I figure some of you may have tried to sell your scooter through Craigslist or other resources. Any of you who have, or who have traded at a dealership, I'm looking for your advice.

I've decided to move up to a maxiscoot, either a Burgman or Silverwing, if I can afford it. I have two scooters I will need to sell to do that. One is a Genuine Buddy 150. The other a Piaggio BV250. Both are in pristine condition: low miles, garaged, never dropped, all maintenance, and otherwise babied and loved.

Which leads me to my dilemma. I know that if I trade them, I'll get low-balled regardless of the great condition they are in. If I sell them myself, I will get a lot more for them. But I can't imagine letting a stranger test drive them, and I'm reluctant to have strangers at my home looking them over. Add to that all the scams that go through Craigslist and making sure that I don't get ripped off somehow by someone . . . argh! I'm just not sure what I would be dealing with to try to sell one or both myself.

Anyone who can talk about her experience and give me some insights? Tips? Words of wisdom? Maybe I'm more worried about selling them privately than I should be. If you've done that, and you've had a great experience doing it, how did you go about it?

My DH has sold a motorcycle by listing it in a local sportsbike forum. See if there is a local scooter forum.
We have also used CraigsList and local newspapers to sell other bikes.
If you don't want buyer around the house, then sell on EBay since there are fewer local buyers there.
Or when a buyer wants to see the scooter, meet him at a public location (mall, school or church parking lot).
Many potential buyers do not need to ride the scooter. Certainly check their DL for a motorcycle endorsement; if none, then no test ride.

Or bite the loss, and trade one in. I can't recommend trading both in before trying to sell them yourself.
But if they are hard for you to sell, they may also be hard for the dealer to sell, hence the low trade-in price.

Good Luck in any case.

_________________
New Rider in 2010
Grand Vista 250

You will meet all kinds of people off craigslist. I've used it a lot from cleaning out household items to cars and bikes. The worst to me is that people will call and swear they just can't wait to get there and get it, tell you how excited they are, and then you never hear from them again. I've had two people, one of them a deputy, back out the night before on bike deals we had set up. One called about 10 and said his company had a truck accident out of state, and he was the one who had to go deal with it...the other just never showed up the next morning. Some people swear they want something, and ask if you'll hold it. I like to be fair to the first person who responded, but you get further if you make it clear the first person there with money gets the item for sale. Some people love to play email tag. I serious buyer will send you a phone number and want to talk. You could make it plain you won't respond without a phone number. At least that way you have a record of who you're meeting. You don't have to have people come to your house; meet them at the bank one of you uses, or the tag agency (DMV). Get the title transferred or a bill of sale notarized at the bank, and keep a copy, so you don't just hand the title to somebody and they never take the scooter out of your name. Meeting at the tag agency (DMV) will also allow them to get their own plate, if they want to ride it home. Don't let anyone take your plate, unless you live in a state where the plate stays with the vehicle. In the states I've done business, the plate stays with the owner, not the vehicle. You don't want somebody to go off with your scooter and get in an accident on the way home, or the next day, and it still be in your name. You can give CL a try for a week or two, and see how it goes. All you have to do to take down your ad is maybe two clicks of the mouse.

Another option might be to leave it on consignment at a dealer. Dealers in our area will agree on a price you want to get out of your bike, and then whatever they get over that they keep. Discuss with the dealer if they let people ride bikes, and who is responsible for any damage that might occur while the bike is on consignment.

Good thoughts and advice all around. I'm thinking that I'll dip my toe in the water and try to sell one of the scoots myself -- and see how it goes. If any other divas have experience with private sales, do chime in. Thanks!

I've sold 3 on Craigslist and recently traded one. I live in a rural area, so people aren't coming out unless they are really serious about the scooter. I always had someone here with me when they came out and I have a "big ol' dog and guns" so no worry! LOL

With the little Rucki I got a lot of "low ballers" who text or email and want to offer me a pittance. I simply state "firm" in my ad and "no lowballers". I also state no test rides unless you can show a motorcycle endorsement and sign a waiver of liability. Amazingly, I never had anyone actually ask to ride. All 3 came out with cash in hand to buy and that's what they did.

You will get more by selling your scooter outright. Check with NADA to price it properly for the area in which you live and the condition, etc. With a Vespa and a Piaggio I doubt you will have any trouble selling to someone who is willing/able to pay the price that you ask.

Also, I always ask $200 more than I want. Then if they "talk me down" they feel like they are getting a deal! LOL

Scooters sell pretty fast in my area and probably will in yours. If you trade at a dealer you will lose money as they need to make a profit themselves. My last situation was unique to each scooter involved in the transaction and I came out even, no loss, and got what I wanted by trading at a dealer. To do otherwise would not have worked out to my advantage, oddly enough, as both my scoots were discontinued models.

Re insurance: I tell them I will leave the insurance on the scoot for the ride home, ending at midnight. I've never had anything other than grateful customers. I also insist on cash and my last sale I had him meet me at the bank as he was definite on wanting the scooter, but I wanted to have the bank verify that it was not counterfeit money as we have that out here now big time.

