What's it worth?? empty DK junior cab

[gonzojoey]

I have a lead on a DK Junior cabinet that's been gutted and am trying to determine it's worth. I'd really like to get one of these Nintendo cabs and I think this one is a great candidate for my next project, but I dont want to pay too much for it. I offered $30 to start. Did I low ball too much? or is that a decent starting point for this cab? I've attached a pic of the cab. (Picture shows board cage installed, but it doesn't come w/ the cab)
I havent seen this cab in person yet, so all i have to go by is this picture and a short description the seller gave me

[Ginsu Victim]

If they want more than $30, just pass. It's worth no more than that.

[Lutus]

$30 is a generous offer that they should take you up on.

Do I smell a DK3 in the works?   

[TOK]

You didn't lowball at all... Not even considering the boards themselves, everything of value like the coin door, control panel, marquee and bezel is stripped from it already.

How much for the Neo Geo in the back? I'd try to snag that one first.

[shardian]

If I were you, I would pass completely. When getting a gutted cabinet, it should at least come with a coin door. It also should at least have a hacked control panel. You will spend a fortune bringing that thing back.

[Ginsu Victim]

Yeah, mine was $50 and had the coin door, control panel (with controls), marquee lighting, screen plexi, a working monitor, working power supply, and what appeared to be the complete jamma harness.

[Wade]

The seller shouldn't expect to get much out of it, in fact he should consider himself lucky to find a buyer.

On the other hand, it is certainly cheaper to pay $50 for an empty cabinet like that one to build a MAME out of, versus scratch building a cabinet.  Way faster and easier, and you can make it identical to a DK/DKJR/etc. if you really wanted.  You could purchase repro CP, sideart, bezel and marquee and have a machine that looks nearly new when finished.

It's unfortunate that it doesn't have the brackets, CP, glass, etc. but it would still be easier than building a scratch cabinet.

Wade

[saint]

Are there any auctions near you on a regular basis? That's a $5 cabinet often. If not I'd offer $25 personally if I didn't want to build my own.

[gonzojoey]

Well, I already have CP, Bezel, and Marquee for a DK3 (Thanks Lutus!!) so I was just needing a cab to put all this on. I was hoping to make it a Multi-Kong type machine (with the help of MAME) and maybe adding some other games that only use one button. My plan was to keep everything looking like a DK style cab so you wouldn't really know it's MAME until you play it. I haven't heard back from the seller yet...and I guess I can't really offer him less since I already made the $30 offer...so at this point I guess I should ask (assuming he accepts the offer) should I take it for $30 or retract the offer and hope to find a better DK style cab somewhere else?
And to answer Saint's question, the arcade auctions are very seldom around here. There was one 6 months or so ago...which I would be willing to bet is where this vendor got this cabinet from.

[Ginsu Victim]

If he takes $30, it's cool. Since you have some of what you already need, it's not that bad.
It IS cheaper than building one, after all.
Just not worth any more than that.

[FrizzleFried]

I just gave away a Mr. Do! cabinet in similar condition...but with coin door...

[SirPeale]

Offer to take it off his hands to get it out of his way.  Worst he can do is say no.  Then offer money - but not much.

[JeepMonkey]

I purchased a non working Popyeye converted to a wrestling game that did not work.  It had the CP, coin door and monitor.  I paid $40 for it.

[saint]

You're already in the beginning of a deal, $30 isn't much. I'd do it and be done if he'll agree to it, and you're that much ahead on your time and labor and materials on building the cabinet itself.

[Spyridon]

These days, with the price of gas, you also have to factor that in.  In my area, empty cabs don't come up for sale often, which means I usually have at least a 1 - 2 hour one way drive.  That's probably $60 in gas.  If I really wanted this particular cab and it was local, I may pay more than what it is actually worth to most people.

[gonzojoey]

Thanks for the replies, guys! I still haven't heard back from him from my original offer, so I'm not sure what's going on right now. Hopefully I'll hear from him over the weekend. I'll keep you all posted.

Thanks again
 

[gonzojoey]

Well, he finally wrote me back and said he'd take $50 for the cabinet. I told him that the most I could offer for it was $30 since it didnt have a coin door. I haven't heard back after that.
So....if anyone nearby has an extra Nintendo cabinet for sale, let me know

[Ginsu Victim]

You did the right thing.

[saint]

Heh. I have two. What state are you in?

[gonzojoey]

Heh. I have two. What state are you in?

I'm in South Carolina