[balajird]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

One the best places to get a good idea about the value is Kelly Blue Book. http://www.kbb.com

Thank you very much Jeroen, the kbb.com provides value for US location while I am in Canada, is there a kbb for Canada?

Edit - Please disregard my query, the website does provide closest option for Canada by providing a nearby postal code, for the Ford Focus I have questioned, it is suggesting a price around 10,100 $ for a private sale. So, I will see if the person is willing to negotiate and then take a call.

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by balajird

Dear NA members, I would request your opinion on a used car purchase, One of my co-worker is selling their Ford Focus SEL 2010 model car with 79000 ODO, full power options, leather and sunroof for 11K, while I don't know the person personally and have never interacted, wanted to know if the car is worth the price and should it be okay to go for a "Ford", as all this while, I have been looking at a Honda or Toyota.

I am thinking in the line of 10K if the person agrees.

Thanks for your time and advise.

I recently read an article on Jalopnik i think about how to sell your car. Even though you are looking to buy one, that article gave a good tip that can help in buying too. It said that while book values may give an estimate of your car's worth, it can be far from what the market is expecting because the book value is based on mainly depreciation. The article mentioned that a very close measure is to look at ebay's completed listings to get a more accurate measure of what your car is selling for. Here is the link to the article

Tips on Selling Your car Online

Anyway, I recently sold my wife's Ford Focus SEL that had i think around 40K miles to CarMax for 10K. Cars in Canada are more expensive than in the US but this one has more miles on it. Or are they kilometers? If those are KMs then i think you can offer 8.5 to 9 K. If those are miles then 8K.

The only problem with Ford you may face is when you go to sell it. I didn't get more than a couple of queries from private parties and those too were through word of mouth. After listing the car on various sites for a month, I finally drove down to CarMax and accepted their offer which was more than what dealers were giving for it. Other than that, the car ran great through winters and summers.

Good luck!

[maddy42]

Originally Posted by VLOCT

Congrats Maddy. Gorgeous Duc there.

Please check when the last full maintenance was done. '09 might be every 7500 miles. I would get any work on a Duc done only by a recommended shop, a specialist Italian or Duc shop, is preferable. I wouldn't let anyone else touch it.

Thanks VLOCT. The tips from you are always to the point. This is every 6k.

The ownership history is like this.
Owner 1: College kid. Had it from 2009 - 2014. Rode for two months and then had the bike standing for a while and then did it again.
The change in this is from Jan - May he rode 15k miles! Weird comparing his previous history.

No records from this era. Managed to even have the keys lost! ( This part made me feel suspicious)

Owner 2: Lead Mechanic who used to work at the Big duc dealership. Left to work in this custom ducati shop which specialists in doing custom jobs on the ducati.

He did the full maintenance valves and belts for this motorcycle and gave me a record of the jobs done on it. I will post it when i get a chance. He got 2 keys done and a ecu flash for the same. Mechanically made the bike sound or thats what he claims. He did a couple of small mods like the cafe mirrors, handle, and the tank is from a 1100 as the original was a Matt finish.

I plan on sticking with him or his shop for my services hereafter as the ducati showroom has a reputation for being pricey and is a guy who owns the company which has ads with Danicia Patrick during the superbowl. ( You know who).

Still living in the DREAM zone at the moment and i LOVE IT!

Gear:
Once i made the cash payment for it i got the bike regd. Had it standing in the shop as i wanted to pick it up with full gear.

Visited the Cycle gear store which was a mile away. Got the following:

1) AGV helmet(rossi edition)
2) Dainese jacket
3) Bilt gloves
4) Bilt leg guard
5) Some cooling cap kinda thing
6) Flurosent jacket for visibility
7) I call this the elephant chain lock

I am still looking at the link you did send.

Thank you again!

Originally Posted by josejoseph

Congrats Maddy! Make sure to wear all the protective gear for safety.
If you don't have the remote to open the gate.

Thank you Jose. So the thing with my apt is the keypad is on the outside. So when i need to get out it just doesn work. The sensor is a weight sensor so i need to talk to any other bikers in the apartment who may be able to help. Some folks talk about magnets, other spoke about keeping your kickstand down. All kinda tips out there. Worst case i need to get a remote from the apartment.


