So I bought my son a fl250 a few weeks ago and I just finished rebuilding the Engine over the weekend with him. He asked when I was getting one so we could ride together. I told him I've kinda been looking for a fl350 right after I got his and took it for a ride..... these things are fun and fun to work on.

I'm in the Midwest and prices seem to be all over the place depending on the region and condition. That being said what would the price of a complete used fl350 in these conditions go for in the Midwest;

Running and driving good shape, ready to ride but some cosmetic issue, broken or missing fenders, mirror etc = $
Running and driving used and abused, ready to ride but beat to hell = $
NOT running or driving stored inside but hasn't been started in a few years, good shape but cosmetic issues = $

I'm searching craigslist and searchtempest and the facebook community and I'm trying to understand condition and pricing so when the right one for me comes along I'll know it.

I want somewhat original, used in good shape mechanically, restorable cosmetically if I ever wanted to restore it. But would take needs repair if it was a bargain. I don't want a pile of junk that I over pay on and then dump a ton of money into just to get it started only to find out it has a ton of other problems I couldn't see until after it ran

Thanks

It appears the frequent words you used are "running and driving".
Almost all of the machines I see for sale here on the west coast go for around $3000 now.
Anything that don't run or is beat to hell is in the $1500 range. I even see two for sale here on craiglist for $2000 each and they are complete junk based on those pictures. There is one for sale near me for $1000 and the guy has now dropped it to $800 but there is a trick. I don't see ANY plastics, seat is some after market thing, it has no axels and it is currently stripped to the frame. The only good thing I see is a liquid cooled head and aluminum rad. I offered $600 and he said no. Axels are $350ea or around there. To get a good running machine it now looks like they cost 3G but I don't know who is buying them for that price, but that's the cost now on the west coast.

Just found this today. Three machines. Two runners and a parts machine not shown. It works out to $2400 each is you give him what he wants. Looks like everything is there and the fenders look good. I see one, possibly two with crack repairs on fender. I think good price if you can get him down a bit but would be worth it if the parts machine is all there. Just my opinions.
Disclaimer: be prepared to spend more money unless those things run and have good compression.
https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/snw/ ... 21777.html

Here is a really nice one: https://portland.craigslist.org/clc/snw ... 36997.html
Note he said new top end. That tells me he MAY have blown it up so it might need a fuel pump and check tank for rusty pick up tubes ---------- AVGAS ------ its still air cooled.
Check out that price.

thanks for the info, I'm seeing the same thing when I search stuff for sale but I read something different when I search the forum. Where are all of the $1000 or $1200 machines that people say that these are only worth? Its confusing to read posts on the forums but then go out and actually search stuff for sale.

There is one by me for sale that has sat indoors for a few years. Currently does not run but was tuned up before putting away for the season 3-4 years ago. Looks like its mostly there but is missing fenders and has bald tires on the front and ones flat. The white tub looks cracked and the seat and seat belts look like crap, asking price is $1600 firm. If $400 more gets me something I can here run and drive but is in the same condition then I should pass on the $1600 one right?

Another machine. Check out that price.
Front fenders cut off and has some over head fuel tank --- ooohhhhhh --- gravity feed.
Positives: Very nice seat and looks like a nice machine.
https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/snw ... 44105.html


So as you can see the price on running machines is now around the 3G mark.

The $1200 to $1500 machines that I bought are 5 year old prices it seems. No longer available unless they are complete junk. When you see an ad that says "ran before it was stored" or "carb just needs to be cleaned" that is code for this thing is fukd. That's the reality. These things are over 30yrs old now. Your going to have to work on them and many have been beat. Unless the guy is a member here or is a real enthusiast and has mechanical ability then I think you better plan on doing work. I am not trying to be negative, just posting the reality of today and don't want to bulshyt you.

Thanks, this is exactly the feedback I'm looking for. I would take a chance on the $1600 one if they dropped the price, I was thinking more like $1200 but they said they are firm.

A really good indication would be to look at the machine you want to buy.
If you don't see the vent mod done then you are dealing with a yoyo with suspect mechanical abilities. Not always but 95% of the time. It could be the guy was just lazy and didn't want to do it. But if you see a machine with the vent mod done then I bet he is a member here or has mechanical ability.
It's a good bulshytr alert.

Overhead fuel tanks. As all know I am not a fan of that at all. Gravity feed systems can kill an oddy Engine unless the larger fuel valve was installed in the carb. Also they make the machine top heavy and you can tip these machines over real easy, even without that handicap of an overhead fuel tank. I am also thinking fire hazard as I have seen some with the tanks outside the roll cage . I have been on fire in a race car before. I don't recommend it.

Edit: Here is a good thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=17693&hilit=what+to+look+for+when+buying

I had to look up the vent mod to understand what it was. I can't tell from the pictures if this has been done.
here is a link, he has two for sale
https://madison.craigslist.org/snw/d/ho ... 81740.html

https://madison.craigslist.org/snw/d/ho ... 75971.html

They looked trashed to me but I don't know these that well, maybe they clean up nice?

