I was thinking the same thing Stangbat. CEC destroys all equipment when they're done with it. Too bad there's not a Pinball Liberation Front that could rescue these misfortunate pins before they're destroyed.

I do recall reading about someone finding a TSPP in a dumpster behind a Chuck E. Cheese once. What a travesty. At least that one was rescued.

See photo on bottom of (This thread) page one.
I highly doubt that he made it out alive...

Don't mess with the mouse! .... or is he a rat?

Either way gweem-
In his eyes...
"If you're FINKIN' your-a SINKIN'..!"

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Evidence #2:
"Smile! Smile like your havin' a good time seez...
Or i'll whack little Teddy over there..."

Typically what condition are machines in by the time CEC is done with them? Never serviced?

Would still be good for parts. A good cleaning and some new coils/switches and the game would probably be in decent shape.

A big nose takes a BIIIGGGG straw

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I can't imagine they get a lot of play. Every time I go with my family, no one is playing the pin. Although, after 5 or 7 years with no cleaning and no maintenance even with low plays the condition would be really bad.

I wonder how much CEC would sell a TSPP or POTC for? If the price was right I would be willing to spend the time to restore one....

From what I understand, raw parts is all they are good for afterwards. They are destroyed to the point that the cabinet and a lot of other stuff is not salvageable.

In this day and age, I can't understand this policy. They could have a company take the games off their hands for free with payment being that they get ownership and are able to restore them and resell them. I understand CEC not wanting to mess with individual sales or sales to private parties, but set up a national contract where someone takes their machines rather than destroying them.

Maybe there's some tax reason for why they do it?

Most likely they can write the machine off at full retail price. Much easier than selling them and claiming what you got for it. Not to mention the cost/hassle of the time to sell it.

I am constantly refurbing computers for charities and often get a receipt for much more than the current used CL or Ebay prices. Too bad I don't itemize though ...

Speaking of TSPP... No? Well-
I think Tatman had it already but...
If I ever got a TSPP or even Futurama!
These babies would definitely be a part of it.
They even glow in the DARK..! OooOOooooOOoo- Awesome!
Think it would clash with my LOTR?

simpsons_hardware_1.jpg simpsons_hardware_2.jpg

Stopped by the local CEC and alas, no pins! They must have trashed them already.

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Hmmm..... why would CEC destroy pinball machines?

I've heard it's because it's company policy, probably to keep people from pulling the games out of their trash and opening a place called Sam E. Sauce's across town with old CEC games. You know, keep the games out of other people's hands so you gotta go to CEC to play any games.

I just ran into a couple dirty machines tonight with my youngest son. He is 13 and pretty interested in pinball. He likes the repairs and all. Goes with me to sealclubbers everytime I make the trip.

I asked him to go find a couple machines tonight and he was ready to go. We got there and found tla Demo Man and Road show. We were excited and got a handful of quarters. At $0.50 a play or 5 games for $2 I thought we were going to be there a while. I put $2 in each machine and started to play. The Demo man had the most dirt, but both machines did not "see" the ball hit half the targets and if you sunk the ball in a hole you had to wait for the machine to cycle the solenoids to get the ball moving again. Usually we just keep playing, but I found neither of us wanted to finish the credits we started with. Not only was I disappointed but my son was as well. If pinball is to stay alive we need the younger crowd to engage. Dirty machines that do not work do not help.

I was in Florida last week and made a stop by the Daytona Lagoon arcade. Last year there was a Harley Davidson and a Wheel of Fortune (I think) on the floor. This time around, however, they weren't there. Neither of them. And if I recall, HD played just fine and was actually in pretty decent shape. I turned the corner into the far back gameroom and saw the HD sitting along side a bunch of nonworking machines. It would be difficult to get me to think the machine has become completely unplayable in just a year's time, not to mention the WoF as well. Something's going on with management, and it stinks of rotting pinball machines. So much for finding some silver balls to bat around while I was there. I literally searched the entire place.