Quoted from PopBumperPete:I want a strong cabinet, no water damage, no delamination
A faded cabinet, or someone scratching their initials in it adds to the character
So true. If I plan to keep it in the house I would like it to be pretty nice, but if it's faded and scratched I'd keep it in the garage all day.
Usually sometimes the cabinet look can give some detail to the denaturization of the playfield.
My space shuttle is faded, but it has a logo tag from aladin's castle that I find to be priceless to me because it tells a story.
All and all I usually cover the pinball machine when not in use and unable to see the cabinet.