Hey all, this is my first post. Tomorrow I'm going to some local dealers to check out the Honda 400ex, the Yamaha Raptor 350 as well as the Yamaha Blaster and Suzuki Z250. This will be my first time buying an ATV and I will be test driving all of these tomorrow. The main reason I will be buying from a dealer is due to the financing. I wont be buying one tomorrow, but I was wondering what percentage off would be a good deal on an ATV. As in, if I make an offer, where should I start.

Also, as I said, I'll be a first timer ATVer, with an 85 acre farm with great trails, hills, mud, fields, creeks. Would anyone recommend one of the other? Also, if recommending something other than what I have on my list, could you list who the manufacturer is? I cant always decipher all the code.

I'm 26, 165 lbs, 5'10", and I'm an adrenaline junkie if that makes a difference. Thanks a ton for all help and advice. And yes, money is an issue, so I cant just go drop 7G's on my first ATV. But I will be financing the whole thing.

 

If you are an adrenaline junkie, you might want to look at a bigger machine. The kfx 400, z 400, Predator, or Raptor 660. I am the same size and went the kfx 400 and love it so far. Just bought about a week ago.

As for price. It all depends on where you live. There is a post in this catagory that talks about best dealers. Go through it and it gives some dealerships and their websites. They are around the Tenn. area, but nobody has been able to touch their prices. I tried here in the West and the dealers just laughed. One good one is abernathe, find the website and it gives out the door pricing. then as you start to call around to all the dealerships in your area, you will find the bottom for pricing, but make sure you talk out the door price to them since they all play the games with set up fees, shipping, and doc fees. They might quote you one price, but by the time you get out of financing, you could end up spending a few hundred more on top of the regular sales tax and license. Just request out the door and make them do the work and hold them to it. I was able to get out the door for a bit below what the MSRP was, which meant they had to come off close to $500 to get the tax and license part back in. I still wonder if there wasn't some collusion going on here because all the dealers were pretty firm about the price.

 

Try financing through your local Credit Union or Bank. They should have rates close to the dealer financing rates. That way you can buy a used quad. I've seen '04 Z400's for $4000. More bang for the buck. Out of the machines you listed, I would pick the Raptor. Avoid the Z250. My wife has one... it's a great machine, but nothing that will fill the needs of an "adrenaline" junkie.