How much would shipping probably cost...

[subzero23]

for like a 300 mile trip within California for a completed arcade machine?

[LordDamo]

Break out your yellow pages and let your fingers do the walking to the "freight" section . . .        

[SteveJ34]

IIRC, something less than $250 depending on how the unit is prepped.

While I have no experience in shipping arcade machines, I have often freighted a 500 pound crate (contains trade show booth and materials) to and fro from Texas to California for about $200-250 one way.

[Lilwolf]

$250 sounds right.  +- 100 depending.

Also, if you know the person, there are some cheap freight where you have to pick it up from a train station or freight location... and they have to drop it off also (ie, not door to door).

Don't do it for a machine you plan to mame.  It probably wont be worth it.... just for the shipping.   You will find the shipping will cost about as much as what it will take to buy/build a full cabinet (not including monitor / computer).  

[RayB]

Pay a friend to do it if you can't.

U-Haul: $20 + miles
Gas: Maybe $30?
Friend's time (4 hours x $20) 80

Total: $130

[zaphod]

Pay a friend to do it if you can't.

U-Haul: $20 + miles
Gas: Maybe $30?
Friend's time (4 hours x $20) 80

Total: $130

Assuming 300 miles is round-trip, it'd still be a bit more than 4 hours (unless you are doing 80 and don't count the effort of loading and unloading).  And those U-hauls suck gas something fierce.  And aren't they around .50/mile?    

Now if it is 300 miles one-way, it'd definately be cheaper to just ship it.