What I know is that Curtis Products was some type of franchise or scam associated with the March Of Dimes back in the early to mid 1990's. Don't know where you can get any parts but you might want to read this from the New York Times.

Link:

http://query.nytimes...;pagewanted=all

Snack Dude and Gabe Z.,

Thanks for the replies. I really appreciate all the help so far. Since I last posted there have been a few more emails exchanged between the seller and myself.

Snack Dude,
Don't worry about scaring me, the reason I joined the forum was to get the unbiased truth about what to look out for in the business. It's amazing to see what kind of GOD honest truth you will get when the other party has no monetary interest.
He has not been able to provide financials and in fact when I asked for them, the following was his response.

"... the excel sheet would not help because those machine averages are mixed in with a bigger route."

This immediately raised a red flag with me, because I would want to know what each machine is doing seperately, which leads me into my response for Gabe Z.

Gabe Z.,
The machines are the Vendstar 3000. Here is another response this seller gave me while emailing back and forth.

"My machines are averaging 47.77 per unit a month according to my excell spread sheet. I have a few machines doing 80+ dollars a month and some doing 20+. The national average is much lower because some people are lazy and leave their machines in 8...yes 8 dollar a month locations.I know some. To cheap to pay a service. I will never understand that."

He doesn't try to lie about the national average being much lower, he just claims that if his produce less than $20 per location for more than 3 months, he moves the machine.

So in that statement above, he is saying that his average is $47.77, some do $80+ and some do $20+. If he has a spreadsheet figuring those averages... shouldn't he also be able to tell me how much the one he is trying to sale me makes... I would think so.

I told him I would have to get back with him on a decision. This "deal" is sounding more and more shady as I move forward.

At this point, I think I will take the advice of Gabe Z. and the forum to pass on this deal and look for a better one.

Thanks again to everyone who has posted.
I will keep you updated with my progress.

Gulf Coast Vending.......... Just for grins & giggles, ask the seller if he would take you around and see the machines/locations or try to find out where they are and go look for yourself. I myself would never buy a "pig in a poke."