Should i but atv that's been sitting for 4 years?
 

hey guys,

should i buy a 2008 honda recon that has been sitting in a garage for 4 years-since may 2008. the owner claims its been used for only 4 hours. I just dont want to run into any problems? does it look like this atv has 4 hours?
http://www.atv.com/forum/showthread....9423#post29423http://http://www.atv.com/forum/show...9423#post29423
link to pics is right here on other forum http://www.atv.com/forum/showthread....9423#post29423

Does it still have gasoline in it.......because if its been sitting for that long then the ethanol could have broke down and destroyed the carburetor...I let my 2007 crf250 sit for a year and the ethanol literally ate my carburetor......the ethanol in todays gas take 28 days before it starts to break down......I would check that out before pursuing it further.

^^^this^^^
However you can use the fact that its been sitting to get a great deal... all the fluids will need to be drained.. oil will be broken down as well as the gas.... im pretty sure the carb will be pretty gummed up... nothing a few cans of carb cleaner can't fix... you may need a carb rebuild, but its something that isn't gonna drain your pockets and is pretty easy to do.. when you go to look at it pull the spark plug boot and turn it over... just listen for any abnormal sounds, and get a feel how the compression feels...
I have bought 4-5 4 wheelers now that have been sitting, got great deals on them, and flipped them and made some money on them, most the time they just need some tlc to the carb and new fluids.... the ds 650 I just purchased will probably be staying for a while however...lol

I already looked at the atv it started up great, the guy put a new bettery in it and still has original tires. It started up in 5 seconds. The owner wants $3250 for the 08 honda recon. I did not check any spark plugs or anything like that. I just rode it down the street checked reverse and thats about it.

am I getting a good deal or will i end up paying to get it repaired often. I does not have an odometer so I dont know if it actualy has 4 hours. So from the pictures does it look look that?

thanks guys this is urgent

If its in excellent condition, kbb says its worth 4800.. sounds to be a good offer.... I always offer a couple hundred under, see if they bite...don't be afraid to walk away either....

my quad was sitting for a year or two when i bought it and the carb must be gummed up or something because it had no power at all! we still didn't get it working right yet! we had to switch the carb, after soaking it in different carb cleaners for hours and using spray cans of seafoam and it still doesn't work right. what can i try with the carb?, we adjusted it and everything.

if the oil was fresh before he stored it- the oil is still fine.
most oil sits for years before seeing the inside of a motor.
Our shop would have crates of oil 5-8 years old.
Hell, I've used hydraulic ol 40 years old that was perfectly fine.
Change the oil for peace of mind if anything- but if it looks clean and the owner said it's fresh- it's fine.

ethanol wont destroy a carb, but it will dry out and ruin orings and fuel line- no big deal really... nothing a good ol'cleaning and inspection wont fix.

sounds like a good deal- if you're looking to buy a honda.

ATV's are pretty easy to work on, so even if you have to put in a little time and some parts it can be worth it getting a decent quad for a decent price. It also helps this is a name brand quad which makes getting information on repairs and parts that much easier.

thanks guys i'll give the guy a offer

Not sure where your at, but around here that seems a bit high for a recon, I have seen some rancher 420s for 3000. They have more the 4hrs, but not beat to death either.
just my 2cts

What does a new recon sell for?