OK. I bought a Rubicon in August. In order to make this purchase I wanted to sell my other two ATV's. 1) 95 Honda TRX 300 2-wheel drive. 2) 94 Honda 300 EX. I advertised them here and had some responses but, mostly out of state, no real bites. I put the word out with my friends too. I heard nothing for 3 months. This past weekend I put ads the up in the local paper. I sold the 1st one right away to the first person that came to look at it.

Last night I received a call from a good friend that knew someone that wanted a 300 EX. I talked to him on the phone for a few minutes and he made me an offer on the phone site unseen. Since his offer was with in the limits which I set I accepted his offer. He asked if I wanted cash or if I would take a check. I agreed to take his check but only after I verified funds with his bank. He agreed with out hesitation and said he would be at my house in 30 minutes.

Minutes later I receive a call from a different friend now and he was pissed at me for telling this person I wanted to verify funds. He said and I quote " He is my friend, any friend of mine should be a friend of yours. It's very insulting to me that you feel the need to verify funds." When I told him this is none of his concern or business how I conduct my sales the situation got worse. I told him that I have never met this person I know nothing about him and I must insist on verifying the funds. He said "he is my friend I told him about your quad and I'm making it my concern." He then hung up on me.

When he came to look at it, he handed me a check, He asked no questions, he didn't even start it or want to ride it until I insisted that he should probably do so. He rode the quad and was very happy with it. He loaded up the quad and headed for his riding place which happens to be our mutual friends, land. He has a MX track on his 20 acres.

A little over two hours later I receive a call from the person that bought my 300 EX. He asked me what the HELL I was doing to him. Did you intentionally cheat me? Not knowing what he was talking about I asked. He said that the quad had bent tie rods. He called them "TACOS" He wants me to split the bill with him. My 1/2 would be $150.00 Parts only. (Seems high to me) Anyway I did not bite. I was not going to pay for any repair. The quad was in perfect running shape when I sold it. I told him that this is a 6 year old quad, actually 7. It's USED and it was sold "AS IS"

To make him and my friend happy. I offered his check in return for the quad back. He doesn't want to return the quad. He says he's happy with it except for the repairs it needed.

My question is: If this quad had bent tie rods or tacos as he called them? It would steer like crap. Right? Does any one know what this would cost to fix? Parts only. How does bent tie rods affect the quads handleing?

My first thought is the person that bought it bent these parts himself on the MX track. It just makes me sick. I have asked the person that bought it to either sign a bill of sale that states the quad was knowingly sold in "AS-IS" condition. Or create one himself and fax it to me.

The moral of this little story is never sell anything to someone you know or someone you know friends. Damn I'm still mad as hell... I would never knowingly sell anything that needed work. Especially, if would be unsafe like bent tie rods.

Sorry I'm just venting….

P.S. Please keep in mind that this story has been shortened. It is, in no way embellished. I was just trying to give the gist of my experience last night.

Thanks Mike

 

2 tie rods should be about $5-$10 a piece used. The ends could be used again also.

 

I think we all learned this lesson once in a lifetime.Never sell anything to a friend.It ALWAYS comes back and bites ya right where it hurts.

 

Having been in this situation myself, no matter what I'm selling make out a contract. List all the pertinent info on it like VIN, model#, etc. Then make sure you insert a paragraph stating it is sold "AS IS and therefore has no warranties either express or implied." This means you don't guarantee didlysquat once it leaves your hands and legally that can't come back to you for anything that happens to it, or anything that it does. This covers your butt and makes them take the responsibility for their decision and purchase, which is as it should be.

 

Thanks. That's good advice. Both quads were sold and picked up last night. The first quad I had enough time to draw up a bill of sale. The second was un-expected sale and no time to create a new document. I will always put it in writing from this point forward regardless of who it is and whatever I'm selling.

 

Well, I dont know about 300ex tie rods, but my friend just bought one yesterday for a 400ex brand new at dealer cost for $5, this is without ends, but those can be reused.
So I would figure about 10 bucks.

 

Friends are like rear-ends:

They can be a big pain, hemoroids,
One should pick them wisely,
and usually after the defication comes
out they stink.

Well this is no more than a joke, but we really should be cautious about "friends." I personally like the term close acquaintances and prefer to save the term friend for those who truly are.

I agree with the price range, at least that is about what I have found in the past, and it sounds like your friend has sought to conspire with his friend to gain a better deal.

Sorry you've gotten burned.

 

My brother bought tie-rods from the dealer for $5 each. I wouldn't think the 300ex tie rods would cost significantly more, I would say $10-15 at the most.

 

Damn, I just sold my dirtbike (to help pay for my new 400ex, which I just finished riding)to my friends dad. I hope nothing bad happens!

 

Been there done that! I think any time you make a purchase from a private owner it is buyer beware and there is no implied warranty. However, where you to buy from a dealer or business, there could be a warranty. You gave him every opportunity to look over and ride the quad. If there was something which concerned him, he should have questionsd it then and he would have had every right to get somebody more knowlegable to give him a second opinion. Apparently, your refering friend knew the quad well enough to know that it was a fair deal for him to want it sight unseen. You were not out of line to CYA on the funds. Not knowing him, I personally would have probably tried to sway the guy towards cash (it never bounces). It is my opinion (and only an opinion) that you handled this very appropriately and I would not consider sharing any of the cost for whatever he could have done after he took possesion of the machine. I have had my share of learning experiences over the years. As a result, I do not buy on impulse, at the recomendation of friends, or generally from private parties. Additionally, I usually do not sell anything. I will keep cars etc. until they have long seen their better days and either junk them, give them to somebody for parts, or trade them in to a dealer who can have the responsibility of standing behind it. You can save a few bucks buying from an individual, but you can never be sure of what you are getting and I really try to avoid headaches as much as possible. Give your friend time to cool off; he'll see your side and get over it if he is a true friend.