Topic: Tornado F5 For Sale

[Neil]

I'm thinking about getting another Tornado, but what do you guy's think about this F5?  I've been reading post on the F5 and getting the feeling the home model is not worth it (too slick).  What are your thoughts?

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/spo/2762601978.html

Thanks,

Neil

[snake eyes]

Neil- Hold off on that one, the F5 had some major issues to lengthy for me to get into. $780 is just plain stupid high. Get a Brown Marble older coin-op they are IMO best playing Tornado's and their cheap...like $250-$300. Locate a gaming vendor near you ask them if they have any older T tables. Make an offer,,,I got mine for $250 Snake

[FOOZUL]

F5's may have issues for some folks but not this one since it's mint condition with perfect playfield without warps...It's 10x better than the Warrior and Fireball Tour Model I got in the past. The construction is solid, no dead spots and rods flow super smooth. He can come down and check it out himself. The price is just right, since it's a perfect condition.

[alaskan thunder]

The price is just right, since it's a perfect condition.

O RLY? $780 for a home model Tornado is "just right"? Jeez LMFAO at everyone trying to sell overpriced tables on here these days... It doesn't even have the new strips/handles/men, so not only do you overpay for a base model Tornado, you have to spend another $200 making it tournament ready!!!!

[alaris]

I will not pretend to know the value of this table but I will say Foozul is an OCD-adult AD/HD type of person when it comes to his foosball tables. If he owns the table, and he owns many,  it is in fantastic condition. Anyone buying a table from him will not be disappointed in the product. 

[PatRyan]

I am with Alaris on this one.  The table looks to be in excellent condition.  And the only real upgrade that would be needed to make it "tournament ready" would be the clear side strips. 
For the quality of the build, in mint condition, for local pickup, the 750 range is not bad.  And for the record, the F5 is NOT a base model Tornado table.  I think we should give some people a break.  Can someone really find a "like new" Tornado table of this quality for 750 bucks?
That is not an unreasonable price for a good table.

OK, let the Pat bashing begin   

[alaskan thunder]

I will not pretend to know the value of this table but I will say Foozul is an OCD-adult AD/HD type of person when it comes to his foosball tables. If he owns the table, and he owns many,  it is in fantastic condition. Anyone buying a table from him will not be disappointed in the product. 

Foozul's table may be in perfect condition, but he would be asking too much even if it had all the upgrades (which it doesn't). $750 may seem like a good deal to someone who would pay $1200 for a new one, but anyone on here should know better. For much less than $750 he/she could get a coin op that will hold it's value much better and play like a tournament table. When a new member comes on here and asks for thoughts on a table, I'm gonna tell him if it's a ripoff, period.

If you don't believe me about it's value, look up the thread on The Foosball Board from a few weeks ago where a guy was selling 2 new in the box home model tables (which were actually split cabinet and had upgrade kits IIRC) and he couldn't get more than $1000 for both.

BTW any table that is not a split cabinet is a base model IMO. Granted my standards may be different than most, but those are the types that will be happy w/ a $250 Harvard table from Wally World.

Edit: Won't let me include link but search "2 barely used F5 tables for sale" on FBB

[xiek376]

Got to agree with alaskan thunder here.  I have no doubts the table is in good shape, but $750 for a non coin op just isn't a good deal considering the numerous deals I've seen on coin ops over the past couple years.  I purchased a mint condition grey marble coin op with the merkel rods for $500 last year.  This is pretty common though, I find that most tournament players have unrealistic expectations for what their tables are worth. 

[PatRyan]

Just because I am in a strange mood today...If the coin-ops hold their value so well, how can you get one for much less that what they cost new?  Would the table for much less be in the same condition as the F5 being offered? 

Calling the F5 for 780 a ripoff is a bit strong.  It think it is a fair price.  Can someone find a "better deal" if they were willing to get an older table, and not in the same condition as this table?  Sure.  But that doesn't make this a ripoff. 

And in the thread you are referring to, the seller was asking 1000 for each table, and yes that is high.  But 750 is reasonable price.  Now the table might not be right for Neil, and that would be what this thread should be about.  Not about bashing the seller because he wants to sell his table for a reasonable price. 

Maybe we should ask Neil what he is looking for in a table.  Where will the table go?  Is Neil a tournament player?  Does the brushed aluminum finish match the decor in the room better than a brown marble laminate?  Things like that to help Neil make the best decision he can.

