One-for-one vehicle swaps: Anybody had any success?

A few months back I bought a dual sport motorcycle and I haven't been using it as much as I had expected. It's prime time for motorcycling, so I'm sure that I could sell it without too much effort, but for some reason, the idea of trading it for something else intrigues me. I've traded parts straight up in the past, but never an entire vehicle. There's not even anything in particular that I'm looking for, but I think that I have become more of a fixing-cars guy, rather than a motorcycle guy. Anybody have any success (or horror stories) when it comes to trades?

I traded a beat up LeBaron K-car for a beat up Lada Niva. I think it was a fair enough trade. Seller didn't tell me it was out of province though.

I just sold a crx and used the money to buy a beat up lebaron k-car (RICH CORINTHIAN LEATHER!).

But i got the CRX in a one for THREE trade i did with my 78 volvo 242.

So i have had some success with vehicle trading. Dont limit yourself to 1 for 1 when what you really want is MORE PROECTS THAN YOU CAN EVER FINISH!!

I've traded a classic Mini for a Miata in the past with a friend. Both of us were happy, although it might have helped that both of us knew the other car pretty well.

It's just like trading anything else, really.

Traded a 1990 Suburban and a little cash for a 1972 C10 pickup lately. Mrs. Mad Scientist and I were looking for something with an open bed for gardening and landscaping projects, and he was looking for a bigger vehicle.

Clem Sparks does this ALL THE TIME. Send him a message

Are you interested in an MR2? I could use a dual-sport.

(see, it's that easy)

I tried to do this for the sport of it with an E36 325is that fell into my hands cheaply but there were not a single legitimate trade offer. I did get some funny ones - like a case of canned soup...

I ended up trading it for $750 cash which, I then traded to someone else for a lathe, grinder, pile of steel and a nice band saw.

I think the indirect route is probably easier.

When it comes to cars, I sell for cash and buy with cash. Did trading once, and while it worked out OK in the long run, it wasn't great.

Ears were burning...

My first experience with trading:

I had an '82 Diesel GMC Crewcab 1 ton. Not running.

I traded it for a thoroughly-beat-but-running '83 diesel GM truck AND an old Honda CB750.

(I have no idea why this is the best photo I have of that truck in photobucket...but I laugh as a result) No photos of the CB750, apparently

I traded the motorcycle for a racing kart that I later sold to a friend. Sold the beat up truck to someone else. That was fun.

I had a 740 Volvo Turbowagon

that I traded for a rusty F150 4x4 AND a motorcycle (some old LTD 550 or such).

Sold the motorcycle (for about what I had in the Volvo), and used the truck for about a year. I sold that truck only when I had another truck I wanted to buy (for similar money).

I traded a junky old Honda CL360 (a basket case that was still rusted together)

for a stock car roller.

This past winter I traded a '71 CB450 for my current (and I'm quite happy with it) '82 XL500.

But then there's this current line of trades that has been going on for a few years now.

I'll detail that in the next post...

pinchvalve wrote: Are you interested in an MR2? I could use a dual-sport. (see, it's that easy)

Funny you should mention that. The MR2 was one of my dream cars in high school. Of course, they were new then and I think I'm over it now.

No money changed hands for ANY of the following trades.

I traded this:

for this:

Which I then traded for this:

Which, after being a dumbass and not checking to see if it had ANTIFREEZE in it, I traded for this:

Which I traded for this:

Which I fixed the head gasket on and then, just two days ago, I traded for this:

Which I have a bit of motivation to hang onto (which is kind of a bummer...trading is fun).

I'm not really moving up the value scale, red paperclip style, but it is fun.

Clem

ArthurDent wrote: I traded a beat up LeBaron K-car for a beat up Lada Niva. I think it was a fair enough trade. Seller didn't tell me it was out of province though.

I'd go find TWO LeBaron's to pull off a deal like that, I love the Niva!

And so...the thing about trading is that you can often find something you want (and therefore value) MORE than what you have and some other sucker (note, there are TWO suckers in this equation) will feel the same way.

I traded an 87 Wrangler for a 91 Isuzu Impulse with around 50k miles. I was doing a ton of driving at the time, so it was a great trade for me.

In spite of Cotton's satisfaction, i would check market value before doing any trades..

And eventually you trade the red paper clip for a house!

Red paper clip trade

I never go by "book" value;

Honestly, on 80% of the junk posted so far in this thread i wouldnt either, but when you have something like a wrangler or a newish motorcycle you dont want to be unknowingly trading it for something worth much less.

KNOWINGLY trading it for much less, sure.. but then at least you dont kick yourself later for not just selling it and buying the next thing with money left over.

A few years ago, I swapped my 1998 Honda Prelude SH even for a 1997 Boxster. Early Boxsters were still worth something then, and I still have the car, so I think I made out on the deal.

I traded an 83 CR125 that I never rode for a Plasma Cutter that I use often.

M030, NICE trade!

Done it several times.

Traded this

For this, and then this

For this

And in a separate deal, traded this

For this

i traded a wheelchair accessible 89 caravan that i paid $500 for for my 91 sonoma and $100.

i traded a 42 chevy bare cab/front end/bed on an 83 swb chevy truck chassis for a 53 belair. i wanted the wheels and new patch panels that came with it for my 54. and it looks like next saturday dmyntti is bringing me a beater 72 lemans to trade for the 53.

most likely i will fix up the lemans to beater driver status and try to trade further, after i practice my bodywork. not because i dont think a lemans is cool, but because it helps keep my AADD(automotive attention deficit disorder) in check to keep a project around that i really have no significant investment or lust for.

i could type all night talking about all the stuff i've traded for other stuff- there's a reason i've had over 200 different cars in my possession over the last 22 or so years. i'd hate to think about how many times some of those cars got traded away and then back...

unless it doesn't count as a trade unless titles get transferred- then i've had less than 100 cars.. but not much less than 100..