My Introduction! HELP!!! My First MVS Cab: Deal or No Deal?

Hello everyone! I first want to thank each and every person on this forum for all of the time you take out of your daily lives to help people like myself. Thank you!!!

I have been a gamer, from the age of 5, in which the Atari 2600 was the first game system I was introduced to, and ever since I have been hooked. I own the vast majority of game systems, and love all game types. I aspire to one day own a game store of my very own. I have a very good knowledge of systems/games for home consoles, but I am still very new at the arcade cabinet harness/board inner workings.

This is my question to all, and hopefully the big guns of this site will come out of the woodwork and help me on my first arcade cabinet in general, and most importantly, my first MVS purchase! I really need some help in deciding if this is a good purchasing decision, and what it might cost to get the unit back into near original working order?

I have an opportunity to pick up a 4 slot version 3 MVS cab in the few hundred dollar range, It does not have a functioning marquee ( I am wondering if this is serviceable, and at what cost if possible?) and I believe the memory card slot does not work, or the memory device is not there. I do not know. I have been informed that there is a new monitor to the cabinet that has been re-capped. Bottom line, should I purchase this cabinet or wait for a better one. I do not mind spending more, but this is the first one within range of my location, and is of the specific cabinet type I am looking for.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYONE!!!

In before the horde, get a candy cab.

It depends on the price. If it's a new monitor then it might be worth it as well. Have you gotten pictures of the cab?

As for the marquee, I've never opened a 4 slot but if it's got the backlights, I just saw some for sale here or at KLOV, I can't remember. It depends on what the seller is asking.

dubdubdub said:

In before the horde, get a candy cab.

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Seconded!

Thanks for the quick response guys!

A few hundred for the cab, 4 slot version three with (I believe is the led backlights), the monitor is not brand new, just new to the cab and has been re-capped.

How much would a replacement mvs memory card slot reader cost, the same goes for the marquee back light? Does anyone have either of these for sale? Are either serviceable?

Most of the cabs you find either need some work or will need somework in the near future. Your purchase decision really depends on your abilities.

You're better off figuring out what you want and then buying one that meets your criteria. Time is your friend, don't rush to buy the first thing you see...unless it's a f'n awesome deal!

On the Detroit Craigslist there was a working 4 slot, memory card reader, Top Hunter,etc for $399. Right now I can't afford that or I'd have been all over it.

dubdubdub speaks from experience when he tells you to get a candy He has several, one less thanks to TonK

Hey, I'm going to suggest you put up some pictures of the cabinet, post a firm price (a few hundred could be a pretty wide range), and list any games that might be coming with it.

If you post some more specific details, we can probably help you better.

$300 Firm, no games! Here is what the cab looks like on hard mvs: It is the MVS-4-25 (ver. 3)http://www.hardmvs.com/xml/usa/usCabs.htm
What I have posted above is basically everything that I know.
Sorry to ask again, but how much would the marquee led/ memory card be, and are they serviceable? Anyone?
Thanks Again to all, for your help in my quest to own a little piece of heaven!!!

SniperElite said:

$300 Firm, no games!

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No games sucks

Well gentlemen, I have decided to purchase this cab, and yes, yet another cab I found again locally as well. Both are the 4 slot ver3, believe it or not.

I went from owning zero cabs, to owning two within 2 week of each other. Go figure! I plan on restoring at least one of them fully, and possibly selling one off in the future, but for now will be in mvs heaven!

I will be posting pics, and asking for help in other threads as soon as I set up an account on photobucket.

Thank you all, for the help!

I like the list of games you ended up with too!

SniperElite said:

The games that will be coming with the cab are Samurai Shodown III and IV, Sengoku, The Super Spy, and Puzzle Bobble.

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Nice haul

Nice pick up you have there! I would love to have SS4 and Puzzle Bobble...

welcome sniper.....I am also new, looking forward to posting soon!