Topic: Advice: René Pierre, Bonzini, French Foosball

[mikey]

Looking to purchase a French Table of some sort as this style game appeals to me the most, and the telescopic rods won't take out my kids either!  I wasn't sure what the opinions were on the new offerings from René Pierre such as the Match, Racing, or Champion Table. I will not be playing tournaments, just playing for fun.  I wasnt sure how sturdy these tables were.  I know that Bonzini seems to be the ones everyone wants but I do not have the funds to dish out for a Bonzini.  Also, finding a used table around my area is near impossible, and to have a used one shipped via freight seems unbelievably expensive.  Do I have many options, I am not looking to spend more than around $1000

Cheers
Mikey

[ronron]

Mikey,

What part of the country are you in?

[mikey]

Im in ontario, canada...but border on northern michigan/upper penninsula

[ronron]

No guarantee of course, but check "all of craigslist" for bonzini; they do turn up. There was one in Calgary (not close, I realize, but in Canada at least!) back in November. As for shipping, if you locate one, you might check their local craiglist for movers who are heading in your direction. I found my Bonzini in LA, check the LA Craigslist, and found a moving co. advertising for space in their truck; they were headed to Oregon, and I met them about 2 hours from where I live. They'd picked it up, padded it, strapped it in carefully, and transported it 1k miles, for about 1/2 what a shipping co. was going to charge. Under 1k total will be tough, but it can happen. 

[SilentSam]

Your best bet in Canada is to check the AQBB forum (Association Quebecois du Babyfoot Bonzini). I really, really don't think under 1k is realistic, but you never know.

[Anderson]

You really should have no problems finding a used Bonzini up there.

Then again, I don't know Canada that well. I would think that there is a lot of Bonzini being played in Quebec, and I realize that is north of Ontario. Kind of like expecting to easily find a Bonzini table in Georgia when most Bonzini is played in the Carolinas. Still, I would expect it should be easy to find something used that would be worth the trip. Good luck with your search.

[mikey]

I know the bonzini's are pricier, but does anyone have any opinions on the new offerings from René Pierre? Are they a solid table? I see that the men are molded to the rods on these tables, is this a concern?

[jinhopark]

You really should have no problems finding a used Bonzini up there.

I would respectfully disagree with that statement...and the added challenge of finding one local or to have it shipped to you for $1,000 USD or CAD is going to be tough.

[SilentSam]

I know the bonzini's are pricier, but does anyone have any opinions on the new offerings from René Pierre? Are they a solid table? I see that the men are molded to the rods on these tables, is this a concern?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this is a concern. French tables usually have aluminum cast men. If the men are molded to the rod then they are obviously plastic. This will make a big difference in the feel of the table.

Tables that cite a little under the 1 grand mark usually are not worth it. I say this because even if they start out with good playing characteristics, they will deteriorate much much more quickly that a table that is a little under the 2 grand mark. Tournament standard tables tend to float around this mark, and yes this is a hefty price, but you can find them used often enough, and even used they will be much better than that new cheaper table.

These cheaper table ie: Rene Pierre will sell for a fraction of their advertised price. If you really want a Rene Pierre, look for a used one, and it might even be listed for ~$200. This by the way is an indication of a junk table.

So instead of paying close to $1000, and getting 2-3 years out of that Rene Pierre before it's completely unusable, pay the few extra hundred and get a table that, if unused, can fetch almost the same price you paid for it.

[mikey]

The men on these rene pierre tables are not plastic, they are metal players and the tables sell for about 1100 new.  So these will be junk tables? Anyone have experience with them?

[FOOZUL]

You can still play the French Style on them...
It'll never be a Bonzini B-90 but for the budget
it'll do the job. You just have to take good
care of it. I wouldn't call them Junky for sure.
The components and the building method are
more economical but it'll still do the job.

Here's a French Video,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x0KkRjXmgM

[ronron]

You might look at a couple or reviews on Amazon. There's a 3rd review for the Rene Pierre Champion on Amazon that gives it very low marks and goes into detail. One buyer liked the RP a great deal. I suspect, too, that the RPs vary a great deal according to when they were built.

[SilentSam]

I think the thing that is less accounted for is resale value. If you get let's say a Bonzini, there is always a market for them because there are tournaments played on them. They also deteriorate less. In the end, if you choose to rid yourself of the table, you'll get more for it when selling.

If you get an RP, you'll be looking at a greater net loss when selling. Of course, the converse is true; if you find a used RP you can probably talk the seller down quite a bit.

I stand by my words: Best bang for your buck is a used tournament standard table

[jkhFoos]

Silent Sam has it right in my opinion. Got a used tournament B90 a few years back so it had the important player foot & table leg leveling modifications. It was like new then & I maintain it so it's like new today.

[Steva]

Where in Ontario are you? Near Sault Ste. Marie area? It might be worth your time/money to drive to Toronto. Make a weekend out of it or something with your kids. I've never heard of Rene Pierre, and I'm not sure what french style is, but if you're looking for a solid table to have some fun with your kids for under $1000, check out Fabi tables. They're extremely popular in Ontario. Telescopic rods, glass surface, almost 200 lbs. They usually go for $900 brand new, but there is plenty for sale in Toronto for under $700.

http://www.hotshotsgames.com/product-p/1322004.htm

Roberto is another table you may want to look at. Similar to Fabi in play style, but sturdier because they're basically bar tables. They're made to be beat up.

I've never played on a Bonzini before, but I've heard comparisons between Fabi and Bonzini. It may be something you want to look into. I don't understand why these guys are telling you to buy a tournament grade table outside of your budget when you've specifically stated you won't be playing tournaments and you have want to have some fun with your kids.

Anyway, I'm also in Ontario, Windsor actually, and outside of having a brand new table delivered to your door, Toronto or Central Michigan are your best bets. I drove to Traverse City for my Cyclone II and it was definitely worth the $300 I spent. It's not quite the drive Toronto would be for you, but it was a whole day trip there and back.

Also, it's probably smart to have some patience and find a great deal instead of splurging on a relatively unknown brand.

Just my two cents.