Re: positive Craigslist story (from one perspective)
- From: pinballnewbie <floorinstallations@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:05:46 -0700 (PDT)
On Oct 13, 8:40 pm, Lee <lee.w...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Oct 13, 8:24 pm, CEG <corv...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Oct 13, 8:20 pm, Lee <lee.w...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
So last week I'm working mega-hour days trying to meet the demands of
a long-time customer desperate for an accelerated deadline. One of
the local pinball guys I keep in touch with emails me that a machine
from my wish list showed up on the Wash DC Craigslist (thanks MW). I
check it out and sure enough, there's one of the late-70's EM I was
looking for, listed at $450 with a small, low-res photo displayed...
can't tell much about the condition.
Even though I'm seriously too busy to even deal with it, I'm addicted
and I reply asking if he has better photos. He replies quickly that
his camera batts were discharged so he took the photo with a B-berry
and he'll take some better ones and email them to me. Two days later
and no photos, so I figure it's gone, but I ping him one last time.
He replies sorry, I got busy, and within a few hours, I receive 3 high-
res photos. The BG is awesome, couldn't ask for much better. The
cabinet has a couple spots where a child doodled on the side with a
flair pen, but is other wise has no major scratches or dents. The PF
photo was taken with the glass on and appeared to show some sketchy
areas. We email back & forth and he tells me he couldn't find the key
to remove the PF glass, but there is one wear spot below the top kick-
out hole and the rest is just grime.
So now, it late last week and I inquire if I can come see it on Friday
afternoon/eve (I decided I was only working 8 hrs on a Fri!). Seller
replies he's out on Fri, but will be there around noon on Sat. Darn,
already had plans to go to the York show on Sat. I ask about Sunday
and explain to him that I can't get a truck on Sun, but would like to
see the machine and could pay him right then if I like it and come
back on Mon or Tues to pick it up. He says fine.
I arrive on Sun and can tell in 15 sec that this machine is a sweet
find. BG and cabinet are unbelievably nice. The one wear spot on the
PF was in a solid color (no lettering) and the "apparent wear" was
just grime with the underlying paint looking strong and vibrant. The
seller is a mid 50ish guy who tells me he just divorced and is packing
up to move back to New England where he grew up. He tells me there
was a military guy from NC that contacted him after I did, who was
pleading to drive up and get the machine on Sun, but he told him he
had promised me first chance. I thought the price was way fair so we
agreed on half down and I would procure a truck and come back the next
day. I'm wondering if it was wise to give him that much cash and if
he'd be swayed by counter offers, but he seemed to be a good guy.
So I show up to pick up the machine and pay him the remaining $225, no
problem. I tried the keys from my other same-make machines with no
luck and then decided to try and pick the backbox door lock to access
the head bolts. Using a paper clip and with no prior practice, I had
the lock open in under 1 min. Would have been faster if the paper
clip wasn't so flimsy. I was shocked how easy the lock could be
picked and wondered how the ops managed to keep any money in the
machines??? For others knowledge, picking the lock was a piece of
cake.
Finally, I'm chatting with the seller and he tells me that he emailed
the other guy from NC on Sun eve that I had bought the machine, but
the guy wouldn't take no for an answer and sent him several emails
offering $700 and suggesting that he change his mind. My seller
stated he was keeping his word!
Great guy.
However, I suppose there's a down perspective regarding the sleaseball
military man from NC trying to worm around a done deal. I used to
have great respect for our folks in the military, but I seriously hope
this guy gets latrine duty.
Lee
So what's the machine????- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
Modifying my original post, I do realize there is no "done deal" until
you are driving back with the machine. It's just disheartening when
someone is always trying to tempt a seller to void an agreed-upon (w/
handshake) commitment.
O CEGk, the machine is a '77 Williams Hot Tip EM. Probably has the
potential to be the nicest-condition old machine in my small
collection.
Lee
Always good to hear a success story! To many bad stories out
there......
.
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