Opinions On Cheap Brand ATV/UTV

I'm looking to get a machine for around my 14 acre property. I would say it would get used pretty lightly. I already have tractors, trucks, etc for the hard work. We got my 6 year old a 90cc and she wants a riding buddy. Also, I end up using hers when I just want to go for a quick putz out through the woods/field or check trail cams.
What are you guys opinion on the no-name brand atv/utv's? I'm talking ones like CF Moto, Coolster, Tao Tao, HiSun, etc. Are any of these cheap ones of good quality?

I have no first hand experience with any of these but I would thoroughly research parts availability before buying one.

Dean

I agree with Dean. Make sure you can get parts for them. I have eight around this county. That people thought they were getting a good deal. Then found out no one supplies parts for them.

I have several four-wheelers from China. Tao-Tao maybe? 125 ccs, electric start, and shipped to my door new for $700. The
kids have beat the heck out of them and no real problems. Only downside is the lack of a low-low crawler gear. These things
only have forward, neutral, and reverse. Forward is fine in areas flat and not real rough. No go though in real bad areas.
That said - I had a 220 lb. guy hop on one and beat on it and it did not break.

I have 8 four wheelers. I tend to buy name-brand versions when they show up for sale cheap, which is rare. I never pay
more then $500 except for ONE exception. Woman down the Ifroad had her 2001 Kawasaki for sale and it was like new. So I paid
$1000 for it. Ends up that is the one my 14 year old son rides now, and I am riding a 1985 Suzuki I paid $300 for.

If a person is patient, plenty of good name-brand four-wheelers with five-speed transmissions come up for sale for less then
$600. In fact, I just bought a Kawasaki with 4WD and 12 speeds for $500. Beat up but runs great.

Look for a used name brand before you blow money on a "no name" POS. You'll be a happier camper.

Funny how things change over a few years. I remember when many people warned not to buy "cheap Japanese junk."

Now - it is China that gets picked on, and now "namebrand" means engineered in Japan?

I can say this. $700 for a brand-new Chinese four-wheeler shipped to my door was a bargain and the quality was plenty good
enough for what we wanted at the time.

A few of the Mainland Chinese scooters and ATVs have local shops- there is one in Madison, Wisconsin slantways across from Farm And Fleet store. Costs more than delivered in box from dockside on west coast, but they do have some manuals and some spare parts, some cross reference to the Honda parts that will fit into the 'Cloned' engines. A few Honda mechanics will work on some of the model with the GY6 family engines but not in Honda dealership, liability issues are bad so the mechs do work from home garage or at separate scooter shop - cash and some beer and brats payments. ATV with 125cc engine and scooter CVT drive train is just under $2000.00 and has 90 day warranty, does 30 mph or thereabouts. 90cc model does under 20mph, can be governed to 15mph and sold as kids trainers sometimes. The Chinese scooter sites have couple parts warehouses noted, one in Montreal for the Canadians and the carry ATV, UTV engine parts as well as scooter, moped spare parts. US shipping from Seattle and Atlanta locations, maybe couple other places and shipping box orders with special parts added to stock order comes from Hong Kong on regular schedule. Some 2 stroke engined dirt bikes, ATVs, GoKarts also sold yet- strictly offroad and not for California market, old Yamaha 2 stroke design engine copies, one 250cc 2 stroke that has a good reputation as a copy of old MZ/DKW Eisenschwein sometimes gets into USA. It is/was made by Chinese military equipment maker, motorcycle was Army and Police use first, then went to civilian sales- sort of Like Enfield bullet made India now, tooling and dies, jigs from original maker, license production for that market and now sold outside of original restricted market. 3 wheeled version and sidecar version were made also, 3 wheeled mini Harley Servicar with 500 pounds capacity, some smoking of exhaust so not good for street use here. India made trikes: tuck-tuck with dirt tires by Bajaj with Kawasaki derived 175cc 4 stroke engine has/had open cargo body and low gearing for 'agriculture' use with a USDA approved spark arrestor tailpipe, the enclosed body was supposed to be street legal in many states and even had a model that passed California CARB test. Could get old Cub Cadet with ATV tires, put on ROPS and have low speed fun in woods. Local lawmower racers get some up to 30mph, couple motcross race events and the lawnmowers did fairly good in bog hazard. You want some fun cheap, can go Chinese Mainland or well used Japanese, maybe Taiwan or South Korean made ATV, UTV- or put a big seat on a Ford N. Have fun RN

Boss recently bought one for his grand son.

He was lied to from the start, was told it was an exact clone of a Polaris, parts would interchange.

Nothing could have been further from the truth!

This thing is pure Chinese junk! Apparently it arrived partially assembled. The dealer or whoever took
possession of it before it was sold, attempted to finish putting it together. Did a horrible job! Missing
bolts, misaligned drive components, missing parts, hanging, dead end wiring...

Engine is difficult to start, cold natured, dies every time you stop unless you feather the throttle. No
such thing as an easy take off, it lunges and jerks. A challenge to drive for an experienced driver, not
good at all for a child.

It still runs though, but has been used very little because it just isn't fun. The boy is still too little
to really drive it. In a couple years he'll get the hang of it, if it's still alive. Haven't had to try to
find parts, though I'm quite certain none will be found.

Based on this experience, I can not recommend them. A used brand name, even if it needs some attention,
would be a better choice.

Have you considered kids trail bikes? That's what I had. Lots of cheap fun, indestructible, and would go
just about anywhere!

Some of the most important vehicles of my life have been poorly built/designed vehicles. I learned a ton fixing them and trying to keep them running.

Kubota has 0% financing and it will be worth something when
you go to sell or trade

You can't paint them all with a broad brush. There are some decent ones and there are some complete junkers. You have to do your research before you buy and not just get the cheapest one.

A friend of mine bought two of them for his grandkids. Delivered to his door on an 18 wheeler with a liftgate. Take them out of the crate, put on the wheels and handlebars, gas, oil, and go. Never had a bit of trouble with either of them so parts availability was a non issue.

I also remember the days when Japan meant junk too. It wasn't that long ago. Then it was Taiwan. Then it was India. Now all those places make high-quality products that anyone would trust. Like it or not, China's going to get there eventually.

Like the others said shop around for a good used brand name first. I use an old 1985 Polaris Ranger two stroke. I think 1985 is the first year for them. I've found out if Polaris doesn't have parts for this one the aftermarket does.

Put a $17 Seiko (remember the Japanese watch maker) "PBS" I think is the acronym, Ball Bearing made in China in your hand.....like is used
on the rollers of my JD 375 round baler. Wink! China designs and produces to the spec. They get cheap specs because the customer
wants to impact the low budget market or undercut the quality market. Seiko writes the spec and China builds the product. I used the
products of Japan after the war and also studied under "Juran on Quality" as was presented to them to get on their feet after the war.
Obviously it caught on. We used to call it "Design to Cost" when I was in industry. The customer calls the shots!