Modern Vespa

There is an opportunity to get my hands on the '80 p200E but I don't know much about them. I have been interested in getting P200 but not sure about this one, year and model.

Thoughts?

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/mcy/d/mountain-view-1980-vespa-p200e-almost/7333933864.html

That's 12063 miles

still.... that's is a great price for a p200 if it's straight and all there... snap it up

That's borderline Deal of the Day territory there. I'd be all over that under other circumstances.

Just got off the phone with the seller. He doesn't have a pink slip, so is a bit nervous. He gave me the Vin but not sure if this is right for a P? Does this match? Last register in '83

ZAP VSXLS 9

Correction. '86

Hmmm...

I thought ZAP prefix was late Px era stuff. Not 80s P era.
Careful.

Could be a deal, but pretty weird ad. Besides aforementioned odometer error, says scoot "about to start" (?) but shows pic of engine running. Says transmission "automatic". Says "fresh coat of paint" except headset is a totally different color. Big pic of spark but none of front or right side and three of the same left side. Who knows? Might me a deal. Worth looking at I suppose.

So the seller gave me the entire VIN now...

VSXLS9BP0721... I left off last digits. I am looking in my book under P200E, PX200E model and the prefix starts with VSX1T. What the heck is a VSXLS?

Ok. Got the actual frame Vin and not the import sticker number. Looks legit but someone was infront of me and decided to take it. SOL

Of course someone got it. You wasted over two hours trying to figure out if a p200 with a joe koons dealer sticker is legit instead of going there and buying that deal of the day. For that price and area of the country, it just had to be straight and a p200 motor and the deal is done.

Better luck next time
Good luck!

Go easy, rowdy. There are plenty more P's out there.

Just jabbing!!! No mean attentions at all.

I guess I should've said that in my original comment.

It was a good deal. You gotta jump on those when they come up, but it helps when you can recognize warning signs off the bat.

Couple a things:
Better to err on the side of caution. So much crap out there!
The DMV fees for you to register that bike would have been $$$ unless it's been a Non-Op all those years.

I'd be wary of an "I've been restoring it.. It's 90% finished" type listing. Could be he effed something up and doesn't even realize it. Just can't get that last 10% done? Maybe he's just frustrated as hell, trying to dial in an upside-down piston.

Deals come up all the time on CL, especially in CA. Most people don't even see those deals because they don't last.

Its not straight. The thing was smashed on the front right side (note no pics of the front). Look at the mangled glove box. It also looks like straightened out the legshield. I spoke with the guy and appears to have no clue. He originally wanted some insane amount of $$$ because it is some super collectible rarity. He has been pecking at some fixes and got it running. But, not really a restoration with a half ass rattle can job. At $1200 its workable. I included the pic he had posted before he "restored" and was asking $4k

The banged up P looks like a project I would enjoy. But $2000 seems high.

There's this one in San Francisco. Very solid looking for $2800.


http://scoot.net/classifieds/forsale.html?id=69053

That scooter looks like a mess. Might've been a heartbreaker. There's the leg shield/glovebox issue but the tank also looks a bit wonky.

Here's a pick of a 79 P200 I bought in the Mountain View area a few months back for $2,800. It had 6,700 miles and needed new seals. Hold out for quality.

Nice - I found my buddy same color P200 with 186 miles original owner. For $2500/Seller delivered it to him too. Enjoy that clean P !

The ad is still up. Somehow I doubt it sold for $2000.

Im always very weary of the seller who states things like havent got the time to finish restoration, or i havent got enough space. Cant help thinking they have come across a major defect or hurdle that has turned their mind to parting it on. The other one i hate is "Was running when i garaged it X months ago" Well get out there and try and start the thing! But who knows, always a risk but thats how sometimes we can pick up a bargain in the process.

With that leg shield and glove box fit, and the crunched leg shield it should have a salvaged title. Anyone familiar with CA plates know the last year registered? Doesn't say he has a title.

How about the ads with pictures of a bunch of tools laying around the scoot, or a big oil stain underneath it, or my favorite, the hose and bucket right next to the scoot and pictures taken right after they wash it. Oh, and lets not forget the ads with one or two pictures taken from across the street! Ha!

It looks like 1985 or 86.

It would be easy to register in California. DMV purged records after a few years up until the late 1990s. It's definitely not in the system.

*but* it looks like it probably needs the whole legshield replaced, and could have frame damage, if it had a front end collision.

I offered the dude $800 which is whats its worth in parts. He said he was hoping for $1800

I got my 80 p2 fully disassembled but all there. Frame mildly rusty in a few spots. Glove box was worst with rust around edges getting brittle and breaking along the edge, but still usable. Only things not usable were the clutch cover and front hub plus some hardware here and there. Electric was all crap too. I paid $700 for mine. Frame with serious damage but workable with a little effort, and engine and everything else good i would shoot for 6-900. Cause you are basically paying for the engine. Over that in that condition is wishful thinking.

I realize mine was a great deal, and you can find them occasionally if you are patient, and willing to grab them when they are projects as long as everything is in good shape. It's the fully assembled made to look good and priced kinda in the ballpark of running, but serious issues and non running ones you need to avoid. Those guys are usually not willing to drop prices to reasonable when you have cash in hand. (Most likely trying to recoup the full amount they lost in their own purchase of it, instead of taking their lumps and getting what they can out of it as they pass it on to the next person)

Projects most people aren't willing to look at, aside from everyone on nsm. I think you should figure out if you are the type of person who wants something ready and running day one minimal work for either going rate, or higher than going rate... Or you are the wait for the bottom price deals that sit on your shelf for a year or more until you get around to it if at all kinda buyer.

A majority of us on nsm are the latter half, picking up great deals when we see them, and our garages tell this tale as most have multiple projects waiting to start. Who knows how many actually get finished. (I've got 3 never started)

But i definitely take your approach by default. Go and see everything and offer what i think it's worth with exactly that amount of cash in hand and if they balk, i walk.

Long story short.. you know one of those deals immediately when you see it. This one was clearly not that deal, otherwise you wouldn't have hesitated and would have called the guy to offer to send him PayPal for it or go grab it same day.

I'd be the one looking at that 200 for the motor, frame is pretty much garbage to me without a lot of work and is it even straight? Replacing the entire leg shield isn't something I want to do.