Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?


I have just acquired a 32 year old JVC/Victor TT-101 DD turntable after having its lesser brother, the TT-81 for the last year.
TT-101
This is one of the great DD designs made at a time when the giant Japanese electronics companies like Technics, Denon, JVC/Victor and Pioneer could pour millions of dollars into 'flagship' models to 'enhance' their lower range models which often sold in the millions.
Because of their complexity however.......if they malfunction.....parts are 'unobtanium'....and they often cannot be repaired.
128x128halcro
For those looking for a good Victor TT-101....
http://yahoo.aleado.com/lot?auctionID=s541556118
This one looks worthwhile.
The FR-64s tone arm alone is worth $1500 so I’d expect this auction to realise close to $3000.....
Compare that to VPI Direct at $30,000 and ’you’re whistling Dixie’....😘🎶
Henry, I thought, "Bob's your uncle."  Whistling Dixie is not such a good idea right now.
Well, i just got an email from www.Audio-Reparatur.de about estimate price for TT-101 repair service and it’s similar to JP’s current rates, but the vendor is in Germany, so for those who’re in Europe it must be great and Tuchan’s repaired TT-101 linked a few times in this thread is the proof. Still very expensive for me.

Waiting for the rates from JVC repair service in UK soon. 
@chakster  
How did the repair workshop make a budget estimate without even having the turntable on the operating table?
Could you publicize the asking price?