PULSE AUTOCYCLE NETWORK

[steveg]

I know we have talked about this before, but I keep getting asked time and time agian at about everywhere I go "what is it worth?"
and I was wondering what the general consenus was to what they thought
THEIRS was worth.. that is what would it take if someone made you an offer for you to THINK about it? I was approched lately and offered $12k for mine,
but since i love the Litestar so much i wouldnt consider it unless i had something to replace it.. then i would really have to debate it..

so the question is,,, "whats it worth"
_________________
steve george litestar #009
otisco NY

[hatfield]

I would have to get over $50K. I know it's not worth that but I wouldn't let it go for that right now.
_________________
Pete Hatfield
Muscatine, IA
www.petehatfield.com

[lite9dave]

I paid 10K but think I overpaid given the condition of the vehicle, which was marginal. On the other hand when I bought there really wasn't much info on where to find these and I felt lucky to get one at any price.

But more importantly I have issues with both you guys. :^)

Litestar 009. Database indicate Scranton 009 shows as unknown owner and Owosso database indicates 009 is mine. Might want to get in touch with Steve Shmidt if you've got Scranton 009 so he can update the database.

As this Hatfield guy, well our issues go back a bit. :^)

Dave (McCoy)

[Steve Schmidt]

Dave,

Can you please email a picture of your Litestar to me. I only seem to have close-up pics of the engine. I would like a side view shot and one of the front.
Old pictures would be fine too if you don't have a more current pic.

Thanks,

steveschmidt at hotmail.com

[hatfield]

Hey Dave,

Didn't us Hatfields almodst wipe you McCoys out a while back?
_________________
Pete Hatfield
Muscatine, IA
www.petehatfield.com

[Nelson Locke]

I would not part with my Pulse for less than $50K and then I'd have to think about it. I love this car.
_________________
Pulsing with excitement,
Nelson A. Locke

[Dave Bauer]

I don't know what I would sell mine for if I were really offered money. Realistically, we can all talk about what we might or might not sell our for, but until someone actually offers, it's all speculation. Until then remember: Money talks.

That said, I can tell you that my ex-wife wanted $40,000 to let me keep it...

Needless to say, she didn't get it.

-Dave Bauer
Still the....Proud owner of Pulse 167
_________________
-Dave Bauer
Pulse 167

[Nelson Locke]

Well there you have it. Firm evidence of a valuation of $40,000.

That's what I'm talkig about. We all bnetter run and increase our coverage.

I am thinking about re-painting mine to resemble a Marine Corps jump jet. Any thoughts?
_________________
Pulsing with excitement,
Nelson A. Locke

[Dave Bauer]

Well....
She wanted $40K, but she was unable to find anyone who would make a written appraisal of it. The best she was able to do was to have some guy find something in an old NADA Guide book and photocopy it.

The price in that book (printing date unknown) was only $1250. We settled on $1000 and I had to give her $500.

-Dave Bauer
Still the proud owner of Pulse 167.
_________________
-Dave Bauer
Pulse 167

[hcubed]

That NADA price sounds about right... if you go to nada.com, the pulse is listed (you have to drill down to get it). They have it listed under "owosso motor car co".

Has the years 86-90 listed, by engine size, and price for each. Options listed for radio and cb (rest don't really apply).

[Dave Bauer]

Right.
Here's the good part:

The ex and I went to divorce trial to determine how much of my stuff she got (contested divorce). I showed a print out of the NADA.com web page listing my specific year and configuration. At the time, NADA valued my Pulse at $950. Even though I presented the judge with a good print of the page, indicating the source, he wouldn't accept it because "it was off of the web" and wasn't a valid appraisal. I found this interesting because he didn't have any issues accepting NADA.com valuations of the other 3 vehicles that were tied up in the divorce.

So, the judge ordered her to find someone to do a written appraisal on my Pulse. That meant she would have to pay to have it appraised.

Not to be taken for a ride, I sought out a rare vehicle appraiser and had him make a counter appraisal. Since the vehicle was highly modified from original, had some mechanical problems and was torn apart at the time, my guy valued my Pulse at only $750 in its then current condition. Worked for me. That appraisal cost me $250. Negotiating with my ex and her scoundrel lawyer to set up a date for the appraisal cost me another $500.

Her 'appraiser' was a sales manager at a local honda dealership. He knew nothing of the machine and only looked at it for maybe 90 seconds. He then proceded to provide the undated photocopied page out of NADA book. He didn't sign the page or provide any other information. This 'valuation' put it at $1250.

Then the best part happened: The judge took this joker's valuation (remember that he wouldn't take my printed and properly credited web valuation) and split the difference. He put the value of my machine at $1000.

