Even with a recession you will never see the prices drop that much. just look at how the price of parts has risen, and you get an understanding of the value inherent in any game , regardless of age.
Pinball info
Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
The price of pinball in 2022
- Thread starter Ashbo
- Start date
Agreed my CFTBL cost me a fortune to restore, well over £2k I don't even want to add it all up.
Some parts were purely aesthetic (Plastics, ColorDMD etc) but the ramps alone were well into £600.
And if a recession caused those parts companies to further raise their prices, or go under, then the value of a good machine will be perceived as higher.
Another factor is to consider the supply side - New machine supply still affected by the pandemic, and the main, root source of used is what we would call project machines - those lying abandoned in storage, eventually pulled out and restored / refurbed. That supply of project/barn find/lockup/back of the amusement arcade/etc. machines has, I would suggest, almost been depleted (or is at least far less than it was say a decade ago). Yes some still exist in the wild, yet to be discovered, but I think most are now in the hands of collectors and dealers/traders, who all know the value.
D
Deleted member 2463
Well the two newish top title stern games up for sale now will set a pretty ugly price point of a second hand stern at the same price as NIB - yes they are both modded but it still a challenging price point IMO and will drive more price craziness.
Recession will only drive games to be put up for sale by those that couldn’t really afford them in the first place maybe 30-40 games in total, it’s coming for sure though.
Neil.
Recession will only drive games to be put up for sale by those that couldn’t really afford them in the first place maybe 30-40 games in total, it’s coming for sure though.
Neil.
mplayfield
Site Supporter
Agreed .Surely you would wait for new at that price.Just wondering though where you get the 30-40 games people cant afford from.I think if they were in that position they would be selling now ,although the games just advertised have not flown out like others recently so they must be testing the limit
If you wanted to get the same game with all the extras NIB it would cost at least £1000 more and you'd be looking at a 6 month wait (or more). Is it really worth it for the slight difference in wear in the shooter lane??
mplayfield
Site Supporter
I tried to buy a new game a couple of weeks ago and no joy so i know the problem but to pay new price for a used game to avoid a wait is crazy.No warranty etc and you have the added pick up cost etc.
This is my view on current pricing vs NIB, when I was after a Stanger Things they was at £7350 new (and i think there was a few available in a few weeks at the time, not sure if they ever turned up though) But I wanted the UV kit and side blades etc.. which easily adds on another £500 so now your looking at £7850, so buying a newish one for £6.5 to 7k makes sense, its cheaper! basically same condition! and you can have it NOW.
New games do come with the insider thing though, but means nothing to me personally.
yes, but there isn't a PH 2 year warranty which, given the expensive node boards, is well worth having.
True that is another price point worth considering. Do they go bad often these days? If they do go wrong is there even any stock to get new ones at the moment?
Cabinet Node Bd Rev G #520-5319-00 | STERN STORE EU
www.stern-spareparts.de
285 euro. My Kiss went wrong after 1 day. Not available at the moment, who knows when?
I wonder if warranty get get hold them? Ie would you just be waiting with a dead machine even with warranty?Cabinet Node Bd Rev G #520-5319-00 | STERN STORE EU
285 euro. My Kiss went wrong after 1 day. Not available at the moment, who knows when?
I think that under warranty exchange would happen through Electrocoin/Stern directly.
Consumer electronics failure rate generally follows a bathtub curve, so if they've survived the first few months the likelihood of a failure is quite low.
Even then, if 1 in 10000 fail and the replacement cost is £500 that's worth 5p per machine on average...
Consumer electronics failure rate generally follows a bathtub curve, so if they've survived the first few months the likelihood of a failure is quite low.
Even then, if 1 in 10000 fail and the replacement cost is £500 that's worth 5p per machine on average...
Sorry but disagree, I've had two board failures - one main cpu, other a node board and both after 2 or more years of ownership.
You can't infer an overall trend from only 2 data points though...
The bathtub curve is well-understood by manufacturers who actually have the data at scale. Would be nice if Stern/Electrocoin shared some of this but I have my doubts...
D
Deleted member 2463
yeah but with the bathtub curve it assumes consistent usage. Which isn't the case. For the CPU board I agree they are more reliable but node boards is questionable.
I think games made pre the deadpool era are more likely to have a problem just based on anecdotes from pinside.
I think games made pre the deadpool era are more likely to have a problem just based on anecdotes from pinside.
D
Deleted member 5505
In my head I honestly had my very nice Tommy at 3500 in today’s market.
I have no clue anymore
Please can I ask what would be the forum's opinions as to the "common sense" approach here; as someone who has been openly criticised for paying 3k for Robocop.
If I start a Wanted: Tommy thread, and stipulate I am only willing to pay 3.5-4k do you believe I would ever receive a single response ?
Is the 'answer' just to wait indefinitely for the mad scramble if one ever appears on the forum at this price ?
Maybe start sending unsolicited PM's to members who have one and politely request first refusal should they sell ?
Or start a Wanted: Tommy thread, stating I'm willing to pay up to 4.5-5.5k dependent on condition, modifications etc ? Whilst receiving the usual set of responses ... 'pinflation' 'crazy times' 'crap game not worth that' 'NIB only 1k more' etc... and the cycle continues.
Genuinely interested in people's thoughts, not being provocative
You may pay whatever you want but:
1) You should NOT expect to sell for what you paid
2) It DOES NOT mean other robocops are worth this money now.
