My CL story today...

CalifTom

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Here is what happened to my latest CL transaction. About a month and a half ago I see an add for 3 games and one of the games is described as a mint right out of the factory Defender (one of my grail games). I email and state that the 500 dollars is too high for me and that I would like to offer 300. I know this is a long shot, but if you don't try you know you never have a chance.

So, I get this email back saying something like, "sorry I can't sell it that low, but I will keep your email and number". A few days later I get an email stating that if I go to 400 I could have it. I tell him my situation that I am unemployed and I can only pay 300. I also tell him I hope he sells it at the price he is asking.

This goes on for weeks, back and forth with emails. He says "I understand your situation and I will try and help to get the price down" (he must be helping someone sell it). Another week goes by and finally he sets up a p/u time. He also suggests that I get a trailer to haul it in. I tell him don't worry about that, I have a small p/u and have hauled 3 games at one time before.

So today I get my tools and dolly loaded in the truck and head off to pick up the game. I made the drive 40min longer going up the wrong freeway. But it still wasn't to far away, about an hour drive if I had gone the shortest way. I get to the house and introduce myself and he takes me to the garage where the game is. I'm sure you know what the next statement will be. This machine has a broken marquee, cigarette burns in the cp, holes in the coin door, holes in the sides and the side art is rough with chipping.

I know the usual responses regarding not getting pictures and stuff. But I just felt like sharing my day. I was just out some money for gas and my time, which since I have been out of work for 6 months is not worth much.

I send this guy an email stating his deceptions and the lack of knowing what MINT is. I know it will do nothing, but it felt good. Hope everyone had a better adventure than I did today.
 
Well, that just stinks. Sorry your time got wasted.. I think most of us have done some driving only to be greeted with a total POS cab on the other end of the trip. Heck, even with pictures, people have a tendency to photograph only the best parts of a cab.
 
mint

i lived in north county near 30 yrs and was buying games via ads for over 20, and
anyways i just remember funny stuff like a guy describing to me a mint cond ms pac table for 200 buks about 9 yrs ago, anyway i get there, 2 hrs away, and it is a cheap jap import knock off that i swear he dragged out from the bottom of the bay, it had salt crystals and seaweed on it, in it, ect. needless to say i did not buy that one

then another person calls and says my dad had a chain of restaurants and he decided to buy 15 vid games for them and now they are in storage, as no one in the family could do the service occasionally needed, we just want them gone, they are nothing special and they are beat up a bit. they wanted 100 or so ea. i get there to look and they are 15 of the best classics all in true near mint cond. as many did not even make it to the floor of the restaurant. stuff like 3 ms pac ct, joust, robotron, defender, donkey kong, ms pac, pac, ded. major havoc, ded. space ace, ded. dragons lair ect.

moral dont go by what they say, go by pix and seeing them in person, can go either way, always go look as you can be surprised on the upside
 
then another person calls and says my dad had a chain of restaurants and he decided to buy 15 vid games for them and now they are in storage, as no one in the family could do the service occasionally needed, we just want them gone, they are nothing special and they are beat up a bit. they wanted 100 or so ea. i get there to look and they are 15 of the best classics all in true near mint cond. as many did not even make it to the floor of the restaurant. stuff like 3 ms pac ct, joust, robotron, defender, donkey kong, ms pac, pac, ded. major havoc, ded. space ace, ded. dragons lair ect.

So how many did you end up getting?
 
Here is what happened to my latest CL transaction. About a month and a half ago I see an add for 3 games and one of the games is described as a mint right out of the factory Defender (one of my grail games). I email and state that the 500 dollars is too high for me and that I would like to offer 300. I know this is a long shot, but if you don't try you know you never have a chance.

So, I get this email back saying something like, "sorry I can't sell it that low, but I will keep your email and number". A few days later I get an email stating that if I go to 400 I could have it. I tell him my situation that I am unemployed and I can only pay 300. I also tell him I hope he sells it at the price he is asking.

This goes on for weeks, back and forth with emails. He says "I understand your situation and I will try and help to get the price down" (he must be helping someone sell it). Another week goes by and finally he sets up a p/u time. He also suggests that I get a trailer to haul it in. I tell him don't worry about that, I have a small p/u and have hauled 3 games at one time before.

So today I get my tools and dolly loaded in the truck and head off to pick up the game. I made the drive 40min longer going up the wrong freeway. But it still wasn't to far away, about an hour drive if I had gone the shortest way. I get to the house and introduce myself and he takes me to the garage where the game is. I'm sure you know what the next statement will be. This machine has a broken marquee, cigarette burns in the cp, holes in the coin door, holes in the sides and the side art is rough with chipping.

I know the usual responses regarding not getting pictures and stuff. But I just felt like sharing my day. I was just out some money for gas and my time, which since I have been out of work for 6 months is not worth much.

I send this guy an email stating his deceptions and the lack of knowing what MINT is. I know it will do nothing, but it felt good. Hope everyone had a better adventure than I did today.
Just a thought but next time you try to pull the unemployment card don't mention that you "...have a small p/u and have hauled 3 games at one time before". I know what you mean but it sure doesn't sound like unemployment is keeping you from spending money elsewhere.

A good line I have heard before is 'I'll have to dig up a truck somewhere' and later finding out that it was his own truck, that was interesting.

-Tim
 
Just a thought but next time you try to pull the unemployment card don't mention that you "...have a small p/u and have hauled 3 games at one time before". I know what you mean but it sure doesn't sound like unemployment is keeping you from spending money elsewhere.

A good line I have heard before is 'I'll have to dig up a truck somewhere' and later finding out that it was his own truck, that was interesting.

-Tim

My unemployment has been one of the hardest times of my life. I have been lucky enough to have this hobby to take my mind off of what has happened. I can work on a game and bring a little bit of happiness back in my life.
 
i also have been unemployed the last 6 months or so, and my only two real successes during that time are my MAME cab and my band, two things i never quite had time to concentrate on fully while working. its been a decent summer and i got out to do alot of nature hiking, but living an unsustainable lifestyle isnt very rewarding, even if the unemployment checks are just enough to squeak by week to week, it sucks not being able to just order a $15 part if i need one.
 
Been there on the unemployment scene. Actually twice right out of college. I still haven't fully recovered socially I guess, since I always think I'm going to end up broke again. I pretty much disappeared from society for the better part of 2 years until I got the job I have now, going on 3 years there.
 
I've been burned a bunch of times on games that had no pic but were supposedly in good shape. They were all pretty cheap anyway but I just didn't want to bother fixing them up. These included, Burgertime ($100), Stargate ($100), DK3 ($100) and others.
 
eh, bring it on! if thr price is cheap, and i make the drive, i pick them up usually.. the effing monitor alone is worth $100 nowadays ...


im glad i did alot of "junking" back in the day as i have a small stash of parts that i dont have to go out and buy!

you cali guys have it waaayyyy to easy!

'round here we just hapve to be happy with what we can find..

like the tron i bought with no bottom and missing about 10" on the sides for $200....

its in the garage now standing tall on new wood and playing great.. i have new sideart and etc to put on but i need to pain tit first... when im all done ill probhably have 500-600 in it but to me its worth the effort because games like that dont just pop up once a week around here.
 
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