So, I had to pay the ex $500 to keep my Pulse, plus the $750 it cost me to put a value on it. Therefore, it cost me $1250 to keep a machine that the kangaroo court (Virginia Beach) valued at $1000. At least I didn't have to pay her half of the $40K that she claimed it was worth.

Fun huh? Pretty much the entire divorce went that way, but that's another story.
_________________
-Dave Bauer
Pulse 167

[elden simons]

Mr. Douglas...Have I got a deal for you. Its a Genuiine, one of a kind, Zirconian style, motorsickle that goes for $40,000.oo, but I'll let you have it for the low-low price of just...(fill in the blank).

On another topic: The NADA book just has the radio or CB as options? What about the carpet covered roll-bar, or the extravegant fresh air vents? Those were listed as haves or have-nots.

Comment to Nelson: painting your GCRV as a Hawker Harrier? Are you going to apply add-ons to simulate the verticle lift ducts?
Military themed, or similar paint schemes are often quite striking to see on these vehicles.
Especially when you add a few warning or caution symbols (yellow triangles or orange arrows..etc.)

"Warning: leaning against vehicle will cause pilot to explosively eject from vehicle or nearby building. Injury from ejection force may occur to those by vehicle."

[steveg]

these are some of the stories that I was interested in hearing, Im glad you got to keep at least some of your stuff even though you had to pay for it agian.... knowing that feeling first hand, I once had a '62 T bird (restored) and in the divorce I got to keep the keys and she got to keep the car.. go figure.. so now its 18 yrs later the car still sits in HER yard as an in agreement she cant move or drive it without my permission.. gone downhill badly from its previous glory.. flat tires, faded paint and torn seats...

I hate to see it that way, but i still smirk every time I go by knowing she cant go anywhere with it..like a hungy dog that cant get to the bone

what my delema was an offer from an outsider who saw my Litestar in the drive.. and made a passing offer even though i turned him down more than three times previous.. cash, trades, ect all refused.. and for me it will stay that way. the delema part was the wife erg me on to sell because I have "too many toys" HA! not enough I say!
steveg.
_________________
steve george litestar #009
otisco NY

[hcubed]

As far as the options go, one can look at an original order form to see what was available.

But it comes down to the owners as to the value of each. Would you pay more for factory AC and a larger Goldwing, or for the carpeted roll bar?

Seeing the modifications that have been done puts the "value" in the eye of the beholder. The larger engines, the cooling systems, defroster, heaters, power canopies, etc.

The only thing that hasn't been drastically changed is the body (except for air scoops).

And then there are those that have some historical value (in a movie, owned by someone famous, etc). Value can be added to these because of that.

So the question of "what's it worth" can't be nailed down. Each one has to be evaluated separately (or valued by your insurance company). The latest example of this was on ebay, where the owner had a firm bid, but it wasn't the amount he wanted. I don't think it ever sold.

[Steve Schmidt]

The last few years I have attempted to record selling prices of the Litestar and Pulse. Here are some of my findings:

Original Factory Price.....1985 - 1990

The basic factory list price seems to be from $7,000 in about 1985 to fully equipped models at about $19,000 in the final years of production.


Current Actual Selling Prices.......not ASKING PRICES

"Junkers or fixer-uppers"..... seem to start around $2,000 on up.

Pulse #57 sold in May of 2001 for about $4,500. In need of restoration.

Two Pulse vehicles sold in the fall of 2001 for between $4,000 to $5,000. Both needed repair.

An early Scranton Iowa Litestar sold on ebay for $7,600 in 2003.

A junker on ebay received no bids in Sept. of 2003.

A fully restored late model Pulse sold for $12,000 in 2003.

Pulse #25 in good condition sold on Ebay for $8,700.00 in April of 2004.

Pulse #233 in good condition sold on Ebay for $9,450.00 in May of 2004.

Pulse #314 in good condition sold on Ebay for $10,000.00 in Oct. of 2004.

Pulse #24? in fair condition sold on Ebay for $3,450.00 in Oct. of 2004.

Pulse #120 in good condition sold on ebay for $12,500.00 in March of 2005.

Pulse #259 in good condition sold on ebay for $14,000.00 in June of 2005.

Owosso Litestar #4 in fair condition sold for $7,000.00 in Sept. of 2005

Pulse #211 in good condition sold for $8,800.00 in April of 2006

Pulse #184 in good condition sold for $14,000 in April of 2006



"Good Condition Vehicle".... can range from $9,000 to $20,000.....asking price.

It seems that most vehicles have SOLD in the $6,000 to $14,000 price range.

'Asking prices' run from $10,000 up to $40,000........good luck.

These vehicles should be selling for over the original sticker prices, but sadly they do not. I don't know why, because everyone that looks at mine wants to know where they can buy one.