Posted by Fultra on 2, 2001 at 7:55 PM:
In Reply to: Pinball games at auctions? posted by NThero on 2, 2001 at 4:29 PM:
I've attended about a dozen auctions and have purchased both Arcade games and Pinball machines. My experience is based on the Columbus arcade auctions.
From time to time I would see a working machine for around $200 - $300, but it was usually either really old and worn, or had something that was not working.
If you are going to buy one, here is what I suggest. First of all, play it - make sure everything is working. Remove the glass and make sure all the kickbacks, spinners, bumpers, etc are responding. Then, open the head unit and look at the PCB's. They should look fairly clean with no brownish color. This would indicate acid damage from battery leakage. This is a very common problem. Also, look to see if the wiring harnesses look original. If they aren't, or there are connections that are cut or unplugged - there is a reason. Also, there will be a button on the coin door so you can run the diagnostics -- do this. Make sure it passes all tests.
I bough my first Pin for $250 and it worked pretty good, but I soon found out the the things that someone had messed with -- it wasn't apparent when I played it at the auction.
Good luck! BTW: If I were to buy a pin for home use, I would expect to pay $500 - $1200 for a decent theme and in good working order.
: Hi,
: After reading about $10 arcade machines at an auction on the news page, I wondered if there were any pinball machines that cheap. What's the average price or the range of prices for pinball machines at auctions? Specifically, I'd like to know prices for working machines. If they sell non-working machines, how much would it cost to get it fixed? Is it feasible or safe for a hobby-ist to attempt repairs?
: Also, is there a site other than superauctions I can go
: to to find info on auction dates and locations?
: Thanks.