Many people who are new to Chinese AVT’s, go-karts (buggies), UTV's, etc come into the sport with the wrong expectations and thus are disappointed with their purchase. All off road vehicles including, ones made in Japan or the USA, are prone to breakdowns. We know because we have repaired all models of vehicles for years. So it does not matter if you are purchasing a $20,000 Polaris side-by-side or a $1,000 Chinese ATV you will have problems and thus you must have a plan for repair.
Chinese vehicles are a great value for the money. Usually costing 1/2 to 1/3 of the cost of a Japan or American made comparable vehicle. In general Chinese vehicles do have a somewhat unique set of relative minor problems. However, if you are thinking that you will get your Chinese vehicle and ride without problems for a couple of years, we can tell you that is not going to happen. The good new is that the problems are usually relatively minor. But this is nothing new. In 1968 I purchased my first mini-bike—American made. It was great and at 13 I repaired anything that went wrong--which was about every other time I road it. After a couple of years I sold it to another boy and he trashed it within a couple months because he would not do the repair work. They all require work.
So anyone planning to get a Chinese vehicle should come in with the expectation of repairing or making upgrades and either have a plan for you to do this, or your child (if old enough) or your mechanic. But you definitely need a repair plan. If you use ethanol gas and don’t ride for a month your carburetor is guaranteed to need cleaning. After riding for the break-in period you will need to adjust the valves. After break-in you will need to change the oil. The CVT belt will wear out and need to be changed. With some models the wheel lug nuts may loosen and wallow out the rim if not checked routinely and tightened. You will need to change the air filter or maybe put on an aftermarket uni-filter. With the 110cc and 125cc vehicles there is a good chance that you will need to clean the carb within the first month or two regardless of what you do. Other models screws may loosen in the plastics, or fenders and you may need to re-tighten and use Loktite on them. As a general rule the more expensive Chinese vehicles will have fewer of these minor problems than the less expensive models. And it does not matter what dealer you are purchasing from since we are all buying from the same manufacturers in China. Yes repairs can be a bit of a hassle but if one comes in with the right mindset there is the understanding that this is part of the ATV, go-kart, UTV experience then its not a big deal. And purchasing a $6000 to $8000 UTV has advantages over a $20,000 to $30,000 Polaris RZR. And if you are purchasing for your child it can also be a good thing for a child’s education and growth.
I purchased my son, Travis, a Yerf Dog Spiderbox 3206 buggy, when he was 14, in 2002, as I was homeschooling him. In four years he went from knowing nothing about motors and go-karts to be the top expert in the USA on GY6 buggies, including designing and selling parts to fix many of the issues that Yerf Dog had. See his articles technical articles here. Most of these articles were written while he was a teen--any with dates prior to 2018 he was a teen. By the time he was 20 to 22, with zero college, I could put him up against any engineer from MIT or VA tech on any electrical, mechanical or programming problem. His Yerf Dog buggy became his engineering school. For older children a parent can look at their Chinese vehicle not only as a recreational vehicle but an opportunity for a child to attain mechanical and electrical knowledge, as well as learning responsibility and how to take care of their property.
With all of this being said the one Chinese vehicle that stands out, to us as the best built, is the Dongfang 170cc line of buggies and the Fangpower UTVs. We have the least problems with them of all vehicles that we have sold and worked on and they are built very sturdy and solid. Yes the Dongfang cost more than the Kinroad Explorer but you can expect less down time with the Dongfang and it is a much more robust built vehicle with more attention to detail than any other brand.
In general Chinese made 150cc and above buggies, ATV’s and UTVs on average are still in operation after 20 to 25 years. They are serious machines well worth the money but each owner must come in with the right expectations or they will be disappointed. And most issues will be relatively minor. But a person will spent time working on their Chinese vehicle or paying someone else to do it. Unlike other sellers we just want to be 100% clear on what you are getting.
The Chinese vehicle industry including dealers and sellers seem to be in the business of creating confusion. Many times it is hard to know what model vehicle you have or who manufactured it. The name of the vehicle. There is intentional confusion regarding the size of engines and replacement parts. Where to get parts. What parts fit what vehicle. After nearly 20 years in the industry selling vehicles, manufacturing parts for these vehicles, working with factories in China, we have our Phd in Chinese vehicles. Our goal is to bring clarity to the confusion.
Why should you purchase your Chinese made vehicle ONLY from BDX Performance? Because:
- We are the only seller in the USA who tells you the truth about Chinese made ATV’s, buggies, and UTVs before you purchase.
- We are the ONLY seller in the USA who has technicians that you can call and talk to.
- When you call other sellers (after the sale) either you will get a blank stare, or they will try to avoid your call, or no one will answer the phone or you send an email someone in China.
- We are also the only seller with a hundreds of customers, in an online group, all talking to each other sharing solutions to problems.
- Most sellers do not carry parts for the vehicles that they sell. Our primary business is parts.
- We are the only seller in the USA with a warranty on parts and labor (for labor the vehicle will have to be brought to our shop). See details of the warranty policy.
Yes our vehicle prices maybe higher than others but that is because other sellers have baked into their prices zero after sales support for you. They have zero support because they have no technical or riding knowledge regarding the products they are selling and they have zero desire or ability to attain this knowledge. Whereas, we have paid technicians on staff to help you with your problems, who own and work on Chinese vehicles.
Items not covered by warranty:
- CTV Belts
- Chain adjustment
- Valve adjustment
- Filters
- Brake adjustments
- Idle adjustments
- Other adjustments