I have a couple of questions about selling a machine!

[Pal]

Hi, Long time lurker, first time poster.....(been with emus since '96!)

I have a MAME cabinet that my friend and I have built.  I was wondering if anyone could share experiences selling one.  Maybe in newspaper?  Arcade controls' buy/sell/trade?  I was wondering how much $$$ can you get?  How do you handle delivery? (I would be willing to drive it out to someone if they payed a per mile rate) How do you even advertise such a unique item? 

I would be using the $$$ that I make from this sale for me to built a new one this summer, with act labs stuff, leaf joysticks, etc.  And of course as many people who have built one know, that it's easily half the fun of owning one is building it!  My friend and I can't wait to get started, and if we can raise a substantial sum, we have great dreams for this MAME cab ver 2.0)

Thanks for any reply!

-LONG LIVE MAME!

[AlanS17]

This might be a thread for the B/S/T forum. That being said...

Well the first rule is that if you sell it you have to remove the ROMs as they are illegal. THAT being said...

Have you considered ebay? People on ebay on going to likely be more knowledgable about a mamed arcade machine than someone browsing the newspaper. You don't want some idiot buying it and calling you for tech support.

I guess you're welcome to try and sell it here, but you likely won't get the money you're hoping for. People here want to build there own - not buy someone else's. If they buy it, it's probably for the parts. I don't think you want your hard work gutted. :-)

It's hard to say what it's worth because we don't know what it looks like or what it's equipped with. Got any pictures or specs for it?

[Pal]

well let see....(I'm at work)

15 inch VGA monitor

2 joysticks, 6 buttons, 2 working coin mechs.  8 more buttons with 2 coin buttons, 2 start buttons, then 4 emu buttons.  Powered of an IPAC.  The face was supposed to be removable for more faces, so it detaches.  A switch inside makes it so it either makes the coin button work, or not.  A converted carinval sega '83 cabinet.  No computer, speakers, etc.  But the obvious connections for a computer to go inside. 

No roms = no computer inside.  I really don't want to sell it yet, just more for advice.  How much I could get, etc.

I'm honestly not trying to advertise it here, but you or a moderater can change which forum this should be in.  I'm really seeking advice

thanks

-LONG LIVE MAME

[GGKoul]

You won't make that much on it.  Maybe you'll be lucky to get what it cost you to build it.

Post a pic and we can give you a better idea.

[RayB]

NOOBs and people who've never heard of these "miracle machines that play 10,000 games" are more likely to pay alot if the machine is complete and ready to play the minute they plug it in at home.

[paigeoliver]

Put a computer in it. No one is going to pay jack for it without a computer in it. Just go get a $20 Surplus 400mhz comp, install Mame .55 (I am not going to tell you to install the roms, but I have never seen a Mame cabinet truly sell without them).

It still isn't going to be worth much even all set up and going. I stopped making them when I was down to getting $550 for 21" equipped machines.

[AlanS17]

No PC in there? You'll never get anything for it that way. And a 15" monitor? You probably won't get much from someone who's really familiar with arcade machines (which hardly ever have anything smaller than a 19" screen). KLOV makes no mention of a game by the description you gave so I don't really know what we're looking at here.

How much are you looking to get for it? I hate to break it to you, but you might be better off pulling out the parts from it. In the condition it's in (without the computer), you probably won't get much more for it than the value of the parts, anyways.

If you already have a cabinet, though, why don't you use it for your new MAME machine. I realize it's the same cab you already had, but if you redesign the control panel and put different art on it you'll have a totally different machine.

It sounds like you're looking for a way to make money for your new cabinet, but I doubt you'll make more money than what you'll need to replace the parts in the cabinet you're selling. (Did that makes sense?) PLUS you'll have to find an all-new cabinet.

Where do you live?

[paigeoliver]

It is a Carnival, he just botched the spelling.

My suggestion is a refit, pull out that teeny monitor and that fighter panel. Locate an actual 19" or 21" monitor and put that in vertical along with a 4-way joystick and 2 buttons. You will instantly transform a former "not good enough" cabinet into a super awesome one that you will probably want to keep, or that will be easier to sell come selling time.

[AlanS17]

It is a Carnival, he just botched the spelling.

My suggestion is a refit, pull out that teeny monitor and that fighter panel. Locate an actual 19" or 21" monitor and put that in vertical along with a 4-way joystick and 2 buttons. You will instantly transform a former "not good enough" cabinet into a super awesome one that you will probably want to keep, or that will be easier to sell come selling time.

... assuming no permanent modifications have been to the cabinet.

I hate to be a pessimist. I'm just learning the hard way how much this stuff costs lately.