Something to ponder... Since the FL350 is pretty rare in the midwest, you might want to decide how far you want to drive for the "right" machine, meaning the machine that fits your budget and/or condition. Once I got serious about purchasing it took me a year to find the "right" FL350 for me, and Im glad I waited because I was going to drive clear cross the country to pick them up. When I found one within 4 hours from me, I was glad because when I arrived on site to look at the machine I realized a lot was left out of the ad and it was a little less desireable than I had hoped for. Now if I had driven to California, Im in Oklahoma, I would have been really pissed. I wouldn't have minded the drive no matter how far but when you get there to pick up the machine and its would have costed, labor and money, the same if I would have just purchased the one closer to home, that's when it stings.

These are about 3 hours from me. If I can't hear it run or see the tires turn under its own power then I figure the worst, Engine and trans failure. If one or both of those is fine and it really just needs carb and gas tank cleaned, fuel line, spark plug, air filter, etc then great I got lucky. But I know after I get it running and driving then there will be a long list of stuff it needs that you don't know until you drive it. Wheel bearings, ujoints, brakes, steering stuff, all that stuff that wears out.

If I paid $1200 for it and put $800 into it in parts and I do all the labor ill be in it for $2000. At $2000 total I don't think I'll be in over my head but only because I can do the labor.

Yea I would say your on the right track of thinking. I wont nit pick at them Im sure the rest of the group here will though, lol, they look to be worth the 1200 IMO. The FL350 trans are pretty solid, good to leave them in gear while idling if you can, saves the upper input shaft bearings from wear since they don't get splashed with oil when in neutral. They probably don't have the vent case mod judging by the looks of the rest of the buggy. If you paid 3k for a nicer one you would end up probably doing a lot of the reconditioning to it as well. In 2010 I paid about 3500 for mine and 3200 for my sons. The 3500 Ody had Works shocks, Comet drive clutch, water cooled head, recently rebuilt Engine so it was well worth it, at the time the Pilots were about 6k. It wasn't quite as nice as the pics, I cleaned it up quite a bit and went through all the systems, vent mod etc. etc. X 100! If you get if built vor 2k you will be happy, the FL350's are a GREAT bang for the buck. I was going to do like you and get the FL250 for my son and FL350 for me but decided to go with two FL350's instead.

wow that looks nice and a 69 camaro in the garage too.

I wish they were closer and I could stop out and look at them but at $1600 firm its not worth the 3 hour drive to me. We'll see what happens, if they sell great if not maybe they will come down on the price. I didn't ask them if they would take $1200 because I think that would be low balling them and if I made an offer like that I would want to do it face to face.

Please pick them apart, i wont be mad

Oddy #1 with no fenders I see:
1) No vent mod done so he probably don't know poo -- but I may be wrong -- don't know the guy
2) Angle finned head so it is a post recall
3) Can't tell if it has been rolled due to no clear side view pic
4) Stock rear shocks so you WILL be changing those springs as they're WAY to stiff
5) Mirror missing and I see the plastic around the master cylinder removed, so that tells me brake issues. You will most likely need a complete rebuild kit for that at approx $120
6) Hard to tell what condition the seat is in based on those low quality pics
7) You will need seat belts at $100 a set
8) Wrist restraints old and will be VERY stiff and will chafe your skin
9) Something funky about that electrical but hard to tell because of poor quality pics. The CDI (Capacitor Discharge Ignition) unit is mounted funny.
10) Stock fuel pump/stock hoses -- oh my that's a poofkaboom waiting to happen -- check fuel flow rate
11) Stock everything so I would have him doing a compression check and reporting that before I even go look at it. Looks dirty so I bet it don't even run. "CARB JUST NEEDS TO BE CLEANED" --- Baahahahaahha.
12) Looks like original tires so that tells me it may not run anymore or didn't run long and blew up.
13) Has a battery so it may run but I wonder if starter works
A lot of unanswered questions the guy will have to answer for you before you even drive that far to go look at it. A lot of money needs to be spent on this one. Just my opinion.

Oddy #2 with the fenders I see:
1) No vent mod
2) Appears to have non original front tires but original rears and a battery so it may run
3) No seat belts so you will need a set of those ----- even it does have them
4) Original hard as rock now wrist restraints that will chafe your skin
5) Original fuel pump/lines -- poofkaboom possibility -- check fuel flow rate
6) Side bars -- I hope they're bolt on and not welded to the frame. If welded check for cracks
7) Stock rear shocks so you WILL be replacing the springs
8) Angle finned head so it is a post recall
Positives on this machine:
1) Seat appears to be in good condition
2) Does not appear to have been rolled as the top roll cage and roof lid is straight

This appears to be the better of the two machines but I would be checking both the fuel tanks for rust and I would be looking real close at the condition of the axels and u-joints. Wheel bearings ?? Do the rear wheels turn free no grinding ?? Does the starter work ?? Front J arm bushings worn ?? Brakes work ?? Again more questions for this guy before you even go look. If neither of these machines runs or he won't let you take them for a spin then this deal is a non starter. Looks like you will be spending money either way in my opinion. That's what I see right off the bat.

