As a former service advisor at one of the largest boat, snowmobile, and atv dealerships in the country, I've discovered a few things about atv's that may be of some use to those that our looking at purchasing a used ATV.

• Inspect the overall condition of the machine. If it is beat up cosmetically, it was probably abused. Ideally, of course, you'd rather have one that looks well cared for. The cosmetics of a machine usually are a great indicator of how the machine was cared for.
• Inspect CV boots for tears. CV's are expensive, and often overlooked, maintenance-wise.
• Compression check is critical, particularly on a two stroke machine.
  
• Check all fluids. Look for dirty lubricants, and excess metal shavings. They could be indicators of abuse or lack of careful maintenance.
• Look for improperly installed accessories. Factory or dealer installed accessories are one thing, but you want to look out for cobbled together accessories.
• Electrical issues. Most atv's over 5 years old will have some electrical gremlins, but they are usually minimized if the machine was kept indoors, and there are not a lot of electrical add-ons.

Don't be afraid to walk away from a deal if you are unsure of something, or if the seller seems elusive. There will always be another one coming, particularly here on Ebay.

If you found this helpful, please indicate so below. Thanks!