slotsdirect.com

[gwarzin]

When do you expect to receive the Terminator from slotsdirect.com?

Please let me know how the machine turn out. I'm interested in a Terminator also. That's really a great price.

It should be here early next week. I did play a Terminator a little when I was down at Daca with Davis a few weeks ago. I can't say that I was super impressed with the play of the machine. But, I didn't play long enough to get into a bonus. I didn't buy it there because they would only sell it at their full retail price, which I think was about $500.

But when I saw it for $279 (plus shipping) I couldn't resist. But I did get it more for the theme and the story behind it that I did for it's play. Also, I think it was a reasonable investment. Because of the story behind it, it shouldn't go down in value.

The only way I can see the value going down is if a flood of them show up on the market. Here' the pluses and minuses on that:

Minus - There were almost 30,000 of them made. One of the most popular machines in Japan. So there might be a lot of them still sitting over there.

Plus - Many vendors are afraid to bring them in any more. I know of one that had his entire container delayed by customs because of the Terminator. In the end he had to destroy the Terminator to get the rest of his machines, and he was told if it tried to bring one in again they would make him send his whole container back to Japan. (Also heard about this happening with a Charlie's Angels.)

Plus - It's getting to be a pretty old machine so maybe many of those 30,000 have already found homes or ended up as land fill.

Plus - Arnold seems determined to keep them out of the country.

Minus - They keep showing up in small numbers, so some vendors must still be willing to take the chance. I know I have seen them show up every few months at Syscom. (Of course their retail price was $440. Wholesale would be 20% off that. Still above what I paid.)

[gwarzin]

Received my Terminator today. Took a while - part my fault, part UPS.

1. UPS says a train was late getting into Chicago. 1 day delay.
2. I made a typo on my order and screwed up 1 digit on my zip 46256. I typed 46246 when I put in the order. UPS say 1 extra day to fix address.
3. Today UPS says it will really be 2 days to fix the address. I go across town to pick it up instead of waiting another day.

Looks like slotsdirect.com might actually have a warehouse in Calif. and might not have had it drop shipped. Return address was Mitchel Ent., 257 Lodi Ave., Lodi, Calif. Anyone recognize that address as belonging to any other vendor? I couldn't find any connections. (Valley Gaming says it wasn't them.)

Packing was a heavy carton, but only those bags of peanuts surrounding the machine. No custom foam pieces. But machine arrived in good shape - with a couple minor problems.

Problem 1 - The transformer was just screwed to the back of the cabinet. It came off in shipping. With the cabinets being so thin, screws seem like a bad idea. You'd think they'd use bolts that go through the cabinet. Lucky there was no damage caused by the transformer.

Problem 2 - No strain relief on the power cord. A good tug could pull it loose from the transformer. Seems like a safety issue. Easy to fix, but sloppy on their part.

I was surprised at how fun it was to play. I played one a little at DACA and wasn't impressed. Guess I just didn't play it long enough. After about a half hour of play I REALLY like this machine. And I haven't even hit a bonus yet.

FYI, SLOTSDIRECT.COM IS STILL SHOWING THE TERMINATOR ON THEIR WEBSITE AT $279. Looks like they have more in stock. This seems like a really good price if anyone is interested. They've been going on eBay for $450 to $550. The lowest I remember seeing them for on eBay is around $250 last August. Who knows if they'll ever drop back to that? $279 for a sure deal looks pretty good.

[Utopia1dc]

Looks like slotsdirect.com might actually have a warehouse in Calif. and might not have had it drop shipped. Return address was Mitchel Ent., 257 Lodi Ave., Lodi, Calif. Anyone recognize that address as belonging to any other vendor? I couldn't find any connections. (Valley Gaming says it wasn't them.)

I know there office is 25 minutes from my house (PA). That's a long commmute to their warehouse in CA? :confused: It still doesn't make sense for a company dealing in Pachi's to have a warehouse 3000 miles from their office? But a good deal is a good deal!

[gwarzin]

I know there office is 25 minutes from my house (PA). That's a long commmute to their warehouse in CA? :confused: It still doesn't make sense for a company dealing in Pachi's to have a warehouse 3000 miles from their office? But a good deal is a good deal!