Any tips is welcome.

Maddy

[balajird]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Anyway, I recently sold my wife's Ford Focus SEL that had i think around 40K miles to CarMax for 10K. Cars in Canada are more expensive than in the US but this one has more miles on it. Or are they kilometers? If those are KMs then i think you can offer 8.5 to 9 K. If those are miles then 8K.
Good luck!

Thank you very much Amit, the car has done 80K Kilometers and not miles, the seller might not negotiate down much and I see that the rear seat isn't that spacious to accommodate 2 kids (in booster seats) and an adult, whats your opinion?

[prasadee]

Originally Posted by maddy42

Also could someone give a tip of opening up the apartment automatic gates. I stood for 5 mins and nothing happened!!!

You will need to locate the loop that is embedded in the asphalt to sense a vehicle passing over it. This applies to signal lights sensing the bike as well. If motorcycles are not popular where you live, it is likely to not be calibrated to sense motorcycles. You can rock the bike by braking and getting the bike closer to the loop. If nothing works, call the city or community manager to adjust the sensitivity of the loop/sensor. I have done this for signal lights in the city I live in, the city authorities even call back after a month to inform that the tuning has been adjusted and provide case status. For stoplights, it cannot be very sensitive as it may trigger the sensor of adjacent lanes.

In any case - an awesome bike! Keep the shiny side up and have fun!

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by balajird

I see that the rear seat isn't that spacious to accommodate 2 kids (in booster seats) and an adult, whats your opinion?

That is true. I had one booster seat and one child seat at the back. Even then it was a bit of a tight fit because me being 6'3", I had to push my front seat back and my elder daughter used to complain. It even got to the point that she would ask who is going to drive. Mom or Dad? She knew if I drove then she wont get much leg space at the back
That being said, I am not sure there are many mid size cars out there that will fit two booster seats and an adult at the back, unless the adult is also below average size.

[balajird]

Originally Posted by amitoj

I am not sure there are many mid size cars out there that will fit two booster seats and an adult at the back,

I was hoping for a full size sedan like accord / camry / maxima and to a certain extent corolla. I am still hunting for "the" right car as I dont have any urgency in buying it immediately (I have atleast 6 - 7 weeks time before my family joins me).

I am going to check a car from a private seller which is a 2005 Nissan Maxima with 194 ODO, fully loaded with sunroof and is quoted at 5K. any comments?

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by balajird

I was hoping for a full size sedan like accord / camry / maxima and to a certain extent corolla. I am still hunting for "the" right car as I dont have any urgency in buying it immediately (I have atleast 6 - 7 weeks time before my family joins me).

I am going to check a car from a private seller which is a 2005 Nissan Maxima with 194 ODO, fully loaded with sunroof and is quoted at 5K. any comments?

Camry etc i think you can squeeze in an adult and 2 booster seats at the back. Maybe corolla too.

Regarding Maxima, the thing with buying used is that each piece is unique. It is very hard to tell whether it is a nice price or not just by looking at the model year and mileage.

Originally Posted by amitoj

Dodge has certainly set the bar a little higher with their 707 HP Hellcat Challenger!
The fastest muscle car. Ever!
Its a 10 second daily driver!!

It is so refreshing to see a manufacturer turn their backs on the electric/hybrid mosquito buzzing cars and come up with raw brute powwaaaah!!

Price leaked! 59,000 USD! With taxes etc, expect anywhere between 65 to 70K OTD. That is one "hell"uva deal!!

HellCat Price

[ToroRosso]

Originally Posted by maddy42

Ok got some pics of the delivery time.

Congo Maddy - Looks stunning.
Can you ride her during winter as well?
After seeing your post, I started scouting craiglist/ebay again.


Excellent decision to go for a Street bike than a Super sports.
Btw - what pipes have you got on her?

