The adventure of your first pinball purchase.

[indazone gav]

I purchased my first machine from a melbourne container importer only a matter of weeks ago, over the phone, site unseen and with no clue as to what to expect condition wise for my money (pretty smart hey!). Like Swinks it was an early 40th present from my wife. Anyway i was on ebay saw the DE Starwars that my mates and I use to give a caning to back in the early 90's and sentimentality got the better of me and I had to have it. Although it's had acouple of problems, I have no regrets, I've got the game I loved, the problems can be fixed and more importantly my wife loves it too! She's even said it looks alittle lonely and we need acouple more. 
 My future pinball plans  involve getting this one working properly, then get it back to new or better condition and in the mean time play some more machines and take my time purchasing my next one.

Nice one. Welcome to the hooby/addiction

[swinks]

I purchased my first machine from a melbourne container importer only a matter of weeks ago, over the phone, site unseen and with no clue as to what to expect condition wise for my money (pretty smart hey!). Like Swinks it was an early 40th present from my wife. Anyway i was on ebay saw the DE Starwars that my mates and I use to give a caning to back in the early 90's and sentimentality got the better of me and I had to have it. Although it's had acouple of problems, I have no regrets, I've got the game I loved, the problems can be fixed and more importantly my wife loves it too! She's even said it looks alittle lonely and we need acouple more.  
 My future pinball plans  involve getting this one working properly, then get it back to new or better condition and in the mean time play some more machines and take my time purchasing my next one.

That's awesome crash, thanks for sharing, great to have a wife that encourages you to get more.

[ajlaird]

Great start there, can't believe your wife told you to buy some more!

[ktm450]

Always nice that the wife approves, they are big items that take up a lot of room in a home 

[raresaturn]

Lots of horror stories here....still looking for my first but a bit worried about getting ripped off now

[pinballheaven]

Lots of horror stories here....still looking for my first but a bit worried about getting ripped off now

You are doing the right thing! By looking around and being a member of a site as good as this, it will provide you with invaluable information and awareness as well as an opportunity to purchase off the many good dealers and private sellers we have on this site. The trick is don't be rushed and take all the time you need to give due consideration to a very important purchase!

Good luck with it!

Jeff

[Strangeways]

Lots of horror stories here....still looking for my first but a bit worried about getting ripped off now

Ask plenty of questions and don't get pressured into buying a game from an dealer under impulse. Same advise applies to a car - shop around and then ask questions when you are informed. After 20 posts, you will be able to view the trading section. There are always machines for sale in that section.

[Crashramp]

Yes, very happy the wife is happy.
 Also lots of good advice, don't rush in and ask lots of questions. Perhaps a new buyers guide thread should be started. What questions to ask, what to look for. That type of thing.

[raresaturn]

Lots of horror stories here....still looking for my first but a bit worried about getting ripped off now

Ask plenty of questions and don't get pressured into buying a game from an dealer under impulse. Same advise applies to a car - shop around and then ask questions when you are informed. After 20 posts, you will be able to view the trading section. There are always machines for sale in that section.

cool better get the post count up then!

[swinks]

Yes, very happy the wife is happy.
 Also lots of good advice, don't rush in and ask lots of questions. Perhaps a new buyers guide thread should be started. What questions to ask, what to look for. That type of thing.

Good idea  maybe a sticky thread in the for sale section

Maybe this could be added to the new FAQ section, otherwise there is a suggestion section where you can request this type of thread.

[Crashramp]

Yes I agree the sales and service area would be the best place to start a thread. With all the problems I've had and still having with my first machine I think it's a must so that others inexperianced and new to the hobby arn't taken advantage of by unscrupulous sellers especially since there seems to be so many genuine hobbiests and businesses associated with the AP forum selling pinnies with an open book attitude to the condition of the machines and keeping prices realistic.

[rd350ypvs]

hi folks first post here and my collection started 7yrs ago with one pin Terminator 2......And still is haha. I was pondering on getting a pin for ages but like most peeps didn't know enough about prices and parts. I took a gamble on ebay (never should really but what the heck) on a T2 that was in Germany (i'm UK). All in it was £825, it was £100 crated so good value. It turned up 5 days later at my door, not bad condition for its age, bulbs out, bits of plastic trim missing here there, but I wanted it badly so overlooked the problems. What I never counted on was the constant work and replacing parts that this machine had lol. After 4yrs of owner ship I sold it to my m8 for £400. His missus used it as a laundry horse for her DAMP washing grrrrrr. Anyway 2 months ago he announced his missus was expecting and needed shut of it and gave me first refusal....Naturally the temptation was there and so rightly handed over the princely sum of....£160. Ok so I have now replaced all bulbs with LEDS (ghosting problem prevalent but not too bad), needs the gun stripping and cleaning cause its slow, DMD occassionaly flickers but works 99% of the time, replaced only 3 switches and just sorted the kickback cause it was crap lol. Rebuilt both flippers and cleaned the playfield with novus. All in all it isnt collectors quality by any means but it has sentimental value to me and so will be keeping it :) Just need to find a MM or HS2 for under £2000 and i'm set for life haha

edit...heres a link of it now with the other half playing it. As you can see the gun is very slow so a strip down is needed me thinks

[ktm450]

  to AP
Great story, funny that you now have it back.
Good luck with finding your next machine, are projects pins easy to find over there?

[rd350ypvs]

Thanks for the warm welcome. In a word no, not alot of pinball machines come up for sale in the UK, either collectors have them all, or the local yobs at Blackpool and the like wreck them all lol. Parts are only available from a few sources here, namely pinballheaven in Southport (where I got the majority of my bits). I'm envious that the amount of machines in Australia and the USA to buy is ALOT more than here, so not much choice really. And another thing is even if I did find one, 99% wouldnt ship internationally and then your looking at a minimum of £600 on top to ship :(


But it won't deter me lol

[swinks]

Can you hire a van and shoot the tunnel and get a couple that way in France, holland or germany or do question at the border what you are bringing back etc?