Also, if all we as players do here is constantly depress the value of foosball tables, then the ones we have sitting in our houses also lose their resale value.

And I am not saying we should encourage overpaying for a table, but not everyone NEEDS or WANTS a coin-op table. And not everyone wants to buy a table that needs work to make it the same condition as the one being asked about in the first post.

Just some thoughts,

Pat

[Tyler Foos]

That table sure does go nice with those file cabinets. 
Merry Christmas, everybody.

Tyler

[xiek376]

Some good thoughts Pat.  I'm bored at work, so what the heck, I'll throw out a reply to this one too.

I'd say the coin ops hold their value well assuming you didn't overpay in the first place.  I paid $500 for mine, and i could probably get that much now easily if I were to sell it - so it's held it's value pretty well.  I guess I wasn't commenting based on resale value though.  I've played on home models, and I always thought, and was told, that the coin ops just plain play better and last longer.  If that's the case, why would pay more for a home model than you can get a coin op for.  There's 5 coin-ops for sale in my area right now (all by the same seller though) for $425 each. 

edit: also wanted to say, no offense meant to the seller of this table.  The OP posted on here asking for advice.  I was in the same boat a little over a year ago, and if it weren't for the advice I got on here, I would have ended up buying a home model instead of holding out for the coin op.  If the OP has no intentions on playing tournys, maybe this table would be good at the right price.

[alaskan thunder]

Double post

[alaskan thunder]

Just because I am in a strange mood today...If the coin-ops hold their value so well, how can you get one for much less that what they cost new?  Would the table for much less be in the same condition as the F5 being offered? 

OK Ill play. An Icebox coin-op will likely still cost $800-900, however a grey marble coin-op can be had for as little as $500 and will play almost exactly the same. If you want to see depreciation, look at the price of a 2004 home model now versus when it was new. I would guess $1300 initially is now worth $200. The fact that the table may be 5-6 years old is what drives the price down. Just because the table is old (year wise) does not mean it isn't in excellent or even "like new" condition. I would put my grey marble up against a year old icebox and I bet that based on the playing surface/men/rods alone no one could tell the difference.

Calling the F5 for 780 a ripoff is a bit strong.  It think it is a fair price.  Can someone find a "better deal" if they were willing to get an older table, and not in the same condition as this table?  Sure.  But that doesn't make this a ripoff. 

Again, older table =/= not in same condition. This guy is asking way too much and in my mind that is a ripoff.

And in the thread you are referring to, the seller was asking 1000 for each table, and yes that is high.  But 750 is reasonable price.  Now the table might not be right for Neil, and that would be what this thread should be about.  Not about bashing the seller because he wants to sell his table for a reasonable price. 

Did you read that thread? Not only could he not sell 1 table for $1k, he couldn't even sell both. He was getting offers of $300 for a single table. He basically got laughed off the board. Again, $750 is not reasonable for someone that knows what he is buying.

Maybe we should ask Neil what he is looking for in a table.  Where will the table go?  Is Neil a tournament player?  Does the brushed aluminum finish match the decor in the room better than a brown marble laminate?  Things like that to help Neil make the best decision he can.

Fair point. Though, I still have yet to see a single reason why anyone would buy a home model Tornado.

Also, if all we as players do here is constantly depress the value of foosball tables, then the ones we have sitting in our houses also lose their resale value.

I would attribute this to a general lack of interest in foosball and the crappy economy, as opposed to an internet message board.

I made the mistake of buying a home model table for too much money before I knew any better and I hope to keep this dude from doing the same.

[SilentSam]

In Canada things are definitely different. We can't get coin-ops for anywhere near the prices you guys are listing.  If this was in my area, I wouldn't dismiss this table.

Being in the US though, I wouldn't know. If there is a major tournament happening in your area, you can pick up a tournament used table for just a little more than $780, no?

[Neil]

Hi Guy's,

Thanks for the feedback guys! I actually know who Foozul is and he is a good guy! I currently have a Tornado Sophistication (like furniture) and looking to play in tournaments next year.  So, I want something closer to a Tournament level table. I have no doubt the table is in pristine condition.

I wanted to know the facts about this table and anyone's experience with it, don't see a lot of info on this particular type of table.  If I can get as good or better, for a lower price, I'll keep looking around.  I've seen some coin-op's (grey/brown) in the area for $400-$500 from time to time.  $750 is stretching the budget a bit, would rather be in the $400-$500 range.

Thanks again all!