Found a Max II! Any buyer's advice?

[famvburg]

I've been mostly lurking here lately. I stumbled upon an '03 Max II locally. I've seen a couple of pics & it looks darn good. The seller says it's in excellent condition & it looks it. It's got the B & S Vanguard in it. I hope to go look at it in a few days. Anything I should look for? What's it worth? eBay doesn't have any completed auctions. Thanks for the read.

[jpswift1]

Here's everything you'll need to know right here:

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/general-6x6-atv-discussion/11371-used-atv-buyers-guide.html

http://www.6x6world.com/images/pre-purchase-inspection/Amphibious-ATV-Buyers-Guide.pdf

[famvburg]

Thanks for the list. Mostly common sense stuff, (from an airplane mechanic's perspective anyway) & a few things I may not have thought of. Is there anything bad to say about a Max II in general? I haven't found anything online that makes me think twice about a Max II.

[jpswift1]

Thanks for the list. Mostly common sense stuff, (from an airplane mechanic's perspective anyway) & a few things I may not have thought of. Is there anything bad to say about a Max II in general? I haven't found anything online that makes me think twice about a Max II.

Max IIs are stout little machines. On some of the much oldier ones, the frames weren't built as strong so look for any cracks that might need to be welded up around the jackshaft tower and corners of the frame. Other than that they're extremely durable and reliable. I own 3 Max IIs right now and they never let me down.

[Dirty Harry]

I bought my Max II new from the factory back in '96. What few problems it had were the direct result of: 1) my stupidity, or 2) my laziness. The machine itself just kept chugging along. I let it sit a couple of years and then a young relative borrowed it... and now it needs replacement of a center axle & bearing and some crack repair around the stock muffler heat shroud. I bought the conversion muffler kit from Richard's last year ($$$) and hope to have it installed beford this year is over. What size motor is it, and what kind of tires are on it?? Those are really your only two limiting factors. Since it's a newer machine it should have the "O" ring chain and double bearings, so unless the P.O. really beat on it (although you said it was in good shape) you likely have a solid machine there.

Work out a good deal and snag it. You'll have a blast. (And post some pics!)

[famvburg]

Max II: I bought it!

Well, it looks like I'm one of y'all now! I bought the '03 I asked about earlier. I've never seen one on a showroom floor, but this one would certainly look right at home. One of my childhood dreasm, or fantasies I guess, just came true! Since I was a kid in the early '70s, playing with my GI Joe Adventure Team & their yellow Amphicat ATV (Adventure Team Vehicle), I've wanted one. Off & on over the years I've admired the 6 wheelers & a few years ago after finding a very nice Honda 250ES Big Red & satisfying my yearning for another 3 wheeler (I had one from the late '70s - mid '80s), (I always wanted a Honda ATC 90 as a kid, but never had one), I began keeping an eye out for some sort of 6 wheeler. I've seen a few on eBay but were either fixer-uppers or too much or too much to ship. Out of the blue last weekend, playing on Craig's List, lo & behold this Max II is listed right here in town! It looked immaculate in the pics & turned out so in person. The guy was the original owner & even let me drive it around his yard solo! With y'all's help & assurance that a Max II is a top-notch 6 wheeler & the fact this one was in town & now-a-days they just don't show up locally, I had to think it over for a day or so & went & got it last night. The PO seemed pretty meticulous, it's clean as a pin & definitely 'like new'. 7 years old with 165 hours on the meter. He had installed a bilge pump & installed a piece of 2 x 4 on the winch mount for a trolling motor. I hope to get a chance to play with it this weekend. I'm sure I'll be around a little more now! I don't have any of my own pics, but here's the ad at Craig's List with some pics. Max II

[hydromike]

Hi 'Fam,

Welcome to the club! It looks like a great machine. Great tires, a winch, racks, and it looks clean like you said. You'll be surprised with how well the 16 performs in it. They're a ton of fun. Be careful though.... these things tend to multiply when left unattended for too long...

~m

[Dirty Harry]

Looks like you snagged yourself a GREAT deal. If it's as clean inside as it looks outside then you really scored. The extras are pretty nice, too. The all-time 6WD that Recreatives' Maxes feature will inspire a LOT of confidence in a very short time, and that winch is great gimme because now you can be totally fearless in where you chose to go. Too bad they don't offer them in rear mount, like G.I. Joe's AATV he used to uncover "The Secret of The Mummy's Tomb." LOL. I'm a 70's 12" G.I. Joe fan myself and, like you, my wanting an amphib was also due to that same great toy that I played with endlessly in my wee tyke days. Welcome to the club!!!

[racerone3]

Hi 'Fam,

Welcome to the club! It looks like a great machine. Great tires, a winch, racks, and it looks clean like you said. You'll be surprised with how well the 16 performs in it. They're a ton of fun. Be careful though.... these things tend to multiply when left unattended for too long...

~m

define "too long". mine are never left unattended for more than the 6-8 hours i sleep at night and still are finding ways to reproduce

anyway, welcome aboard. that really does look like a clean machine. now go get it dirty!

[Dirty Harry]

Fam-

A little Adventure Team nostalgia to brighten up your weekend!



Here's a link to the full-sized (1024x768) desktop wallpaper I uploaded:
http://i45.tinypic.com/2yoqzrb.jpg

Cheers!!!

[famvburg]

Thanks for the artwork. I've got several of the Hasbro AT ATVs & as well as the Irwin blow molded one in different colors. Hey, maybe I can make a plywood winch & hoist to set on the back of mine! I drove it around a bit yesterday & I'm getting the hang of it, altho rather than feeling like GI Joe searching out a Mummy's Tomb, I feel more like one of The Banana Splits! ISTR some discussions on a GI Joe collecting discussion group once that the GI Joe ATV seems to be a mixture of various '60s - 'early '70s AATVs rather than one specific model, tho the Irwin 6 wheeler is actually labeled 'Amphicat'. How accurate it is, I've never really looked.