Trade a beater POS for a new great game.

That way you are the ripper instead of the rippee.

LTG : )

Seeing the game in person is best.

Not sure I understand. It should be treated just like you’re buying the game outright. Inspect it and get comfortable with the condition before making the swap.

Always check to make sure no one is wearing a wire
Find out who has done time and where....in their crew
Always ask to see the merchandise before showing yours
Keep your cool throughout the whole process
Always flash "the hardware"

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Aaaaah, A man with experience, casehardened trader.

Always wear a condom, too.

For those trade deals that require that "special touch" to go trough

I typically trade with the same people over and over. I know what they mean when they describe a games certain way.

Another way I like to trade is to swap nice, shopped out games for projects and cash. A lot of people don’t like to or maybe just don’t know how to work on machines. They will gladly swap an old busted game and some cash for a clean working one.

I never thought trading was possible many years ago. I've had 3 trades in the last year.

It's just so much easier than a stack of cash and two transactions.

Remember to put on a condom.

I have done a number of trades and what I have learned is never make a trade in a parking lot. Never trade a game you can't inspect, power on, and run through tests. Everytime I have made an exception I have been burned.

1st rbion find out the magnet is chewed all to hell and that the scoop is so wallowed out I have to repair it, touch up, and cover with a cliffy (did not hide all the damage).
2nd rbion was supposed to see on route, guy pulls it when I am 10 minutes away. I was on time and it was a 4 hour drive to meet. Game had no sound.
Traded for a supposed nice, fully working stargate. Cab was planked. PF was planked. Game was an unplayable mess. It was a player's project. Spent a day and 50 bucks to reverse that trade. Was a pinsider too.
Radical with proto style ramp. Guy brought it from arizona. Shows up at my house late on a sunday night. He plays my tftc and see's it is fully working. I did not unfold his radical, my fault. Find out two of the ramps are melted including the proto. Two years later and it is still unplayable. Best part guy gets tftc home and starts complaining it has issues. IS unhappy because a game he has driven several thousand miles needs minor work, but says nothing about the destroyed ramps. My guess is the heat from leaving the game in the van melted the ramps.

This said, done a lot of trades that went well. Met a lot of great people. Take plenty of pics, do not describe your game, take pictures and make them good ones. Let people see the condition. If it has mechanical issues be up front. Ask for detailed pictures, trust no one, expect it to be worse than you expect. Play the game. Let them play your game. I've gotten one owner huo and I have gotten total projects as trades.

My current black knight was a high risk trade because i had few pics and he did not know what worked. Thing was the 24 I was getting made the black knight free in my eyes. If I did not need the funds I'd trade it when its done, but in this case will sell. The ag soccer ball and usa football I just got were trades. Both are projects, but the seller was up front and I knew what they needed. Will probably use the soccer ball as trade bait to get another game when its running. It is easier to find games you want this way.