Any ESOTERIC P-500 Transport owners out there?

[IceClass]

I just received an Esoteric P-500 transport that I bought on Fleabay.
It lacks a manual as well as the "key" required to unlock the tray after shipping.
While the seller warned me to unlock the tray after receiving it, he failed to include the "key" mentioned in the sticker under the unit.
I've had no luck turning up a manual online and after attempting to turn the plastic slot in the hole under the unit the advised 30º with a small electrical screwdriver of a guestimated appropriate width, the tray refuses to open all the way when plugged in and summoned to do so.

Would anyone out there have a scanned manual or know if there's a trick to unlocking the tray with some other tool than the one that is supposed to come with the unit?

The tray just comes out about 1cm whirs and goes back in.
Is this likely to be a problem with the tray lock or is the tray mechanism potentially worn out?

Seller of course, has gone incommunicado.

 

[IceClass]

Well, I found a manual online and it wasn't very helpful so I took the top off the unit to see what I could of the tray locking mechanism and can see right away that the tray lock is open and is not what is impeding the tray from opening.

From what I can see, the black plastic CD clamp is not rising to get out of the way of the tray.

Sooo, it looks like I bought myself a fleabay lemon.

Would anyone want to offer an opinion if the P-500 is worth sending in to see about getting fixed or am I better off chalking it up as a learning experience and saving up for something better and new?