Questions about buying a Genuine Roughhouse

ender07 · Post by **ender07** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 11:36 pm

Hey guys & gals,

I was looking into getting a used 50cc scooter so me and my wife could both have one and I found two on craigslist that are both 2008 Genuine Roughhouse models with 3100-4800 miles on them. I talked to them both on the phone and they both sound like they were well taken care of, no real scratches, havent been laid down or been in accidents, and seem to both have the title and all available papers included.

I guess since I bought my other scooter brand new from a dealer, I don't have much knowledge when it comes to looking into used ones. Are there any good questions I should ask or things I should look for as red flags? Take a look at the listings below and let me know if its a decent deal or if I am getting ripped off. Thanks!

Green Roughhouse 4800 miles - $1100
http://madison.craigslist.org/mcy/3052946353.html

Blue Roughhouse 3147 miles - $1300
http://madison.craigslist.org/mcy/3096937680.html

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 12:56 am

I don't have much insight to offer except that both of these should have plenty of miles left on the engine. That and: ask them about when / how often it was serviced; it doesn't need oil changes, but still needs other maintenance.

ender07 · Post by **ender07** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 2:29 am

Thanks TVB, is the asking price about right? So far they both only have minimal scratches and seem to sound fine and rode nicely. I like the color green more than the blue. The green one only had the one owner whereas the blue one had two but therefore it has less mileage on it.

And idk if the age of the owners matter but the guy who owns the green one is around 25 but the owner of the blue one is more like a dad in his later 30's. Anyone who has any opinions please let me know!

Maker · Post by **Maker** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 2:33 am

The guy with the green one seems to think it was made in Chicago, not Taiwan, like it was. Chicago is the headquarters I believe. So, he might be sketchy.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 2:56 am

I'd blame the "made in Chicago" bit on simple naivete. Kind of like there are people who assume that Fords are made in Michigan, Apples are made in California, and oranges are grown in Florida.

spr0k3t · Post by **spr0k3t** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 4:12 am

They both look good. What I would do is have them checked out by a reputable dealer... or at least ask where the work was done so you can ask the mechanic how well it has held up from service to service.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 12:25 pm

The fact that they're both asking about the same amount of money for roughly the same scooter suggests to me that the price is fair for your area. It's basically about half what they cost new, and they're nowhere near half used-up.

ender07 · Post by **ender07** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 12:51 pm

spr0k3t wrote:They both look good. What I would do is have them checked out by a reputable dealer... or at least ask where the work was done so you can ask the mechanic how well it has held up from service to service.

Yeah, I always wondered though how people got them checked out before buying it. I mean if a stranger wanted to buy my car/scooter and wanted to get it checked out first I would not just hand over the keys and let him or her go.

Anyways I really like the green color but I feel the blue one has probably been ridden less "hard" since its a bit of an older guy selling it as opposed to the twenty-something. I guess it's not too hard to either buy different color panels or paint them if I go with the blue one.

spr0k3t · Post by **spr0k3t** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 1:33 pm

When I have sold a vehicle, I usually offer to take the vehicle to their mechanic or offer up service records for them to check through. So far, out of seven vehicles, I've only had one person take me up on the mechanic offer, they also purchased the car for my asking price. You can usually tell who is trying to scam you versus genuine sales of a well maintained vehicle.

ender07 · Post by **ender07** » Wed Jun 27, 2012 2:23 am

Well ladies and gantlemen, I am the proud owner of a 2008 roughhouse 50, everything checked out and it was a sweet deal! Now both me and my wife have a scooter, woot!

spr0k3t · Post by **spr0k3t** » Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:27 am

Awesome sauce. Enjoy! I've been having a blast with mine.

ender07 · Post by **ender07** » Wed Jun 27, 2012 1:17 pm

I'm happily surprise with how it handles and feels on the road! Since the tires are taller and wider it seems more stable and has the same get-up-and-go pep that our other one has. Plus now I have the option to go on trails if I want and the ability to take a ride with my wife!