Anybody ever think it could be a $1500 FH?

I like how everyone makes the immediate assumption that the pin sold by a guy that doesn't know prices immediately has a HUO machine. Maybe it's a total POS for all you know. I would love to see the highest bidder get it in that case. Greed will catch up to you sooner or later.

Go on bid it up! since the seller probably can't even tell you as much about it as where the quarters go in the thing.

Quoted from necro_nemesis

Anybody ever think it could be a $1500 FH?

I like how everyone makes the immediate assumption that the pin sold by a guy that doesn't know prices immediately has a HUO machine.

I think we're more discussing the art of kijiji buying, not so much the machine in particular..

I'm with Necro though.  I've been told "mint" or "100%" more than once and I don't think I've actually gotten one that way yet.  I know what I want to pay even before I see a machine and stick to it. You get what you pay for. A machine that's listed in the Mr. Pinball Price List can sell for $2500 or it can sell for $1500 or less.  But buyers put a lot of faith in the fact that they could possibly "sell" it at "book value".  Ever wonder why so many pins are for sale right now?  Right, buyers market, not sellers - it's a recession.

Here's my take on the whole "it's worth more" situation...

If the seller is savy enough to use Kiijiji to list stuff for sale, they should be savy enough to do a *little* homework before listing and figure out the item's value.

If the seller has listed it for a specific price, that is a price the seller would be happy to get for the item no matter what it's perceived "value" might be.  If it ends up being a deal for the buyer because it's listed for less than the "market" price, both parties will be happy in the end.

'Nuff said.

D

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Take that, and mix in a misunderstanding of what constitutes "in great shape" and that's what equates reality.

Case in point is that Taxi I helped my buddy buy last year. To my untrained eyes, the machine really looked ok and I'd have rated it as "pretty nice" but my pretty nice comment was taking into account the price $400 (which is TOTALLY relevant) and I really didn't know where to look for the faults. Upon further review, I'd still say it's an awesome deal but I wouldn't never say aesthetically speaking, it's very nice (though I'd still say "acceptable").

Anyway, to answer the dynamic duo up there, my wife says I'm more catholic than the pope. She's exagerating of course but I've been known to get into a deal and one thing I'll say BEFORE it's clinched is: "You know, you could probably get more if you're patient". So in a deal like Funhouse, I'd have told them "it's a great deal depending on the shape it's in, but I'm willing to buy it at that price. Know that you could get more if you're patient but I've got cash now so it's up to you.   Do you want to commit?".  I wouldn't tell him how much it's worth because... I have no friggin idea, but that's up to them to do the leg work but yeah, I'd be honest with the seller.

Rob, that's often my approach too and never has it backfired, the seller has always more interested in getting the deal done cleanly with an honest and prompt purchaser than dickering about trying to get "the best offer".  Where I've seen the latter happen, it seems to be a meeting between a greedy seller and over-zealous and desparate buyers. On that "deal" high Speed I spent $600 on, someone pulled that "it's worth more, I'll pay you more" crap and the seller backed out to try their luck.  Well based on what I got, I'lll bet this "samaritin" buyer went there, took one look at it and ran like hell.  I nearly cried when I saw it too.  But did I back out?  No, I bought it because I said I would, and I took the risk of making an offer on something site unseen.  (And I keep telling myself it is a "challenge" project, to test my skill and committment to pinball restoration.)

And can you believe it, this seller seriously cried like I was taking away a child when I took his beloved never been cleaned, no lights working, sound not working, bare whitewood playfield, scratched cabinet, rusty legged, broken stop light with no lense High Speed out of there.

Also, if anyone is interpretting that I am sour grapes over the failed purchase, I was just thinking it made an interesting subject to discuss since it seems to be happening more and more. I'm actually relieved I got saved from making another purchase that I can't afford right now.

heh.. reminds me of a Party Monsters that was for sale recently... I was first in line at $500, said I'd be there at noon to pick it up (it was 11am at the time).  When I called back to confirm before leaving, he said someone called and offered him $750, but since I was first I could have it so long as I matched the price.    Well... $750 still being a decent price, my buddy menace here offered to check it out for me.  Thankfully, he was able to determine there was about $500 - $600 in repairs needed just to get it in test-worthy mode, since it had been raped of all boards.  Take that, douche bag who bid the price up.  

Yes forget the seller whose only interest is in the money.  What about the buyer who would offer more knowing a deal was already in place as if it were an auction.  How can they justify that?

Quoted from websherpa

What about the buyer who would offer more knowing a deal was already in place as if it were an auction.  How can they justify that?

Meh I have no problem with someone offering more.

Welcome to the real world, this isn't trading your crappy lunches in grade school.

Come on! we made a deal... cheese and crackers for soggy pickle! Nevermind the guy who offered the balogne sandwich, I want my crackers!  

You never know the reason the seller has decided to list the games.  Either they need room, or they need money.  I think 90% of the time they need the money.   Given the current economy that percentage may even go up.  If they can make more which in the end helps their financial situation then so be it.  Ultimately they are concerned for their own situation and not the buyers.  They aren't always being selfish.  If they find out its worth more, and you argue with them about the fact that you had a so called agreement on the initial list price, then whose the selfish one?  Who's taking advantage of who?

I can't get over the amount of moaning and groaning that goes on in this site.  Boohoo.  Seriously.  Oh, and i wonder how many would snag a cheap deal to flip it for a small or large profit down the road?  Or wait, if you bought something well below market value does that then mean you have to keep it for life, because selling it for more in a few months or even years would be morally wrong!?  Be realistic.  So you didn't get it, so what.  Something else will come.  It always does.  

Adam’s 3 rules of purchases:
1. There will always be shabby people who do shabby things.
2. Sometimes, in particular situations, generally honorable people will also do shabby things.
3. Honorable people should never try to aggressively expand their sphere of influence unless they are prepared to be disappointed from time to time.

In a nutshell:
If you’re an honorable person, great, let that be its own reward. Trying to compete or compare yourself with the shabby will only drive you nuts… If on the other hand you’re a shabby person, that’s fine too. Just don’t expect any sympathy when the tide turns and you’re on the losing end of a deal.

Don't like my rules, that's cool, go make your own then
Adam