Sell my babies for an atv, or save up and wait.

Phillyfan · Jan 22, 2011

OK, so I am tired of being a burden on my hunting team. Every year its "who gets to piggyback my butt out to where I want to be and then have to travel from there to where they want to be". That or I borrow someones truck. I hate doing that because everytime a branch scrapes down the side of it I feel so guilty, even though the same thing would happen if they were driving and they wouldn't care (doesn't matter, it's someone elses truck and I can't stand the thought of damage being done on my account). I have $2000 saved up. On Craigslist right now I could get a low miles Polaris Sportsman or Yamaha Grizzly for around $3200.

I get a monthly allowance of $150. Sounds funny for a grown man to have an allowance, but we do this so that neither me or my wife feel guilty for spending family money on ourselves.

Option 1:
I sell my beloved HK45 with only 100 rounds through it (would break my heart), and an unfired 12ga Stoeger STF3000 (my only shotgun which I have no use for just always felt like a guy should have a shotgun in his arsenal). That should get me around $1200. I get a good atv at a low price and could save up for a carry gun for hunting next season, but probably not another HK.

Option 2:
I keep my babies and save until the summer just before hunting season and try to buy then. There will be more competition and probably less availability meaning the prices will be higher and I won't be able to get what I really want.

Option 3:
I buy as much silver as I can afford and hope the market price shoots up the way I expect it to this summer when gas and food prices skyrocket. If it works, I keep my babies and get a good machine. If it doesn't, I haven't lost anything but will have to wait until next year to stop being a burden.

Need some outside perspective.

parsons_12b · Jan 22, 2011

Either option 2 or 3 would work I would suggest against selling your HK if you realy like it. Another option might be to finance one I bought mine brand new payments were low and I only paid on it for about 15 months.

rpatton · Jan 22, 2011

If I were in your situation and had the same goal, I would buy more "babies" (using a gun shop with a layaway plan considering your allowance situation) with intent to enjoy them a little but not get too attached (or even leave them in the box to prevent attachment issues), when you accumilate enough of them then put them on the for sale or trading block and keep your babies. Guns can sit but money burns a hole in most pockets.

Dennis316 · Jan 22, 2011

option 2 AND 3 sound about the best...and stay away from polaris, especially if you are looking at a yamaha grizzly. Thats like deciding between a Toyota and a Kia for the same price

silver is on its way down from its 31 dollar high, and itll bottom out at about 23 experts are predicting, metal prices usually go way up, then people sell off quickly and they go down, but silver has been on a continual upward trend for who the **** knows how long...when silver bottoms out, ill be first in line buying as many silver coins as i can get my grubby hands on. I was going to buy 3k worth of silver last spring when it was at 17 bucks an ounce...but being a moron, i completely forgot because of fishing/camping season...boy do i regret it! but im not going to let it happen again

shotguns are around everywhere, if you need a shotgun, you can pick up a brand new remington 870 pump for less than 300 (thats if you need one ASAP)

atv prices dont really shift all that much for some reason, youre not the only clever guy to buy atvs in the winter, thats what everyone tries to do, including me, but 4 years ago i picked up my 1998 grizzly with 1800 miles for 2500 in july

SargentMac · Jan 22, 2011

parsons_12b said:
Either option 2 or 3 would work I would suggest against selling your HK if you realy like it. Another option might be to finance one I bought mine brand new payments were low and I only paid on it for about 15 months.

+1. You can always ask the friends who have to pack you around for the season. If they know you love your gun, and know your plan, they might tell you to keep the HK and save for the ATV. They can also keep you accountable when you talk about a new toy you want.

EZLivin · Jan 22, 2011

Personally, if you are absolutely set on getting an ATV then get all your cash together and diligently watch Craig's List. The good deals go fast! We bought our first ATVs last year. Wanted 4wd for sure. Ended up getting one repo, and one that someone had just replaced with a larger machine. But it took several weeks of watching to be successful (many, especially the Hondas and Yamahas, sold within minutes/hours of being posted). If you are going to hold your cash in silver then make sure you can tolerate the price fluctuations, and understand that short/medium term price corrections can happen at inopportune times.

buick455 · Jan 22, 2011

I'm not suggesting that you sell your guns but....... while I agree with what dennis316 said about minimal price fluctuations on atv's as apposed to other toys like sandrails and dirtbikes. They do fluctuate some and if I was in the market for one i'd buy soon because prices fall in the winter some and there are many people selling toys to pay off christmas credit card debt or to pay taxes.

mjbskwim · Jan 22, 2011

Sell the kids?
Yes
You feed them and then they turn into teenagers

Oh sell the guns for an atv...never mind

HollisOR · Jan 23, 2011

Keep the firearms, The ATV stores will have specials on low to zero interests on financing. That could mean you can buy a decent ATV for about $100/mo or more for a more expensive ATV. Down side, it can tie up that "allowance" for some time. You can also use a mountain bike.

Silver Fox · Jan 23, 2011

HollisOR said:
Keep the firearms, The ATV stores will have specials on low to zero interests on financing. That could mean you can buy a decent ATV for about $100/mo or more for a more expensive ATV. Down side, it can tie up that "allowance" for some time.

Keep your cash and your guns and finance a new one. Bike shops are hurting.

SF-

DoubleTapDrew · Jan 23, 2011

$2k is plenty for a nice quad you can hunt with. Just keep watching cragislist and the cycle trader. You don't need a high-performace machine to go hunting with. We have an old 4x4 suzuki that's probably about 300cc on a good day and it'll do 98% of what a new grizzly will do (and you shouldn't be risking your neck for that last 2% anyway).
Personally I wouldn't buy a new one. They make new car depreciation look like a sound investment.