Thanks for the helpful info. I don't enjoy the whole internet forum attitude of finding reasons to nitpick or explain why your question is the wrong one, rather than to just be helpful, but perhaps I did overreact a bit.

I too find the internet to be a vile place but HB is one of the very few that I enjoy visiting and read a lot of posts even if I don't have the machine, grinder, problem or experience.

Lots of good people with lots of good information and opinions and it is moderated very well.

Give it a chance and you will find out how much is available here.

And stay away from the watch forums they are downright catty and evil.

Best of luck with your espresso journey!

-Edit-

It has been pointed out to me that not all of the watch forums are bad, there are some good ones, just not the one I once followed.

I find the fact that you had to clarify your post about internet forum unpleasantness to accommodate someone pointing out that you were not precise enough in describing that unpleasantness to be delightfully and depressingly ironic.

Consider the availability of replacement parts and the price you will pay for them if you purchase an older machine. Drip tray cover and portafilter holder will set you back over $100. Add baskets of your choice at ?$s. New machines based on a google search will run ~$1650.

Over the 20 years of ownership I've spent more than the acquisition cost on replacement parts. Price for the MCal back then was a fraction of the selling price today. You might come out ahead within a day or few years purchasing new. Unless restoration of an older machine is important to you.