So then tell us what he took on trade and condition, and what you paid for the game?

I did not give you a thumbs down, just backing up someone I have met that I consider a nice guy, did not pick up your sarcasm so sorry about that.

- Dont buy a used game unless you see it in person
- Compare prices before buying NIB.

Following those two rules you cant go wrong with Automated.

I know because I was disappointed with a used game when i was new in this hobby, learned my lesson and since then have had no issues buying from them.

Regarding them buying up an holding games? Blame Stern (if anyone) dont blame these guys. You take a big risk buying up high value games and sitting on them.

I have heard a rumor...but i've heard it from a couple people also,
if you think they buy up games and hold them, and wonder where some of the bally/williams stuff is...I've heard they have a warehouse needing a ''part or two'' per machine, but that it is filled to the ceiling with 90's pins...as many as a thousand.

Believe it...or not

I missed the sarcasm as well. No hard feelings.

@ Steve
Thanks for backing me up.

Sarcasm is a bitch in a thread.

You know something centerflank, you are by definition a troll. 100% all the way and you should be banned.
You post comments which you have no idea what your talking about, just to get a rise out of other people.
I don't appreciate you turning an entire forum against me because one post I made to compliment the guy. If I actually worked there, would I tell you not to deal with one of my employees and to contact me directly? Why would I keep that person on board. God as my witness, I am not Mike nor do I work for them, or for that matter, I cant even say I have had more than 1 hour interaction with them other than visiting their store a couple of times and emailing for a quote.
You took it upon yourself to spread a rumor and get the entire forum all worked up. Way to make someone feel welcome.
Your avatar suites you perfectly.

Here we go

Pins4me >>here is a crazy idea>>> you have bumped what was essentially a dead thread yet you do not appear to be participating in any other threads or discussion anywhere else on the entirety of Pinside.

Flanker calls a spade a spade and you sir are one oblivious spade. Anyone even remotely paying attention knows you are affiliated with Automated or at minimum have a side agenda and your only reason to be here is to talk about the business. Do us all a favor and kindly leave. If you have not realized, you are not actually helping Automated;s business with your shenanigans. You can cross me off the list of anyone that will EVER buy from them based on your BS. You can add me to the list of people that will be vocal about NOT supporting them and their BS practices to any noobs thinking about buying a game form them.

Thank You

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I just stumbled on this thread, but I thought I would throw in my experience with Automated. I got into this hobby several years ago. I just wanted one machine (LOTR) and I contacted Mike at Automated because they were somewhat nearby. I didn't negotiate price too much, and maybe I overpaid a bit, but what happened after the sale was much more important.

The NIB machine was delivered when I was at work. I came home and there was a huge gash in the backbox. Not knowing much about the hobby, I was willing to accept it because it didn't really affect gameplay. I called Mike and suggested that maybe he refund a couple of hundred dollars, or send someone over to repair it (maybe a little paint).

Without hesitating Mike told me that since I paid for a NIB game that I deserved one that was perfect. The next day he delivered a perfect NIB game and took the old one back.

I was very happy with his service and dealing with them was easy.

To me that is not going above and beyond, it is taking care of business and what should have been done in the first place. His delivery people should have never left you that game in the first place and should have packed it back up and brought you another NIB game. For your loss of time and their lack of commonsense, it would have been NICE to have given you a couple hundred $$$ off of the already inflated price for putting you through that ordeal.

The fact that they would leave a damaged NIB game that was overpriced to begin with, makes me even more concerned and steering further away from them.

I also have had an awesome experience with Mike and Tiffany
Great response and I am a repeat buyer.

Look, this is just gonna turn into a "your opinion" "my opinion" thread.....what's the point?

What do you mean? As long as the users are legit, vendor reviews are important. The point is that people should have all the information possible about a vendor before they buy from them.

In before the lock...this thread is SO going that route....

Yes, but we're never going to have an answer. A bunch say it's great, others not so great. So who do you believe?
...so right now it's to each his own...

This is the Greasers and Soc's all over again. Have we learned nothing?

RUMBLE!!!

Whysnow, you are a troll as well.
I don't know about you, God is important to me and not something I would type if it weren't true. So again, when I say "God as my witness" I am telling you I have no ties with these people.
You can go on believing whatever you want.
Do the whole forum a favor, keep your negative false claims to yourself.
Sorry if you don't care for them. There are plenty of other people here that agree Automated is a decent company to buy from. I only wish I was getting a kick back from them for defending them so much, but its me I am really defending, a new user who got the rudest welcome to a forum.

you must realize how your actions overwhelimingly make you appear to be nothing more than another Automated mole?

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Apparently you're an atheist too.

none of your business but you apparently also neglected to read the pinside TOS/ community rules

"Posting about politics, religion or any other contentious political or social subject is not allowed. This is a pinball site!"

I have no affiliation with Automated or any other company, and I don't know or care if you work for them or not.
But you being new to the forum must realize rule #1 of Pinside (or maybe #2 or three) is no discussion of religion or anything else that starts wars.

I don't know anything about Automated, but I take offense when you throw around the term "atheist" like it's a slur.

Sorry I don't believe in your god. (cue sad trombone)

If automated has a title someone wants. Get it. He is ok. That was not hard. The people who said he is ok joejet, shackler, me and others have done business with auto and it was fine.

