That dreaded long drive to pick up a game....(Do you mind driving long distances?)

Tapper. And it's a complete disaster inside. First time I ever bought a machine sight unseen from ebay, never again. Not sure if I'm going to try to unwind everything that's wrong with it, cut my loses and sell it as-is, or part it out.

I should've known. Great last game, I remember me and you chasing every FS thread here last year for one of those. It's still on my list if I ever move to a bigger place; I'm maxed now. :D

Sorry to hear that it's a disaster though. The seller didn't list any pics? This is why I always require and request interior pics when I am interested in a game. I've heard too many horror stories.
 
really looking for to driving to Indy & back next weekend to pickup a UR cabinet & a pinball machine... NOT, i'm hoping for a mere 14-15 hours round trip but expecting a couple more added to that
 
Ive done it a few times way back when...

after a while you realize that spending a few hundred to ship a game makes more sense then spending just as much cash and sitting in a car for a day.

Plus as a I get older I get lazier.
 
Tapper. And it's a complete disaster inside. First time I ever bought a machine sight unseen from ebay, never again. Not sure if I'm going to try to unwind everything that's wrong with it, cut my loses and sell it as-is, or part it out.

Look inside before you buy next time or were you just "in too deep" at that point because it was so far away? Did the seller send you any pictures of the insides of the game? Did you ask for any? That's a long drive to make and a lot of cash to lay out not getting details. Can you not refuse to take delivery of a game because it's not what you expected and get your money back? I've only bought a cabinet off ebay once but it was a stripped cab so no big deal.
 
Look inside before you buy next time or were you just "in too deep" at that point because it was so far away? Did the seller send you any pictures of the insides of the game? Did you ask for any? That's a long drive to make and a lot of cash to lay out not getting details. Can you not refuse to take delivery of a game because it's not what you expected and get your money back? I've only bought a cabinet off ebay once but it was a stripped cab so no big deal.

It was a mix of a lot of things (in too deep, far away, didn't know if I even had any course of action I could of taken on the spot anyway because it was already paid for through a third party, didn't want to leave both the game and the money there, etc.) But we both talked on the phone earlier tonight and agreed to just put it behind us and move on. So now I can either...

A) Try to unravel all the mayhem inside this cabinet like wires being cut at a burnt edge connector and soldered directly to the PCB pins, send the board stack out for diagnostics to make sure its working 100% and perform any needed repairs, replace the internal hacked up wire harness, either rebuilt the original power supply or just get the proper MCR adapter (call me crazy, but I'd rather run all the original hardware if possible), etc.etc.etc. and try to put the game back together internally in a more proper, clean, and professional way (the exterior is in very nice condition, not much to do there).

B) MAME it with Tapper

C) Cut my losses and just part it out and get what I can get out of it.

Want to try to tackle it in that order. If I fail at option A I'll move onto B, and C, etc. (you don't want know what option D is...one expensive bonfire, lol)
 
All 3 of my last purchases were located about 6hrs away. All 3 sellers took pics which didn't show their truly sad state. None of the three sellers knew anything about arcade repair.
A 15hr round trip (after checking it out, almost leaving, haggling, paying $20, loading, rest stops, etc) for the first one.
Luckily, a friend was headed my way and brought the 2nd one with him.
The 3rd was delivered by the seller.

The first trip was great for the scenery... but I wouldn't own the 2nd two machines if I had to make the drive for them.

(Had to fix something on EVERY part of the first machine- it works great now, still working on the 2nd, but the 3rd has been great -Asteroids Deluxe)
 
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Almost every game I own involved a road trip of some sort. There are just too many collectors in town, and I don't have it in me to check Craigslist every ten minutes.

I've got a buddy who is my partner in this, and we've had some great adventures. The pickup stories are often as much fun as the games.
 
Coin Rejects is the best podcast now since AO quit..John's so lame to quit the best podcast there was!!!!!
Long drive game pickups used to be fun but then arcade outsiders stopped recording shows so now they suck.

seriously though I don't mind them and listen to reruns or other podcasts.
 
Surprised this has not been posted. Seem to be two stories with this game:

Please help with your expertise and thoughts!!!

I would appreciate this groups feedbacks regarding an issue I have on Ebay. This week I sold a Tapper arcade game to a buyer from NJ. He drove down to pick it up yesterday Tuesday. I had it running and gave him every opportunity to inspect the machine. He looked in the back and noted it had the old power supply, but also had a new one. He also said it looked like a new monitor that was like brand new. He asked if I worked on arcades and how familiar I was with them. I said no, not really, just liked to pick one up every now and then to play while I'm working in the garage. He seemed very pleased with the machine, loaded it up, and off he went. Not once did he mention any issue or dissatisfaction. Well today he is claiming the replaced power supply was a hack job, not all original hardware per advertised, and he wants a $900 refund on a $2300 purchased Tapper game, or he wants to return it with a police officer present and I pay his traveling expenses in both directions from NJ to VA, $200 total. My auction stated no refunds as once it leaves my property, I have no control over what a person does to it. With my limited knowledge, he could replace every single component and return a completely different machine. Bottom line, he had every opportunity to inspect it and leave without it for a full refund. If he leaves with it and decides he wants to replace something and the costs turn out to be more than expected, then that is a consequence of his decision IMO.


