Pinball Machine Buyers
Guide | FAQ
Here are some of the most
frequently asked
questions in regards to purchasing a brand new or refurbished pinball game. If you have a question that isn't
answered here, please
contact us and we
would be happy to answer any additional questions you may have about purchasing a brand new or refurbished machine, or if you have a
specific game
in mind, please use our sales inquiry form
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|
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Machines |
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What type or kind of pinball machine
should I buy?
Although we provide our customers
with guidance in this area when asked (which is quite
often; we frequently are requested to suggest 3 to 5 game titles to fully
stock a home or
office gameroom), sometimes this question is best answered by you!
First off, if you are a first-time buyer, we strongly suggest you stick with a modern
(games
made after 1978) pinball game. Older games (pre-1978), also know as
"EM's"
or Electro-Mechanical" machines are cherished for their history and retro
60's looks, but can be, and
usually are, very difficult to maintain and very costly to repair. The
majority of pinball repair
technicians throughout the country do not repair EM games.
As far as the style of game, we suggest that you buy the one that you like
the best, judged
on the game's looks, theme, colors, rules, playfield "toys" (devices
on the game playfield
such as motorcycles, revolving heads, magnets, trap doors, etc) and by what
kind of people
(kids, adults, both) will be using the machine. Some people buy games based
on a "theme"
(movies, sports, celebrities, etc) and others for the amount of cool "toys"
on a game. Some
people buy a game strictly because it is brand new or highly-collectable (a
game that grows
in value), or because the game closely matches a certain color or decor in a
given room.
When looking for a pinball game, consider the following:
-
How much money are you willing to spend on your
pinball machine purchase?
-
Will your game be used by family and children or
just adults? Will it be in situated
in a business or retail establishment or just be used by yourself and
friends?
-
If for family and children, what are the ages of
the children who will be using it?
Will the game be easy enough to play? We have many game titles
specifically
geared to, and
appealing to, most kids (and usually to most adults as well!)
-
Where will the game be located? A centerpiece for your home or your
garage?
-
Would you prefer a brand new pinball machine with little worries or a
older,
(but completely refurbished) pin that may at times have minor problems to
fix?
What is the cost of a typical modern pinball game?
Most pinball
machines can vary considerably in price depending on a number of factors
like:
-
New or Preowned
-
Current market value (for preowned games)
-
The cosmetic and mechanical condition of the
machine (for preowned games)
-
Current machine popularity, machine rarity and / or collectibility
-
Current supply and demand of the specific machine
you are looking to purchase
-
Machine game rules plus machine game complexity (easy/hard play,
simple or
complex playfield or rules)
The majority of games range from several hundred
to about ten thousand dollars, depending on
the game title
and
its condition. Prices within the same game title may vary by several hundred
dollars
from dealer to
dealer
or through auctions on the web of less-desirable machines.
The current market price of the game and
most importantly the
machine condition affect the
actual price of a game.
You may obtain a lower price by purchasing a less expensive
unit, but
then the chance that it is a sub-standard game that will
fail to operate, breakdown or not
play
will increase dramatically. And
what happens when
your machine need service? Who will you
turn to? Make sure you know exactly who
you are
dealing with before buying your machine.
Who or where should I buy my pinball
machine from?
When you first start looking to purchase a pinball
machine, the thing you do is to see if there is
a reputable national gaming distributor firm that is willing to sell you a
top-quality machine, and
here
is what to look
for:
First, do they have a physical address?
A showroom? How about a
toll-free or even a regular
phone number?
Are they an actual business
dealing in quality games
or just
some part-timer looking to unload
substandard machines on the web or eBay quickly?
55% of our
service
calls are from
people who used eBay or other "dealers" to buy their game
Are they registered with the local & national
Better Business Bureau? How about
SquareTrade?
Do they have any complaints
lodged against them?
Do they completely
refurbish
most of their machines and show you exactly the
steps they take to do this? (and not
just "shop"
the game,
which is a very
vague term that can
mean almost anything, and usually means next to nothing)
Do they provide
in-home / in-business repair
if
your game breaks down? Do they offer
in-home
or in-office delivery?
What about
a 90-Day Warranty? Do they offer a
return policy
if you are not
happy
with your purchase? If you live out of state, can they find someone qualified to fix your
game
in your
home, or help you with the repair over the phone free of charge?
