What's my buddy worth?

Anachronism · Post by **Anachronism** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:51 pm

2008 Buddy 50, red with 1600 miles.

No cosmetic issues, no cosmetic mods except for deadlamps wired to be running lamps.

Has 70CC kit installed with 300 miles (broken in, in other words).
Variator currently has half stock and half 5 gram prima rollers.

Runs EXCELLENT, top speed around 55 MPH, sprints to 40 easily, maintenance has been done on schedule.

With the cylinder kit, it could keep up with my Stella pretty well- huge difference from stock.

What do you think it is worth? I was thinking $1,800-$1,900, but want some feedback.

If you are interested, drop me a line.

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 3:34 am

KBB is $1450 retail. Might be just a bit more with the kit, but not much. All the extra stuff you do to your toys is for you and rarely translates back into the money spent at the point of sale. OTOH, the trade in is $930, ouch! And remember, you're trying to sell a scooter in the winter, in a depressed market (where dealers are cutting raw bone deals). IF you want to make back any of your investment, wait for better weather. But as another aside, the longer you wait the older it gets, and the less it's worth. If you wait till spring, your 2008 is now 2 years old........ Feeling good about selling your Buddy yet?

Anachronism · Post by **Anachronism** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 4:43 pm

I'm actually planning to wait for Spring, I'm just trying to get an idea of what a good price is.

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 4:54 pm

I'm with RSRider on this one. Performance mods are a tricky business with vehicles. I wouldn't plan on them adding value to the scooter. Accessories, on the other hand will add value. Also, I agree that waiting till Spring is the way to go. I'll be putting my Blur up for sale in the Spring as well, but I'm going to return it to stock and make sure everything runs right. You can't really do that with the cylinder kit, at least not easily. Leave it in and make sure you're perfectly clear about what the new owner is buying. The right buyer will be interested in the kitted Buddy. A new rider won't have a clue - and that could turn into a mess.

Lil Buddy · Post by **Lil Buddy** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 5:11 pm

Last summer I listed my 06 Buddy 50 (Stage 1 kit, black powder coated prima pipe, windshield, running lights, 1800mi) for $1600. No bites.

In the Fall I listed it again for $1400. A call to one of my local dealers told me they would give me $800-$900 for it towards a trade for a BJack. They would then list it at around $1100-$1200. I passed up a couple offers for $900.

Later in the fall I listed it for $1100. Ended up selling for $1000.

I know had I waited till the following spring I could have gotten a couple hundered more but with the price another local dealer offered me for the BJack, I had to unload the 50 quick!

I still see Buddy's listed on Craigslist today that where on there when mine was up in the summer!

As stated above, the upgrades look nice on paper (and on the scoot), but don't and much to the worth of the scooter. Waiting till spring will probably get you more money for yours, but you may end up spending more for a replacement then as compaired to now (if thats the route you are going).

Anachronism · Post by **Anachronism** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 5:49 pm

I've already bought the replacement, just need to sell this one to replenish the bank account.

iwabj · Post by **iwabj** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 5:55 pm

Dean F · Post by **Dean F** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:21 pm

I was offered $900.00 for my 150 in August 2009 as a trade for a GV250. The dealer is both a Vespa and Genuine dealer. My 150 had 4000 miles on it at the time, not a scratch, garage kept at night and inside my office during the day.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:41 am

Dean F wrote:I was offered $900.00 for my 150 in August 2009 as a trade for a GV250. The dealer is both a Vespa and Genuine dealer. My 150 had 4000 miles on it at the time, not a scratch, garage kept at night and inside my office during the day.

Sounds to me that he was low balling you or just didn't want the trade. There is enough profit in a GTV to be plenty fair on a trade in. You can, of course, do much better than that on a clean 150. Now used 50s are a whole different deal - Buddys or Vespas. Probably around a $1000-$1200 for a clean late model Buddy 50 is about as good as it is going to get.

(That is a problem with buying a 50 as a first scoot or learner vehicle and then stepping up in a year or two - you take quite a pounding on depreciation. Really better to buy a used 50 at the start to avoid the problem if that is how you choose to start out.)

Anachronism · Post by **Anachronism** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 6:47 am

I'm not trading mine in- I'm selling it private party.

Sounds like I want to start asking at $1,600 or so and take $1,300-$1,400?

jperkins · Post by **jperkins** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:12 pm

in my own opinion as a buyer I would recommentd selleng the mods seperately.......I personally won't buy a moded vehicle because it is too hard to tell if it was done right and what kind of future problems a vehicle will have.

just a thought.

Ray Knobs · Post by **Ray Knobs** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:53 pm

jperkins wrote:in my own opinion as a buyer I would recommentd selleng the mods seperately.......I personally won't buy a moded vehicle because it is too hard to tell if it was done right and what kind of future problems a vehicle will have.

just a thought.

x2
return to stock and sell your parts

but... no harm in trying, just don't expect to get a premium price because of the kit

iwabj · Post by **iwabj** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 8:07 pm

pimaCanyon · Post by **pimaCanyon** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 12:13 am

so you're selling the Buddy, but keeping the Stella? Figure you can't ride two bikes at the same time, so just keeping one? Or is there another reason for letting the Buddy go?

Anachronism · Post by **Anachronism** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 12:19 pm

pimaCanyon wrote:so you're selling the Buddy, but keeping the Stella? Figure you can't ride two bikes at the same time, so just keeping one? Or is there another reason for letting the Buddy go?

I originally bought a Buddy 50 because I wasn't sure how much I would actually ride a scooter. I chose the buddy because of the warranty and because I really prefer 2 strokes for their simplicity and extra power over the pokey 4 stroke 50s out there.

At the time I was doing my research, I discovered Stella, and fell in love. I loved the idea of a manual shift, classic, yet brand new scooter, and definitely loved the looks.

However, again, I wasn't sure this would really be for me, so I wanted to limit my investment. I also didn't have a motorcycle endorsement, and it didn't help that my insurance company gave me an exorbitant quote for scooter insurance. So, I decided to limit my investment and buy the Buddy.

Obviously, I found I loved it and think it is a great bike, lots of fun, great handling, reliable, etc etc etc. The 50 was great around town, but there are a lot of great mountain rides I wanted to do that would require more power.

Finally, I few months ago, I found my scooter shop was offering an awesome deal on a new Stella, so I took it. I bought the Stella because I really liked them to begin with, and because this could be the last year of a 2 stroke, so if I wanted one, I better get one.

So yes, I am one person with two scooters, and while I like the Buddy, it just doesn't make sense to keep it.

DennisD · Post by **DennisD** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 2:49 pm

Ahh, the multi scooter conundrum. Keep or sell? Keep or sell? Follow my heart or head? Hmmmmmm. Lots of rational solutions, but why be rational?

rajron · Post by **rajron** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 3:06 pm

Prices are very low now; if at all possible hold on to your scooters until the prices goes back up, after the weather changes for the better – but, then again you might want to keep them when it gets nice again.

Anachronism · Post by **Anachronism** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:59 pm

rajron wrote:Prices are very low now; if at all possible hold on to your scooters until the prices goes back up, after the weather changes for the better – but, then again you might want to keep them when it gets nice again.

Yeah, no kidding. One of the reasons I bought a scooter new was the used prices in 2008 were MSRP of new ones. I figured that I be able to get most of my investment back if I didn't like it.

How things change in a year.

I am planning on waiting till spring to sell.