Buy pinball for $2000, put $500 of parts and a dozen hours into pinball, now you have a $2000 pinball machine that will sell faster than when you bought it.

I don't look at it as over paying for a game. I look at it as tuition for learning something new. Unfortunately tuition bills don't seem to be going down with more education.

Lots of lessons to be learned here

Worst part is... THATS not even the worst deal out there....

(cue the Magic Girl 'investors')

Wasn't there somebody who had ordered 2 Magic Girls and either a RAZA or AIW and was in for over $30,000 to JPop? I remember reading about that a few months ago, but it would take some research to locate the exact post.

Some people have paid money for machines like IJ4 and then instead of just being out the money, they actually have to have it take up room in their house.

I overpaid for several machines, but others went up in value, I'll call it break even with many learning experiences

for a guy not involved you sure do like to try and rub the salt into the wounds as much as possible.

And mine is the most expensive Cyclone in GA. Went on e-bay to buy a machine for my gameroom before meeting anyone else in this hobby - not even knowing there was a pinball collector community, and bought the first cyclone I found since it was the game I remembered having the most fun playing years ago. Paid $1600 by "winning" the e-bay auction, paid $400 to ship it and when it arrived it had very little paint left on the cabinet. I proceeded to have it shopped out with LEDs by someone locally for $450, putting it at about $2500, at least it played 100% and the playfield wasn't too worn. Learned a lot since then thanks lots of many friends in the hobby, and will keep this as long as I own pins. In fact, having it finally re-stenciled a year and a half later, probably silly to spend the money but does it really matter at this point? lol At least it's a game I will always enjoy having in the gameroom. Funniest thing, and seems to be common occurrence among many in this hobby, the gameroom I bought the one pin for has become nothing but pins!

I don't know why you got two thumbs down for that because I'm in the EXACT same boat. Worst deal I made (and it was my very first) was a $500 F-14 Tomcat back in 2001. It was a POS. No lights on top (or motor) inserts all lifting, wiring all brittle, one problem after another and never ending. I must have pumped $1500 into before it was all said and done and then I sold it (not fully working) in 2012 for.......$500.

I paid $1000 deposit on a stupid $8000 remake that was never made. Luckily I got that money back.

So, Capcom Kingpin then?

No. I'm talking about a coin operated machine that was to be delivered middle of 2014 with shiny gold trim, a fully colorized display, and parts made to Williams specs.

I am pretty sure I over payed for last my four games. I lack patience and the pinball market is not particularly abundant out here.

I paid $1,000 on ebay for a Taxi - playfield was blow out… the cost of parts ---- wow I can't remember…. I just remember having a $2,000 taxi that I was lucky to sell for $1,000 to some person who's going to also say he overpaid.

Yes? Did I get summoned?

Bought a BK2K for $1900, had the playfields clearcoated, rebuilt all solendoid assemblies with new parts and bought a new Alan Meyer repro backglass too. The playfield and backglass were gorgeous, but the cabinet was the weak spot with a lot of planking. About $3500 in and I was lucky at the time to get $1600 for it. This was about 2004 I think...

Rob

Sounds like the only bad decision there was not holding onto it for another decade. I wonder how much a nice CQ CC'd BK2K would get right now, a perfect set of playfields sells for just under what an average full game does.

Ha! That's usually my joke when somebody talks about boobs. Touche, my friend...good to have a joke turned around on me!

Choggard!!! Is what some are too embarrassed to say. Lucky I did not take it...

$9100 CAD for TWD LE.

Probably $3400 (australian) for my HUO RBION afew years back, not a bad price (good price now) but the fact I sold it for the same price and now I see beat up RBION's or lesser pins going for the same price makes me wish I held on to it as I doubt I'll find another one in that condition for close to that price.

Why do people sell a game then buy it not long after. I just don't get it...

Same reason they kick their old lady out the door and beg her to come back in a week.

I guess I am too lazy.

