Do you dare share????

[buzz4041]

Price is only what someone is willing to pay. Someone that wants it and is willing to pay for it. I am guilty of overpaying in other peoples estimation. I don't feel like I did but that is because I wanted it. I just don't see a lot of all these great bargains for items I enjoy. Maybe due to the rarity factor of what I like is the reason.

[collecture]

When it comes to machines, I think all of us here preach that due diligence pays off. When we say it is overpriced, we mean you can find it for less if you are patient. We have all overpaid for a machine (or two) (or three). I know I'm kind of speaking for others, but I think most would agree. A nice original will always command money! I'd much rather have an original than a restored anything, but sometimes you have to deal with what you can find.
Many more people than are on this board buy and flip regularly. I have a problem with parting out restorable machines (not rust-buckets), but I don't have an issue with flipping. We all like money! I like what goose said "Shared a little profit with my wife and kids..." We all need to share with the wife (or husband) and prove that the hobby can produce income (or rewards). It keeps us alive!

If a machine is to keep, then wait for the nice original to pop up and buy it at a fair price.

[Creighton]

Interesting thread...

Asking SMC members for input on pricing will get you their honest assessment on what they think it is worth. No charge for that advice.
Don't like the answers. Matters not. Folks tried to help and all is fine and well carry on.

If you are selling the asking price must reflect investment cost plus a profit. Nobody can really help with that unless privy to all machine details and familier with the location/market where the sale is pending. One hopes for the best.

I think it is great when a nothing special machine goes for strong money. Only helps the hobby and always something to be learned of why that ad and machine sold well.

Creighton


  

[mznb1u]

Tim,

This is an interesting thread.  I have been pretty fortunate on all but one of my machine purchases in that I have yet to let a machine go for less than I paid for it and for the most part, I have made a decent profit on every sale.  There are definitely significant regional differences on machine prices.  I think a big part of my good luck in finding reasonable priced machines is the fact that I am located in Michigan.  There were a lot of vending machines in the plants and office buildings back in the day and I think that is a big part of why the availability is higher and prices are somewhat lower.  Another big factor for me is when I started collecting.  I got into this hobby only 5 years ago when the market was way down and there was no "American Pickers", "Pawn Stars" and Rick Dale on TV.  I was buying at a clip of 1 machine per month for the first couple of years.  With the advent of the aforementioned shows, my acquisitions have declined but I am always on the lookout for a deal.  My son and I were driving through Ann Arbor last night and I passed a house with the garage door opened.  With a brief glance, I thought I saw a Vendo 81 or something similar.  I had to turn around to go back and take a better look.  As it turned out, it was not a soda machine but I would have stopped to check it out if it was.

Tom put it best, "Due diligence and patience pays off!"  The last couple of machines that I have purchased were due to tips picked up from people on SMC.

I think the posts about "over-priced" machines is more due to the content of the posts rather than the asking price.  We all want to get top dollar when we are selling--although I am willing to give an SMC member a deal if they are buying the machine to keep and have on more than a few occasions.  I think the humor in a lot of the ads these days is that they are all using what have become SMC cliches:  "Restored they go for  . . .", "As seen on American Restorations/Pickers/Pawn Stars . . .", "Rare 50's machine" being used to describe a late model Cavalier USS 64 with full woodgrain!  At least, that is why I post some of those ads.  Yes, I have used some of those lines because the average buyer does not take the time to learn about what they are buying; however, I have actually been selling machines that have been seen on American Restoration . . .

On prices for the unrestored machines that I actually own:
Complete, cooling, original V-39 with all decals/gaskets needed to complete a restoration--I would start at at least $1,500 or more if I was selling.  
Stoner 180--I sold one to a member for just under $300 but would have asked at least $500 for that one if I had posted it on CL.  I have gotten $600 for one with a gum/mint wheel and probably could have gotten more.  I have also sold the later 50's model with the square mirror for $300 but that one was rough.
Stoner Theater (old version)--not for sale but if I did I would be asking a lot.
Stoner Theater (later version)--I would probably set my asking prices at $1,500 to $2,000 on the two that I have.  Not for sale at this time.
Stoner Junior with Gum/Mint Wheel--not for sale but the last one sold on Ebay for $2,000 a couple of years ago so I would take nothing less.
Complete CC Vendo V-81D--Not for sale but I would start at $1500 to $2000 if I was selling.
Complete CC Vendo V110--Not for sale but I would probably start in the $1000 to $1200 range.
Generic VMC 110--Sold to a member for $600 but would have asked $1000 on CL to start.
Cavalier USS-64--It is my everyday and first machine so it is not for sale but I would start at $500.

The great thing about the feedback that you can get from this site is things to look out for and prices to aim to buy machines for.  Sometimes it works out and other times it does not but if you use the information available on this site it will help you avoid making buying and selling mistakes.

  Tim

[cola62]

I have posted several times over the years that I would love to find machines for the prices that most on here say they are  worth. I guess your point of view will depend on where you live.  In my area very few machines (60's or earlier) come up for sale. Then again I bought and restored a Coke slider a couple years ago. By the time I finished with it I had almost $1700.00 in it.  If I listed it on here for that I would have comments that it is worth $500. So I do see your point about under value of prices on machines.  To me the real deciding factor of value is the condition it is in and what will have to be put into it to make it a usable display piece.  I guess what I am trying to say is, if we all know that it cost $2500 to restore a particular machine, then how can you say that same machine is not worth at least $3000 when it goes up for sale fully restored.