How come I there is such a difference in price between
pinball machines?
Pinball machines can vary considerably in price,
mostly due to their overall condition, popularity,
rarity and upkeep. Just like a
pre-owned car,
a reconditioned pinball machine that has been
completely overhauled
and serviced
properly will be worth much more (sometimes double or
triple) than one
that has not
been taken care of.
The pinball machines we sell are in absolutely
the best condition
possible and
have gone through our
extensive reconditioning process, so
they have
a much higher value
than a game that has not
undergone a complete restoration.
The cheaper games you may see online are
priced lower because
either
they are older (EM)
machines that are prone to
breakdowns and can be very
costly to repair, or the game has
several defects the seller may or may not disclose to you, or is not completely
refurbished.
I don't live near you, so how much will it
cost to pack and
ship a pinball machine?
If you are buying a game from us out-of-town then you will
most likely have
it shipped to you.
The fixed shipping cost for in-home delivery (most dealers
quote shipping with just curbside delivery, which you then have to figure out a way to get a
very heavy 300+ lbs game into your
home) to the ground floor, including insurance, anywhere in the continental USA, is
just $350.
Please consult our shipping
page for more information about game shipments.
Do I need to use coins or tokens to play my pinball machine?
No. Most modern pinball machines have a "free play"
function that allows the game to be played
without the use of any coins or tokens! Almost all of our machines have this
function. For
games
we sell that come with fully functional coin
doors, you can
set your machine to play either for
free
or you may charge for playing,
in varying amounts (0.25,
0.75,
3
games for $1.00, etc) Some of
our more "enterprising" customers have actually paid for their game in just
a year or so by
charging friends and family members to play it!
How often will I need to have my pinball machine
serviced or repaired ?
That depends if the game is new or refurbished, and on how often you use
plan to use your
game. A pinball game has many moving parts and
the
more
you use
your game, the more it
may need some minor maintenance or repair. It is best
to
have your game
checked out every
couple of
years or more, and perhaps every 3 - 4 months or more if it is
being used in a pay (commercial)
environment.
This
type of
maintenance includes interior and exterior cleaning
and polishing, replacing
worn light bulbs and rubber
rings, replacing
batteries that
keep track
of high scores
(they should be
replaced every
year to prevent possible
battery leakage
that
will cause major damage to your machine)
and making
any other necessary
adjustments or
repairs as needed.
Generally speaking, most "home-use" pinball games in good condition
that are
played a few times per week can go years without needing any sort of major
service.
Just how big is pinball
machine? Will it fit through a my doorway?
Pinball
machines were designed to fit through most modern "standard" width doorways.
Here are the measurements you need to consider in your door width is less
than 32":
Most pinballs we ship either come fully assembled (With
Legs On, Head Folded Down)
or come brand new in-the-box from the factory. Pinball heads can be taken
off to reduce
the width from 29" to 22", but this process can take 30 minutes - 1 hour to
complete.
"Standard" Pinball Machines:
With Legs On,
Head Up |
Height
:77", Width : 29", Length : 52" |
With Legs On,
Head Folded Down |
Height
:55", Width : 29", Length : 52" |
No Legs, Head
Folded Down |
Height
:32", Width : 29", Length : 52" |
With Legs On,
Head Taken Off |
Height
:55", Width : 23", Length : 52" |
Full Weight
|
Approx 250
-350 lbs |
"Wide Body" Pinball Machines:
(Does
not apply to Atari Widebody Pins which are wider )
With Legs On,
Head Up |
Height
:77", Width : 29", Length : 52" |
With Legs On,
Head Folded Down |
Height
:55", Width : 29", Length : 52" |
No Legs, Head
Folded Down
|
Height :32", Width : 29", Length : 52"
|
With Legs On,
Head Taken Off
|
Height
:55", Width : 23", Length : 52" |
Full Weight
|
Approx 285 - 350 lbs |
New Pinball Machines
|
New Demo Pinball
Machines |
New Video Pinball
Machines
Want to learn more about the history of pinball? Click here for our History Of Pinball Page!
For more detailed info about buying any arcade game:
Buying your First Arcade Game FAQ
For more information
about
Pinball Machines, please contact
BMI Gaming
at 1-800-PINBALL |
1-561-391-7269
or Contact
Us Via Form
