Here is the part I don't understand...we have an industry that has been told for 50 years by operators that they need a product that is relatively service free. Why can't the industry listen and change? Is it impossible to build parts that can last? Flipper mechs, pop bumpers, etc. have remained mechanically unchanged for 50 years. Can't the industry think differently and build a tank the industry demands?

If I were an operator, I wouldn't accept a product that (according to posts on this forum) rarely works properly out of the box. I wouldn't buy a product that ships incomplete. I wouldn't buy a product that requires the amount of service required to keep them working. Why would you, when you can buy a competing product that works, requires almost no service, and makes more money?

Everyone blames the operator. Why are we not blaming the industry for decades of "it's good enough"? They have been the problem.

In my opinion new machines need to be better built than they have ever been built if we want pinball to survive. We need machines that on average needs a 5000 mile oil change, tires at 50,000 miles, and wheel bearings at 100,000 miles.

That's great, but labor intensive. Why would an operator with many locations want to do that when he can put other types of games out and make more money without the hassle? We accept and expect pinball machines to break. To me, that's wrong. What other industry accepts this?

I applaud you, LTG, the Barcades, and anyone that routes pinball machines. But, you are niche locations, not the norm. As a pinball lover, I'd like to think I would do the same. I know that as a businessman I wouldn't.

Every time another defective game leaves a factory, pinball dies a little more. Look how many people with NIB machines on this forum are waiting for parts for their new games to work. Why would a business person want to go through this every time they buy a pinball machine? Look at posts from operators "all games need some tweaking out of the box". Why?? I'm giving you $7000. I expect it to work 100% now, and for the entire warranty period. We expect this from all other devices, appliances, vehicles, etc. with moving parts. Why not a pinball machine? What makes this device so special that we will accept such high rates of failure as routine?

32,000 x .50 = $16,000. Location gets 50%. Owner gets 50%. $16,000/2= $8000

That doesn't include time and gas to empty the coin box, count and split the money or taxes, licenses, insurance, a vehicle to transport...

Never been to the midwest, huh?

See the posts on the MGC. There's as much talk on what beer are you bringing as what machine are you bringing.

I'd say 90% of our machines are in bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters. Shoot, we can buy beer at Chuck E. Cheese here.