They certainly aren't hard to sell if you're willing to lose money! The voice of experience...

Not hard to sell.. but that is relative... depends how much you ask...

Craig, did you say you're willing to lose money?

There is always a someone who will want your whatever, lol. Just do some research beforehand to make sure you don't grossly overpay. Ask the pinheads in your area, too. Prices and desirability can swing quite a bit from region to region

I've lost money on all but one pin I've sold. I broke even (or fairly close to it, at any rate) once. I bought pins thinking I would never part with them, fixed them up with new ramps, plastics, etc., and then eventually ran out of space. I had to decide whether to hold onto them and get nothing new or else sell them at a loss. I was willing to do the latter, but it wasn't enjoyable, especially in one case where I lost quite a bit. Live and learn.

BINGO. Buying low and not following the lust that boils within is key. Took me last 18 months to learn this....

DOH! this was supposed to be an edit

I've lost count of my buys, sells trades but can say most were a loss or even, only 1 made a few bucks. My issue is not having a steady flow of play money since it's based on OT. When I get the hots for something I need to raise whatever - however and add to the kitty.

It can happen, I swore that I wanted a black knight, got one and was just not into it. But I sold it for what I paid a couple of months later, so no harm no foul.

This assumes your own enjoyment of the pin while you had it has less value than the amount you "lose".

Frankly, if you actually assume that owning/playing/fixing a pin is something that makes you happy and has some value to you, I bet most people don't really "lose" money.

Naturally I am aware of this, but there are times when the money that is lost exceeds by some margin the amount of use the machine received. Those are the ones that I regret.

To put this in context, I am thinking mainly of the first couple of pins I bought, which were purchased at a high markup from a dealer. I lost the most on those. I've lost money on others, but not nearly as much.

"Stuck" with "pins"? I see what you did there

The more research you do before you buy a pinball machine, the better off you will be when you decide to sell a pinball machine.

People buy pins with an expectation of selling them? I plan to keep them forever.....

For those of us that aren't rich, a lot of the time buying a pinball machine means you are basically just renting one. You can usually always get your money back once you are done with it.

Start with one and see how it goes. You probably get bored of it in 3 weeks. Im bored with 24. Its like a movie collection. You got your favorites and you got your fillers. You can only watch them so many times.

Just being aware of Pinside puts you on a different footing from most newbies. Like a lot of people who first enter the hobby, I checked eBay and a range of dealers' websites. I did not know a single owner to whom I might turn for advice. By the time I bought my fourth pin, I was much better informed and far wiser.

That makes sense. I can see that scenario being rough. This is why I feel fortunate to be only able to afford B-list, players quality pins; it bounds the amount I can lose.

Don't go crazy replacing stuff that isn't broken with hundreds (or thousands) of dollars worth of parts.

Don't be ignorant of machines value vs. condition and allow yourself to be ripped off by some of the shadier sellers out there; check a sellers rep; the time it takes can save you plenty of heartache.

I don't think many people are "stuck" with Pins they can't sell. At a low enough price I will buy anything, even if I am out of room. Kinda like houses, you can lose a whole lot of money on them, but if every house in my town went down to 10 bucks I would buy them all. Since someone else would do the same all the houses in the town are not dropping that low (exceptions can happen... I guess parts of Detroit?).

Anyways, it is a hobby. Expect to lose money, especially buying NIB.

Games like Transformers LE and Avengers LE are not $7K games (when you compare what you get with other used games), even with a fake LE sticker and even with people paying NIB prices in that range.

It is okay to have fun, pay whatever and live life. Just be honest with yourself. It is a hobby. Hobbies usually cost some money. Compared to other big boy toy hobbies pinball is actually pretty cheap unless you go cookoo for coco puffs crazy.

The problem isn't will you tire of a game, but how fast you purchase your second....

well stated - the investment in the hobby grows along the way.... I've had to cash out and slim down once already.

There are some games that are impossible NOT to find (TAF, TZ, Flash, Gorgar, Playboy)

And others that you might not ever find for sale .

You will probably at first buy whatever is nearby, or is a "bargain" and quickly build up a small collection (whatever your wife allows).

Latter, you will hold on to favorites and trade away others that you mastered, or never cared about.

a fun rating of 7.8 or higher on ipdb.com and you'll not only end up with a sure fun game to play it'll also be easier for you to sell later on

One thing I forgot to add is if you are spending thousands per game, on X many games... play as many as you can, over a period of time.

If you buy what others tell you is good, rather than developing an educated opinion of what you like, you are more likely to end up with a room of "unused Christmas presents" you are bored with.

Omg this is the worst advice. Never ever buy a game based on ratings. Find out for yourself.

