Quoted from schudel5:The mist ball is probably one of the coolest things in pinball. And to not have it work isn't a deal breaker, but it's something you definitely want to get working.
The mist ball is a magnet, motor, couple long range optos and a opto control board. Most likely it's the optos or the opto control board that are likely suspects.
Other things to look for are faded reds in the cabinet, broken ramps, planking of the playfield wood and cracked inserts. This game is supposed to have lightning flippers but if they were changed that's an easy thing to put back in.
I just redid one of these.. mist is a pain to troubleshoot, but seems like the usual fix is to shotgun replace the two capacitors and the one inductor on the control board.
The inserts particularly the letters in Dracula are print to lifting, and the big moon “faces insert” is prone to edge wear.
Check the scoops for wear.
As others have said the reds usually fade badly.
Underneath the apron on the left side (you can see by lifting the instruction card) there will be a big SP or LS. SP is more desirable, allegedly LS made playfields were more prone to planking.
Omaha, NE
