Found a Taxi pinball that is local....

Syngefinger

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A friend/operator has a Taxi Pinball that he's interested in selling. I've been after him for a couple weeks to have him take me to his storage garage and take a look. Finally got a chance to look at it tonight. It was late and he'd just got off a 12 hour shift so I didn't get a chance to fire it up, but he assures me it plays well. I'll be going back this Sunday to play it and see how functional it is.

He'd thought it was a Marilyn version, but it turns out it's a Lola. Not a big deal to me, but it would of been nice to find a rarer Marilyn. It's pretty dirty as you can tell by the attached pictures. The rubbers are filthy and will definately need to be replaced. Also the bottom right slingshot has a broken plastic piece (roughly a inch broken off the one end). The playfield itself looks to be in fairly decent shape. A few minor wear spots, nothing major.

The backglass looks nice, but as you can see by the picture, the digital display for the jackpot has come loose and has fallen almost out of the display window. Not sure what would be involved in fixing that. Easy? Difficult? Anyone run into a similar situation?

The cabinet itself is a bit beat up, with the worst part the small chunk taken out of the front, shown in the last picture. Also noticed that near the top of the main cabinet, where the head sits in the upright position, the wood itself looks kinda punky and loose.

Overall it's surely not a collector piece, but assuming it fires up and plays well, I'll probably make him an offer. What would a fair offer be? I see on the site that tracks e-bay sales over the past couple years, that Taxi sells for an average of $900.00. I assume that the price represents a game that's been shopped and is fully functional. Any suggestions on what the offer should be?
 

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I would offer more like $700 for it. Needs to be shopped, seems to be in just so-so condition and its not a marilyn. I have a Lola myself, but its in super shape.

Jon
 
I just picked one up last night in similar condition for $475, but it had an adjustment error (easy fix). I've been playing it all day. I need to stop so I can focus on cleaning it up.
 
yeah, you aint getting that for $475 if it works. well, I hope you do, but I don't think youwill.

It' s definitely worth the $700 if she works.
 
Seems like a nice pin. Try to get it as low as you can, but the 700$ others have mentioned seems reasonable.
 
Grr. I know I keep saying it, but you are lucky... if I could get a machine like that around western canada for a grand I'd consider it a steal. Fun game. What's the difference between the two versions, I'm guessing that center'ish female lock has different voice and playfield art?

*edit* not a lock, a target. Taxi is a great game! Still jealous.
 
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$900 is probably about average for a Taxi but I'd try to get this one for less based on the cabinet wear and the playfield discoloration, and overall fair condition. At $400-500 it'd be a pretty nice deal. $700 would be more typical.

Wade
 
Thanks for all the input, guys. Greatly appreciated. Anyone have an idea if the Jackpot display is an easy fix or is there more to the repair than snapping it back into the holder? I've never seen the inner workings of a SS pinball before as my others are EM with the old scoring reels.
 
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Thanks for all the input, guys. Greatly appreciated. Anyone have an idea if the Jackpot display is any easy fix or is there more to the repair than snapping it back into the holder? I've never seen the inner workings of a SS pinball before as my others are EM with the old scoring reels.

Yeah, the scoring display should just have some little pegs that it attaches to. The couple of pins I have had, I have found that they tend to fall off the pegs when moving around and dropping the backbox. I hope you get it, Taxi is one of my pinball grails as it is my wifes favorite pinball ever. It would be great to see another one brought back to great condition. I have a line on one, once I get some more cash flowing again, here's hoping I can add another one to the group soon!
 
Thanks jdubb, I figured it might be as simple as popping it back in place. It's cool that your wife enjoys Taxi so much. If I do happen to buy it and you ever come up North to my neck of the woods you and your wife would be welcome to come by and play it. (Especially if that's your wife in your signature!)
 
Thanks jdubb, I figured it might be as simple as popping it back in place. It's cool that your wife enjoys Taxi so much. If I do happen to buy it and you ever come up North to my neck of the woods you and your wife would be welcome to come by and play it. (Especially if that's your wife in your signature!)

Awesome, thanks for the offer! We do get up north from time to time so I may have to take you up on that. As for the chick in my pic there, thats WWE wrestler Mickie James, the wife calls her my g/f whenever shes on tv lol. So hot, even though I am sure she could kick my ass!
 
Put the ball in his court and say "What do you want for it?".

Yeah, I usually just have an idea of what I want to spend and always ask first, "Is that the best you can do on the price? Is there any chance you can wiggle on that?" Typically they'll respond with their best price and often times it comes in lower than what I had in mind. If not, I'll just give my best offer and see how they react.

Always give them a chance to lowball themselves!
 
Yeah, I usually just have an idea of what I want to spend and always ask first, "Is that the best you can do on the price? Is there any chance you can wiggle on that?" Typically they'll respond with their best price and often times it comes in lower than what I had in mind. If not, I'll just give my best offer and see how they react.

Always give them a chance to lowball themselves!

Good suggestions. I'm not sure if they'll work on him or not. When we first started talking about the machine he'd said it was a rare Marilyn version and was in great shape. He was a bit surprised last night when we uncovered it, lifted the head up and saw that it was a Lola. I also pointed out that the Jackpot display appeared to be broken as well as some broken plastic pieces on the playfield. Perhaps his expectations of value have dropped some?

Who knows, I might ask him what he wants for it and he might low-ball what I'm thinking of offering, or he might think it's worth alot more than it is and say $1500.00. It's also possible that he'll not give me a price and make me be the one to tip my hand. Guess I'll find out Sunday.
 
I think a good place to start would be that $500 price point. He might not have any idea and think "Holy crap $500!?!" But if he is expecting more than that $500 shouldn't be an offer that would offend somebody with a pin that age. I know the one I plan on getting eventually, thats about where I was planning on starting the bidding.
 
I think a good place to start would be that $500 price point. He might not have any idea and think "Holy crap $500!?!" But if he is expecting more than that $500 shouldn't be an offer that would offend somebody with a pin that age. I know the one I plan on getting eventually, thats about where I was planning on starting the bidding.

Honestly that was what I was thinking. Maybe start at $450.00. I can always go up from there.
 
Honestly that was what I was thinking. Maybe start at $450.00. I can always go up from there.

A hardball seller will back out, and test the waters to see if you are desperate. Then you might slip up and immediately raise your price. Then he'll raise it even more.

If you are offering that low, you better be willing to walk.
 
A hardball seller will back out, and test the waters to see if you are desperate. Then you might slip up and immediately raise your price. Then he'll raise it even more.

If you are offering that low, you better be willing to walk.

Yeah that sucks. People who aren't good at bartering can easily be beaten by this.
 
Dude, if you are good at bartering at 14 then you will be super successful in life. Most people don't have the knack for it. Those that do, go into self-employed business ventures.

I'm decent at bartering. I've managed to get a Boxed nes game from this guy for the same price as his unboxed one.
 
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