I wish I had found pinside before I brought my first pin, I expect to loose 2k + if I was to sell. NIB 2nd pin brought for theme knowing I will not get what I paid but as stated above, what price do you put on enjoyment and fun. It's a hobby with very few pins selling for more than original purchase price. So go in expecting to make a loss and depending on your financial position buy cheaper pins to reduce your potential loss if that a concern for you.
I'm buying my 5th pin now a TSPP because I like it, not to sell it and make a profit. Life is to short to worry about money. 24k spent in 8 months and loving it. I do have MS so not sure when my health will stop me playing, but for now all is good.

Just beware once you by one you will want another then another just enjoy the ride, who knows where it will end!

When we got into this hobby, my wife and I decided that we would make sure we were comfortable both mentally and financially if every machine we would buy could one day be worthless.

We have never sweated a single purchase. Please just make sure you are financially sound before getting into an expensive hobby. Nothing is more painful to me than seeing people have to sell to make ends meet or because they don't have an emergency fund for medical issues that may pop up. Ever wonder why the majority of pinsiders are 35+ ? It's because they are (usually) the ones with more financial security.

It's the most important issue I can think of. If you're good there, who cares if you're stuck with a pin. There are worse things to be stuck with!

LOL, couldn't find a bandaid to save my life a few weeks ago, but have plenty of spare fuses for the pins. Decided I'd go play a game of Pinbot while I bled to death

Best ways to not lose money are to be patient for good deals to pop up, buy games in excellent condition that don't need tons of $ dumped into them, buy games that are sought after, and protect/maintain your games with Cliffys, leg protectors, new balls, wax, fresh batteries, minimal sunlight, etc.

something i wonder...

do any of you who say you "lose" money get any enjoyment out of playing pinball?

Don't overpay. That is it. If you pay "reasonable market price", you may lose a bit, but you won't get hosed. Of course it is a hobby, and an expensive one to boot, but don't sweat losing a bit of money. Don't let a hundred bucks stop you from getting a game you really want. Don't let a hundred bucks prevent you from selling a game you no longer want. I've lost money on some of them, made it on others, and played a shitload of pinball along the way. Enjoy them while you own them, and keep them running well for the next guy. Man I love this hobby.

I agree. Play many and buy what you like. Do not worry about what others think about it. If you are a newbie, buy from another collector. Most of the time you will do better that way. I have 14 of them. I think in the end the money thing would be at worst even. But, I play for the love of the hobby and the game. Its not my day job and I never expected to raise money out of it.

i'm $1000 to the "bad" on the games i sold and i'm okay with it. I don't think pinball is a free hobby.

at least there is one person who doesn't think their hobby should be free...

it seems to me like many place no value at all on playing their machines though...

Yep! Love playing pinball and expect to lose money if I sell! Money is a nessacary evil in this world but pinball is a kick ass hobby. Worked hard all of my working life, even two jobs at some points so I could set my self up. So if you think losing some money would take the enjoyment out of playing pinball....your looking at it the wrong way!

I can't get the ridiculous high prices they are asking on EBay for my pins... I guess I am stuck with them

I tend to stay away from pricks.

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I've probably lost sone money on about 12 games I've sold in the past but, I've also gained by playing them for free, sending them to good new homes and meeting new friends for a lifetime. For me.... The folks you get to know are almost as good as the pins!~SpOoKy

Surely there is a reasonable middle ground on this question. Say I buy a pin for $1000, play it 200 times, and then sell it for $800. I have paid $1 a play and had the convenience of having it in my home. That is an acceptable expense, and I would not be unhappy about it. On the other hand, say I buy a pin for $4,500, get the same 200 plays, and sell it for $2,500. That works out to $10 a play. Personally, I would regard that as a waste of money. I have had both experiences. Of course, I enjoy the games, and I don't expect them to be free, but that does not mean that I should be heedless of their resale value, assuming that I do ever intend to resell them. To me, that is just being sensible. Of course, with experience comes wisdom. I am now clearer about what I should spend and have more realistic expectations about how much I will use a pin, how soon I might want to sell it, and so on. This is not an all-or-nothing-at-all issue.

I always buy a pin with the expectation that I may sell it. That way I don't over pay.

It's harder to get your money back if your like myself and spend the extra $350-500 in shipping fees per game. (Especially when the game only sells for $700 - 2000 to begin with)

exactly- its why i will stick 5k in time restoring a 1k game, i will get my fun a quarters worth at a time.

I started out buying the pins I really loved in the arcade days. It felt really good to be able to play them anytime I wanted and I knew I was hooked. Attended some events which gave me a great opportunity to see which pins I really enjoyed. Then I started researching, saving and buying them one by one. Im out of room nowadays but try to leave a space or two open for new pins. These are usually ones I dont plan on keeping forever but to rock them for a time and then pass them on for someone else to have fun with. If it sells for a little less so be it. The enjoyment I receive is priceless. I simply love pinball and feel very fortunate to be able to experience all these wonderful machines and to have met so many great people in the process.