I can see everyone's point as to which machines they have chosen. I was lucky enough to work for 20+ years for a company that had purchased high quality equipment long before I started there. Names like Leblond, American, Tree, DoAll, Cincinnati, South Bend, and Bridgeport were the only ones in the shop. They were kept in like new condition and were well tooled. While I didn't realize it at the time, I did get spoiled learning to operate machines of this caliber.
I lucked out again when it was time to outfit my own shop. It just so happened at that point in time the company decided to close down a few of their remote shops. It was my duty to dispose of the equipment. The rules were that all machines had to be offered to other remaining shops before they could be sold on the open market. The catch however was that they had to be accepted at the book value carried by the shop that was closing.
The last caveat was sort of a catch 22. In those days all the shops had a budget sufficient to have their machines refurbished at regular intervals. Nearly all the machines were in like new condition and carried a price tag reflecting it. In the end there were a few pieces that were way overpriced compared to what an identical new piece of equipment would cost. None of the remaining shops were willing to pay 80% of the price of a new machine for one that was 20+ years old regardless of the condition.
When all was said and done there were a few pieces of equipment that went unsold. At that point I was told to call the scrappers and get a bid for hauling them away. To a one the scrappers could care less about the condition of the machinery. Their only interests were the materials they were made of and the total weight. I was a bit shocked when the final bids came it. I contacted my boss and several other higher ups in the company and asked if they were really willing to let the machines go this way or whether it would be better for me to contact used equipment dealers.
The resounding answer was to get rid of the machinery quickly because the property was being sold and there was no time to look for other alternatives. At that point I asked if I could buy the leftovers, and what the price would be. I was told that if I could remove the remaining machines by the end of the month I could have them for the same price the scrappers were offering. Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity and made arrangements to get the machinery moved. I still have every one of the machines I purchased from the company and was able to get a few more over time.
So Yes, my situation was probably far different than most, and I got spoiled along the way. Along those lines high quality used equipment is still available here in the Midwest. Things aren't quite as plentiful as they were 20+ years ago, and the prices are somewhat higher, but machines are still available at a fraction of the cost of new.
