Opinions Please:

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1998 Lincoln Vantage 500 diesel, about 6300 hours, serviced regularly but never rebuilt. Kept inside when not being used and stainless cover and decals look close to new. Has a Lincoln remote box and almost 300' of stinger lead and close to same in work lead. It has running gear but it's basically new as machine was set onto a truck less than a month after purchase in 99. The truck is gone and the welder is on railroad ties waiting to be remounted to the undercarriage. It belongs to a gent I've known for quite some time whom is retired and doesn't weld much anymore. We didn't talk price but says he'll sell it to me right if I'm interested. I've kind of had it in the back of my mind in case this Hobart won't gouge like I'll need, (once I figger that out) and now with the new plasma another obstacle to overcome. It is seemingly overkill for what I'm planning to do but the future is open.I don't have an inkling of what this thing would be worth, nor if it would be something I should take a serious interest in, but it really is a nice machine from a physical standpoint. It doesn't smoke, starts right up, is not really loud when running. It appears to have an AC generator section large enough to run a house. I've not welded with it but have no reason to believe anything doesn't work as it's supposed to.As a general guide, what would something like this be worth. What would be fair to pay for both parties? I don't know if something I'll pursue or not but would if my Hobart gives problems.Thanks,SlobPurveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
Reply:sounds like a nice machine to have!word of mouth says the vantages can be unreliable, but at 6k+ hours i think your past the point of question!i would get with lincoln and make sure it is a machine you can still get parts for before anything else.if its a serviceable machine, i would have a hard time paying more than 2k for it, but i dont need it. hate to be ambiguous but you and the seller are the only ones that know its true value.i went through the same thing you are going through with my 200. good friend of mine so i didn't want to lo-ball, and he didn't wanna gouge me either. he finally came up with the pricebosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin
Reply:Are you sure it's a '98? I was thinking that was about the timeframe of the Commander series, before the Vantage?-------------------------Chemetron AC/DC 300 HFSnap-On MM300L Lincoln SP140 Lincoln AC/DC 225g Lincoln SA200 Lincoln SA200 Miller Bobcat 225GVictor torchesH&M and Mathey beveling machinesMcElroy Plastic pipe fusion