I'm getting the feeling that nobody gives a $hit, so I'm here to vent to my ATV Connection friends. Here's the scoop: Back in 2012 I bought a set of new Outlaw 50's for my kids, 1 pink and 1 blue. We took them out immediately, but for the most part since then they've been sitting in the garage (maybe 20 hours total since 2012). I don't have a trailer, and I ended up selling mine and the wife's quad, so with a few exceptions, they mostly just putt around the yard on them. Shortly after they were purchased, the pink one needed a starter. The dealer took care of it, but it still chews through batteries. Recently, I took the pink quad to the deal for what I thought was a throttle cable replacement. About 6 weeks later they called to tell me it had sitting water in the airbox that froze up the carb. and it needed over $600 in repairs, which they did without calling me. So now I have to cough up $600 to get back a barely used $1800 kids quad. The blue one, which is ridden and stored exactly like the pink one, has never needed a repair. Neither was ever submerged and I do not clean them with a pressure washer, so I have no idea where the sitting water came from (stored in a garage!). I contacted Polaris. Without a service agreement, they basically said it's my problem and they don't care. My children ride together. If there's water in the pink one and not the blue one, it's an issue with the ATV, right? Now it's 5 years later and my daughter is at the upper range for size on this ATV. I'm tempted to tell the dealer to put it back the way it was and sell it for parts so I can get her a bigger machine. Mostly, I wanted to rant, but I'm always open to opinions and suggestions. Thanks!

 

If your dealer never called you and informed you of the issues found and just went ahead and repaired it. This is now on their dime they are to inform u and legally rewrite the work order and have u sign it before work begins. Most shops don't do this but at least give you a heads up call and get your ok before doing the work. To me $600 for a new carb and labor is extreme i would expect half of that. You also have the right to ask for the old parts back so you can see the damage for yourself. Water is a funny beast and gets into places that you would never expect.

 

First thing is to never give dealers or any shop carte blanche to work on your machines. Some unscrupulous dealers could milk that beyond belief. Yes on some identical machines bought at the same time,one may have problems,the other practically none.Hind sight is 20/20 and an extended warranty may or may not have prevented all the problems. We had customers too that vented to us when problems continually came up. Caught in the middle all we could do was repair the machines with the customers approval,some just wanted to take the machines home as is. We as a dealership hid nothing from customers,that's why we had many repeat customers.Mistrust of dealers or out right wrongs committed by some dealers is why so many people say they hated taking machines to "stealerships"which in turn reflected on the good honest dealers that are out there.

 

I actually like(ed) the dealership in question, and between myself, my father and my best friend, we've purchased about 6 ATV's from them in the past. The situation I'm in just sucks!

 

I think the dealer was wrong for not informing you first too. It is a sucky situation at best.

With all do respect sir, this is why we all need to learn to do our own work at times.A At least simple maint stuff like this.
Air filter maint would have shown water (if any) and between you, your friend, and dad this could have been figured and fixed with a good carb cleaning or a 50 buck ebay carb and a 10 buck cable. Sorry. Not meaning to be a rickp..

Now go out and get your kids a 90cc Kymco and let them ride reliably for years.

 

Kinda have to agree on Kymco atvs versus the newer Polaris (Aeon produced) youth machines.Both headquartered from Taiwan,but I was impressed the first time I saw the fit and finish on some at the State Fair some years back.Plus talking with the dealers that carried them,the good parts supply,etc. They've jumped leaps and bounds since then over the other youth machines on the market that have become kinda complacent on updates and improvements.You can get a lemon in any bunch and Polaris youth models had been reliable for years,out selling all other brands for several years,but with all the competition out there now someone has to lead the pack and that's Kymco imo.If their engines are good enough for BMW to use in one of their models that's saying something right there.