1) You should NOT expect to sell for what you paid
2) It DOES NOT mean other robocops are worth this money now.
D
Deleted member 5505
Thank you, I am not planning on selling for a long time. The house has space for 4 pins, I have 3. Mrs.C has said Tommy is the only machine I can lookout for to fill this 4th slot until we complete a garage conversion. At this point I will be looking for all the other pins on my list, only 1 of which has been produced recently.
mplayfield
Site Supporter
stranger things is a bit different and i agree is worth more owing to the UV kit which is essential and the new price should have included it
I feel this is something that is misunderstood a lot in the pinball hobby.
If you overpaid for a pin, (which is common outside of this forum), had to fix lots of unknown issues. The pin is still worth what it's worth.
You shouldn't expect to get that money back.
Same with your time, this is a hobby so the time you spent fixing or replacing parts of a pin doesn't add value.
I've seen people take time and parts into consideration when pricing a pin when really it's still only worth what that pin is worth.
mplayfield
Site Supporter
No i dont think you would.The going rate for a Tommy is now/at the moment 5k as one has just sold on here. Prices depend on your desire to get the game you want and if someone out there has the cash ,and many on this forum do, then you will be competing if you wait for the one to come up.I would and have got my last two machines from wanted ads on here and am very happy with the deals i was offeredPlease can I ask what would be the forum's opinions as to the "common sense" approach here; as someone who has been openly criticised for paying 3k for Robocop.
If I start a Wanted: Tommy thread, and stipulate I am only willing to pay 3.5-4k do you believe I would ever receive a single response ?
Is the 'answer' just to wait indefinitely for the mad scramble if one ever appears on the forum at this price ?
Maybe start sending unsolicited PM's to members who have one and politely request first refusal should they sell ?
Or start a Wanted: Tommy thread, stating I'm willing to pay up to 4.5-5.5k dependent on condition, modifications etc ? Whilst receiving the usual set of responses ... 'pinflation' 'crazy times' 'crap game not worth that' 'NIB only 1k more' etc... and the cycle continues.
Genuinely interested in people's thoughts, not being provocative
Getting a game NOW has become a massive commodity and consideration for many.
The value of that commodity decreases depending on the number of games a person has.
Someone with 10 pinball machines may well be prepared to wait 6-12 months for a game and will not have the same desperation/itch to play that a person with one or none machines would have.
I would suggest that for some 'availability' is a massive determining factor that is almost as important as price and certainly supersedes warranty.
I've noticed at least three people on this forum who don't have a game at all. It's too simplified for a person with a large collection to tell one of those folks what they should or shouldn't be buying and for how much. They don't share the same desperation or fear of missing out.
The paucity of games is certainly driving prices up and made trades more common. But availability and the 'buy it now' element should not be discounted.
The value of that commodity decreases depending on the number of games a person has.
Someone with 10 pinball machines may well be prepared to wait 6-12 months for a game and will not have the same desperation/itch to play that a person with one or none machines would have.
I would suggest that for some 'availability' is a massive determining factor that is almost as important as price and certainly supersedes warranty.
I've noticed at least three people on this forum who don't have a game at all. It's too simplified for a person with a large collection to tell one of those folks what they should or shouldn't be buying and for how much. They don't share the same desperation or fear of missing out.
The paucity of games is certainly driving prices up and made trades more common. But availability and the 'buy it now' element should not be discounted.
mplayfield
Site Supporter
LOL had to google paucity but yes i agree with most of what you say but there must be a limit when NIB price becomes cheaper than used albeit you wait a while
Well that's sort of my point.. . . . some would rather spend an additional £500 and not wait 6 months. It's impossible to place a value on how an individual ranks time vs money.
I've known people spend fortunes on cars before because they wanted to jump a waiting list or buy one nearly new for the same money rather than wait 18 months.
I'm not saying it's everything to everyone but being able to get a machine you want immediately has become more important as demand outstrips supply.
Jib
Site Supporter
I’m patiently (ish) waiting for 2 NIB machines. I was also hoping to add a used IMDN later this year or maybe next year but I’ll probably not bother searching for one if it’ll be the same price as a new machine.
Despite what me or anyone else thinks a Tommy (or any other Pin) is worth, it sold within the hour with others lined up so it is obviously worth the asking price to some people.Please can I ask what would be the forum's opinions as to the "common sense" approach here; as someone who has been openly criticised for paying 3k for Robocop.
If I start a Wanted: Tommy thread, and stipulate I am only willing to pay 3.5-4k do you believe I would ever receive a single response ?
Is the 'answer' just to wait indefinitely for the mad scramble if one ever appears on the forum at this price ?
Maybe start sending unsolicited PM's to members who have one and politely request first refusal should they sell ?
Or start a Wanted: Tommy thread, stating I'm willing to pay up to 4.5-5.5k dependent on condition, modifications etc ? Whilst receiving the usual set of responses ... 'pinflation' 'crazy times' 'crap game not worth that' 'NIB only 1k more' etc... and the cycle continues.
Genuinely interested in people's thoughts, not being provocative
I think we overcomplicate things when it comes to prices, it either sells or it doesn't.
Everyone is free to spend as much as they like on one and everyone can list their Pin for sale for as much as they like. It's a free market.
Last edited: