Good deal on Max IV?

[Colt 45]

Hi everyone just found a Max IV for 3200.00 is this a reasonable price? I think it’s around 94-95 with a 20hp Kohler (any good?)and 26" tires. That’s it no hour meter, heated throttle cable, or roll bar! I have not had a chance to look at it as it is 3 hours away! Not going to go if its not a good price. Thanks

[Eldon]

I think the 20 hp. Kohler was used in the Max IV in the late nineties.Maybe a 1999 or so.I looked at one a while back with 26 inch tires and 21" also and a track kit.It was $4500 with 200 hours.I regret not buying it.When people advertise figures like $3200 they are looking for around $3000.I would go look at it I think if I was interested,three hours is a nice drive.

[Dirty Harry]

Back then, the 20hp Kohler was the biggest engine Recreatives offered. Don't worry, it's a good, solid powerplant. The 26" Super Terra-Grip tires are good for all-around riding & mudding - and they also give you the best water speed.

If you're seriously considering it you should never buy without inspecting the machine first - especially if it's a "blind" / "cold" sale, doubly so if it's a long distance purchase. At least on Ebay, for instance, you can check a seller's credibility and usually see some photos. AATV's can bite you in the butt if purchased sight unseen due to the nature of where they are often driven. They can have a TON of problems if they've been neglected by the owner: some easily visible, many well-hidden. Check the frame, engine & T-20 trans (and shift linkage), and controls. Also inspect the sides and underneath the body for cracks & holes. While you're down there checking over the tub, inspect all 6 axles. I believe the larger 26" tires came with solid axles as a standard upgrade from the factory, which is good, since hollow axles blow. (Don't ask me how I know that. LOL) Carefully inspect all 6 rims (especially the four corners). Are they bent or dinged up? That would indicate abuse and point to additional potential damage to frame/running gear. Look at the grease zerks on all the bearings. Are they greasy... or bone dry? Have him pull the floor boards(s) so you can inspect the frame & guts of the machine. Is it factory clean, or re-painted? If it's re-painted, ask him (and yourself) why? Is it a "slop-job" designed to hide a badly rusting frame, or is it part of a re-build/upgrade/restoration of the machine?

ASK, ASK, ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS! Bring a pen & notepad and write down what the guy tells you. Don't rely on your memory. No matter how trivial or insignificant it might seem, if you think of it, ASK! Better to appear overly anal & nit-picky so you can get every scrap of info you need in order to come away with a well-informed, good deal (or walk away from a potential scam or disaster-in-the-making), than to say nothing and quickly hand over your hard-earned dough... and load up a possible lemon. Who cares what the guy thinks of you? More than likely you will never see him again, but if you buy his machine and it turns out to be a pile of junk, it could wind up hanging around your neck like the proverbial albatross if you leap before you look.

If the seller is not the owner, but is selling it for "a friend" (relative, whatever) then BEWARE! Ask to speak to the actual owner, as the seller most likely won't know jack about something as rare/unusual/weird as an amphibious all-terrain vehicle. Ask to see all paperwork. Talk is cheap, so don't just take the guy's word that he has it, or thinks he can dig it up if he can remember where he put it, blah, blah, blah. Also, unless it's really old or has been bought & sold multiple times, a conscientious owner will have ALL factory paperwork (owner's & engine manuals, parts list), as well as any work performed by outside sources (small engine repair shop, etc.). He should also have all sales receipts for any add-ons (winch, tries, etc., etc.). A person who is trying to sell something should always have all the pertinent stuff ready & available for immediate inspection to any potential buyer. And not just the paperwork but also any extras, such as spare parts, helmets, tow ropes, extra rims / tires... whatever.

After checking everything over and looking through any paperwork, ask to hear the engine run and have the owner to take you for a test drive. Have him ride around by himself first, so you can see how the machine performs from the outside: tire wobble indicates bent axles, see how it steers, see it run in forward AND reverse, etc., etc. Besides that, you want to make sure the guy knows how to drive it; the last you want to do is to hop in and have him to run the both of you into a wall or tree if he doesn't know how to operate the thing! If the seller baulks at running the machine or taking it for spin, think twice and then start haggling. Try $2200 - $2500 and see if he'll bite.

If money is no problem, then go for it. If the rig appears to need just cosmetic touches then there should be no worries, but if it appears to need some more aggressive attention just to be driveable, consider very carefully before buying - especially if you have little or no mechanical skills, or aren't good friends with someone who is! Otherwise, you could wind up jumping headfirst into a bottomless money pit. Like Dirty Harry Callahan so wisely once said, "A good man always knows his limitations."

Sorry, I don't mean to scare you off. I just wanted to offer some sage advice, especially if this will be your first AATV. We here at 6x6world want new owners to have fun and fall in love with the sport, not hate the machines and us, and regret the day that they ever considered buying a rolling bathtub. Often the calm-headed, rational thinking gets lost in the excitement of the moment, especially if it's something cool/fun that you really want but don't need. The big picture can be easily overlooked and only the "fun" aspect is considered - rarely all the mundane work & poopy details that it often takes to get you to the "fun" part. LOL.

Good luck, whatever you decide!

[LarryW]

Man Harry!!! Great reply!!!

[Colt 45]

Thanks for the info guys I am going to take a look at it later today.