Where to buy a quad??

[GunSmoke]

Anybody on here have any tips on where to look for used quads? Craigslist and offer up seem to be slim pickings. ATV trader also not much. Anyone that can point me in a direction would be much appreciated. Also, is it normal for 10 year and older quads to be well over $4k? I thought I'd be able to find a 10-15 year old quad for under $3,500 or am I dreaming?

Read More

 

[slimmer13]

They're out there. It's usually word of mouth. CL is usually overpriced worn out ones for too much money.

I recently bought a 2008 Suzuki Eiger 4x4 400 with a winch, utility trailer and 300 miles on it for $4k.

A buddy just sold his 2009 Polaris 570 sportsman for $4k.

 

[GunSmoke]

Think they're more prevalent in eastern wa? Maybe I need to expand my search radius

 

[HaveGun]

I bought a 2001 Polaris Sportsman 500HO from my neighbor for $800 a few years ago. It was low mileage and his deceased father's vehicle. He parked it in the back yard under a tree for a couple of years.

I dragged it out and cleaned it up, put new tires on it and had the local dealer go through it and change all the fluids and rebuild the carb. I had about $1500 into it and rode it for a season.

Nearly got stranded in the middle of the Idaho wilderness when the belt started going and various electrical issues cropped up. Went to a Polaris forum and discovered that Polaris vehicles were giant POS.

I put it on Craigslist for $2500 and sold it the next day.

Went out and bought a brand new Honda Pioneer 500 UTV for $9500.

For me, as someone who goes out alone in very remote areas, it's just not worth risking my life and safety on junk.

Before the Polaris, I bought a brand new Yamaha Kodiak 400 in 2001 for $5100. Owned it for 11 years with never a problem and enjoyed the heck out of it. My ex-wife insisted on getting it in the divorce and when I went to replace it in 2013, was shocked to find comparable used ones for around $4000. I believe a new one is now around $6500.

It's like Toyotas; buying a slightly used one doesn't make sense since they retain their value so much.

Plus, now is the wrong time to be shopping for deals on used, or new, ATVs. It's the height of the riding season. It's like deciding to buy a gun and ammo now, in the middle of a nationwide run on guns and ammo.

 

[GunSmoke]

I bought a 2001 Polaris Sportsman 500HO from my neighbor for $800 a few years ago. It was low mileage and his deceased father's vehicle. He parked it in the back yard under a tree for a couple of years.

I dragged it out and cleaned it up, put new tires on it and had the local dealer go through it and change all the fluids and rebuild the carb. I had about $1500 into it and rode it for a season.

Nearly got stranded in the middle of the Idaho wilderness when the belt started going and various electrical issues cropped up. Went to a Polaris forum and discovered that Polaris vehicles were giant POS.

I put it on Craigslist for $2500 and sold it the next day.

Went out and bought a brand new Honda Pioneer 500 UTV for $9500.

For me, as someone who goes out alone in very remote areas, it's just not worth risking my life and safety on junk.

Before the Polaris, I bought a brand new Yamaha Kodiak 400 in 2001 for $5100. Owned it for 11 years with never a problem and enjoyed the heck out of it. My ex-wife insisted on getting it in the divorce and when I went to replace it in 2013, was shocked to find comparable used ones for around $4000. I believe a new one is now around $6500.

It's like Toyotas; buying a slightly used one doesn't make sense since they retain their value so much.

Plus, now is the wrong time to be shopping for deals on used, or new, ATVs. It's the height of the riding season. It's like deciding to buy a gun and ammo now, in the middle of a nationwide run on guns and ammo.

Ya I was thinking its probably better to wait for winter... just got some extra cash right now.

 

[made in china]

Many years ago I bought a used Yamaha quad for my son, it was very difficult to locate (I used CL) and was surprisingly expensive. Recently sold it for exactly what we paid for it.
Turns out the market has been flooded with Chinese quads of ill repute, and the Japanese made quads really hold their value and don't often come onto market.

 

[GunSmoke]

Many years ago I bought a used Yamaha quad for my son, it was very difficult to locate (I used CL) and was surprisingly expensive. Recently sold it for exactly what we paid for it.
Turns out the market has been flooded with Chinese quads of ill repute, and the Japanese made quads really hold their value and don't often come onto market.

I've seen a crap load of the Chinese ones.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

In 2009 I bought a 2005 Yamaha 660 grizzly. Perfect condition. Low low miles.
$3,500
It paid to buy at that time.

 

[Certaindeaf]

If you have some old bicycles, sell those for 4x normal and lever up to whatever. Bikes are very hard to come by right around now.

 

[HaveGun]

I've seen a crap load of the Chinese ones.

In 2008, I fell for the lure of a cool looking and cheap Chinese dune buggy thing from a newly opened dealer in Arizona. Salesman said the motor was an exact copy of a Honda design and swore that the whole thing was going to be fun for the whole family.

A year later after being in Arizona and under cover, all the rubber components literally disintegrated. CV boots, fuel lines, spark plug wires, everything plastic or rubber was destroyed. Dealership was boarded up and gone by then. Never again.

 

[Certaindeaf]

In 2008, I fell for the lure of a cool looking and cheap Chinese dune buggy thing from a newly opened dealer in Arizona. Salesman said the motor was an exact copy of a Honda design and swore that the whole thing was going to be fun for the whole family.

A year later after being in Arizona and under cover, all the rubber components literally disintegrated. CV boots, fuel lines, spark plug wires, everything plastic or rubber was destroyed. Dealership was boarded up and gone by then. Never again.

I bought a chinee pit bike new, rode it around once in a while, kept it in the garage here in wet Oregon and then sold it like 7 years later, still perfect as a pin.
Those harsh desert conditions can sure kill stuff though.

 

[BrentN]

I bought a 450 (carbed) and a 700 (fi) quad up here in Longview Pro Caliber in 2014. PC has since closed. I traded in my 2008 Raider in on these as my kid was growing up and didn't want to ride without him. Now he's 19, and wants to get some Ninja, go figure. He's never been on a motorcycle, and barely even a bicycle. He's already signed up for the safety class in Clark Co., so I guess we'll see how this goes.
I think the Pro Caliber in the 'Couv is still open, and if nothing else, it's a place to start (or similar stlye shop). Just be aware, pretty much everybody working there looked to be in their 20's.
I know you mentioned used, but in my situation, I really didn't want to buy someone elses headache, and that seems to dominate the used market on these machines.