Oxidation/Rust Question

[GreenMarine]

Hey Fellas!! (And Ladies if there are any reading this.) I'm fairly new to the hobby and have a question about the effects of oxidation/rust on parts. I recently had a pinball for sale and was talked down on price tremendously because of oxidation/rust on the light sockets and other parts under the playfield. The game Is gone already but I just want to know for future reference. Is this a major issue that decreases the value of a pinball machine dramatically.

[Mamushka]

Hey Fellas!! (And Ladies if there are any reading this.) I'm fairly new to the hobby and have a question about the effects of oxidation/rust on parts. I recently had a pinball for sale and was talked down on price tremendously because of oxidation/rust on the light sockets and other parts under the playfield. The game Is gone already but I just want to know for future reference. Is this a major issue that decreases the value of a pinball machine dramatically.

The correct answer: Depends.

For a newer game it would greatly devalue the game for me as it would take a real bad environment to cause corrosion that quickly.
For a older (EM) game I would not expect to see pristine metal, so corrosion would have to be significant to make me really concerned.

What game was it?

[GreenMarine]

Theatre of Magic

[busa32927]

to some yes.  because its kinda like a car.  if there is rust here is there rust other places?  is there rust on the boards?  those kind of questions come to a persons mind.

[Mamushka]

Theatre of Magic

I would expect a little for that age, the better environmental indicator in my opinion for WPC games would be if there is any swelling in the wood (MDF?) for the floor in the cabinet or the back of the backbox. Now obviously if you are selling a fully restored game I would not want to see corrosion (plenty of people have the metal parts re-plated). So once again, it depends, a nice TOM, yes I would expect some corrosion, restored, not so much. In any case a lot of corrosion would absolutely reduce the amount I would be willing to pay for a game.

[k7]

yes, it removes value from EVERY era of game, across the board. you didn't get taken, but you can PM me the sell price and i'll talk about it...that ToM you had was beautiful. 

but levels of oxidation will hurt value. if now now, something will fail...continuously.

when you see oxidation, "ok...that's cool." now think of all the areas where you don't see that oxidation...where it counts.

plugs, connectors, boards, internal sockets, switches, and more...



just for reference, years ago...a lady was selling a data east TMNT pinball off of craigslist...she wanted $1400...I saw it live.

this game was so oxidized and exposed to the elements, that the flipper wires fell off the coil. and the playfield wood actually was sagging a bit right down the middle. and visible rusted components.

I offered her 300 bucks, and didn't even want it. I think kawi purchased the game for less than that when he went our there a month later. 

I also had a mildly oxidized tales from the crypt...it would sporadically freak out and reset. sold it, never looked back on that game...although the title is one of the greatest Data Easts ever made.