What I think is it's a great looking ES, that I would not pay $2500 for.
Personally I use the pinside prices for a general idea. Will I pay a couple hundred less or more from time to time; sure. Will I spend 2500 on an ES that lists at 1500; I'm not. But money, time, pride, is different for all people.
Using the pinside price I haggled with a guy for a while over $50 on a LAH, and I wouldn't budge, and I left without it. That is half pride, half I didn't really want the machine that bad
If I found a machine I really liked, was really nice, and I REALLY wanted would I pay a couple hundred more pinside lists it? Sure. What's a $200-300 going to mean to you after a couple months. Probably nothing.

I think it was around 1200ish, if I remember correctly. It was a really nice machine besides some magnet wear on the playfield (the ticket), which was my big issue, everything else was perfect. Super super clean, crane worked well. If I could have got it for 1150-1250 I would have done it. At that point I was itching to buy something though.

You can put a 50 cent piece of mylar over the ticket area, and it should be fine, but it will never be fixed. Of course I would act like you're going to have to fix it up and get some money off. and then deduct the price of a Cliffy protector for the scoop which is usually bad (scoops?). Personally i don;t care much about the sides of machines...but you could mention that.

ALSO factor in the West Coast thing which I hear makes things higher. I mean I wouldn;t feel bad if you showed up with 12 $100 bills and said "how about this?" EDIT: But then hey, if you are willing to spend $1200...is $100 more that big of a deal?