NIB, if you want to play and only want to do minor repairs for the first year or two of ownership, although there are exceptions of course depending on what you buy. This is what I did, I bought MMR NIB and it has been very reliable. First machine for me in Jan 2017. I have only had to replace a couple of minor parts, a troll head and a post stud that broke. The machine has never been "unplayable" in the time I've had it and that was important to me as a first time owner. I did do a substantial amount of modding, 23 protectors installed, 2 light mods, shaker motor and DMD color chip installed, anti-rattle tape on the pf glass, some colored anodized nylock nuts, filed down sharp side rails and did a shop job. Some of this stuff was minor , some not. Buying NIB allowed me to play and be an owner for a while and ease into the machine work side of it.