Tracked Down an AX/BX 17" Finally.....

I finally was able to find a Sony 17" AX series laptop at a Fry's now that I am down in San Diego for the holidays. I was excited when I called and they said they had the model in stock, as even the San Diego and San Francisco SonyStyle storesdidn't have it.
Based on statements made here and the pictures posted, the AX is a consumer branded version of the BX. After spending some time with the computer, I hope it isn't. Further, unless there is some radical difference I am not going to order a BX now.
I realize that others have posted about other size BX series models, and it looks like perhaps the 15.4" model is much better built. But everything about the AX model I saw was truly disappointing.
Generally speaking, the build quality on the AX was much poorer than expected. I am comparing this to my current Thinkpad, but also to the A series I have found in many stores which I found to have solid build quality. So much so that I specifically asked how long the model had been on floor display (6 days).
When closed, pressing down on the top led to very significant flex, so much that it was "bouncy." The sides were ok, but the keyboard flexed and the palm rests were very flexy (admittedly one side had a traveler drawer rather than a optical drive). The keyboard was also fairly shallow and clicky.
One concern of mind was the trackpoint, which was ok, but reminescent of older thinkpads and without an easy to track down modification utility (I was assume there is one somewhere). Screen was good but not as good as the Fujitsu's around it or the Qosmio. It was heavier than I had thought.
I was quite disappointed, as I had really wanted to switch over to a more multimedia laptop from the T43P I was planning on getting. The screen (Flexview to X-Black), graphics card (X600 to X700), and upgradeability (no Thinkpad BIOS whitelists) were all pluses for the AX/BX, but the build quality, weight, battery life, and this being the first run of a new series, have scared me away.
Hopefully by the time I need another laptop, Sony would have worked out a better business line. That and trackpoints make a comeback so my options expand.
Note this is for the 17" model so I defer to other, more positive reviews for the 15.4" model.