In terms of an actual table purchase, how is payment most commonly accepted? As we’re in full pinball bloom off the back of PinFest, I sorely tempted to slap a purchase on a credit card as soon as an affordable, good players condition machine becomes available but wondered if that’s a no-go with sellers?
You can use a credit card through paypal, and then send that payment as a paypal gift, which is a commonly accepted way of paying outside of bank transfer, although ask first as some people may be put off. An interest free card would be of benefit here - but obviously only embark on this path if you can keep up with your repayments, and pay it off within the timeframe. (yes dad)
Also keep the suggestions for ideal first tables coming. The wife adored MONSTER BASH and CREATURE, she also likes MEDIEVAL MADNESS. So whilst I believe all of this would be beyond our £2k or under budget, it probably means we are leaning toward a Bally/Williams table from the 90s era. Would consider others of course, I really enjoyed Stern’s TALES FROM THE CRYPT and THE SOPRANOS at PinFest as well as all the Bally/Williams I played. JUNKYARD was a blast!
Yeah I think MB, MM and Creature are defo outside of your budget (CFTBL is prob around 3k for a good example), but PLENTY of great B/W games available around that mark - BSD, BR, FT, DW. Might be worth trying to play some of these on an emulator first, to see what you think.
Good luck!