The people blowing smoke here should step up and say if they had a transaction or they are just spewing.

Very simple.

Sure. Some people have a great experience, some people not. So far, I'd say Automated is hit and miss. That's a legit conclusion to come to.

Why even post this garbage?

He is taking my comment out of context just to get a rise.
That's what a troll does.
Maybe there needs to be a written rule here about people trolling and spreading rumors.
I could give 2 hoots about his religion and again he is trolling to get a rise.
My comment is based solely on the fact I said God as my witness, then 2 seconds later he slams me again and calls me a liar.
A troll is a troll.

Yeah, like THAT'S ever stopped anyone....

NO FLAMING OR TROLLING
NO POLITICS, RELIGION etc...
PLEASE BE PATIENT (E.G. WITH NEW USERS)
NO SPAMMING
NO QUESTIONING MODERATION DECISIONS
Rule number one: be nice!

Um, yeah.

I full heartily agree with these rules.
I'm done with this topic and any further commenting.
I had no intention of making it a religious thread.
Peace everyone. Lets all power up our pins and get playing.

Here is a legal document anyone can print out if need be.

butthurt report form.jpg

Welcome to the board. Sorry if you are not an automated mole that I assumed you were.

Please spend some time and contribute to some other threads with pinball discussions that are not focused on promoting business or talking about religion. Over time and with your participation in other threads/topics I am sure we will see you are a real person not just here to spam us with Automated selling points.

Thanks Whysnow

Sorry, it honestly wasn't an attempt to offend your religion. I hope you can see that now
Were cool. I even thumbs up'ed your post.

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I'll say this about Automated, I bought a Lotr Le from them for fitty two hundies and the numbnut shipper drove a fork into the bottom of the pin and they picked it up right away and sent me another one, despite a little bit of a bill of lading snafu.....

Otherwise, grab your ankles! JK

Ouch!
ebay.com link: TERMINATOR 2 JUDGEMENT DAY HUO Pinball Game WILLIAMS EXPLOSIVE SCHWARZENEGGERR

Your use of the word "suites" suits you.

Ok I have to share what they just did to me. I have seen a Johnny on their site for the last 6 months. I said what the hell I will buy it. I emailed them and asked for pictures. She responded they have one in the back that they will be fixing up. Keep in mind they have one listed for sale on the website. This was a couple weeks ago I first made contact. Yesterday they send pics and it looks ok. I go back to the website to get the number to call and order it and they magically have raised the price by 1,300 dollars since I have inquired about it. That is absolute crap and I learned my lesson without spending a dime. You cannot tell me this not trying to gouge me. The price was listed for months and when I ask for pictures it bumps up by 50%. If they had not pulled this crap and I liked the game when I got it then I would buy a couple a year from them. By pulling this crap they have cost them selves at least 7 or 8 thousand dollars a year from me in repeat business. Plus I would recommend them to friends and family. My brother in law is now wanting to buy some pinballs..do you think I will recommend them? Maybe new in box is cool but used I guess beware.

They raised a $2,600 JM to $3,900? That's crazy.

It was 2245 and now its 3595. They can charge what they like but to raise it when they send pics for me to make my buying decision is a shame. But they don't owe me anything and I don't owe them my business.

Yah, that was a douche move. I am NOT defending them, but here is what happened. The fact that you saw it on their site for 6 months, that game was long sold. They had another "in the back" but it wasn't the game on their website.

Some will say they had an old website, some will say bait and switch. Honestly, they should have told you over the phone the game sold, and they had another at a higher price.

However, I can say, this is pretty normal behavior for retail pinball places. When I was first in the hobby and looking to buy from retailers, this exact same thing happened to me twice.

I'm not excusing it, just saying.

Even more odd that you got a new WOZ and all you came here to talk about was the buying experience!

Just my 2-cents, but if you have a retail website on which you're listing items for sale (with prices), then I think the onus is on you to keep it updated on a fairly regular basis.

Otherwise you're just inviting this kind of controversy, ill will, and the accompanying bad reputation.

It's one thing to have sold an item and not update the website for a few days...it's a completely different (and crappy move) to purposely leave a page as-is, knowing it will give you the opportunity to bait and switch someone.

Can't imagine people shopping for pins for the first time who don't know about sites like Pinside. Oh yeah. I do. That was me when I bought my first couple pins. Glad I'm here now.

For the record, I have bought two pins from automated - WOZLE and LOTR. Both were excellent experiences and I have THLE on order with them.

Kind of funny how so many people love to bash Automated as an easy target, and like it's just the cool thing to do, but when people start posting actual experiences with dealing with them, they are largely positive reviews.

Obviously they must be doing something right as they are still in business. And you don't stay in business if you have nothing but a negative reputation, or by screwing a few uneducated people that you think you can take advantage of.

Agreed.......can't speak for anyone else, but my experience with him was fine. He had what I wanted, we agreed on a price, I paid.....he delivered......nice guy on the phone.....that's about it.......

I bought a NIB SM from them a few years back at a reasonable price given they were the only guys carrying NIB SM's at the time. There was an issue with a board and they overnighted a replacement to me at no charge.