Looking to make a good investment and possibly resale later. Which brand typically holds resale value?

 

It seems to depend a lot more on model, rather than brand. Try punching some machines into the NADA website. It's basically a kelly blue book for motorcycles.

 

Here anyway Hondas seem to hold their value a bit better than other brands.

Regardless of brand, a well taken care of 4x4 seems to bring a decent price. Mods like reasonable tires/wheels or winch will help value some. Internal engine mods, or a snorkle, I think would limit the number of buyers that would be interested.

 

They hold their value a little too well, in my opinion. These machines can lead a hard life, especially if they've been run in mud. The stuff gets into the running gear, and it's like sandpaper. I'm getting ready to replace my faithful Cat 500i, and from what I've seen, the year end deals on 07 and 06 models are pretty close to used prices. And you know they haven't been abused.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: JohnO

They hold their value a little too well, in my opinion. </end quote></div>

Around here used ATVs, especially 4x4s, have a very high resale value. You simply can't touch a used 4x4 for under 2500-3000 and those are beat to death late 80s and early to mid 90s models. If you want a 4x4 tha6 is just a couple of years old you're better off just buying a new one and getting it with the warranty. You're paying nearly new prices for the ones a couple of years old.

I've considered borrowing a friends car hauler and going somewhere that has a more normal used market and buying a dozen machines and bringing them back here to sell. I bet i could nearly double my money.

 

honda probably holds their value the best, simply becouse they have a good reputation of being very reliable

 

The comment about them holding their value too well is pretty spot on. When I first started shopping I looked at a couple used Foremans. For like $1700 more than I could find a clean 450 from the 4x4 all the time era I got a new 500 Foreman with a bit more power and suspension, and a warranty...

To me, shopping at used ones just didn't save enough over what a new one could be had for.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: mirlkman

Looking to make a good investment and possibly resale later. Which brand typically holds resale value?</end quote></div>


Toys and (most) cars are never going to be an investment, just an expense. If you want an investment, consider a house! LOL!

Any clean to near mint machine will retain the most resale desired by the largest market. Honda typically has the highest resale value, but in the 4x4 Utility Quad arena, it is arguable that Honda is the least desired/least respected machine - at least if you read the Mudder Boards they are... (no offense to Honda fans - this is just my observation)

I'd run screaming from anything with Snorkels, remounted radiators and tires more than 2" larger than stock. That would be a machine treated in a fashion I don't think makes for a long life.

When I went shopping, I planned on spending about $4 - $5K on a used big-bore machine... I found out that the Brute Force has year-end, blow-out prices of $6K for a brand new 750.... so that was a no-brainer for me... too good a deal to pass up. I know it's NEVER been swamped or abused so that made the marginal differnce in price worth it.

 

You can do reasearch at the NADA website. They give you new unit MSRP going back to 2004. Here is an example.

2004 Polaris Sportsman 500 HO
$6599 new in 2004
$3625 average retail in 2008

Try this for several models and years.

You'll find that current value LARGELY depends on current condition.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: mirlkman

Looking to make a good investment and possibly resale later. Which brand typically holds resale value?</end quote></div>

I buy most everything used,trucks,cars,ATV and sleds. What I found was the people who have a Machine in the best condition gets the best price. If all is the same condition I would say
people like to see any Japanese name on a ATV. They just carry that good rep over from the Autmotive industry.