What I Learned About Arcade Machines from Craigslist in 2010

pookdolie

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What I Learned About Arcade Machines from Craigslist in 2010

*Donkey Kong is ALWAYS worth $2000
*These machines "Sale so high you can't believe it!"
*Having an extra button on a CP is good if you plan to play Millipede, `cause Millipede requires a "DDT button"
*48-in-1 PCBs are "100% origional games"
*Sellers do not want to hear lowball offers for their $1200 Pac-Man machines. Don't waste their time; they won't waste yours
*"I no what its worth" is proof-positive that they do
*eBay LISTING prices - not the SELLING prices - dictate the value of EVERYTHING
*Centipede is the rarest machine on the face of the planet
*Time Pilot is a horizontally-oriented game
*Terra Cresta, Scramble and Phoenix machine sellers always spell the names of those machines correctly
*Water damage is never a big deal
*Light bulbs which light up the monitor are a cinch to replace
*If you've owned a broken machine for more than five years, you can't possibly know what's wrong with it, except that it must be extremely easy to fix
*MAME machines are valued at $50 for every ROM you can run. That's a deal, `cause the original games cost thousands of dollars. ROMs aren't included, by the way

And the number one thing I learned:

*Arcade game Craigslist listing + ignorance as to value = impromptu auction

(Feel free to add your own!)
 
... (Feel free to add your own!)

Well, the best one is "Probably just needs a fuse." And hell if the owner can be bothered to replace the fuse to make it a working machine, because, well... Well, actually, I have no idea why. :rolleyes:
 
Ive seen every one of those ads! hahaha

actually there a guys that post that way in every single major metropolitan area.

How about:

Monitor out but I hear the sounds, it's just a loose wire.
 
hahaha this is hilarious because of how true those words are. I'm always amazed at how much their games are worth... but if you owned it and were selling it, it'd only be worth 10% as much.
 
"nope! my price is firm I know the value of the machines and will not be short handed."

Got this in an email form a woman who know that her beat Qbert and Track & Field were worth 2800 and was FIRM at 1500 for both!
 
I learned that almost every time I'm the first person to say I'll take it at the asking price and I'm told to contact them for pickup....they really mean call me to make a higher bid.

I also learned that when I'm told they can't meet for pickup until a few days later and they say I'm first in line that really they are holding out for a better offer and later I'll receive a "sorry but it is sold reply".

But my favorite (not) is the time I made an offer and was rejected only to see it listed again on Craigs List a month later at an even lower price......head hitting wall....again....again.....arrrrr.... then when I'm told I'm first in line and he isn't available until 2 days from now for pickup....I email to get address and phone information....and it is sold and picked up last night.....what.....arrrrrrr.....
 
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How about....... "me" I can offer you $200 for it "seller" Ok no problem "me" I can pick it up tomorrow morning "Seller" Someone just emailed me with the same offer how about you give me $250 and it's yours Lol!
 
Pictures can't be taken if a arcade machine is behind or under stuff.

Arcade games only like being photographed from the front, preferably in low light.

People still use 1 mega pixel cameras.

Anything with multi in the title is worth a $1000 more.

Just because the side art, marquee and game don't match doesn't mean it's not dedicated!

And last but not least "NOS stands for "Now On Sale"
 
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I like it when you email a seller on a game with a reality check, and they email you back telling you how well versed they are in arcade games and that I don't know what I'm talking about.. case in point, I emailed a lady on a Ms. Pacman that she had listed for $1500, and I told her it was worth $500 on a good day.. she absolutely exploded on me telling me that I had no idea what I was talking about :)

Saw the ad run for about 4-5 months, I felt like emailing her and asking how the sale was going, but I refrained...
 
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