5-6 years ago and I used it for most of the time.. not one problem.. nothing... upgraded to the eXelon659.. last year... Now my brother is using the pioneer and it's still working without one single problem..

I"m very happy with the reliability of pioneer and as you said.. the eXelons are built fairly solid so I would expect mine to last just as long as the pioneer as well although my very pathetic one year warrantee (on the kenwood) is due to run out very soon...

 

exelon has two year warranty
and so does the regular line 2003 models

 

That's strange because in the warantee book I got with the HU, it says one year....

 

eXelon in canada has always been two years
email kenwood they will varify it

 

Just to give my 2 cents... I didnt really like the Kenwood decks menus.... very hard to navigate, at least compared to my P7300...

But after i buy my new components, I'm in the market for a new HU.... looking into Pioneers 9 series!