Missed a Vendo 81 on CL - Sold for $300

[Slider-Bob]

The one that got away....

I called a guy today on Flint Michigan CL.  He had a Vendo 81B for sale.  I left voice mail for him to call me.  No call back.

It was only missing the coin box and needed a new power cord...otherwise complete.

He was asking $400, ended up selling to "Brad" for $300.

I just called him again and he said he didn't call me back because Brad was on his way over, and just bought it.  I told him he probably could have got around $2000 for it...I was bummed, but not as bummed as him.

He had no idea of the value...you win some, you lose some.  Today, we both lost.  

Here is the link, while its still there.

http://flint.craigslist.org/clt/2810302881.html

[Zach]

Happens to the best of us, don't let it get to you.

[cohammer]

What makes the 81 so collectable?

[MoonDawg]

        If it's any consolation to you, that was an 81D so you wouldn't be stripping some old Vendo 39 to get all those coin mech parts from.  Brad is still facing an additional $500.00 to $1000.00 to get it just back to a complete state, so he didn't get that good of a deal.

[johnieG]

What makes the 81 so collectable?

Because People will pay a lot of money for it! 

[MoonDawg]

What makes the 81 so collectable?

     Style!  Same thing that makes the 57 Chevy more desireable than the rest.

[bcharlton]

I am also a little confused by their value and I own one.

[mznb1u]

There are other machines that I personally are better looking and have more unique features and I always thought that the 110 would be a better option based on capacity; however, now that I have an 81 I understand the popularity.  It is an easy sized machine to move around and it does not have a big footprint--smaller than a standard fridge.  And for parties, it has the multi-selection features which makes it a hit.

Of course, if I had one of these when I was in college, 81 beers would not have lasted to long during a Friday night card game! We would have been into those 17 beers in the pre-cool area pretty quickly! 

  Tim

[ss540]

"What makes the 81 so collectable?"

Size - small footprint
Easy to move, especially if on wheels
9 visible selections, both long and short bottles
Lots of resto parts
Great looking
Refrig units last a long time
They don't make em any more

I get more positive comments on my 81B than any of my other machines. 

[bcharlton]

It is collectible due to its size and the "slant shelves".  You can vend multiple selections.  To spend $6000 on a restored Vendo 39 that only vends 8 oz Coke bottles has become a little to impractical for most people.  The Vendo 81 allows you to vend your typical beer of soda bottles.

Just my .02

ps  Here is my 81d in a hundred pieces.  I may never get around to it.  Too many projects.