buying arcade games

slimdiggie

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good morning,
I'm new to the forums and am currently turning my garage into a bar/arcade area. I'm having trouble trying to find games. I live in the Charlotte area and there are a few dealers that sell games but, they seem to be over priced. NBA Jams for 500 dollars is that resonable? most of the games I come across from these dealers are 400-1000 dollars in price. Where do you guys find your games? How do you determine pricing?

If anyone is selling any games for a good price around Charlotte, NC let me know.

Thanks,
Slim
 
I do most of my searching on Craigslist.org, or just by word of mouth. As for arcade pricing, It's all about the condition. If it works, what doesn't, is the artwork intact, is there a dead possum inside, etc..

If you have a question about the price of a certain game feel free to make a thread regarding it.

I tend to only purchase games around $50-$350. Don't be afraid to buy a broken game! You can fix it up for cheap. :cool:
 
Don't buy from dealers if you want low-priced games, unless the dealer is selling a very nice condition game that you wouldn't mind shelling out the cash for. More desireable games will cost more money too.

I've got most of my games from private owners on Craigslist, here on KLOV, or ebay. You may have to do some travelling too to get a good deal.
 
I come across a lot of broken games on CL but, I have no idea on how to fix them and am afraid to invest money into a broken game because who knows if its the monitor then it's big bucks from what I hear.

I have been checking CL like crazy but, no one is selling games.
 
i wish i knew about this forum before i started. i made some bad buys,paid way too much for some games. kinda hurts when i think about it yeeesh. anyway you've got a lot of people here that are willing to take the time to help. the search button is your best tool when you got a problem. oh and welcome to klov
 
I come across a lot of broken games on CL but, I have no idea on how to fix them and am afraid to invest money into a broken game because who knows if its the monitor then it's big bucks from what I hear.

I have been checking CL like crazy but, no one is selling games.

A lot of us didn't know how to fix these things before. :) The monitor can be salvaged unless it has suffered from screen burn. Which should be apparent when you go to look at the game. KLOV is a great resource of information and people here can help you diagnose the problem and fix it. I say better tried than never tried at all!

Have you put an advertisement up on Criagslist yet?
 
yea I actually just posted on cl again this morning. It just seems dry around here for some reason. I'll keep looking!
 
Have you posted a ad on craigslist asking for machines. One thing I have found if you post how much you want to pay that will be the lowest price you will find. But what I do is post a ad offering to hall off unwanted arcade games dead or alive you still get all the offers but many will be willing to have you hall them off for free or very little. I have even gotten working machines for free.
 
have you been searching all the craigslists within 100 miles or so? I use www.crazedlist.org. It lets you search across multiple cities. It can be hard to find particular games but it seems there is always a fair amount of games for sale. if someone has a high price on something you want you can always try offering less, if they haven't had much interest you might get them to come down to a reasonable price, which for most games in ok to good shape is usually 200-400.

I started with a MAME machine which I think is a good way to go if you want to try thousands of games.
 
When I first started collecting, it seemed impossible to find games. Just be patient and keep looking, make contacts in your area, watch klov for sale boards and hang in there.
Also, it may help to get a solid idea of what you really want and are willing to pay for and possibly repair. Don't go for market value, go find what you really want to play and it will help your quest. Good luck!
 
Hmm. Charlotte and Greensboro CL is pretty bare right now. Patience is important in this hobby. There is usually something available in Charlotte. I check occasionally since my fiancee lives there.

NBA Jam is probably a $350 game if dedicated and nice looking/working. NBA JamSSSSSSSS-----not sure what game that is.
 
I come across a lot of broken games on CL but, I have no idea on how to fix them and am afraid to invest money into a broken game because who knows if its the monitor then it's big bucks from what I hear.

Brother, if you don't know how to fix 'em, the first step in starting an arcade is learning. You can't just buy a bunch of these old games and expect to get years of use out of them, unless you're willing ot hire a technician. Even if you buy them working, they will develop problems, some quicker than others. 9 times out of 10 a working game will need work done on the monitor regardless, even if its coming up.

The good news is most of the problems you'll face are easy fixes. If you can learn how to solder then there's almost nothing you won't be able to fix. Everything you need to learn is out there for the taking on sites like this, so don't let it intimidate you. Take it from me that you can start with nothing and become competant pretty quickly.

The key is to start small with just one or two games. Learn what makes them go, learn how to service them, then once you're comfortable get a few more. If you have no experience, I would suggest against buying a dozen games straight off. You'll be in over your head before you know it.
 
yea I actually just posted on cl again this morning. It just seems dry around here for some reason. I'll keep looking!

Yeah- I've seen your ads.

Some other guy had the idea that I think works best.
Be patient.

Keep your eyes open and keep watching. Let all your friends know you're looking and stuff will come your way.

Try to be judicious. If you grab stuff you're not interested in, you'll just be trying to dump it again later.

Here's a lesson I've learned the hard way- don't be afraid to pay a little more for things you reallly want.

Any interest in a Trivia Whiz cocktail?

K
 
The games I'm looking for now are nba jams, blitz, nba hangtime and a golden tee...maybe a shooter. Yea the charlotte area hasn't had anything. I found a guy 2 hours from me but I don't have a truck.
 
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Look and see when the Winston-Salem auction is . It is run by Auction Game Sales. Not sure how far that is from you. But I hear sometimes they have cheap working games.
 
Lets see if anyone tries it.

:) The monitor can be salvaged unless it has suffered from screen burn.

Helpful tip for new comers:
Just pull the monitor out turn it upside down and shake. The particles that burned off will go back where they came from, like an etch-a-sketch.
 
Also, be willing to travel a little bit. I usually search within a 100 mile radius, good deals sometimes require spending some cash in gas. My buddy found a fully working Neo-Geo cab for $350, that included Metal Slug 1, Metal Slug 4, and a couple of the Samurai Showdown games. A 150 mile round trip, but worth it, I would have bought it if I had known about it.
 
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