Valuations.

I've never really paid them much attention tbh, but since I'm bike
shopping winterish in a supposed economic downturn, I'd sort of expected
a buyers market and a decent deal.

Parkers (so far the only place that's given me numbers without wanting
paying for them) have this to say:

http://www.parkers.co.uk/motorbikes/used-prices/Valuation.aspx?plate=67&deriv=3719

'Budget Bikes' were asking £2300 for a rough bike, and the one that Pete
is so kindly going to inspect for me is up at £2500, and in fact listed
on their website at £2699!

Should I be haggling HARD on these prices, or hoping for some fun
'freebies' tagged on, or is some more bizarre economic practice at work?

 

a) People can't afford new stuff, so they're buying second hand, keeping
the prices up.
b) People think there's no point in selling yet, so there's less stuff on
the market.
c) One or more of the above may be totally wrong.

 

I'll have see how well fed these brummies look then! Any hint of
hunger, and I'll bargain harder.

 

Keep prices up and make money on a loan "deal"?. If they hold out long
enough there will always be someone come along who will take the HP "bait".

Cash up front offers do not seem to elicit many positive responses and
my best deals have been by going to areas like Yorks that are cheaper
than my local dealers, combined with a bike that has been on the books a
while and may be going "out of fashion".

Steve

 

Heh - my T'Bird Sport seems to have plummeted, according to their
figures (c£2400 Independent, c£2000 private good ). Then again, MCN
have one for £4200 (same year and 3x the mileage (about 10k) and
autotrader has a couple just over 4k (although one is at £2500).

 

Also conisder that as new sales decline, that means that there will be
fewer used bikes on the market in (say) two or three or four years'
time.

 

as Steve says, check out regional variation as prices vary across the
country. Some types of bike are more popular or just scarce in some parts.
A S.Wales dealer used to source 600cc bikes in Manc/Scouseland, taking
part-ex bikes off other traders as he could get make a bit more profit per
bike. Whether that still holds up now is another thing, as that was during
the period of a strongish £ and cheap finance that led to loads of
registrations and concomitant trade-ins.

The other thing to bear in mind, come the spring the Euro dealers will be
back, snapping up cheap, to them, British bikes which will further reduce
the stock of decent bikes.

 

IIRC Budget Bikes are where George Whites offload their old trade ins.
I took my lad there to view a VFR400 some years ago, and whilst it
looked okay it was really an overpriced shed. The other bikes in the
showroom were generally okay condition wise, but mostly overpriced. We
ended up getting a better, cheaper VFR off one of Loz's mad associates,
which after some fettlement and modification is a super little bike. My
2 penn'orth is that private purchase based around the kind advice of
known knowledgeable contacts is the way to go.

 

There's a rewason why Budget Bikes have the trade-ins, it's because
George White's don't want to be associated with them for some reason or
other

She's a fucking treasure is Lou - a fucking loon and a bunny boiler but
a treasure all the same. She keeps asking after your lad, you know.

 

Can't think why ;-)

I'll let him know, he'll crap himself. Has she seen the post mito
arsend transplant pics?

 

Not yet, I must d/load them to my phone so I can show her next time I
go for a sha^H^Hvisit