I have been looking at such a purchase for a of couple years now and have found out a few things I would like to pass along.
The Pinball machine market used to be huge and a big money maker. Back in the 70’s and 80’s you could find Pinball machines in almost every bowling alley, arcade, bars and even some restaurants. In the 90’s the mechanical game market started to dwindle due to computers and video games making finding a Pinball machine even harder.
Mechanical games such as Pinball machines require a large amount of maintenance. So, this leads me to the question to buy new or used.
One of the surprises I discovered is that buying new doesn’t mean you will be issue free. The price for a new machine can run between $3,500 – $15,000. For those who have bought new machines, please pass along your experiences. In the research I have done, there is a good chance that new machine may have issues right out of the box. Any mechanical machine is prone to have issues and the more mechanical it is the more issues you may encounter. As you may know, some of the Pinball machines are pretty elaborate and have a lot of additional mechanical features. This of course could lead to more failures.
I am not trying to discourage you from buying new, just setting your expectations. There is nothing worse than getting a new machine and having to wait on a replacement part or service before you can begin playing.
Now buying a used or refurbished Pinball machine can obviously bring the same issues even more frequently. Buying a used machine can run between $600 – $13,000 depending on the age and popularity. The collector market has driven up the prices for vintage machines, so don’t be surprised that you can pay more for a machine from the 80’s or 90’s than a new one.
Like I said before, the Pinball market is coming back, so it is easier to find vendors who are selling New and Used machines and providing service.
Whether you buy New or Used, there are a few things you may want to consider before your purchase. The first would be to locate the nearest repair/service facility. Having a repair business close will most likely shorten your down time. Next would be to determine how much you want to pay. Some retailers offer payment programs making the purchase a little less painful.
So, before you make a purchase do your homework and find the machine you like. A word of caution though, I’ve been told that once you get your first Pinball machine, they become very addictive and people tend to buy others.
Happy Hunting and Cave On!
The Twilight Zone is usually one of the more expensive ones … Having said that the search is on …
vintage has a cool factor new 3D are unbelievable but it comes down too that affordability a thousand dollars versus ten thousand dollars its a expensive decision
Best to play an well functioning example of the machine you ‘think’ you want prior to purchase. Go to ‘pinball database’ and see how a game is ranked (1 to 100) to get some idea of the fun quotient. New machines have definitely less issues, thanks to computer technology. They generate much less heat, a destroyer of the hundreds of the molex connectors in the last generation (1990s)of machines. New machines are all l.e.d. illumination as opposed to the past Incan. bulb. No more melted inserts! All new machines have colored dot matrix displays as well at a much greater d.p.i..The two premium models of the “Attack from Mars Remake” has an oversized d.m.d..Jersey jack incorporates a flatscreen the size of the backbox on their machines! Open a backbox on a new machine and be amazed at the simplicity and size of the single processor vs. the complexity of the last generations’ myriad of boards. Pre d.m.d. games (1980s) are less interactive and limited voice commands (if any voice at all) make them less fun i.m.o. and the electromechanical games before them ,although the art is campy cool, play sluggish and even less fun to play. Chicago Coin makes the Medieval Madness Remake, Attack from Mars Remake and soon to be produced Monster Bash. Look for H.U.O. (home use only) when buying any machine. Routed machines are usually beaters and refurbed or restored.