PQ: Tron

Kordova

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Donor 2012
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Looking into purchasing this Tron machine. It's operative and the cabinet is in good condition.

It needs new side art, CP work, new CP art, but shroud and interior art seems ok for now. Haven't inspected translight. Needs new lightbulbs, correct joystick and correct spinner (I think it's too big).

Asking price is $900. Considering it's working, mathematically it matches up well with all of the other machines I've looked at, as far as them being not working fully and still going for between $400 and $600.

Anyone have any thoughts?

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To me, that would be a $5-600 TRON at best. I'd be happier around $450, which is half of the asking price. The artwork package alone is $500. And this machine is a lot of work to restore. I think the price inflation on beat TRONs started when a few pristine restored examples sold in the $2000 range. To me, they just aren't worth the high prices people have been asking when they are in crappy shape, working or not.
 
The release of Legacy didn't help either. Compared to the prices in North Texas, this one fits in the curve pretty well. I've seen empty cabs with artwork painted over and no CP going for $400. A working cab with complete, but slightly damaged, artwork is going for around $1400 here.

I would prefer to pay less obviously, but once some idiot buys one for $2k, the rest of the market is going to suffer for a very long time.
 
I bought one non-working but in better shape than the one you are looking at for $350 (which I thought was high at the time):

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It still ended up costing me close to $900 and many hours of my time to restore:

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It all depends on the reason you want to own one. If it's just for the game play, and you don't care about cosmetics, I wouldn't wanna pay a lot for one, and no where near a grand. If it's for the look of the cab, I'd want to buy one in nice cosmetic shape to begin with if I was shelling out that much money. Either way, $900 for the one you pictured is just too much, period.
 
coin door painted over, cab drilled for coin up button, non original control stick, bad side art, non working marquee light, non working background light. In the DFW area that is no more than a $650 machine IMHO.
 
Phetishboy is spot on. Restoring a Tron takes ALOT of effort and $ to do it right. I think there's something like 4 or 5 lamps throughout the cabinet. All of which probably need new starters.
In my case, my interior artwork was in pretty good shape but all the UV lamp art is usually faded to white. Just the little attention to detail things take a long time to get right. Add to that it's not wood, it's some kind of paper material.
At the time, I bought my cabinet for $200 but it was a converted Regulus and I converted it back. That being said, I probably spent way more in parts.
 
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Tron cab.

I bought my Tron game from a local Klov'er for $200, 2 years ago. Complete minus the lower backdoor and non-working.

Picked up a working boardset for $200 shipped and I was good to go. Other than some cabinet restoration needed, the game still plays great.

$900 for that game is way too much...maybe $500-$550 tops.
 

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If you can get it for $600 get it. People don't want to sell them cheap and buying the parts is expensive. Your spinner is the right one, you need a new joystick. I just bought one from phetishboy, I could just turn it around and sell it if you don't have any luck.
 
Phoo. I wouldn't go more than $200 on that thing and that would be pushing it. Yeah, yeah, the parts are worth more than that I know. But I wouldn't part it and I wouldn't be able to make enough on it as-is to be worth the hassle and it certainly won't be worth the cost to restore it.
 
If it's a must have for you, I'd go $600. I personally wouldn't pay over $400 for that, but I'm cheap@$$

Link to my $350 Tron. Had a new CPO, marquee, and joystick. Sideart was above average too.

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Not withstanding that fact that he contacted me to buy it, he said he didn't really want to sell it if not for asking price. I had already told him to go fly a kite once, and tried to negotiate him down a few times, but he just kept coming back. I passed on it.

Also, I think that the tiny little joy stick was throwing off my perspective on the spinner.
 
I think you can buy a nice condition Tron and have it shipped from another state for cheaper than you would buy this one and fix it up. Do not get dazzled and do something stupid. Step away from the Tron.
 
Pass on that one and wait for a better or lower price one. I was able to snag this gem below working for much less than the guy wants you to pay. The side art is original, the glow is a reflection from a green neon.

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tron machines do not have to be restored. I may never restore mine, and it's one of if not my favorite game. I just wouldn't not want to cut corners, and I can't see a 30-50 restore anytime in my future. I will restore the control panel with nos cpo and nos spinner, rebuilt opto board. I would hate to not be able to play it for a month as well.
 
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