Just a thought here to offer you to ponder: unless you are 100% certain that you want a maxi-scoot, why not keep at least one of the mid-size scoots "just in case" you don't care for the maxi-scoot riding experience? Might be worth considering..This way you get to try it and see if you like it first. Good luck, whatever you do.

Deb

_________________
2009 Monzo Honda Met "Squirt"
My scooter blogs:
http://www.49ccscooterlife.blogspot.com
http://www.ohioriverramblersscootin.blogspot.com

Lots of good advice, Deb. Thanks! And even the advice about keeping one until I try out the maxiscoot experience. Given the expense involved, that is wise advice too. Double thanks!

Said because I just went through this. I think sometimes we "think we want something bigger or different" but find it is not at all what we expected". That kind of thing.

_________________
2009 Monzo Honda Met "Squirt"
My scooter blogs:
http://www.49ccscooterlife.blogspot.com
http://www.ohioriverramblersscootin.blogspot.com

I just sold my Honda Rebel motorcycle through Craigslist and wouldn't have even considered trading it in. My husband and I bought 2 Honda Elite scooters at the same place where we bought the Rebel and still wouldn't consider trading it...we knew better. I had no problems at all selling it on Craigs. I made sure that the people called me on my cell to know that they were "real people" in my area, and I took all other precautions when the people were to arrive. I ended up with at least another $1000 over what the trade-in would have been...possibly more. Not only that, but the woman who bought the bike was very happy!

I don't like that "stealerships" will lowball the trader to the very lowest price but mark up to the maximum on resale. I have bought and sold quite a bit through Craigslist and never had any real problems. There will always be people who promise to show up and never do, or ones who via email will offer you 40% less than the asking price, or the scammers, but that's part of the territory. In the end, it's usually worth it.

As for selling scooters, I think they're a pretty hot commodity right now and if the price is fair, they should sell quickly. I say "Go for it!!"

I've done trade ins, sold on consignment, and craigslist. If you can handle the nutty emails, you get more money with Craigslist.

I'm a craigslist fan- I've bought and sold many things over the last few years - the only problem is people who say they are coming and don't show up. Not that big a deal really. I only deal in cash. On big money items I have the person meet me at the bank so we can verify the cash isn't counterfeit. Did that when I sold my business.
I bought my scooter off craigslist. I did ride it before buying it tho only in a parking lot.
I wouldn't buy a bike I couldn't test ride.

Ask your agent if your insurance covers someone test driving it. Be sure they have an endorsement.
I wouldn't leave my insurance on any bike I'd sold.
When I buy one I call my agent to start the new coverage before I'm out the door.
I assumed that my car insurance would cover me when I test drove scooters at a dealership.
The dealer had me sign papers saying I accepted responsibility.
Turned out my car insurance did not cover cycle test drives.
Luckily I didn't have an accident or I'd have owned it- or at least fixed it out of pocket.

Try to price your scooter reasonably. You can check values on kelly blue book. They have a motorcycle section.
I found that prices seem to have come down on new bikes. My bike originally sold for $5200 including the accessories- but you can get a brand new, slightly larger one that's fuel injected and accessorized (sportcity 250 with top box and windshield) for about $4700- or a new 200 scarabeo with the accessories for about $4100.
You have to consider what the new ones go for because if you aren't significantly lower than the new versions price.. the potential buyers will go buy a new one with a warranty. I paid over blue book because the bb assumed normal mileage. mine only had 150- it was essentially brand new.
I got it for $2600.

I saw many many ads that were priced only a couple hundred less than new. I never called any of them.
If there's many scooters listed you may have to lower your price if you want to get it sold fast.
Know what the dealer will give you so you'll know if it's worth your efforts to try selling it yourself.

Tip: If you have something for sale for weeks.. an no ones coming to see it ...you need to lower the price.

Always post a photo of the scooter. Many buyers won't even bother clicking on an ad without a photo.
It's the simplest way to weed out folks who aren't looking for what you're selling.

Make sure it will start. 2 of the 3 bikes I drove 4 hours to see wouldn't start. Believe it or not- 1 was a dealership.
He knew I was coming a long way to test ride it.. and when i got there it hadn't been serviced yet.. no battery.
No oil. No mechanic on the weekend.
The other one from a private party had been on a battery tender in the shed for a year. The gas line had clogged.
No ride/ no buy.

Don't overlook using a local radio call in marketplace type of program (sellers call in with what they're offering).
I had my truck on craigslist but it was the local call in show that sold it.. after only one airing of the ad.

Kelly's Blue Book is one "estimate" of value. They tend to always be higher than NADA, which also lists motorcycle values. Edmund's does cars, but I'm not sure if they also do motorcycles. You'll notice a dealer will always pull out "Blue Book" value...whereas an educated buyer will probably have a copy of the NADA page in his back pocket.