Topic: Help with buying first tornado

[adamewood86]

Hello all, I plan on buying my first table and was wondering if anyone can help me out?

I would like to buy the best tornado table I can with a budget of about $800ish, maybe $1k max. I want a table that can take a beating and last a lifetime. Ive been searching craigslist but it looks like used tornados are very rare in this area (pittsburgh, pa).

There is one billiards shop in the area. They have some cheaper tornado options, such as the tornado sport. Ive searched these threads but couldnt find any info on it. Anyone know if they are good value, and how they compare to older models like the cyclone?

My other option would be to buy a cyclone or brown marble (which i found on ebay) from chicago or michigan and have it shipped, but not sure how much that is (i know its not cheap).

Really im just looking to get the best damn table for my budget that will last forever and that any pro would be glad to have. Any suggestions are much appreciated!

[ShopTeacher]

I was in a similar situation and looked into getting a Warrior for about $800 (I do like single goalies tho). I dont have a lot of play time on tornados or warriors but Warrior reviews are usually very positive. Does anyone have experience on each of these tables?  Is a Warrior table a good choice instead of a tornado that is about twice as much?

[adamewood86]

After searching a bit more on the site, ive gathered that the warrior, twister, and sport are all entry level models with thinner walls and no counterbalanced men. Next level up would be cyclones and storms, which i gather last forever but are hard to maintain/upgrade? Then come the tournament and commercial models which are built like aircraft.

I took a look at the sport today and have to say im a bit disappointed. It doesnt feel right and is still expensive as hell. If i can get a coin op shipped to me for under $1k total id rather just do that.

[adamewood86]

So i am seriously considering buying this table since shipping is much cheaper than i thought it would be:

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Tornado-foosball-coin-op-pool-table-FB005-/262903201756?nav=SEARCH

The seller sent me some hi res pictures and it looks to be in good condition. I did noticed there seems to be some dirt between the field and side walls, the handles look a bit dirty, and one of the bumbers is a different color.

Here is a link to the hi res pics he sent me:
http://s38.photobucket.com/user/adamewood86/library/?sort=3&page=1

Does anyone notice any potential issues I should be aware of? Anything specific I should ask the seller before I purchase? I know its a bit of a risk buying without seeing it, but the seller does have 100% on ebay.

Thanks! Any advice would be much appreciated!