So from what I am understanding you actually SAW the inside and didn't check stuff before you turned it on, and now are saying it costs $900 to repair some power supply thing?????
 
There's always the option to try to rip off the seller after the fact with a false eBay dispute for damage you did while transporting the game. Have you tried that? Oh, yeah. You have!!
 
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Tapper. And it's a complete disaster inside. First time I ever bought a machine sight unseen from ebay, never again. Not sure if I'm going to try to unwind everything that's wrong with it, cut my loses and sell it as-is, or part it out.

Was this the one from MI?
 
Yep, now everyone that was on the op's side for the first 4 pages is eating their words after finding out about this.

This is the very reason I make sure people have every opportunity to check the game out BEFORE they buy it. Once it leaves my hands and they see the condition there is no way I am responsible.

AS you can now see, the op did just that, lied about it, and now is trying to do a sob story here to the eBay seller with lies and claims of $900 repair AFTER HE ADMITTED AND SAW THE INSIDE OF IT BEFORE AND WAS OK AND LEFT WITH THE GAME.
 
Yep, now everyone that was on the op's side for the first 4 pages is eating their words after finding out about this.

This is the very reason I make sure people have every opportunity to check the game out BEFORE they buy it. Once it leaves my hands and they see the condition there is no way I am responsible.

AS you can now see, the op did just that, lied about it, and now is trying to do a sob story here to the eBay seller with lies and claims of $900 repair AFTER HE ADMITTED AND SAW THE INSIDE OF IT BEFORE AND WAS OK AND LEFT WITH THE GAME.

Yip. Avoid this guy like the plague
 
I bought the game under the impression that it was running 100% original. I did ask pre-purchase questions and even if I went into more detail before purchase it probably wouldn't have made a difference because...

I wrongly assumed most people who own an arcade machine is fluent with their internals (from hanging around here) so bought it under the impression that it's basically a stock and unhacked machine. The guy wasn't a typical KLOV'er with a lot of knowledge.

I get there and seen it is a hack job inside but didn't even notice the other issues like burnt edge connectors and wires bypassing the faulty edge connector and soldered directly to the PCB. (I didn't expect someone to let me dismantle the entire game in their garage and inspect every piece after it was paid for)

I was a 9hr round trip from home, he was already pre-paid a premium price for a game that I was under the impression was going to be running all original and not a hacked up mess internally.

I didn't know what to do on the spot. Leave the game there and my money and potentially have to make another 9hr round trip to get the game if he wouldn't refund?

For the premium price that I paid under the impression it was running all original I wanted the game shopped by a professional to put back to original and didn't want to touch it myself because of the premium price I paid for the game (I was quoted $125/hr just labor).

The PCB came loose in transit and as of now the only damage to it is a torn a ribbon and wasn't included in the restoration I wanted done and nothing to do with my dispute over the machine.

Did I go about this entire purchase wrong? I accepted my mistake of buying a high ticket item sight unseen and going by the word of someone who just wasn't really fluent with them and potentially just didn't understand what I was asking if it was running all originally internally and dropped my dispute with him over it.

Don't want to deal with me, fine. I've done tons of purchases, swaps, and had tons of repairs done by members on here and not EVER once had a problem or complaint! Ever! If I'm going to get shunned for this ONE debacle then whatever, life goes on. I called him on the phone a couple days ago and explained exactly what I said here, dropped my request for him to pay for a third party to put it back to stock, accepted my mistake of paying for a game sight unseen so far away, going about it wrong, and made my final word to him, and moved on... That's my final word on it, I considered the case closed between me and him the moment I got off the phone with him the other day.
 
I bought the game under the impression that it was running 100% original. I did ask pre-purchase questions and even if I went into more detail before purchase it probably wouldn't have made a difference because...

I wrongly assumed most people who own an arcade machine is fluent with their internals (from hanging around here) so bought it under the impression that it's basically a stock and unhacked machine. The guy wasn't a typical KLOV'er with a lot of knowledge.

I get there and seen it is a hack job inside but didn't even notice the other issues like burnt edge connectors and wires bypassing the faulty edge connector and soldered directly to the PCB. (I didn't expect someone to let me dismantle the entire game in their garage and inspect every piece after it was paid for)

I was a 9hr round trip from home, he was already pre-paid a premium price for a game that I was under the impression was going to be running all original and not a hacked up mess internally.

I didn't know what to do on the spot. Leave the game there and my money and potentially have to make another 9hr round trip to get the game if he wouldn't refund?

