Need help buying a go kart.

[Austyno]

I am trying to buy a go kart, I have been looking on craigslist for a while, and I would like some input from everyone else.

I am looking for a 2 seat go kart, capable of fitting at least 5'10" people(can be a little tight though), Has a roll bar, runs or has a simple fix(I am trying to get one before the July 4th), and is preferably under $500 but at the most probably about $650.

I am looking in the Kansas City area on Craigslist(http://kansascity.craigslist.org/search/sss?sort=date&hasPic=1&query=go kart).

There was a nice one on there for $400, but it was gone within 2 days which was just before i could buy it.

My first question is about this one: SOLD

Second question would be about this one:
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/snw/4511766760.html
It seems nice, but is it a little expensive?(the 400 dollar one was nearly identical, but not quite as good). It needs a battery, how much would one of those be/do you think it could he would come down on the price?

Lastly:
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/snd/4487839480.html
This one is cheaper, the wheels are a bit small, and one is flat. The seller says that it needs a clutch, how much are those/would it be able to drive for a while before I replace it? And do you think that this is a fair price?


I assume all of these are there(not sure why...) I will call the sellers tomorrow and ask them though.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[KartFab]

buy the manco warrior, everything else is a pos in my opinion.

You will probably spend a couple hundred on either of the other two karts before you can get them to run right (tires, brakes, torque converter etc) The other karts show their age and abuse (age=money pit)


show up with 600 cash, don't be shy like i think you are being about it.

The manco warrior is BY FAR worth triple the other karts.

it has a bigger automatic transmission(40 series it should have), nice tires, quality parts/shocks, doesnt look like it was left outside to rot for years, and has a much bigger,nicer engine.

It has shocks like the red yerf dog, but it is acutally a very high quality kart, american made.

The yerf dog red kart is cheapy made mass produced even though it looks cool.

batteries are like $50, but this also has a pull start so you dont even need one.

This is coming from someone who flips karts as a hobby. I could sell the manco for around $1,200 around christmas time, the yerf dog for maybe $500 and the murray for $400.

You will not regret buying the manco, I cannot say the same for the other two even though they would be good karts to fix up and have fun on. When it is all said and done, you wont have to put more than $50 into the manco from what I can tell (dont take my word for it though, it just looks like it has been taken care of very well).

 

[jslider]

When it comes to buying the man (or women) with cash is in control take what you have with you and go look at it never talk money over the phone you have not seen it and they have probably been bombarded with people offering them lowball offers over the phone, look at it check it out hear it run and than talk cash, if you have 650 show it to him and tell the seller you are not telling them it is not worth there asking price but that this is what you can spend on the purchase. I would say 9 out 10 times here in phx 650 cash buys an 850 asking price. I got one last week that was asking 800 for 300. His asking price was too high and i like to buy on the cheap becuse it always needs a few more things when you get it home.

And if the want more than you are willing to spend there will be 5 more to choose from next weekend.

 

[Austyno]

Thanks for the info, ill probably wait a week or so and see if if any others come up. Thanks a lot for the tips on trying to get them to come down on the price! If I get one ill post it later.

 

[Half-breeder]

Being a CList Kart shopper myself... I have noticed that the closer to winter... the prices/availability plummet(atleast in this area) by 2-300$ n 1-3 new sales a month... and spring is like a flood gates for availability... but the prices are jacked way up. The Warrior is by far the best outta the lot that you showed, and as Grant said is possibly worth triple that. If it has a TC 40 series... its worth 4 times as much(IMO).

I say do as these guys have said bout goin up there w/ 600-650$, look it over. If you know about karts let him know EVERY flaw, n offer 600$... if you know little, Id tell him, "Due to the items that Id have to fix/replace... I have 600$ cash(use 10$/20$ bills) Ill pay right now for it!" Hold up the wad and see what he says. Worse case is he says 'no', then you can 'try' using the last 50$ to possibly coax the sale(pull the wad from the pocket, n the 50$ from the wallet). If no deal... wait as you have already said you'd do, and repeat process.

Ive found the majority of ppl selling karts... 'just' want em outta their possession and are 'somewhat' anticipating to sell it for less... some more so than others. Politeness and cash are the way to talk CList sellers down... also Ive flipped a persons choice by saying things like..."My daughter and I... project" and "...just like the one when I was a kid...". But those phrases were used after they denied my final offer.

 

[firemanjim]

on both counts.... The manco screams "money ride" (that's a good thing)....... The other two scream "money pit" (that's a bad thing)...... Looks like someone already bought the first one you linked, but that's their problem.....
Go manco......

 

[Austyno]

Okay, Thanks, I will probably wait a few more days, just to see if something a little bit cheaper comes up, but I like all the buying tips. Thanks!


Edit: Okay, the original post seems to have been deleted(probably by me on accident :S), so I will just post a link to the one that everyone told me to buy.

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/snw/4511766760.html

 

[Austyno]

These go karts were just added a few hours ago, they are super close to where I live, and look like they're in good condition.

I think the seller is only selling the two on the right with roll cages. Is $500 a good price?

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/snw/4525458454.html

Thanks!

 

[OzFab]

I don't recall ever hearing inherently bad things about yerf dogs so, you may be on to a winner here; the only negative about them is the variable camber due to the single A arm front suspension may cause premature tyre wear...

I would also ask if he can swap the tyres from the roller to whichever runner you choose...