Fair Price for 33" Dynamo Showcase Police Trainer

[johnperkins21]

Someone very close to me is selling a 33" Dynamo Showcase Police Trainer supposedly in 100% working condition with "good monitor." They're asking $420 and I was thinking of offering up $300-$350. Is that a fair deal, or am I being too cheap.

Would MAMEing this cab be a sin? It's not really a classic. I do love Police Trainer, but I've only got room in my house for a couple of cabs at the moment. Can't really take up the space with a dedicated shooter.

[Jeff AMN]

It sounds like a sweet cab. If the monitor is looking nice in person, I'd say $350 is a pretty sweet deal. That's a huge monitor, and it would be awesome either as a dedicated cab or a MAME project.

[shardian]

Police trainer in a showcase? Cool! My wife loves that game.
If it is in the condition seller says it is (has there been a seller yet that accurately represents their cabinet?) then it is worth the asking price IMO. If anything is not up to snuff, then feel free to bump the price down and give a reason why. The worst he can say is price is firm.

At the least, you could sell the police trainer innards and guns for a nice profit on ebay and turn this thing into a 4 player machine. A showcase cabinet is my sole exception to the frankenpanel boycot.

[leapinlew]

If it's in good shape... sounds like a deal.

Post some pics.

[ChadTower]

The whole thing is dependent on the condition of the monitor.  If the monitor is crisp, $450 is still not unreasonable.  Check how high the screen control on the flyback is set.  For some reason every older showcase I see has the screen control set WAY up on the flyback and the only reason to do that is to compensate for either a dying flyback or tube.

[johnperkins21]

No pictures of the monitor running, so I'm not sure what the condition of it is. It's only a few minutes from my house though so I may try and stop by on my way home to check it out (assuming it's not gone before then).

Here's a couple of pictures that the seller posted and a link to the listing for the item:
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/ele/286091884.html

They took down the other post with the two extra photos. Luckily I saved them.

[Kaytrim]

That cab looks in real good shape based on the pics.  It is begging to be MAMEd into a 4 player machine.  If the monitor is in good shape taking into account the suggestions above take it.

TTFN 
Kaytrim

[FrizzleFried]

Damn...almost worth driving to Phoenix to go pick up...

Nah...

If it were local I'd be on that like stink on poo.

[leapinlew]

Regardless - I think it's worth $400 with or without the monitor.

[paigeoliver]

With a bit of fun wiring you could both keep the original Police Trainer in there AND Mame it.

You would splice your computer into the existing wiring going to the monitor. and then add a toggle switch that would switch AC power between your computer and the arcade power supply.

The asking price is fair, of course cheaper is always better.

[johnperkins21]

Really wanted it, but I just couldn't spend the money right now. I'll kick myself later, but what can you do? Hopefully another collector was able to get it, otherwise I'm sure I'll see it back up for sale in a month for $200+ more by one of the local vendors.

It's a strange catch-22. You buy a bigger house so you have room for these things, but it costs you so much more that you have less money to buy them.