AmuseStar Vending Co Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Well, As everyone may know, I bought 5 Vendstar 3000 machines about 4 months ago. I put them out, left them for 3 1/2 months, not holding my breath. I serviced them today. I must say, I once slammed these machines for being plastic. My opinion on them was story's, from people who had never used them... I went into the 1st store, expecting to see a busted, broken machine. I found $31, and zero problems. 2nd - $20 zero problems. All the rest were around $15, all were still shining and looking extremely good. Keep in mind these were in extremely heavy traffic, and went threw some abuse. Anyway. I don't see how people could not put their money in, these are HOT. They just draw in peoples money. I went and bought 10 more. $60 each, new. I love these machines, and they get really good response from owners on the looks. They are not tacky, they are gray. They fit into any account. They are just great machines. I seriously think these baby's are worth a couple $100 dollars. Anyone who slams them, buy one. Try it. They are very, very good machines! Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MO GUTTA GAME Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 i don't get what's amazing about a bunch of machines that rakin in $15-20/m. i'd either be lookin' for a flashier/more effective machine or a better location. not even tryin to knock u tho, more power to ya.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmuseStar Vending Co Posted August 17, 2008 Author Share Posted August 17, 2008 MO, Thats not amazing, I have accounts that do 80-90 bucks a month. Whats amazing is the machine its self. People have always looked down on them. I figured a hunk of plastic would just break, I was wrong. That is whats amazing, friend! I think you missed the point of this post MO. Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desert_gold_hound Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Well Kyle had it not been you or a couple of other well known forum members I would have just hit the back button. If you say they are good I will watch for a deal on them. I will give them a shot if I find a good local deal on one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer980 Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 I have three of them Kyle but I would not call them amazing. They are easy to change product but you need to buy parts off Ebay. When you can steal them from Craigslist or Ebay you do get a quick return on investment. To me it does not sound like they drew in peoples money that fast. Your best location brought in 1 quarter a day average and the worst location brought in .14 a day. I don't think they would be classed as a workhorse over time. They have their place in vending and are a good starter machine. On my route my customers prefer a metal machine that has a color to the grey ones. I think with XYZ's new machine it will give them a run for the money. They are what they are, middle of the road in quality at best. You can find better or worse it just depends on how much you want to spend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T BIRD Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 I will pass thank you............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacho Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Kyle Lurker and I have been defending these machines since we got them. I have 9 of them in service for the past 5 months with no problems. 4 of the 9 are in higher end businesses with public traffic. I bought mine for $25 each from the American Classified circular. They have been paid off three times over. I have a few of them bringing in upwards to $50 a month and are still in great shape. I wouldn't call it a workhorse but it is definately serving it's purpose in my expansion. As for the color gray, I tried painting the lid from my spare parts machine and it came out looking great. Rough it up with extra fine grit sandpaper to get the shine off it. Use a high gloss spray paint and you got yourself a different color machine. You need to post this in the review section. Maybe some of the nay sayers that like slamming this machine because of it's looks and being a hunk of plastic, like you mentioned, will have second thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-man422 Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Kyle, I'm glad the machines are working out for you but it has only been 4 months my friend. If it were to break already I would be surprised. I think if you can get a good enough deal on them (such as Bacho) then you can get some great use out of the Vendstars. I was thinking of purchasing a few if I'm able to get a low enough price just to see how they do hold up. IMHO (not having used the vendstars yet): They don't look too great (but it's about whats on the inside isn't it guys?), They look and sound cheep (the plastic parts), and a lot of people bash them even though a lot of them have never used the machines. This is why this is a neutral post, I am not putting the machines down nor am I saying they are good. I'm giving my "first impressions" on a machine that I have only seen and never serviced (but I have used some.) So I may pick some up in the future to see what the vendstar 300,000,000,000's do for me. And yes, I like to call them the Vendstar three billions, it sounds cooler. :dude: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacho Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Gabe