[VLOCT]

Originally Posted by maddy42

Visited the Cycle gear store which was a mile away. Got the following:

1) AGV helmet(rossi edition)
2) Dainese jacket
3) Bilt gloves
4) Bilt leg guard
5) Some cooling cap kinda thing
6) Flurosent jacket for visibility
7) I call this the elephant chain lock

I am still looking at the link you did send.

Maddy

What's missing from this list is a 'Back/Spine Protector' (kevlar). It typically comes with a velcro strip that latches around your stomach. In addition to protecting your spine/back, it'll keep your kidneys in place. This is an absolute must and I would never get on a bike without one.

[maddy42]

Missed thanking you. Thanks for the wishes!

Originally Posted by ToroRosso

Congo Maddy - Looks stunning.
Can you ride her during winter as well?
After seeing your post, I started scouting craiglist/ebay again.
Excellent decision to go for a Street bike than a Super sports.
Btw - what pipes have you got on her?

Sorry dude. You should get one. Well i live in phx. Winter is not too bad, one jacket type of weather so yes i can ride during that time. I was on Craigslist looking for a used SV650 when this popped up. I wanted a bike, as in anything would do. Friends suggested i go for this instantly coz of its looks.

I wanted a entry level bike, something i can learn on. This is my first bike purchase. Before it was just riding in india on any friends bikes. I LOVE the look of the GSXR 600 but i was scared by what it can do. Still love the sounds of the supersports.

Anything your particularly looking for as i can search in my local area for one.

Originally Posted by VLOCT

What's missing from this list is a 'Back/Spine Protector' (kevlar).

Will look for one of that too. In my office commute i need to figure where to keep my bag.

Today was my first commute ride.

Things which i learnt.
1) I need to figure some way to keep my bag.
2) Need to look out and be far away from the crazy drivers. Had a pickup change lanes a foot behind me at insane speeds(or atleast thats what it felt)
3) I will have smooth waxed legs soon as all the hair will be taken off by the heat from the bike
4) Need to get into a routine Wear jacket> wear helmet> put bike key in> close garage door> put on gloves. Any miss in this routine and i will be stuck with either the door not closing or my keys in my bag.

Maddy

[Technocrat]

Get a tank bag with Magnets, you can also carry those as a carry over shoulder bag.

[VLOCT]

Maddy,

I was wondering if you ever took a Basic Rider Course (BRC). If you haven't, please join for one at the earliest. I reiterate here what I said before, you need to unlearn your riding habits from India. Sustained speeds are much higher and reaction times available for correction are very very low here.

Please do be very careful and be vary of the car drivers, especially female drivers. Most of them will see you, but simply will not register or worse, you're a nuisance. One reason I never rode to work or into the City, when I had my Duc, too many maniacs on the road. I followed one simple rule, never ride above 80% of my capability, provides me with some leeway during an emergency. If you're constantly hitting the brakes or, making adjustments you're riding at or above your capability.

I also didn't see a riding boot in your list. I hope it's just a miss. Your ankle is one of the most delicate joints in our body and will easily snap if twisted. You can always leave a pair of shoes at your office. But please do get a riding boot that covers your ankle.

Sorry to sound so preachy but, far too many riders do not pay attention to details that make riding enjoyable. If you really want to become a great rider, I would suggest spending a lot of quality time with the book http://www.webbikeworld.com/books/sp...techniques.htm and practicing the techniques.

Man, I miss the twisties of OH.

[vineethvazhayil]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Price leaked! 59,000 USD! With taxes etc, expect anywhere between 65 to 70K OTD. That is one "hell"uva deal!!

HellCat Price

More details are out. Mid 3 seconds to 60, top speed of 199 mph, sane mpg of 20, drive like you have stolen it, you spend 1.5 gallons a minute (Wow!). 80hp just for the supercharger.. Read on more - Autoblog - Hellcat

[ToroRosso]

Originally Posted by maddy42

Anything your particularly looking for as i can search in my local area for one.

Heh,Thanks Bud. I am all over the place now. I had a 600RR for 8 months and made the mistake of selling it. There is a chance of me shifting to Dearborn for 8 months,so till that gets confirmed, I cant. Though I am still actively looking at one of these - Z1000, Speed Triple.