On the Neo Geo CD..before I do something stupid like buy one.

I'm not in a rush atm but I think I will try the grease route first since it makes the most sense in my case before I would try something more drastic. It's also a solution I noticed a few online have suggested in fixing issues of when the top loader doesn't want to recognize a game in the bios.

I know of Neo-geo forums and other resources for being able to compare pcb but it is an added layer of work you have to do before buying. I personally just felt it was not worth my time. That was just me.

 

So what about the Unibios? It doesn't seem hard to install, it's just a matter of getting it.

Aside from maybe one day having to replace the spindle or laser, how about the controller itself? Do they wear out easily should I look into getting a stick before picking my system up?

 

The control sticks can wear out, but they are repairable. Mine came with a worn out controller, I had it working awesome in about 20-30 mins. The arcade stick is just nice to have though, so I ended up buying one of those too.