I've been told by someone else that the also had a Midwest warehouse. So have a Calif. one isn't all that strange. Do they do sell a lot of gambling stuff besides pachislos. In fact, it looks like their main business is selling U.S. type slots. Those get pretty heavy. So maybe it does make sense for them to have 3 warehouses, just to cut down shipping costs (or to let them make more profit and their shipping charges).

[Utopia1dc]

I've been told by someone else that the also had a Midwest warehouse. So have a Calif. one isn't all that strange. Do they do sell a lot of gambling stuff besides pachislos. In fact, it looks like their main business is selling U.S. type slots. Those get pretty heavy. So maybe it does make sense for them to have 3 warehouses, just to cut down shipping costs (or to let them make more profit and their shipping charges).

What you are saying does make sense except there isn't a warehouse in PA?

It would seem to me that wherever your office is, it would be near one of your warehouses? Plus I got a bad vibe when they wouldn't let me see their "warehouse"....I was willing to drive to Kansas to see it. I was going to order 24 machines from them, but I didn't feel comfortable with their practices.

[gwarzin]

I got a bad vibe when they wouldn't let me see their "warehouse"....I was willing to drive to Kansas to see it. I was going to order 24 machines from them, but I didn't feel comfortable with their practices.

I've now purchased 2 machines from them. Both transactions were satisfactory. Prompt shipping. Very quick answers to emails.

[Utopia1dc]

I've now purchased 2 machines from them. Both transactions were satisfactory. Prompt shipping. Very quick answers to emails.

I understand what you are saying, and I agree you got a good deal and you are satisfied with your purchases....but I just can't get this warehouse thing out of my head...it just doesn't compute? :confused: When i get a bad feeling about something (gut feeling), I am usually right on, so I won't bad mouth or steer other people away...but facts is facts....being in retail my entire life....it just doesn't add up?

[Utopia1dc]

Of my machines, SlotsDirect sent me the cleanest and nicest one.

And, I've been in retail all my life, too. But, that's irrelevant to this conversation.

I never said that there product wasn't nice and clean. I have never purchased from, thus can't comment on that. I am just leary of buying from a company that is either BSing me about where their warehouse is, or has an office that is 3000 and 1200 miles from their warehouse. I guess if there's a problem in the warehouse, someone from the office has to catch the redeye to get there the next day? Please!:bsflag: They drop ship, which is fine, just say so!


Edit: This post was in response to a post that is no longer there?

[coronetgtx]

i just got an email back from bruce at mitchell ent. telling me they do not have a warehouse in lodi ca only in kansas.........i asked him if i could pick up machines in lodi ca and he said that is not possible as their only warehouse is in kansas

[slotter]

I never said that there product wasn't nice and clean. I have never purchased from, thus can't comment on that. I am just leary of buying from a company that is either BSing me about where their warehouse is, or has an office that is 3000 and 1200 miles from their warehouse. I guess if there's a problem in the warehouse, someone from the office has to catch the redeye to get there the next day? Please!:bsflag: They drop ship, which is fine, just say so!


Edit: This post was in response to a post that is no longer there?

Dang, you're too fast for me, Utopia. My comments above were incorrect about SlotsDirect and I thought I removed my message fast enough that no one saw it. I meant SlotUSA not Slots Direct. Sorry!!! I have no experience with Slots Direct.

[Utopia1dc]

Dang, you're too fast for me, Utopia. My comments above were incorrect about SlotsDirect and I thought I removed my message fast enough that no one saw it. I meant SlotUSA not Slots Direct. Sorry!!! I have no experience with Slots Direct.

No problem...I thought I was going crazy, but I knew it was there because my post included your quote.

[gwarzin]

Just wanted to correct some information I posted earlier in this thread that I now believe to be incorrect.

I said that IGT made nearly 30,000 of the Terminators. A financial report that I came across today said that the sale of 29,600 Terminators in Japan was a key component of their international sales growth for the quarter ending in December of 2004. That would mean that the "nearly 30,000" figure was referring to sales of the NEW Terminator, NOT the classic Terminator with Arnold on it.

Anyone have any idea of how many "Arnold" Terminators where made? How about posting some serial numbers? I'll check the number on mine when I get home tonight.

[Tulsa]

The serial number on my terminator is 3498

[gwarzin]

My Terminator is 10282.

[TANK]

T-0010209