? I don't get this...

You weren't a wayne-o mm ordered were you?

Space Shuttle for $400. I think it spent a week in the rain about 5 years before I got it.

Neither did anybody else...

Waited about seven months for any Sorcerer to come up for sale within driving distance, and finally picked up the first one that became available close enough, in PA. Wouldn't you know it, the next month, four more Sorcerers pop up for sale here and on CL, all in slightly better condition than mine, all closer than PA, and all cheaper than mine.

first pin paid 2k for a simpsons data east, then following week 2100 for a freddy. Learned from it, and now make much better decisions!

How old's your stepdaughter? naughty.gif

Hence why you usually see $600 price tags on SF2. There is a reason I deem it one of the worst DMD games ever made.

I bought a nice Hook for $750 with gas into it. Couldn't give it away fully working and nice condition for $700.

Had a fully working laserball. Fair backglass nice playfield. Had $280 into it. Took a month to sell it for $225. Those are the only 2 games i've lost money on. Others I usually at least break even on. If you don't lose money on it, it still was worth experiencing the game enough for free.

JESUS CHRIST, That is genuinely fucking frightening. Never, NEVER do that to us again.

Another reason could be someone throws stupid money your way for your game. There is no such thing as not for sale in the pinball world. I sold my mint perfect, dialed in tommy, only to buy another one 3 days later for half the price that's almost as nice. (still doesn't play as smooth as the one I sold tho

I almost only have B and C titles which I've most likely paid A list prices for looking at the amount of money and time I pour into these games. I feel drawn to rescuing heavy routed machines that transforms into very good/moderate player's.

6k us for a lotr (plus the cash it cost to get it here)

4k for an Algar and Hot Doggin. I knew I was overpaying but didn't care as when I want something I buy it! I love both of those games.

Yep, me too.

Often it's the first pin you buy.

I bought a fairly rough Bride of Pinbot from a local dealer in 2010. I don't want to admit how much, as I knew nothing then. I was away on vacation, and this ad popped up on eBay that triggered memories of the game I used to play all the time at the local bowling alley back in the day. This was it!

Let's just say probably another 50% on what it was worth.

It's still a favourite, and I've learned so much about how pins work and fixing them that I don't regret it at all. It also got me back into this hobby where I've met up with some fantastic people.

In fact, it's up for a full restore not too far down the track.

I'm now up to 8 pins and have had the confidence to get in and fix things that I may not have if I hadn't needed to work on the old Bride as much.

So, money spent to learn new skills I don't think is ever wasted.

Mike.

$500 for a non-working Foxy Lady.

Ebay checkpoint $850 wound up at 1400 in it. Cab was horrible, playfield missing parts , bad ramp. Wound up nice after playfield swap and all bad parts swapped...sold for 1250 after 2 years. Next would be demo man for $750 came from someone I knew it was a basket case all boards bad and display bad ....and swing arm board bad.

5k for a Medieval Madness? They go for 8 grand now. You did pretty good on that one!

21. I'll take $3000 now for a permanent loan. $1k by Christmas.

Why won't your wife get a job?

This seems to be pretty normal. It's like a bunch of people suddenly get the notion to sell the same machine at the same time. Some kind of pack mentality or migration habits or something...

This is a good point. A lot of games I thought were a crap deal turned out okay because of pinflation. A beautiful LOTR for 5500 a year and a half ago doesn't seem so bad now.

I get it!

You are saying you were gonna buy an MMR...but you got sick of waiting so you bailed!!!

Hilarious!

With no context it sounded like bragging.

that still hurts!

Way too much for that title!

You never really say that when your friends are selling..

I can probably dig up two $5400+ WI LOTR games that youve talked up, but never talked down the price

dig them up. I'd like to see if that is what I said and if it was before or after I knew you were interested

Is that what you paid? You got one of the nicest examples I have ever seen, but if you paid 5400 that is still a grand more then I would ever spend on that title.