Your friends, the guys at work and manufacturers of all terrain vehicles have plenty of advice about how to buy an ATV, but basically, shopping for an ATV is like shopping for any other product with just a few simple caveats.

As is true of purchasing any product, you will probably, in the end be happier with your final choice if you do some serious thinking about what kind of all terrain vehicle is best for you. The more research you do, the more likely you are to find the ATV that best suits your purposes. Some factors you might want to consider are price range, what you intend to use the vehicle for, your personal experience driving such vehicles and the condition of your local terrain.

Price is probably the most important factor to consider before you purchase an atv. Most ATV's range in price from $3000 U.S. to $7000 U.S. Also keep in mind that many dealerships carry used ATV's that are trade ins. Other places to look for a lower priced all terrain vehicles are real and virtual bulletin boards, e-bay, newspapers and magazines.

As a rule of thumb, the more options the ATV has, the more expensive it will be. A four-wheeler with 4x4, which is heavy and more utilitarian, can be $1000 to $3000 more expensive than the same model without 4x4. If you need the vehicle to efficiently push and pull objects than you need a 4X4. Conversely, ATVs that are used for drag racing can cost quite a bit of money, even though they are faster and lighter vehicles. This is usually because many of them are very sporty and flashy.

Part of the process of learning how to buy an ATV is deciding on the vehicles intended use. For instance if you are looking for an agile vehicle that can turn on a dime and that is light enough for racing, the heavy-duty Yamaha Blaster 4X4 (that is used for pushing hay bales and snow) is probably not for you. You would be looking instead at purchasing a lighter, more nimble vehicle such as the Yamaha Raptor or the Kawasaki Lakota or Mojave. These vehicles suit recreational activities such as hopping dunes or racing through unusual landscapes.

If you are looking for a more industrial weight vehicle that can tow equipment or push snow or dirt, then a 4x4 model such as the Artic Cat, the Polaris and the Yamaha Banshee will probably do the job. If you are intending to buy a 4x4 ATV then count on spending more than $5000.

If you are buying an ATV for recreational purposes than you might want to consider what kind of vehicle best suits your terrain. For driving over dunes and sands you would need a lighter 4X4 such as the Suzuki 250 Quad racer. 4X4's are best for hunting, fishing and slogging through swamps, treading up and down hills, and crusading through brush and forest. The Yamaha Banshee or Warrior is well suited to these kinds of terrains.

Rider experience is also a factor to consider before you buy an ATV. 4X4's don't suit beginning or young drivers as well as the cheaper atvs with two-stroke engines.

There is plenty of information on the Internet about how to buy an ATV. All you need to do is visit the sites of major manufacturers of ATV's such as Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki and Yamaha to thoroughly research, which all terrain vehicle is best for you.

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