I just wanted to tell you about my experience in buying a new Honda TRX 450R and the surprises that i ran into. I started out going with my friend to Oceano Dunes (Pismo Beach) camping and riding and i had so much fun like many others i got back and wanted to buy a quad. I asked my my friend what would be a good quad for me to buy and he said a Honda in his opinion was the most reliable quad on the market, i asked others who all told me the same thing that Honda was the quad to buy. So out i go looking for a dealer in my area to buy my new Honda so i can go out and have fun with my family and friends. After talking to people in the area i went drove over 60 miles away as the salesman at Chaparral Motorsports at 555 S H St San Bernardino, CA 92410-3415 (909)889-2761 named Brandon Staddan convinced me that they are the best place to buy in my area even though they are so far away. So off i go all to get my new Honda i could hardly contain myself i was so exited to get a brand new quad. Well i get to Chaparral Motorsports and we start working on a deal to get me my new TRX450R and i the deal was i didnt want to spend a penny over $6,500.00 for one (because that was all the money i had to spend) they told me they could do that if i wanted last years model and the only difference between the two is the colors that are avalible, I liked the white and black one but i was willing to get the red and black one because it was in my price range. This is where it gets interesting. First thing i knoticed it that he charged me $6,500.01 and i thought it was kind of funny at the time but should have seen it as things to come. gave them 3 days to get the quad ready as they requested and returned to pick up the quad the day we where ready to go out and ride. After loading up the quad onto my truck off we went directly to the local riding area not more than 20 min away with all my friends that wanted to see my new purchase. But much to my surprise when i went to start the quad nothing happend.... the battery was dead (even though they said in the 3 days all this was checked) so i call up the dealer and talk to the salesman that was so nice before i bought the quad and he said that i need to go out and buy a battery charger and charge the battery. I thought this was kind of strange being that i just bought the bike and picked it up not more than 20 mionutes ago. Well needless to say i did not get to ride that day and was kind of embarassed that my new TRX 450R just sat there while everyone else was out riding having fun. Next day i go out and buy a battery charger like i was told to do by the dealer and following the instructions charge up the battery. the next day after charging the battery all night we drive back out to the local riding area (getting razzed all the way by my friends who where there the day before) and again the battery is dead (you can amagine the razzing i got after that) so there it sits again all day while everyone else is riding away having fun. I called thenm back againany they say the battery is not made by Honda and is not there problem but i can bring the quad in and they will check the electrical system. Well instead of driving 120 miles round trip once to drop it off and once to pick it up i went and bought a new battery and it seems to work ok. I called them and told them that it is not the quad it was the battery and asked them if they would could send me a new one and i would send them back the old one so i would not have to drive 240 miles to get a new replacement battery and again they said "well the battery is not made by Honda and is not our responsibility" My freinds try to tell me that Hondas are so reliable but i do not trust a honda not to ride more than eye shot out of camp they told me to call Honda Corp. they would surely not let this go and make things right. So i call Honda Motorcycles Division in Torrance Ca (866) 784-1870 and talk to a man named Mauro who basically told me the same thing that the battery in not made by Honda and i would have to have the dealer fix it. Well at this point it seems we are going around and around and i feel i just bought a $6,500.001 paperwieght that even though is brand new is not reliable enough to start. I guess all those people who told me how reliable Honda is and how they would surely take care of the problem where wrong. I wanted everyone out there to know when buying a Honda be sure and buy a good battery when you take it home because it is not Honda's problem if they give you a Bike, Quad, Watercraft, or car with a dead battery bayer beware. I know this may seem like a small problem but i know others that have bought Yamaha Raptor 700's and one had the battery die 2 months after he got it and the dealer sent someone out to the area he was riding to fix it, another not long ago had a Bombardier DS 650 and the chain slider broke and they sent him a new one next day air. So for all you who think Honda is all that look at what others do to help you and the most you get from Honda is "not our problem".

Buyer Beware

 

Did you not at least start the machine and take a quick drive around the parking lot at the dealer before loading it up on your truck?

I would never buy any type of machine with an engine (car, quad, bike, etc.) new or used without at least starting it first.

Oh and as far as the pricing goes - I just picked up a Rancher 420 last friday night - to get the best price I simply emailed about 5-6 dealers in the area and told them i was ready to buy. I threw out the price that southernhonda.com had on their website and asked if they could beat it.

1 dealer came within $100 of the price so I ended up buying from him the next day (southernhonda is NOWHERE close to me - TN vs IL).

Anyways, sorry to hear about the problems...

 

Well, that does suck about the battery. But have you bought a new one yet? Hate to think you haven't got to ride it yet.

And welcome to the forums. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]