[MaineT]

I just sold a generic KIST slider for $2,000. If I would have had SMC appraise it i would have heard around $500 and rightfully so. My buyer was a huge KIST soda collector who had never seen a KIST machine so he had to have it and to him it was worth $2,000 plus shipping. Again, is any generic slider worth $2,000, probably not......or is it???

First of all, Congrats!! I think slider-bob may have a statue of you built! The guy that I got the 4 slider from told me he used to paint them red, put a fishtail decal on them and sell them for $1800 as a cooler with just a cap catcher. He would fill the holes for the coin mech, and (don't read this slider bob) he used to toss the racks and flappers in the dumpster!! He also had a retail location that specialized in soda stuff, machines, signs, etc, so I'm sure he was able to maximize his profit and had huge overhead.

Thanks for sharing and this is quite a success story of a sale!!

I agree with the 81 at $2500, I bought a nice clean working one for myself and had no intent on selling it. Then someone came over my house to look at one of the sliders that I have and he offered $2500 and I figured with my diligence, I could find another one eventually and capture a small profit. It all worked out because I found the V-56 just a couple of week later and had the cash to grab it. I was having sellers remorse until that 56 came up!!

The first 81 I had, was that green painted rust bucket. After not being able to find a v-80 case to sacrifice, I put it on CL and for $1400 for it in about a week. It was sitting on a 2x4 in the back to keep it level when it was standing it was so rusty, then the whole bottom snapped off when he loaded it. My heart dropped a little, but he didn't have an issue, because he was the professional out of New Hampshire and has a boneyard of vendo 80's parts machines.

[MaineT]

On prices for the unrestored machines that I actually own:
Complete, cooling, original V-39 with all decals/gaskets needed to complete a restoration--I would start at at least $1,500 or more if I was selling.  

  Tim

I sold a very clean, working v-39 on craigs list for $1400 in less then 48 hours to fund my 81 purchase.  I'm sure I left some meat on the bone because they paid me to drop it off at an antique store!!!

The thing about the "dump it" prices that we all want the machines for is....at those prices that it lasts days, sometimes hours, on craigs list. Those are the deals!!

I try to post these on the board or tip other members if they are in the area to help out. I see the board as a tool to try to help others and get info for your self. I have posted some goodies that some people have bought. Most say thanks, some don't and that's ok too. I know when I post a $400 machine, someone is likely to flip it now or sell it for a profit eventually.  Especially if it is a VMC Pepsi with a "rare light-up sign" on the front!!! I don't think a pro is going to pass on that discount!

[Roadman]

Excellent thread and all good comments!  We all need to realize that the market for much of the antique vending market is thin meaning the number of active buyers and sellers is relatively small.  Compare the antique vending machine market to collectible cars, baseball cards, rare coins, fine art, etc. and you will get the picture. A buyer can buy a machine cheap, restore it to grade one, and a buyer might not be found for some time.  That's the way I see things.  WIth all of the news shows on tv, hopefully this will chnage.
Complicating things is that market value is also hard to establish because machine condition varies so much which can impact a restoration project.  A number of board members have also pointed out that shipping and travel can have a big impact on values.  

[MaineT]

Excellent thread and all good comments!  We all need to realize that the market for much of the antique vending market is thin meaning the number of active buyers and sellers is relatively small.  Compare the antique vending machine market to collectible cars, baseball cards, rare coins, fine art, etc. and you will get the picture. A buyer can buy a machine cheap, restore it to grade one, and a buyer might not be found for some time.  That's the way I see things.  WIth all of the news shows on tv, hopefully this will chnage.
Complicating things is that market value is also hard to establish because machine condition varies so much which can impact a restoration project.  A number of board members have also pointed out that shipping and travel can have a big impact on values.  

I somewhat agree. I'm talking about the prices that they ARE selling for not just the deals and steals. I'm not talking about antique vending machines, per se, because most of the coke machines cross over to coke collecting and display items never to be used. I'm also not talking about the slim market for a perfectly restored machines, that is for the pro's and I've decided to leave it to the pro's. Most of the good ones are doing first class work, catering to those looking for a certain piece or dream, and have overhead that provides risk that would give most of us and ulcer. 

As far as shipping and travel has no bearing on the value of a machine someone has found that they want. It 100% has to do with what someone will PAY for a machine!!! If you pay $1000 for a machine, but dropped $100 in gas/tolls and 5 hours travel, then that is your value of the machine. When selling it for $1000, I don't care how much your shipping across the country is or that you have to spend gas to get there if its worth $1000.

Walmart doesn't care that you drove to the store for your TV or that you drove 5 hours to their store instead of buying the one 2 miles from your house.  If it is value is $1400 then spend the money and ship it but don't expect me to drop my price to $600 so you can afford it.

Cars are cheaper in Florida, but by time you ship them to Maine, you are paying the same price as the auto mile here.  I live in Maine, but I'm not LL Beans offering free shipping, and if you are willing to drive 5-10 hours to buy it after someone gets 20 emails in 3 days for their machine, its obviously not overpriced. Fundamentally, the further you have to ship an item the more expensive it will be. If you are buying at an auction, and there is a 10% buyers premium, then you have to take that into the overall value and your price you are willing to pay.

Not a blasting, just my thoughts on what effects values and selling prices, vs what people are willing to pay. 

[MoonDawg]

  I guess what I am trying to say is, if we all know that it cost $2500 to restore a particular machine, then how can you say that same machine is not worth at least $3000 when it goes up for sale fully restored.

     It all depends what machine you chose to restore at a cost of $2500.00

    A restored 81 sells for $6000.00
 
    A restored 39 sells for $3000.00

    A restored 83 sells for   $100.00