Advice when going to look at a TAF

[robertlucas1970]

I see too many problems such as the plug hanging out and not knowing why, also the machine reset itself, all these are problems that will cost money to put right, at £3250 you might as well put the extra £350 and get the one on here which looks a whole lot better with no wear round the chair and no playfield cracks.
It also came up with error on start up.
I only got a pic of the playfield cracks and the chair.
Are the cracks from the wood or is this just the coating that cracks ?

 

[Sgt GrizZ]

Most if not all TAF will show chair wear. They are 25 years old and have been played to death. Cover it with a Cliffy and dont worry about it.

 

[RudeDogg1]

That chair wear isn't actually that bad

 

[stoptap]

Chair wear ? It is par for the course.
That planking ? I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole for that sort of money.

 

[Steve C]

Just got back from looking at TAF, the chap has had it 20 years, very nice guy, he has the paperwork from Pinball Paradise, cost just over a grand !
So for 20 years home use I wanted it to be real nice, but the price he wants is around £3250 and I have seen better on here for that price.
The wear round the chair kickout can be covered, but why has the playfield suffered all these small cracks ?
It also needs a ramp and slingslot plastics. for some reason there is a hole melted out of the ramp at the top left.
It also went off and just reset itself, so could need a few bits replacing on the power supply.
It seemed to play fine, but im not used to this game, not played one in a long time, should the magnet be on in multiball ? I dint feel anything there when the magnet lights were flashing, could be something to do with that plug ?
The main problem is cracks in the playfield, I offered £2.5 before I went to see it, so not sure if I would go to that now as if I had I can see me spending £2k to get it nice as I see there is a playfield up for sale and by the time I get the plastics I bet im close to £5k
Many Thanks

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if it is the ebay one then how come he wants £3250 as it is listed at £2950? Is he planning on shilling it up? £2950 less £250 fees = £2700

 

[robertlucas1970]

Im not sure, thants the starting bit, he turned down £3k, so I think he is expecting it to go for a lot more because he has had it 20 years.
But the photos on the ebay add do not show any of the problems, so I guess a buyer might well think its going to be a nice one if its been owned by one person for 20 years

 

[Kenny Taylor]

Agree chair wear is really very little. But the planking I personally would walk away..

However the cost will be at the lower end of TAF's.

 

[Jay Walker]

Just got back from looking at TAF, the chap has had it 20 years, very nice guy, he has the paperwork from Pinball Paradise, cost just over a grand !
So for 20 years home use I wanted it to be real nice, but the price he wants is around £3250 and I have seen better on here for that price.

It seemed to play fine, but im not used to this game, not played one in a long time, should the magnet be on in multiball ? I dint feel anything there when the magnet lights were flashing, could be something to do with that plug ?

The playfield magnets are used during multi-ball and (I think) Séance mode.

I appreciate that you're leaning towards passing this one up, but the three 'Power' magnets are driven from 'Low Power' outputs on the driver board, which control an additional 'High Power' driver pcb under the playfield, using a fuse under the playfield for circuit protection. Maybe the fleabay mantra "could be just a fuse" might actually be right in this case.