Craig's List Deal

[classicgamingguy]

Hi, folks.

 

Normally I frequent the 2600 forums, but I ran across a listing that featured a 5200. Here's what I will get for $50.00:

 

Atari 5200 Listing

 

What do you guys think? Unfortunately, it's way south of me, so the total travel time to this place is 1 hour and 45 minutes. Do you think this would be worth the travel time and the $50.00 expense to get it?

 

Your thoughts, please.

[+save2600]

Yeah, I'd say go for it. Even if the controllers are busted, they can be rebuilt. Maybe offer him $40 when you get there. Never hurts to try. Nice to have a boxed/complete 5200 if you've been looking for one, but if you're a big Atari 8-bit computer guy, you'll find there's a ton of redundancy in the 5200.

[hhwolfman]

Well depending what kind of gas mileage you get. It would be lke $50 and $20 for gas. If it was right down the street, I would say yes. If you do, make sure it works. $70 Gas accounted, isn't a steal but a fair price. Just depends on how bad you want it. Good luck.

[classicgamingguy]

Well, I'm itching for it, that's for sure. I asked him if "everything works", including the controllers. I am very familiar with the 5200 controller break downs...not that I couldn't send them to someone here and pay them to install the correct gold contacts.

 

Anyone else? I'm also trying to convince my wife to go on this trip with me, and I encouraged her to see if anything else in Londonderry SHE might want..

[Shawn]

$50 for CIB 5200 is a no brainer in my books plus I'm sure your wife will fine something along the way, they always do!!

[NoahsMyBro]

Yeah, the boxes sway me to the go-for-it camp.

[classicgamingguy]

$50 for CIB 5200 is a no brainer in my books plus I'm sure your wife will fine something along the way, they always do!!

 

Those were my thoughts on this. My wife is a Craig's list fanatic, so I thought between now and the weekend, she would find something else along the route to purchase. It's a nice drive, too...but if we can't coordinate I can always go down by myself on Friday to get it.

 

The gentleman selling the system says that the "controllers and everything else work fine", so MAYBE he had the controllers rebuilt. I have yet to find a perfectly working 5200 controller that hasn't had to be refurbished in some fashion..

[SoulBlazer]

$50 for CIB 5200 is a no brainer in my books plus I'm sure your wife will fine something along the way, they always do!!

 

Those were my thoughts on this. My wife is a Craig's list fanatic, so I thought between now and the weekend, she would find something else along the route to purchase. It's a nice drive, too...but if we can't coordinate I can always go down by myself on Friday to get it.

 

The gentleman selling the system says that the "controllers and everything else work fine", so MAYBE he had the controllers rebuilt. I have yet to find a perfectly working 5200 controller that hasn't had to be refurbished in some fashion..

 

Little bit off topic, but I was trying to remember where in NH that your town is. Isn't it up north? I know Londonderry is near the ocean.

 

I grew up in NH, but I haven't lived in the state since I finished college in 1998.

 

Lived in Amherst, and went to college at Plymouth State College (well, it's now a university, but it will always be a college to me. )

[classicgamingguy]

Well, if you know where Dartmouth College is, we are about 14 miles from that. Londonderry is down past Manchester, near the border of the state. We are near the border between Vermont and New Hampshire, in the center of the state, near the Connecticut River. Smack dab in the middle, actually, but near the left-hand side.

 

Even though I've lived here all my life, I still get surprised by where locations are. Some I STILL haven't heard of. Mostly my "little world" is centralized...

[Divya16]

How much is a new Atari 5200 trackball worth?

[atariksi]

Trackball NIB (and working) is worth around $20 in a normal auction.

[Mirage]

They typically sell for around $30-$40 used, if tested, working and in good condition.

[classicgamingguy]

Update on this...

 

I passed on the deal. I really didn't want to travel all the way down there, so I let this go. I weighed my options and decided to try to locate one closer to home. It's not a priority to get a 5200, as I'm collecting for my 2600 and don't want to overwhelm myself.

[Havok69]

Looks like someone else got it - the listing has been deleted...

[atariksi]

What does CIB stand for? I know NIB is new-in-box. Cracked-in-box?

 

I got my trackball for $20.01 NIB. Well, it was taken out and used a few times and box is not new, but I guess it still gets NIB.

[hhwolfman]

What does CIB stand for? I know NIB is new-in-box. Cracked-in-box?

 

I got my trackball for $20.01 NIB. Well, it was taken out and used a few times and box is not new, but I guess it still gets NIB.

