Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (
More info?)
"PL" wrote:
> At first I was thinking it was OK, and then remembered what happens to
> the mylar on these games. When the one went for over $5K on E-Bay last
> year was it a DP?
No- that one was factory mylar with some bubbling- it was a year ago last
November if I recall. $5600 (eBay).
> Realize this game is essentially new, but it seems there are a lot of
> guys around here that can make 'em new again ;-)
Well, "making" one new again isn't cheap nor free- there's really not a
"lot" of guys that are willing/able to do it on a game that isn't their own.
A lot of people don't think about this or even come close to realizing what
has to go into a game to "make it new" again. TONS of time, lots of
expensive and hard-to-find parts often needed, and of course a considerable
degree of skill/experience is helpful if you want a good job/quality as the
end result. And how "perfect" you want it to be, and how extensive you want
the game gone through (just the playfield restored, or the cabinet
overhauled, coin door, electronics, etc?)
Funhouse is a very mechanically-complicated and intensive game and usually
has a lot of parts that are beat to a pulp and need a lot of work to renew,
or leg work and cash to find and replace. With the type of full restoration
we do on the games we sell, this one is easily a 70 to 80 hour overhaul. If
you figure 70 hours at a shop service rate of $45 per hour, that's $3150
just in labor alone. Then add in the parts costs after that. And sales tax.
Or shipipng costs back-and-forth if you're sending the game out-of-state to
have the work done.
So that $2200 "as-is" Funhouse from eBay turns into a $5k-$6k+ game after
several weeks of hard work and parts rounding up, etc.
Like the old Fram Oil Filter ad: "You can pay me now, or pay me later". Buy
one cheap and pay as you go to fix it up, or belly-up and pay a premium
price right at the start to get one all finished and done- ready to play.
And price doesn't always dictate exactly what you're getting either- doesn't
always truly reflect the actual condition of the game, nor the quality of
the work/parts that went into it. Anyone can put any kind of price they
want on anything in any condition- it's up to the buyer to do the "homework"
and decide if it's a fair shake or not- know what you're getting- or what
you should be getting for the price- if you're really getting what you're
paying for, or just becoming another victim of a price-gouging seller.
Buyer beware.
If you want something to compare to, take a look at the last Funhouse we
restored and sold a few months back- pictures are still posted on our site-
www.actionpinball.com May give you a good idea about what kind of work goes
(or should go) into a proper overhaul on this game and what you may want to
look for to be sure the game is really overhauled right and that you're
really getting what you're paying for.
> I was actually trying to buy this game from the original seller before
> he ended the auction. Now wondering if it was a good thing I didn't get
> this game??? Actually really want to see opinions of the experienced
> RGP'ers on this subject!
There's $500 Mercedes and there's $50,000 Mercedes. Price doesn't always
reflect what you are getting. Just do your homework and make sure you're
really getting what you're paying for.
Ray J.
--
Action Pinball & Amusement, LLC
Salt Lake City, Utah USA
Web: www.actionpinball.com
We're serious about pinball. Anything else is just for fun!
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