V80 value

[jholmgren]

What do you guys think its worth? 

I'm told it "all works".

[Slider-Bob]

How much is scrap going for these days? 

Just kidding, although I'm not a big fan of the Vendo 80's, this one looks better than most.

Personally, I'd use the parts to make an 81 complete.

[jholmgren]

Well gee Bob, thanks for bursting my bubble!     I thought I found a decent deal on a round-top machine.

Seller wants $400 for it and she confirmed that everything works - gets cold/vends/coin mech works, etc.

Anyway - I like it, and it is in my budget, so I'm stopping by Monday to take a look at it.  That is if I don't get beat out this weekend by a "dealer".  Unfortunately, I just can't make it down to see it this weekend because of other priorities, so I'm rolling the dice that it will still be there on Monday afternoon.   The seller did promise to call me if anything changes so I won't waste a trip.  It's about 90 minutes from where I work.

[jnapp18]

Although the 80 is not the most desirable.. $400 for it's current condition is not a bad deal at all

[MoonDawg]

     I thought the machine would be priced at about $800 but $400 is a good buy on any V-80. This one looks like a "nice original" which also means no paint work needs to be done.
     The seller sounds like a nice person so call her back and tell her that you really want that machine................... she may hold it for you.

[Eric]

I think that's a great deal on the machine... A nice survivor. Hope the
next picture you post is of it in your house! Good Luck!

[BrianS]

I would love to find a banged up 80.  I need a cooling deck for my 81.  You could part out the coin door, bezel and coin mech and make your money back pretty easily. 

[Slapshot42]

It wouldnt wait too long at the price somebody, might snatch it up.  If that was in my area it would already be in the garage.

[jholmgren]

It wouldnt wait too long at the price somebody, might snatch it up.  If that was in my area it would already be in the garage.

Well...my weekend is so jam packed (little league, car show, now bike ride with the Mrs.) that I couldn't find any time to go look at it until Monday.  So...fingers crossed.  I'll call the seller before I head over Monday, hopefully she'll say it's still available.  If not, it just wasn't meant to be.   I'll keep you all posted.

Jim

[VMAXMAN]

so go for a 90 min/mile bike ride with her and check it out....if you want it just leave a deposit on it....problem solved...lol

[Slider-Bob]

Sorry Jim...you didn't originally say it was only $400.  I'd grab it in a minute for that!  Good luck.

[jholmgren]

Got it!
More story/pictures to come ... gotta get back to work.   

BTW...I Vendo 80 will fit nicely  in a Jetta Sportwagen.   

[Slapshot42]

SWEET!   

[Kilroy]

Congrats!

[jholmgren]

So, here's the story:

I contacted the seller on Friday at lunch time - I didn't notice, but apparently the ad had only been up for about 10 minutes when I saw it. 

A very nice older lady called me back and told me about the machine.   Yes, complete and working/cooling.  It was located about 90 minutes south of where I work.  I told her that I was VERY interested in it, but would not be able to get there before Monday.  I told her that my son had a little league game Friday night, so I would not be able to get down there and back in time. I also explained that I was out of town for a car show Saturday, and my wife and I were doing a 25 mile bike ride on Sunday.    The bike ride was the ticket!   It turns out that she is also a cyclist and so we got to chatting a bit about the ride Tina and I were doing Sunday before we settled on Monday afternoon for me to come see the machine. 

The last thing she said to me was "of course, I hope you understand that I am selling it to the first person with cash".   I sweated it all weekend, but she did promise to call me if it sold so I wouldn't waste a trip.

Fast forward to Monday morning and my cell phone rings... uh-oh.  Luckily it was her asking if I was still planning to come down and look at the machine!  When I got there, I asked her if she had many calls about it, and she said "oh yes, we had about 15-20 calls and emails, but I told my husband that I wanted to give the first chance to the nice guy who is a fellow bicycle rider".   

It is still in the back of my Jetta, waiting for my oldest to get home from school to help me unload it, but here is proof that a V80 will fit very nicely in a Jetta Sportwagen.   

I'll post more pics when I get it unloaded and into the garage.

[Slider-Bob]

Congrats Jim!

I guess it really isn't scrap material after all!

And a good story to boot.  The bike story worked for you, huh?

Maybe I'll have to use the "I can't come see it on Sunday to buy it because I'm in church all day helping with the runaway Youth program!"

Nah...that'll never fly! 

[jholmgren]

Maybe I'll have to use the "I can't come see it on Sunday to buy it because I'm in church all day helping with the runaway Youth program!"

Nah...that'll never fly! 

Thanks Bob!   I really was at a bike ride all day Sunday!  Afterwards a 40-50 MPH gust of wind came up out of nowhere and blew a bunch of papers around at the pavilion where the ride ended.  One of the club members mentioned that it was God reminding us that we had made the choice to go for a bike ride instead of church.  I replied to him that I did much more praying during the ride than I do any day in church!   