For the premium price that I paid under the impression it was running all original I wanted the game shopped by a professional to put back to original and didn't want to touch it myself because of the premium price I paid for the game (I was quoted $125/hr just labor).

The PCB came loose in transit and as of now the only damage to it is a torn a ribbon and wasn't included in the restoration I wanted done and nothing to do with my dispute over the machine.

Did I go about this entire purchase wrong? I accepted my mistake of buying a high ticket item sight unseen and going by the word of someone who just wasn't really fluent with them and potentially just didn't understand what I was asking if it was running all originally internally and dropped my dispute with him over it.

Don't want to deal with me, fine. I've done tons of purchases, swaps, and had tons of repairs done by members on here and not EVER once had a problem or complaint! Ever! If I'm going to get shunned for this ONE debacle then whatever, life goes on. I called him on the phone a couple days ago and explained exactly what I said here, dropped my request for him to pay for a third party to put it back to stock, accepted my mistake of paying for a game sight unseen so far away, going about it wrong, and made my final word to him, and moved on... That's my final word on it, I considered the case closed between me and him the moment I got off the phone with him the other day.

The problem is in your eyes what you want vs what a seller has for sale are two different things. Your yourself inspected it, did not notice the issue until you got home and your game did not work right. (Guaranteed if your game worked you would not care).

Not everyone knows everything about games. He was selling the game for a steadily increasing price. He opened the game for inspection. You inspected it. It's like when you go to a used car place. They are more than willing to have you check the game out or heck bring your own mechanic or take it for a used car inspection if you don't know.

Acting like it is HIS issue is 100% wrong.

This whole bs about "original", it IS original, just someone derped on the wiring to put it back to the old MCR or a MCR Switching Power Supply adapter. That won't change the value. It is folly to believe that. If the game works and has the original board, I don't see the issues. Send the PCB to cdjump here to clean it up. He is extremely fair. As far as you harness goes...$125 an hour from a shop there???? Sheesh, even we charge $75 an hour or project by project basis. My guess would have been $250 max to "fix" wiring.
 
I sure am glad I went back and re-read this... somehow i got to page 2 (for me... there are only 2 pages) and there were complaints about what sounded like a $900 Tapper.

I was VERY confused... why would ANYONE get pissed at a $900 Tapper in "suspect" condition?

Whew... having re-read, yup... I was confused.

To the OP. RELAX... did you see it work? If it works... you're mostly there. The wiring looks daunting but take it from A to Z and you'll be fine...
 
I bought the game under the impression that it was running 100% original. I did ask pre-purchase questions and even if I went into more detail before purchase it probably wouldn't have made a difference because...

I wrongly assumed most people who own an arcade machine is fluent with their internals (from hanging around here) so bought it under the impression that it's basically a stock and unhacked machine. The guy wasn't a typical KLOV'er with a lot of knowledge.

I get there and seen it is a hack job inside but didn't even notice the other issues like burnt edge connectors and wires bypassing the faulty edge connector and soldered directly to the PCB. (I didn't expect someone to let me dismantle the entire game in their garage and inspect every piece after it was paid for)

I was a 9hr round trip from home, he was already pre-paid a premium price for a game that I was under the impression was going to be running all original and not a hacked up mess internally.

I didn't know what to do on the spot. Leave the game there and my money and potentially have to make another 9hr round trip to get the game if he wouldn't refund?

For the premium price that I paid under the impression it was running all original I wanted the game shopped by a professional to put back to original and didn't want to touch it myself because of the premium price I paid for the game (I was quoted $125/hr just labor).

The PCB came loose in transit and as of now the only damage to it is a torn a ribbon and wasn't included in the restoration I wanted done and nothing to do with my dispute over the machine.

Did I go about this entire purchase wrong? I accepted my mistake of buying a high ticket item sight unseen and going by the word of someone who just wasn't really fluent with them and potentially just didn't understand what I was asking if it was running all originally internally and dropped my dispute with him over it.

Don't want to deal with me, fine. I've done tons of purchases, swaps, and had tons of repairs done by members on here and not EVER once had a problem or complaint! Ever! If I'm going to get shunned for this ONE debacle then whatever, life goes on. I called him on the phone a couple days ago and explained exactly what I said here, dropped my request for him to pay for a third party to put it back to stock, accepted my mistake of paying for a game sight unseen so far away, going about it wrong, and made my final word to him, and moved on... That's my final word on it, I considered the case closed between me and him the moment I got off the phone with him the other day.

Is this the auction?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Budweiser-...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

This one doesn't say original.

You're having buyers remorse.

For $2300, I would have asked for more pictures first. And pictures of the inside.

Local pick up/you inspected it/accepted it as is.

For the damage in transport, that is on you. It is also why I always like to test games I buy before moving them as damage can happen in transport and that isn't the seller's fault.

I'm sorry this pickup didn't go the way you would have liked.
 
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