When I purchased mine, 8 out of the 10 were brand new. The other two, he had in service for a year and a half. They were in rough shape so I was going to use them for spare parts. I landed another location out of the blue, so I scrambled and got a decent looking machine after swapping parts out between the two. Nothing major, just a chute door, canister and base. This machine has been in service for the past three months. That puts the machine being used, close to two years. It's working fine with no problems. I have it in the lobby of the professional building where I work. I get to see it every day and it receives a good workout. I'm still a newbie but I know what my machines are doing and how well they stand up. I just got a NAV double and already had to fix a jammed coin mech. It's only been in service for 2 weeks. So, as for reliablity on the Vendstars, I would rate it higher than the NAV because of what I experienced first hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 I too want to remain neutral on biz-op equipment even though I don't buy that stuff any more. Heck, I still have some U-turns on location that I purchased 8 years ago. However, NEVER EVER pay the biz-op price! $10,000 for 30 vendstars ($333 each) is crazy. $600 for an 8-select U-Turn is also crazy! There are tons of biz-op stuff on ebay and craig's list. Happy Slamming! Jax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MO GUTTA GAME Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Had to delelte my comment. Maybe was a ll harsh. But was just sayin that a bunch of triples that were rakin in $15-20/m didn't seem amazing to me. I know your more just stating that they didn't give u any problems. But im thinkin, maybe if they weren't dull grey plastic triples, u could have gotten more per month out of your locations. Just a thought tho.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clearcutvending12 Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 nice job kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmuseStar Vending Co Posted August 17, 2008 Author Share Posted August 17, 2008 Benjie, I am glad to see you posting! Thanks everyone for the reply. DGH- Thank you for your kind comments. I feel that if you do come across one for a good price, try them. Gabe- The main parts are plastic, yes. Have you ever bought candy from a VS300? If you have, you will remember that the mech are very smooth. Being plastic, everything if "muffled". When you put your money, it falls, not making a sound. When someone shakes the machine, being plastic, you can not hear any money. Thieves sometimes shake the metal, and here the $5 and it sounds like tons of money. Being plastic, the machines are light. They do not weigh a ton, and are very easy to move, not so with the metal ones. There is no metal, this means the machines stay cool, and do not heat up and bake the products. They are very strong plastic, coin mechs are very strong. There is a plastic stopper in the mechs that stops people from turning the coin mechs until a coin is inserted. That means instead of the mechs being able to be turned that little bit (before a coin is inserted, metal mechs have the spring back spring) they stay in the positing where a coin can always be inserted. On the looks: With vendstar, it is all in the labels. Most VS you see have crappy labels, making the machines look very bad. The gray blends into any location, plus adults are drawn to the gray, formal looks. The coin mechs with VS are almost jam proof. If you have bought them, you know. Craig, I agree. The mechs are more reliable then metal, metal can take more abuse, tho. TBird- You are the difficult one in the group. Between you and grumps, your always very hard to change your mind! Gotta like ya brother! Jax- Very correct. In no way am I saying to go out and spend $400 per VS. No way. Buy them used. New ones are going for $25 on ebay/craigslist. Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer980 Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 I will say that I have a questionable coin mech in one of mine so they can go bad. It has jammed twice in the last three months. To the point where it will not turn unless you empty the canister completly and manually work the wheel to loosen it up. Quarter in and it will not budge type jam. So keep an eye on them. Even though I have bought some I doubt I will buy anymore of them, even at a good price. As for sound I don't think they are any quieter when the money drops. I will say that they do have a problem with quarters that don't drop and stay on top of the candy chute. Check next time when you service by lifting the canisters off and looking inside. I have to knock them off every time I service from all three slots. People will always love or hate a machine and that is what makes us all different. If it works for you then go with it YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-man422 Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Being plastic, the machines are light. They do not weigh a ton, and are very easy to move, not so with the metal ones. Which is actually one thing I don't like about them. I like my machines to have some "heft" to them. The Vendstar 3000 would probably do best in break rooms so it's less prone to people stealing the machine and has a more mature (hopefully) clientele. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outlander Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Kyle, I am glad you are happy, but don't get to estatic yet, problems will come. We have over 200 Vendstars in service and will be replacing them with the more conventinal machines like Oak and NW. They do have their place though and hard to beat the price. We bought 8 new at $30 each when we first started and then took over a route that had the 200+. My original intent was to use them as the first machine in a loc to test what product they like and then replace with good machines. Here are some of the problems we have had with them: Lenses separating from canisters. Sharp corners are hard to clean and may keep moisture. Plastic cases and tops will warp. Cigarette burns in tops, mostly at Auto type shops. Too many surfaces to clean. Plastic coin mech will expand under pressure, we have had several times where 2 coins were stacked and jammed in the mech. The plastic catch trays are easily broken and leave sharp edges until replaced. The plastic chute doors are also easily broken especially where there are kids or people with big hands. Structural reinforcing in the tops creates a home for crud to build up and is not easily cleaned especially when vending nuts, this may lead to rancid odors and flavor in new product. Coins can and will spill over the coin trays and wedge behind the coin door lock making you turn the machine on its side to free them. Looks pretty funny to your customers to see you doing this, also leads to cross contamination of product. Now here is a funny one, some of the metal pipes in the stand will become frozen in to the base and the head, making disassembly almost impossible without breaking one end or the other, but then others will become so loose they will wobble when you go to make a vend. They do have their pluses also. They have plastic bases that won't rust and ruin carpet, tile or other floor materials. They can be bought for a song. They vend 3 products. They look pretty nice if cared for. Outlander Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vendboy Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 The plain grey does nothing for me ,,,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronzo Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Be prepared with extra doors. They break and I have had to replace two or three on one machine. Got more at home then I do on location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antoniocinisi Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 i was intrested in buying 1 of these but shyed away.I already have machines with plastic mechs that I am slowly phaseing out,I dont need more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madisonclockco Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 I prefer metal machines. The NW Triple Play / Routemaster is awesome. However we have ~90 of these machines on our route and they work just fine. People golpher about them, but they work well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravo Duck Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 I have 28 Vendstar 3000s for sale at $35 ea. in the Dallas area. If interested PM me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nepavend Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Kyle, I wish you best of luck with your route, but I fall in line with the rest and my preference to metal machines. I have only had one personal experience with a VM machine and i wasnt impressed with it. I was moving one from a location that I got because the owner (a charity machine guy) went AWOL and the owner wanted me to move it to their basement (along with 2 other AWOL charity machines). Halfway down the steps, I bumped it slightly against a wall, and the top lock just blew right off the top. Just like that, I had broken the machine. I didn't try to vandalize in any way, just did what was asked of me by the owner of the location. If it is that easy for me to bust a top on a VM, it is even easier for someone to steal it due to its weight (8 lbs) or bust it and steal the product or money. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacho Posted September 12, 2008 Share Posted September 12, 2008 Joe, I'm not doubting your word that the top lock blew of, just wanting to know exactly what happened because I own some of these machines. Do you mean the lock came out of the lid? If that happened, where you able to remove the lid even with the other lock being secured? It sounds like the lock was never tighted up in the lid for it to blow right out. I've tried to pry the lid off to the point of breaking it and it never budged. If someone wants the machine or money, they will take it no matter if it's palstic or metal. I've seen a metal machine that was broken into. The back door was pried open on both sides of the lock. The door made the machine look like it had wings. The lock did it's job but didn't stop the thief from getting what he wanted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T BIRD Posted September 12, 2008 Share Posted September 12, 2008 Off topic for a second here............I like your website there Craig! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacho Posted September 12, 2008 Share Posted September 12, 2008 Thanks, Johnny. It's still under construction. I'm still working on getting pictures of the machines we will be offering and the list of supporters is only half way done. Planning on working on it some more this weekend if Ike allows me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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