Let the negotiations begin...
When I called the owner today, he said the motorcycle still wouldn't start. It spent all weekend on a trickle charger. He wasn't sure if it was the battery. He suggested that he might have had the trickle charger hooked up 'wrong'.
I can just see my offer price dropping by the day.
"Well, sir, it is in great shape cosmetically, but it won't run. I may have to buy a battery($40). You admit that it wasn't winterized, so we're looking at a carb cleaning by a certified mechanic ($100). You also mentioned that it hasn't been serviced in a while. It's going to need an oil & filter change ($20)."
"Since it isn't running, I'll need to rent a truck/trailer in order to haul it to my place. ($80)"
"I'm kind of disappointed. With an advertised price of $3k, I was hoping for something that I could drive off your property. All this extra work is a bit aggravating($200). Besides, Kelly Blue Book has this thing valued at only $2700 if mint from a dealer. Of course that would be running condition. Trade-in value is $1800"
Unless he finds another buyer, or feels he can get it running on his own, I figure I've got a much better chance to get this bike for something closer to $2k or under than $3k.
Now I may or may not have the mechanic do all the work. Frankly, since I'll just be coming from MSF, and since I haven't done ANY wrenching or diagnostic work on a bike, I'm sorely tempted to let a mechanic get it running this time. I'll ride it and get the permanent grin on my face, then deal with wrenching so I can keep it there.
Yeehaawww!!!!! 8)
Tim