new or 2nd hand 1200

[ericthebrave]

probably should be posted in the 'to gs or not to gs' section but i wanted mainly 1200 owners opinions

Anyway, heres my dilemma.....new 1200GS (heated grips and probably ABS) or 2nd hand (same spec).

Price difference is about 1400 quid with only 2.2k on the clocks. (54 plate).

So i could go 2nd hand, low mileage and save cash....but i read threads about problems with this and that....so i'm thinking why is he selling (or she!) with such low miles. (these are from dealers BTW). Or do i spend £1400 more with the assurance of a nice 2006 spec model (i'm thinking maybe there'll be less teething problems by now) and 2 year warranty.....

but 1400 quid buys lots of extras like panniers and a ferry ticket and a gps!!

Oh decisions decisions!

Just curious as to what others would do. Some days i think new others i think get used! Maybe i'll just go to the pub and get pissed

Oh yes and easy 2nd question...what is the seat height with the low seat option, and what are heights with the normal seat in its 2 positions?

Cheers

Dave

 

[Dabba]

Heights are 840 or 860 for standard seat - a lower seat is 820 - At 5'8" I find 860 best compromise of view and toe-teetering (on my 1150GS)

I'd struggle with your dlilemma too - if it adds any help a year of BM's excellent warranty is worth £640 at renewal time. I'd probably go new in the end just for those extra special feelings and the nagging what if.. thoughts I always seem to have when I go for the cheaper options

Good luck!

Dave

 

[GSmonkey]

Its certainly a tricky decision. I wouldn't go in thinking that the 2006 model will have all the problems fixed....the problems that seem to annoy (and cost) the most are generic BMW problems by all account.

Personally, I went for the cheap option and got a second hand 1200. I'd do the same again - the money is better spent on tyres and fuel. Depreciation is maximum at first, so getting nearly new is always the sensible option.

But - you don't get the good feeling of getting a new new bike.

The decision, as they say, is yours

 

[barkin pumpkin]

1200 gs do i dont i

probably should be posted in the 'to gs or not to gs' section but i wanted mainly 1200 owners opinions

Anyway, heres my dilemma.....new 1200GS (heated grips and probably ABS) or 2nd hand (same spec).

Price difference is about 1400 quid with only 2.2k on the clocks. (54 plate).

So i could go 2nd hand, low mileage and save cash....but i read threads about problems with this and that....so i'm thinking why is he selling (or she!) with such low miles. (these are from dealers BTW). Or do i spend £1400 more with the assurance of a nice 2006 spec model (i'm thinking maybe there'll be less teething problems by now) and 2 year warranty.....

but 1400 quid buys lots of extras like panniers and a ferry ticket and a gps!!

Oh decisions decisions!

Just curious as to what others would do. Some days i think new others i think get used! Maybe i'll just go to the pub and get pissed

Oh yes and easy 2nd question...what is the seat height with the low seat option, and what are heights with the normal seat in its 2 positions?

Cheers

Dave

hi mate ive just bought an 05 10k £7250 so shop around now there's some real desperado's out there what with credit card bills and the like ' ''dont take any prisoners''

 

[Franky]

an 04 one went on ebay earlier for £8600(with gps).

I'm thinking of selling mine.... I miss sportsbikes

Its only 6months old, 2200miles, like new with heated grips and ABS.

Let me know if you're interested.

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

I'd buy the 2nd hand one and extend the warranty. There are a few re-call items (fuel pump controller o-ring) but that's no big deal.

 

[Droopy Dick]

Weigh up the seller, and if he looks sound., buy the 2nd hand one.

After all, 2,200 miles is barely run in for the BMW.

And the cash you save could buy a lot of bolt-on toys.

I bought my 1150 at 1 yr old with 1750 miles on it, and it's been very sound.

 

[beemerboy9]

I would say buy second-hand only if you can't get the colour and spec that you want in an acceptable time frame.

 

[timeandtide]

I bought a second hand one with 2k on (and wire wheels) and now its got more miles on than the bike I had from new. Spend part of the save on Caveman's panniers!

 

[birdseye]

probably should be posted in the 'to gs or not to gs' section but i wanted mainly 1200 owners opinions

Anyway, heres my dilemma.....new 1200GS (heated grips and probably ABS) or 2nd hand (same spec).

Price difference is about 1400 quid with only 2.2k on the clocks. (54 plate).

So i could go 2nd hand, low mileage and save cash....but i read threads about problems with this and that....so i'm thinking why is he selling (or she!) with such low miles. (these are from dealers BTW). Or do i spend £1400 more with the assurance of a nice 2006 spec model (i'm thinking maybe there'll be less teething problems by now) and 2 year warranty.....

but 1400 quid buys lots of extras like panniers and a ferry ticket and a gps!!

Oh decisions decisions!

Just curious as to what others would do. Some days i think new others i think get used! Maybe i'll just go to the pub and get pissed

Oh yes and easy 2nd question...what is the seat height with the low seat option, and what are heights with the normal seat in its 2 positions?

Cheers

Dave

Dont worry about the motive of the guy selling - he could have overdone it financially, or maybe he's a fshion victim (the 1200 is fashionable) and has gone on to something even newer, or maybe he cant get on with it, or he's lost his job, oe even more expensive, he's been caught by his wife..............

There can be a hundred reasons for an early chop in, but reliability isnt likely to be one of them. For a start, anyone reading this forum would get a very biased view of BMW reliability (we're a moaning set of b**rds) - they are in fact pretty reliable. Secondly, that mileage is way too little for someone to get so pi**ed off they drop 2500 (likely dealer buy in max). Thirdly the mileage is too little for most of the probs descibed here to develop.

I'd go for it, but I would haggle. Not many bikes selling at the mo, lots of 1200s around. Try 2500 off, they can only say no.

I'm 29 inside leg and can just cope with the normal 1200 on high at front and low at back. In fact, the biggest prob is getting my leg over ( I know, I know!) with the panniers expanded. Sometimes have to do the Basil Faulty Nazi approach

 

[funacide]

I bought new in August of this year, the only reasoning being that I have never owned a new bike!!

After owning the bike and seeing the cost of getting it to the spec you would like (crash bars, luggage, protectors, GPS etc...... They are very expensive in SA) and seeing a mate getting all of those aftermarket extras included in the buying price on his second hand GS at a lower price than mine, I will definitely buy second hand next time around.

But it is always nice to know that you looked after it the way you like it from day 1.

Good luck with your decision, it is not an easy one!!

 

[marcus]

get the new one.

If the 54 on offer is like mine (or quite a few others judging by anecdotal evidence) quite a few things are a little unreliable.

Probably why the new ones have so many differences!