Oh hes firm on the price, his ad Cash only,Yea I don't like to haggle over the phone either. About the nit pick, they both look complete, might be missing the key since gas cap is off on one of them? I wonder if either of them has a Comet drive clutch. They look like good machines to start from, not much mickey mousing or hacking's been done to them..Yet! Too bad they are 3 hours away. Do they come up for sale often within that driving distance? Im like you I would probably wait unless they don't come up for sale that often. I think the two I bought were the only that came up for sale near me in a couple years. I found these close to me, the single buggy in Tulsa is about an hour and a half from me.

https://tulsa.craigslist.org/snw/d/hond ... 82754.html

https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/snw ... 14197.html

I agree with stix here as he has some good points.
It's your choice of coarse but I feel that you will be spending some dough on them for sure.
This is NOT a cheap hobby. Tires alone are $400 plus. Fuel (AVGAS) is not free either. Those machines are both air cooled so that's what I would be running 100% for sure but that's my bias. It's cheaper than an Engine rebuild and the frustrations that come along with that. If you don't have the money or time then a guy should really pass on this hobby because it isn't cheap. I wanna nail miss July and want a Ferrari but that ain't gona happen. So I get neither.

I would settle for the ferrari! . Man you had to nit pick . I also see that the rectifier is missing on the one without fenders, probably 10 bucks on Ebay but what kind of jury rigging did he do to keep the machine running without the rectifier?? Also looks like the top J arm shafts are bent, both my 350's had the bent shafts, didnt do too much to the handling just made my Works shock brake a shaft until I installed the heims on the end of the shock mount, stock shocks have so much play they worked fine. Well like you said every one out there is gonna be a mini money pit. I was lucky to have Randy at Odyssey Salvage, he had new and used parts and was always great on the pricing and had good advice and was just a cool guy to shoot the sh!t with. But to me the mini money pit was well worth it!

Yeah we are here to protect our members so nit picking is not mean spirited or meant to be mean spirited. We tell you what we see and then you make up your mind.

Yep absolutely nothing wrong with picking apart a machine. I forget everyone is not used to seeing what the vetrans can pick out

thanks for taking the time to type all that up, great points. I appreciate the feedback and picking apart, I don't know what you guys know when it comes to these.

I race cars and 4 wheel here and there in my jeep, I'm also restoring/assembling a car (basket case really) and I have three kids..... time and money, I will never have enough of either. My wife and kids come first, house second then I find time and money for hobbies, I think most of us do it this way.

It doesn't have to be this one but if they lower the price I'll take a ride to look at it. For $1200 I'm inspired and after spending a bunch of time and money to get it running, I'll slowly start to think what the hell was I thinking..... but somehow I'll convince myself it was worth it.

This may not be the end of it here.
I find it hard to believe that a 3hr one way drive is a big deal. When I was racing cars I drove from my house here in Canada to Portland raceway every three weeks. It's 6hrs exactly ONE way.
The way I see it you could kill two birds with one stone.
First I would make a list of things you really want to know before you even start the truck. Important things like compression of each machine, do they have brakes, do they run, will you let me drive them. Based on your deal maker/breaker questions and the reply he gives you will decide if the truck gets started. Next you make a road trip for you and the family. You WILL take your wife out for dinner during the trip and you WILL find a motel with a pool and water slide. Spend the night some place. Easy weekend trip. I don't know if your kids travel well or if you have to drive through Injun country, so it may just be a no go. When and IF you go take no cash for the machine and make the guy your best offer to his face. IF it's a deal tell him so, otherwise just thank him for the time and tell him you have to think about it ----- drive away. Like you said "these machines don't come up for sale very often".
Pool/Dinner time.

Here is an example of how you sell an oddy: https://losangeles.craigslist.org/ant/s ... 71606.html
1) Pictures are clear.
2) Machine is very clean and not covered in leaves, mud and crap to hide something. It shows pride in what they own and that means it was taken care of.
3) Picture shows a flaw of a small crack in a rear fender. This means he ain't trying to hide something.
4) Pictures show it is kept indoors in a CLEAN shop along with other toys. Everything is organised.
5) No vent mod done that I can see but here is probably an example of a guy who got lazy, not sure but judging by all the other toys in there, another oddy, and the state of the shop I bet he is mechanically inclined.
6) NO wrist restraints is the only negative.
7) Is it worth the $3200 -------------- SURE AS HELL IS

What's your location?

https://akroncanton.craigslist.org/snw/ ... 05053.html

The pics are a bit fuzzy but man that thing looks real nice.
Judging by the color on the wrist restraints and the color of the seat I bet it has been a garage queen most of its life. Side bar stickers are not worn off either. Fenders look straight and not drooped so it has not been in the desert sun. Headlights are not yellowed so it ain't been outside for long. Original tires so that tells you how many miles on it. Would be interesting to see if the front bumper still has the Honda rubber tips. If it does, I bet this thing is show room. Clearer pictures would be nice as well as a few more angles.
It's worth the asking price from what I see so far.

Yep that is a nice one. I'm in Lemont IL, for some reason I can't add that to my profile, probably in a FAQ somewhere. I'm about 6 hours from cedar point, and I think your close to that right?