How to buy used lo206 kart off craigslist?

Considering buying my first kart. I’ve only done rental karting so I know very little about what to look for. I do know that the local tracks (pacific northwest) have lo206 classes so I figured that’d be a good start. What should I be looking for? To give some idea of what’s on craigslist near me right now:

2011 ItalKart Supersonic V $3k link
2014 Italkart $3k link
2014 Kosmo $3k link
2014 Arrow $2.5k link
2012 Birel $2k link
Avanti Racing $1.5k link

Note that I’m not necessarily looking to pick between just these options, but rather, how to decide myself or what questions I should be asking. I feel like I don’t know enough to pull the trigger on any of them. Thanks!

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I quickly skimmed the ads linked.
What stood out good was the Birel and the Arrow. Arrow is newer and has more extras. ( Comes with kart stand mychron 4 , transponder and rain tires on wheels)
I would not rank the Avanti high based on appearance.
Kosmic comes with stand and Spare Rotax.

Spares and extras add up if you can use them. Mychron and stands in particular.

What is huge is if the seller will help you for a practice session of first race if he is local. However what a seller promises to do and actually does may vary. Plus some guy just aren’t good at helping others.

Look at what a new kart cost. I have done used and it presents it’s problems.

If you can get some time in a kart before buying via a rental do that first. I am not sure what level of rental you did, but a concession kart vs a true sprint kart is fairy different. Look for a common brand - that has some advantages. Also go attend a race or two first if you can.

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Are any of the chassis supported at your local kart track? My son and I both race Arrow karts because we generally race at GoPro Motorplex where Kartsport is based. It’s really nice knowing any part we break on race day is probably on the shelf.

Hey @gxbry, welcome to the forums! Great first post.
I see you’re in Seattle, (well the CL links are) so two things come to mind.

  1. Italkarts are pretty popular in that area with Italian motors being a dealer for them.
  2. We have a decent contingent of Seattleans (if that’s a thing?). so make sure you connect with @DavinRS and

Also @rags2races recently bought a 206 and might be able to give a couple of pointers on things to look for.

Couple other resources for you:

If you can see the kart in person that’s the best way, rather than just pictures on the internet. Look at the overall condition of the kart and motor itself. Does it look like it’s been maintained? If there’s seasons worth of grease, dirt, crud all over the place, that may be an indicator of how the previous owner cared for the equipment. Take a look at the bottom of the kart, see if the frame rails have been ground down to flat spots. Go into looking at a kart like you would a used car.

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Ty brought the best summary advice. Look at a used kart, like you would a used car. If it’s been well taken care of, then it’s likely you’ll have a better platform to work with.

The Ital-kart would be supported by Italian Motors, which is based out of Sumas WA and also Huggler Racing in Tacoma would be able to help you with that.

Also, Kart-O-Rama in Sumner is a distributor for Arrow karts, so they’d be able to help you with parts for the Arrow. Both KOR and Huggler Racing would be able to help you refresh a used kart with good labor rates too.

All three kart shops will be have used karts that you could buy from them as well, which might help with more confidence than buying a kart straight from CL.

I’m local to your area, so hit me up if you have any other questions.
-Davin

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Keep us posted on your search and purchase. Also, don’t forget to update your profile to include your full name.