Hi guys!
I have been looking for a King Rex for a few years now. I grew up with one until I was about 11 and would love to be reunited with one soon... that search piqued my interest in other games and recently purchased a Bally Star Trek, sight unseen. Seller described the game as "100% working, beautiful and will not find another in this good a shape".... Well ...I paid $3600 and since I've had it, it has yet to be 100% working.
Without getting into ALL the boring details, the pinball guy I had out today was complaining that, for the price, and having the playfield being replaced, all sockets should have been replaced at that time, flippers rebuilt etc. There is rust and water damage to boot. He is estimating $1500 to get the lights/flippers right, and I paid $300 for his work clearing up a few other issues.
My biggest disappointment is that the cabinet had been stenciled, but prior to finish paint, the cabinet was not sealed or primed, so during the day, you can see the inconsistencies or different sheen's going down the cabinet. Not sure what it will take to get that right. I did get new plastics, pop bumper caps and glass. The old were tired/burned and the glass was all scratched up.
At $3600 I expected a near perfect/new aesthetic and all lights/flippers/game play in good working order. Am I expecting too much? When I brought up the initial issues I was having with the game after I got it set up, the seller did refund $600, which seemed fair for the known issues. I was a bit surprised to hear of so much more work needed today.
I am not overly concerned about dumping another $2500 or so to get the lights and cabinet right, BUT should I be demanding he take the machine back? Refund more money? Or am I just the next in line to take care of this machine? I am also not overly concerned on what its value is or might be. With shipping, I am feeling like I have already paid a premium for what I thought was an A+ game.
I unfortunately do not work on these. I recently purchased a 1972 and 1975 game, both original and in great shape. I did not anticipate this one giving me this many problems, since it was "restored"
Thanks!