I feel stupid!!!!

CalifTom

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Just got back from Super Auction in Compton, CA. I made the worst purchases in the history of my buying games. I believe an explaination that led to these purchases is in order. Yesterday I had an opportunity to buy a working Q*bert for 150.00 and a Star Wars for 200.00, site unseen. Before I pulled the trigger I wanted to see pics, because I would be driving 6-8 hrs to get them. I recieved an email shortly after saying the games just sold. Man did I feel stupid. In the back of my mind I still had the auction to go to and redeam myself.
So, my wife and I get up and make sure that we will get there in time to check things out in the preview. I see some classics that I could be interested in. As a whole, most of the games were poor to moderate shape. I would also say that most of the games were conversions and neo-geo types. Again very few classics.
The first thing that catches my eye was a tempest machine, the only one there. The bad thing is I can't plug it in. The cord was locked inside (the first thing that should have detered me). I also saw that the cp had no buttons or spinner (second thing). I did like the condition of the cabinet, it was good and the art had only a few scratches. So I decided to take a chance and won the bidding at 125.00. Right after I purchased it, another KLOV'er says did you buy the tempest and I said yes. He said did you know that there was no monitor. Of course my jaw drops; "No I didn't know that". I think how stupid could I be. Sure enough, I shine my flashlight through the glass and I can see the back (GREAT JOB).
Now what do I do, I only have room for one more game. I have a little toyota P/U, two games max.
I set my sights on this Defender cabinet that was converted to a Bubble Bobble (It also did not come on, another good clue). I wait patiently for it to come up. While I wait, games are being sold with working monitors for 25.00. Some machines that don't come up are being sold for 10.00. No this is not a typo. The game finally comes up and I win the bid for 50,00. I think that's not so bad. I look at my wife and say lets pay and load up. I start to load the games and as I start to roll the Bubble Bobble I notice something, it doesn't have a monitor either. Oh how stupid can you be!!!!!
The ride home is about an hour and a half. My wife and I are laughing at the whole thing. She was trying to make me feel better and say that I'm sure you can get them fixed up. I like that about her. As we are pulling into the neiborhood she says speaking to the neighbors, "don't worry about us we are just bringing in some more junk". Got a good laugh out of that too.
Now here is the big kicker. Since neither one of the games has a monitor, I at least know that they have pcb's and some other parts that I might be able to salvage. Come to find out, both boards have tags on them indicating problems. NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HOW STUPID CAN I BE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, the lesson of the day. Check all the games very carefully before you bid. If you can't look to your satisfaction don't bid or pay for what you see.
 
Well, you live and learn. I NEVER buy a game without seeing it atleast attempted to be turned on.
 
So, my wife and I get up and make sure that we will get there in time to check things out in the preview.

The problem. ;)

You need somebody that knows games and can help scrutinize them if you get auction fever. I say this not as an insult, but someone who also gets caught up in the moment and prone to impulse purchases. Had the KLOV'r that offered you the tip after the buy been there, you probably wouldn't have missed either detail.

The Defender might not be so bad, its a great game and getting a monitor and board parts for it isn't a huge deal. The color vector for the Tempest might be a party pooper.
 
While I know times are tough and most of us don't have enough of it, it's always good to remember "it's only money".
 
You really have to be jonesing for a Defender cab if you don't notice no monitor in it. It's not like it's heavily tinted like the Tempest...
 
Sounds like something I would do, but I think it would be tough to pass on a sure deal with the Q-bert and Star Wars (even if it is sight unseen) instead of rolling the dice with whatever may be at an auction. You still got a couple of good games though.
 
Hey Tom,

Those deals on the long drives are a tough sell, honestly. Even if you did come to an agreement with the seller, you have to have faith that they wouldn't sell it out from under you in the time it would take you to get there! And for those prices, I would probably be sweating it all the way there!

At my first auction I bought a nice working APB WITH the seat for $75. Only it wasn't working and there was no seat. I found out too late I bid on the wrong one. DOH! I never got that thing working and resold it for $50. :eek: Of course now those things are much harder to come by (there were at least four of them at my first auction!).

That Tempest was not bad. You have a decent starting point if you're trying to put one together from parts, and if you did decide to part it, you might be able to recoup some of that money back so it doesn't hurt so much.

Yeah, good chance to score a parts cab if that's what you were looking for. Don't despair, there will be many more auctions and chances to get some good deals. Get what you can out of your haul and get ready for the next one!

Should be able to fit four cabs even in a compact P/U, no? Tailgate down, though.
 
meh i have spent more on projects that require that much work. Really just depends on if you want the game and enjoy a project.

Just think how badass it will be to have them sitting side by side all restored and working perfect. Like mentioned before it is only money you can always make more :)
 
Thank you

Sucks what happoned at the auction. I did want to say thank you for posting this. I'm planning on going to my first auction in november (If I can get my truck running well enough to make the trip from Appleton to Milwaukee and back). Im sure Auction fever will catch up with me when Im there also. Being a Newb I would have never thought of bringing a flashlight to check if there was a monitor or not. Stories like this are important to new people like me who have know idea what to expect and no one to guide me when I'm there. Good luck
 
WOW! You had quite a day didn't you.
You should only feel stupid if you do that again. Think of this as one of lifes little lessons. ;)
 
Were there game boards in the Tempest? If so, then maybe they work. That's worth the $125 right there...
 
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