I've seen other scooters that "look" the same as Carolina Fun Machines scooters but are less expensive. What's the difference?
It’s hard to pick up a product today and not see the “Made in China” label on it somewhere. Almost every company, regardless of where they are based in the world, is having products, or components of their products, produced in China. And these companies include some of the best known names in the world.
China produces over 50% of the world’s scooters and motorcycles. This represents over 7 million units. ZNEN, the company that builds for Lance Powersports and Carolina Fun Machines produces some 280,000 scooters and motorcycles per year. They are not the largest manufacturer in China but one that is considered to be in the top tier of quality scooter manufacturers.
Earlier I spoke to the fact that the Chinese are very good at coping things, including themselves. As a result, when you consider that there are over 35 scooter and motorcycle manufacturers in China you can imagine the potential difference in quality you may find between them.
As you may know from experience, looks can be deceiving. Just because two scooters look the same doesn’t mean they are of the same quality. When there is a big difference in price compare the warranty and the service commitment before you decide. The better the product and service is, the higher the price. But please be careful. I’ve seen internet resellers that offer long term or lifetime warranties. “When people offer things that are outside the norm of what others offer it usually causes a red flag to be raised for me”. When you read the details of their warranty they in fact only offer that on a limited number of parts and that is only if you have had the scooter assembled by a certified mechanic and also had all the scheduled maintenance done by a certified mechanic as well. So in reality, when you put the scooter together or change the oil yourself you void the warranty. Others only offer a 90 day parts warranty on the engine. The frame, electrical systems and battery are not covered.
A quality scooter is comprised of many components and the quality of each of these components is very important to its overall reliability.
The frame is the backbone of the scooter. What quality of steel was used to manufacture it?
The wiring harness and electrical components are the nerve system of the scooter. Were they made of high quality material?
The body panels’ covering the frame gives the scooter its personality and appearance. What grade and thickness of plastic and metal where used to make them?
The brand and quality of the tires, brakes and battery can make a big difference in the safety and reliability of the scooter. Carolina Fun Machines, Lance Powersports and ZNEN have sourced some of the better components to build our line of scooters. For example we use Yuasa batteries, Deli carburetors, Gates drive belts and DOT certified fuel hoses, catalyst and front turning lights that meet or exceed the latest DOT requirements.
An example of how widely the quality of a scooter can vary from one manufacturer or distributor is evident when you look at the Better Business Bureaus rating of Lance Powersports and Roketa. Click on the link to view the current BBB status.
Roketa – Imported by Goldenvale and made by who ever has the lowest priceWe could buy a cheaper scooter but in the long run our customers wouldn’t be happy. And if there not happy, we aren’t happy and our business won’t grow. So we decided to do it right or not do it at all. Life is simply too short to have a bunch of unhappy customers. We hope you agree!
If you ever feel that we have let you down please give Tim Juntgen, Carolina Fun Machines President, a call on his private mobile number 704 650-6877.