Advice PLEASE

OldBoy

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Someone has offered me a non working original Space Invaders cabinet which looks in pretty good nick about from small chunks taken out of the wooden frame plus couple of scratches. It suddenly stopped working one day. Its a 10 hour + round trip to get it. Price is around £750 just for the machine? Is it worth buying? I want it for myself not to buy and then re-sell if i can get it to work
 

Nes4life

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Is it a Midway or Taito?
What condition is the rear-painted bezel in (red faded or flaking away)?

Does it have the rear-lit moon?

Does it have a multi-kit in it?

Nes4life2018-10-03 14:48:34
 

jonhughes

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Hi,

Welcome to the forum. At a rough guess I'd say it was over priced. A fully working one may fetch the price of £750. A mint condition one sold on here for £1k not that long ago so an average condition working cabinet maybe worth £750.

Decision is yours really, it's what you're prepared to pay after doing your research.

Good Luck and welcome.
 

OldBoy

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Hello! Thank you for your reply! I haven't seen it - only been sent some photos but its a Midways. The power isnt working at all so cannot answer the rest of your questions. What would a fully functioning machine go for?
 

OldBoy

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Hello and thanks for your reply and welcome into the group! I have loved arcade games ever since i first played Space Invaders back in 1980-1. I also used to work for Bell Fruit many years ago and used to play their machines they had in for testing. Is that a usual price that fully working machines go for - £1k?
 

jonhughes

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Hi,

The machines are over 30 years old now, finding one that is close to factory condition gets harder as time goes on so there's always a premium on condition (for some buyers).

You then move down the scale. The one I described (selling for £1k) was in outstanding condition for age - someone was prepared to £1k for it.

Price vary, lots of different opinions out there. My opinion is the £750 is too much for a non-working machine. It's only my advice for you to process others may say something similar or totally different.

Good Luck.
 

frothmeister

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Stick around here and I'm sure you would sooner or later find a very nice working one for <£750 and most probably much closer to you than a 10 hour round trip away.

There are even trusted couriers on here that could collect and deliver most machines in the UK to you for around £85, possibly less.
 

TDE_Rich

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big10p said:
As already stated, £750 for a non-worker is too much, IMO.

Definitely

Edit: Unless it's an absolute minter, then I'd possibly pay it, or more, depending on what was wrong. I'm one of those people who will pay a premium for a 'mint' condition cab.

kidyamlo2018-10-03 16:30:09
 

Alpha1

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I wouldn't pay more than £400 for a dead Midway. Post a wanted on here and you'll most likely find someone that will sell you a fully working and serviced Space Invaders for £700-1100.

Thanks for the bell fruit memories! Members on here have some bell fruit made machines :)
 

Body pop

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Midways aren’t as desirable as Taito cabs
That 1 k cab was a Taito and mint as mentioned
I think it had a braze multi kit as well

I’d say tested working ,mint ,midway would be worth the 750
Anything less than mint and working less than 600
Untested /non working and rough you could be talking a low as 200/300
Definitely offer a lot less before you take the trip on ,you’ve nothing to lose by offering a lot less
Or as said wait and get a good one on here if that one isn’t mint
 

Stickman

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I picked up a non worker for £500 from fleabay, took a punt, condition was average. Was lucky only issue was a eprom fault fixed with the multi kit.

I would agree with the above
 

OldBoy

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Bell Fruit had one of its offices in Pewsey, Wiltshire back in the 80's and i was lucky enough to do a weeks work experience from school there and then got a part time job on a Saturday morning helping with filing paperwork. Sometimes i was asked to test the arcade machines that had come in for repair...so there i was 16 years old, being paid £5 an hour to test arcade games...! My dream job!!!
 
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