Modern Vespa

I found a 2007 GTSie on craigslist with 9,500 miles on it. Asking price is $3,000 including some extras...

It sounds like a good deal to me...

I've read that I should have a dealer check it out. How exactly does this work in a private transaction?
-Do I buy it with a clause in the bill of sale in regards to the inspection?
-Or do I get it inspected first before any sort of sale is made?

I'm hoping to go check it out tomorrow or Tuesday (would be a great birthday present for me!)

Any other advice for when I go to check it out would be much appreciated!

(I've learned a lot so far on MV, thanks everyone!)

Well if no one else is going to chime in...
I think you would want to go with the owner to the shop of your choice and have them check it out while you and the owner talk about the scoot. If your lucky the shop will let you both watch and or ask questions. That way anything that might be iffy can be addressed by the current owner and the shop staff can let you know if it is something to worry about. Just remember no scoot is going to be perfect, even off the showroom floor. But a good mechanic can tell you if the services have been done on the scoot, so you know if your going to be getting over 100,000 more miles out of the scoot or only another 20,000.
If the owner is upfront about the condition they should not mind going to a shop for a look over...

That's a good price and relatively low mileage. I'd expect to pay more for a 2007 in top condition, so the bike might need cosmetic work.

Ask if there are service records. Check the tire wear -- if the original skins are still on it, they'll be down to the cords and it'll cost a couple hundred to reshoe.

Be sure to take a test ride but check the tire pressure first -- the bike won't handle worth a damn if the tires are soft. If the seller won't let you test ride it, walk away.

Check out the post a couple down "newbie buying new to me vespa".

That price seems great if its in good condition. From google research not first hand, repaintinf some road rash will cost at least $800. Anyway I gotta run to work. Hope this helps.

Thanks,

Yeah the ad says that the scoot "runs like a charm" but doesn't address any cosmetic issues, so we'll see when I go check it out...

I read that other newbie post but was unsure how to actually go about bringing the scoot to a shop...

Checking the tires is a good tip, is it the same as with car tires with the whole penny trick? Or does that not apply since the tires are smaller?

Thanks again and any other tips are much appreciated! I hope to be able to post a "my new scoot" thread with pics soon!

Aloha and welcome to the forum. If they won't let you ride it make sure they start it up and ride around you so you can hear how it runs, see if it hesitates. As FLANMAN said if the tires are original your gonna need to replace them soon. See if they have/can produce the service records or tell you the dealer they took it to and you can check with them as to the status of the bike. You will probably need the sellers permission tho. 3k sounds like a good deal if the body is in good shape etc. Good luck

Thanks Judy,

How expensive are tires usually?

Also, anyone with a response on my prior question about how to check if tires are still good? (does penny trick work on Scooter tires?)

Thanks!

BURTON i don't know about the penny thing but it's the back tire that wears out the most. You should be able to eye ball them and tell. At 9k the tires should of been changed at least once. Tire can cost as little or as much as you want. I'd say about $50 a tire plus balancing and putting them on if you can't do it. Also check for dry rot on them. If the scooter is in great shape the price is good. See if you can get 100 bucks off for the tires but honestly with extras, in great condition (assuming it is) i wouldn't get them pissed about $100. Tires should be ok.

Scooter tires and auto tires are very different. Cars ride upright with a wide, flat tread. Scooters lean from side to side and have a round tread. If the scoot has been driven mostly on highways v. curvy mountain roads, the center of the tire will wear before the sides. It might look like there's plenty of tread left on the sides, but the center could be worn thin.

It is not untypical to get 5,000 to 6,000 miles on a rear tire, depending on the load, how it has been ridden and whether the rider maintained proper tire pressure. At 9,500 miles, the scoot you describe could be at the bitter end of it's second pair of tires -- so it's worth a look.

If the tires are shot, you should be able to tell without a penny. Mine started to wear unevenly at the end and what was left of the the tread was visibly worn and wavy.

This tire is nearly to the wear bars:

You can find a TWI (or a small triangle) Tire Wear Indicator on the tires sidewall and then look in the tread for the "bump" like the one shown. This tire is ready to be replaced.

It may look like there's plenty of tread on the outside edges but for scooter or m/c, the center is what counts.

Thanks flanman and techguy,

I have to wait till next week to check out the scoot, but you have really helped a lot!