Rod Caster Posted March 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 Ya, you gotta look hard if buying used and you rarely get to test it out properly; finding out all the bad stuff long after you bought it. Still, I'm not ruling anything out at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Cliff Posted March 22, 2014 Report Share Posted March 22, 2014 If there is any way you can afford buying new then do it. I have seen so many "used" machines that looked good and seemed to run well but that had serious issues with them! Unless you really know the history of a used machine be very careful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch312 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Ya, you gotta look hard if buying used and you rarely get to test it out properly; finding out all the bad stuff long after you bought it. Still, I'm not ruling anything out at this point. Inspecting an ATV is 10x easier than checking out a car or truck, yet most people I know will choose a lightly used automobile over new without knowing the full history of the vehicle as the savings are huge. It's also far easier to tell how an ATV has been maintained and ridden. - Not many people have collision on their ATV's meaning most chalk up bent or broken plastics and bumpers from hard riding as battle wounds because these parts are often too expensive to justify replacing them and insurance won't cover them. - It'll be very clear if the machine was used for hardcore mudding or racing. Does it have snorks, rad relocate, or big aggressive tires? What about clutch or engine mods? More importantly, do any of the parts associated with these mods look out of place or too new for the machine? This would suggest the ATV was rode hard and the seller knows there is something wrong with it and has returned it back to stock to try and dump it. - How old is the seller? Older people typically take better care of their equipment and take it easy while riding. - Refusing to let you test drive and do a complete inspection means they have something to hide. Walk away. It's relatively easy to take the plastics and wheels off an ATV to do a complete inspection. In less than an hour you can easily inspect the electrical, clutch, frame, suspension, drive train, engine, etc saving you thousands of dollars over new. Plus, many used machines will come with accessories that can add up very quickly. Experienced with ATV's and their maintenance, decent mechanical ability, or know a good ATV mechanic...definitely buy used. All others...buy new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch312 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 More like a skinny chimpanzee, but I"m young enough ..for now. It's too bad I can't really test drive an ATV. I've never used EPS before and I'd like to try it out... oh well, maybe I'll spring for it anyway. It's not really about your strength or age as even the fittest young man will feel the effects of driving in 4x4 all day, cruising over very rough terrain for prolonged periods, or having their arms jerked back and fourth from the kickback on non EPS machines. EPS makes the ride far more easier, safer, and enjoyable for everyone and you'll feel the difference at the end of the day. Honestly, I highly doubt you'll find anyone who has drove an ATV with power steering and didn't think it was a huge imporvement over the same machine without EPS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Caster Posted March 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Thanks ch312. Great advice all around. I've decided to by a used ATV and have enough $ left over for kick-ass trailer. I'm looking at one more machine this week. But it's looking like: ATV: Suzuki Quadmaster 500. $2900 including new tires and new battery. Around $3,400 including tax and admin. 5,500kms. Trailer: T-Rex Trailer. $1,825 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp3gl8SB7T0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdougy Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 What year? From a dealer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 Trailer: T-Rex Trailer. $1,825 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp3gl8SB7T0 I bet you played with a tonka dumptruck when you were a kid last week eh? Not a bad price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Caster Posted March 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 What year? From a dealer? 2001. Yes, a dealer. The book value is around $3,200. Including the tires and tune up I'm going to request, I think it's a decent price. ATV buying on Kijiji is a pain in the butt, and you still have to pay taxes at the MTO anyway; rarely is there a great deal on Kijiji unless you get super lucky/timing is right. haha about the Tonka! Yes, I played tonka and dinky cars in the sandbox for many years haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renegade67 Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Hopefully this quad will provide years of enjoyment for you. I've had good experiences with suzuki. One of the best starting machines in cold weather. If he is a good dealer he will go through the machine for you and make you aware of anything he finds that needs attention. A tune up most likely will be an oil change, new oil filter, fuel filter, plug and inspect/replace the drive belt. Will he take the clutches off and service them? There are pins, rollers, bushings, weights, springs that all wear in there as well.... As I mentioned previously if the machine needs tires then...... I apologize if I'm coming off poorly, I just trying to make you more informed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Caster Posted March 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Its a 14 year old machine so it was time for the stock tires to be changed out. I could easily get another year or more outta the old tires Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdougy Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 CONGRATS, ATVs are one handy tool to have and some fun also. Couple things to look over before you pass over the cash IMO. Jack the front end, put in 4 wheel drive and neutral and spin each of the front tires. That should tell you if 4 wheel drive is working. Take a real close look at the cv boots in the front ,and if there are some , in the back. A hole in them is a bad thing. Give them a slight squeeze to feel for grease in the boot. Try the pull start or kick start, make sure it works. The rope could be rotten if the bike has seen much water, and auxillary start can be a big saviour in bad situations, like a dead battery. Take it for a good long test drive and put it through its paces. Make sure the rad is working well. This can take a while to get it to kick on,especially in this weather. But you want to know it works. Listen carefully for any sort of grinding while the gears are changing. Especially in the lower gears. Grinding is bad, and after a quick read about this model did read a few problems with the grinding in the transmission. All bikes and models have problems,this sounded like this models weak spot, not trying to spook you. After the good long ride, ask if you can pull a little oil out of it. check the drain plug for any metal stuck to magnet, or really odd colour or smell to oil. Since your going through a dealer, which I think is a good thing. Don'T be shy, ask for a 150km warranty or something, it's still a bunch of cash and not worth walking away with no guarantee this thing is not ready to pop. A good dealer will do that and put it in writing for you. It's peace of mind that they have checked it out somewhat. Cheers and have fun being safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch312 Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 Its a 14 year old machine so it was time for the stock tires to be changed out. I could easily get another year or more outta the old tires Tires are the best upgrade for an ATV and stock tires on most machines are absolutely horrible for mud and trail riding. But, they usually do great in the snow because they aren't aggressive and will not dig down in the snow like aggressive mud tires will. A good all around tire that is relatively light and inexpensive is the ITP mud lite. Zilla's are better in terms of traction, but they dig in the snow more and have weak sidewalls and minimal bead protection. I use ITP mud lite XTR radials, but they're too heavy and rob too much power for a stock 500. They wear like iron and the strong sidewalls and bead area's make it possible to continue riding on a completely flat tire while with most tires this isn't possible because the bead will break lose or rim damage will occur because the weak sidewalls cannot support the weight of the machine when the tire is flat. I have zero experience with this machine, but you can message me if you want some tips on inspecting the machine before you buy it. What other machine are you considering? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Caster Posted March 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 I was considering a 2011 king quad 500 , 2013 Yamaha Kodiak 450 and a 2006-2008 Honda Foreman. I just put my deposit on the Quadmaster. The more I look around and do research, the more it looks like a fair deal....everything works on the quad so it's a great sign that the old owner took care of it. There isn't a drop of oil on any of the parts and barely any visible rust. The oil (which was not changed by the dealer) looks normal too. If I find it's not suitable for my type of usage I could easily sell it for the same price I paid. the dealer threw in a 15 day warranty; so I'll run it hard and see if there are any things I've missed during the buying process. I went to the suzuki dealer and asked them about the machine, they also vouched for it's quality...that 500 engine has been used in a lot of machines including most arctic cat's of that time. It's a reliable engine described as bulletproof. Now it's time to get that trailer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 If anyones interested, I saw an ATV for sale today sitting in a driveway on the west side of hwy 28 between Lakefield & Youngs Point...(10 miles north of Peterboro) Only thing I can tell you is it's a dark colour and has a gun case strapped to the handle bars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sneak_e_pete Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 Congrats on your ride! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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