By the time you finished replacing O rings, miscellaneous posts, poppet valves, the occasional lid, refilled the co2 tank that leaked because of a faulty poppet, bought a new cat because the other died from the CO2 leak, cleaned the ceiling and walls after you and the room were sprayed with dry stout when you unhooked the keg and the poppet valve didn't seat, done that again, and again one more time, bailed out the keezer that filled up with a keg full of your favorite IPA because of another poppet failure ...by the time you paid for all that, you could afford 2 new Italian made kegs for the real cost of each used and "pressure tested" keg. Those words "pressure tested" are so reassuring.
Then there's the stress of a keg failure, which can shorten your life, or drive you to drink more than you really should, so then you have to buy more ingredients and make more beer. I remember a very distraught Brewnoser once sending out a mass PM because his lid wasn't fitting.
That's based on a true story, a year in the life of Guinges, except the cat didn't die, but easily could have. It's sleeping mat was on the floor in the beer room. I fixed all the kegs (quality post assemblies cost $30 each) sold them, and bought new Italian kegs, only around $100 with a Brewnoser's discount at Noble Grape. OBK had them on sale recently too for around that. They will be trouble free and last you a lifetime.
Ps. The poppets in the AEB Italian kegs are not removable, don't try as you will damage them. They are clean in place by running fluid through them. The advantage of this is that the poppet valves always seat perfectly. And the connectors snap on like a charm.
