Quandary about trading up...

[Uncle Groucho]

So I may finally have some interest in my 50cc and I've found a few really nice scoots around Atlanta to replace it if a sale does happen.

The Buddy has been great, but there's a 2005 Vespa Granturismo 200 going for about $2600; it's only got 4800 miles on it and it looks clean as a whistle. I've found an orange Buddy 125 with less than 500 miles going for $1850 but it's about 50 miles away. Not a biggie, but something to consider if I'm scooting it back home. My dealer has a 170i in the Italia color scheme for around $3400 and two Psychos for $3200 a pop. Another Genuine dealer in the northern suburbs has a black 2009 Buddy with loads of upgrades for $2200 but it's got over 7000 miles on it. Another yutz is selling a 2007 Vino for $1585 cash in hand.

I'm not signing up for the Cannonball, but it'd be nice to get more power. My commute is only 6 miles each way but I have felt limited about scooting around in the past with a 50cc engine.

If I go new, I get the warranty but pay out the nose. If I go used, I have to trust that it's been taken care of. So far, used Vespas still seem to command a lot of scratch, so is a cheaper one indicative of a problem? I can always pay off the amount left on Bogie and finance a purchase new or used through my credit union.

The whole thing is moot if I don't sell Bogie, but if you were in my shoes and you had $1800 cash in your hand, what would you do?

[Len]

Get A Buddy 170i

[Edwub]

I was in the same position last year. Getting rid of a 50cc, and deciding what to do. Ultimately went new for my own sanity. I tried to pseudo-justify the extra cost by going for a Blur, since it'd be even harder to find a used 220... crazily I got a great price that ultimately beat MSRP so I felt way, way better about it.

Ignoring that, I decided that I'd rather pay more $ for something new, so that I can have 110% confidence in the vehicle and the warranty protection. And that the money "I could have" saved...well...I figured that this confidence and 'fresh new' feeling was financially worth a few months of being strict about having homemade turkey sandwiches for lunch, and going out less often for dinner.

[Syd]

I hear there's lots of '09 Buddys still for sale, many at very good prices. Buy a Buddy.

[TVB]

I've found an orange Buddy 125 with less than 500 miles going for $1850 but it's about 50 miles away. Not a biggie, but something to consider if I'm scooting it back home.

Are you counting the 50-mile ride home as a selling point?

[Uncle Groucho]

I've found an orange Buddy 125 with less than 500 miles going for $1850 but it's about 50 miles away. Not a biggie, but something to consider if I'm scooting it back home.

Are you counting the 50-mile ride home as a selling point?

I like the idea of a 50-mile inaugural ride home!

It's more an issue of talking my wife into driving me down there and then not have her ride alongside me the whole way back. The only way down there is interstate highways and the folks in metro Atlanta are *just* this side of insane on any strip of road with more than one lane.

But yeah, I'm thinking that used orange Buddy with less than 500 miles may be the one if it wasn't for the unbridled lust I'm feeling for the Granturismo...

[jrsjr]

...there's a 2005 Vespa Granturismo 200 going for about $2600; it's only got 4800 miles on it and it looks clean as a whistle.

...I'm not signing up for the Cannonball, but it'd be nice to get more power.

...used Vespas still seem to command a lot of scratch, so is a cheaper one indicative of a problem?

...if you were in my shoes and you had $1800 cash in your hand, what would you do?

Wasn't the 2005 GT the year that had the problem with the "singing clutch?" Jess, the founder of ModernVespa.com had one that sang and it drove him nuts. I think it was a 2005, but it's been a long time. You'd need to research it over on MV to be sure. I forget how (or even if) he ever resolved the problem.