I would be doing the rounds of the so-called backyard container importers. Plenty of good value to be had in the working but as-is condition machines.

^This.

Market for B and C titles is very soft at the moment due to lack of discretionary income, so if you do have $2k burning a hole in your pocket I would be doing the rounds of all the importers and letting them know you have the dollars.

They will be tripping over themselves to make a sale with you in order to shift "lower demand" stock.

Apparently there is some sort of global financial meltdown going on (or so the TV/newspaper keeps telling me ), so I see nothing wrong with going to an importer and making a sub $2k offer on a working Judge Dredd for example and getting a new display, legs and rubber kit thrown in for that price (and free delivery from Melb). 

Believe me, they have a more than sufficient "buffer" to absorb this based on what these titles cost out of European resellers.

In this market, people with discretionary income (actual cash, not throw it all on the credit card or the Harvey Norman 5 years interest free finance rubbish) are gold to small businesses that sell what is basically a novelty product.