 

Cart, Instructions, Box.

[classicgamingguy]

Looks like someone else got it - the listing has been deleted...

 

Yeah, or he decided to keep it for himself, but more likely someone got it. If it would have been closer to me, I would have snatched it up. Traveling two hours just wasn't going to happen. I'll keep my eyes open on Craig's List for future deals.

[NoahsMyBro]

What does CIB stand for? I know NIB is new-in-box. Cracked-in-box?

 

I got my trackball for $20.01 NIB. Well, it was taken out and used a few times and box is not new, but I guess it still gets NIB.

 

Cart, Instructions, Box.

 

I always thought it meant 'complete in box', which I suppose is functionally equivalent to 'cart, instructions, box'.

[hhwolfman]

What does CIB stand for? I know NIB is new-in-box. Cracked-in-box?

 

I got my trackball for $20.01 NIB. Well, it was taken out and used a few times and box is not new, but I guess it still gets NIB.

 

Cart, Instructions, Box.

 

I always thought it meant 'complete in box', which I suppose is functionally equivalent to 'cart, instructions, box'.

 

Either or, both sound good to me.

[atariksi]

What does CIB stand for? I know NIB is new-in-box. Cracked-in-box?

 

I got my trackball for $20.01 NIB. Well, it was taken out and used a few times and box is not new, but I guess it still gets NIB.

 

Cart, Instructions, Box.

 

I always thought it meant 'complete in box', which I suppose is functionally equivalent to 'cart, instructions, box'.

 

Either or, both sound good to me.

 

That's the problem with such acronyms. Nothing clear or standard like dictionary words-- specific jargon for specific uses. Like CPT and ICD in medical jargon. Many of these can take on a completely different meaning in some other field.

[ledzep]

I always thought it meant 'complete in box', which I suppose is functionally equivalent to 'cart, instructions, box'.

 

I'm pretty sure it's "complete in box" considering I've bought other items in auctions (stereo gear, computer components, toys, etc.) that had nothing to do with video games or cartridges and still saw "CIB" in the description. And it fits with "NIB" as well.

[Koopa64]

What does CIB stand for? I know NIB is new-in-box. Cracked-in-box?

 

I got my trackball for $20.01 NIB. Well, it was taken out and used a few times and box is not new, but I guess it still gets NIB.

 

Cart, Instructions, Box.

 

Or Complete-in-Box, which ever works for you.

[Mirage]

What does CIB stand for? I know NIB is new-in-box. Cracked-in-box?

 

I got my trackball for $20.01 NIB. Well, it was taken out and used a few times and box is not new, but I guess it still gets NIB.

 

You got a good deal for $20.01 NIB. It's not really typical though. I was watching them for a very long time (like over a year) before finally getting mine. I was trying to get for less than $35, but finally gave up and just paid the ~$35. It was testing working though, and did. I'm sure if I'd stayed on top of it more, I could have gotten it for cheaper, just like with anything else.

[Divya16]

What does CIB stand for? I know NIB is new-in-box. Cracked-in-box?

 

I got my trackball for $20.01 NIB. Well, it was taken out and used a few times and box is not new, but I guess it still gets NIB.

 

You got a good deal for $20.01 NIB. It's not really typical though. I was watching them for a very long time (like over a year) before finally getting mine. I was trying to get for less than $35, but finally gave up and just paid the ~$35. It was testing working though, and did. I'm sure if I'd stayed on top of it more, I could have gotten it for cheaper, just like with anything else.

 

I see some buy-it-nows for Atari 5200 trackballs NIB (misspelled as trakball) here and there but not many auctions so I'm waiting for something cheaper than those buy-it-nows. I bought one some time ago that wasn't NIB and it had issues with the ball moving smoothly and the START button had to be pressed really hard to start the game.

[Mirage]

 

I see some buy-it-nows for Atari 5200 trackballs NIB (misspelled as trakball) here and there but not many auctions so I'm waiting for something cheaper than those buy-it-nows. I bought one some time ago that wasn't NIB and it had issues with the ball moving smoothly and the START button had to be pressed really hard to start the game.

 

Right, I'm talking tested, working, and guaranteed from a known source. You can get anything cheap eventually if you want to put your trust in an unknown source on ebay (and very often get junk), or stalk CraigsList for some random 5200 seller (at least then you can usually test it, but then so often I got beat to the punch). I just got sick of waiting for that perfect opportunity. And actually, Atari did spell it Trak-Ball, not trackball. Hope you find a good deal! You may very well luck out.