[Eric]

Awesome ending... Glad you got it.. great price! Congrats!

[jholmgren]

On closer inspection it really does seem to be in decent condition.  The power cord will need to be replaced ('critters' got at it and there are some bare wires showing) and I'll need to either replace the lock or get a new key.  Fortunately, the key was lost while the door was in the OPEN position.     

The paint job is 'decent' - definitely an amateur job, lots of overspray - on the door seal (will need to replace that too), inside the coin door, on the Jones plug, etc. but it should polish up well enough on the outside.  The liner looks in good nick and everything else has a nice patina but isn't trashed.   Letting it settle for a day since it was on its back, before I temporarily plug it in (have to isolate those bare wires first) to really check on all of the functions and see where I'm at project-wise.

Some higher-res pics on my website:  http://littlebluespitfire.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=6670

[Creighton]

Great story and nice machine! Congrats.

Off topic, apologies. How do you like the Nikon D-60?
I have a D-3000 nice but too big. Using a Canon G9 for point and shoot but not thrilled with it.

Thanks!
Creighton
 

[jholmgren]

Great story and nice machine! Congrats.

Off topic, apologies. How do you like the Nikon D-60?
I have a D-3000 nice but too big. Using a Canon G9 for point and shoot but not thrilled with it.

Thanks!
Creighton
 

Thanks Creighton,
I like the D60 a lot.  To me it is the perfect combination of size and point-shoot with manual override capability.  Plus being a Nikon DSLR I have the potential for a huge selection of nice Nikor lenses I can put on it.

[MoonDawg]

       If you decide to replace the gasket, you had better plan on replacing the door liner too as the existing one is cracked at every screw hole under the gasket. The plastic liners do not take well to re-install

       To make it look nicer for now, you could take a blade and scrape the paint off the gasket, it doesn't stick to rubber very well.

[jholmgren]

Good advice - thanks Glen, I will start with a scotch pad and work my way up in abrasiveness to see how much I can remove from the gasket.  The good news is that Fun-Tronics makes a liner repro and complete gasket so if I do go down that road, the parts are available.

Speaking of parts - does anyone have a service manual for this beastie?  I did not see one in the downloads section.  Before I plug it in and start playing around, I would like a reference point that I can resort to if I can't figure something out.

Thanks!
Jim

[mznb1u]

Jim,

Nice looking machine!  They did get a little happy with the spray can though.

Don't drill the lock, you can order a replacement key from Fun-tronics:

http://www.fun-tronicsllc.com/index.php?crn=256&rn=1282&action=show_detail

I ordered one for my V-81 and it worked like a charm.  Mine was locked in the closed position so I had to wait a few days before I could get in.  The manual is in the download section.  Download the one that says "Coolers Vendo hot" on page 3 of the download section just below the download entitled "Vendo 56-81-110".  The Vendo 80 is covered on pages 52-70 of this download.

I am sure that some of the experts on here can help you with wiring issues but you will definitely want to re-wire that before you plug it in to be on the safe side.  You can probably get the harness from FT as well.  I understand that machine can be modified to vend cans which would make it a great everyday user!

Glad the seller held it and everything worked out.

  Tim

PS a great trick for loading and unloading machines in a car like your Jetta Wagon is to keep a 32" piece of 2" PVC pipe in the car.  Tip the machine onto the rear of the car, get the pipe under the machine, lift from the bottom and it will roll right in.  Don't forget to pad the door latch as this will crease the side of the machine.  Works great for unloading too.  I have loaded and unloaded many machines by myself with this technique. I always keep a section of PVC and a couple of stadium blankets in the back of my Dodge Journey just in case I run across a machine!

[Eric]

Great score! Funtronics can hook you up! Good idea about setting it for cans.
I think that is a great machine... Moondawg could talk/walk you through putting
on a new cord.

[jholmgren]

Thanks Tim! Yes, quite a bit of over-spray, but I am pretty pleased with the quality of the finish on the outside of the machine overall.  It is definitely good enough that it does not say "paint me NOW". 

I had grabbed a copy of that manual, but I totally missed the V-80 section <d'oh!>

I used a piece of cardboard and a large thick towel to load in basically the same fashion, but the PVC pipe is a great idea and a lot more efficient.  Frankly, I wasn't aware that the V-80 was short enough to fit in the Jetta, I was planning to pay a deposit on it and come back to pick it up this weekend.   I'm glad I measured it - it's a long trip.   

Thanks as well for the tip on the keys.  I was hoping that I would be able to get a key with the code on the lock, as opposed to drilling or going the locksmith route.  The code on my lock is on the Fun-Tronics list - so I'll be ordering a key shortly as soon as I figure out what other bits and pieces I need.