Hey everyone, I am getting ready to buy my first pin (with my awsome wife's support also!). already did research on good games in my price point - $2000, cabinet condition, what I like, etc.. The next step and question for you guys is when I am out looking at a pin to purchase - what am I suppossed to check and can check mechanically with the machine while at the location? Being my first pin I expect the machine to have to be tinkered with over time, but would like to avoid buying a "lemon".

Oh, looking at Black Knight 2000 and High Speed 2. Got it - I will give a good look over and take the glass off to test all the features. I plan on trying to fix any future problems myself before I call someone to fix ($). I plan to have some maintenance happen on whatever I get, so I consider myself to have reasonable expectations for a first time buyer. Thanks.

Wow, Awsome info! Alot to take in (Am I back in college?). Back glass light on Getaway is out. Playfield looks clean from picture- have not seen yet. $1800. Getting more info as I type.
Black Knight 2000 is at $1950 has been shopped out and sold by a pin fixer/seller. Back glass changed out. One slight dime size ripple on playfield by lower right bumper and lighting bolt on right side of upper playfield very slightly raised - besides that playfield OK. Cabinet is a 7, I would guess. Seller will deliver free and back it with a 30 day warranty parts labor, and phone support free after that. He will service for a charge $ after that to come out. Thanks for the info!

Different seller's. BK 2000 has 30 day + delivery and set up (which is big for me being first pin). Just heard back from other seller and he said Getaway is sold "as is" - I am taking Getaway off the list now because this is a guy who has experience in selling pinballs ( he has 6 other games for sale) and had others around in pictures of pin he sent me. So why wouldn't he fix the back glass lighting problem? Could be lazy or doesn't care or bigger problem he does not want to deal with. All these reasons are not good.

OK BK 2000 price is a little high, but not bad with delivery and having someone who backs machine. I realize "backing machine" could be a bunch of voice mails that don't get returned, but this guy seems OK. Plays fast- I dig it!
If I look under playfield and backglass and have him run a test on Pin with me, would this be a "you did what you could considering this is your first pin" situation?
I plan on pulling the trigger soon, but of course after a do a better machine at a lower price will pop up- happens all the time.
Being a first Pin buyer I also feel that my money is not "gone" after purchase. Money is sitting in the Pin and you can get it out when you sell it. I feel if I maintain a machine reasonably I could get 2/3rds $ back on a Top 100 machine with a fairly quick marketing time. This make me feel good.
Whoa. Long Post -Must- Stop-Now! Thanks

Got it. Only thing I do really question is why someone who is knowledgable with pins and sells them regularly would not fix the machine before he sells it. $1800 for Getaway sounds OK, $1800 and later Oh by the way -the back lighting is out and it is "as is" sounds not near as good.

Good idea and I could use this in negotiations in the future instead of just focusing on price.