Hi, ATV's are brand new for me. I went ahead and ordered a new 2008 SUNL 90 form ATV Discounters for my daughter's 8th bday, despite many bad reviews. I got it today and put it together. Took about 1 1/2 hours, I can turn a wrench but am not very mechanical. Anyways I double checked all of the bolts and connections and to my surprise everything was nice and tight, even had cotter pins on most bolts. It fired up right away and has been running great. I was really impressed on how easy it was to assemble and get started-remember I have never owned or even ridden an ATV before today. My daughter and I ran it around the yard for several hours and had a blast. This thing can move faster than I would like with the throttle restrictor removed. I am very pleased with both ATV Discounter and this quad!!
At the end of the day I was checking it over and noticed that the cylinder head appeared to have a small quarter size odd shaped "hole" in the lower right side? Is this normal? Machine rode great, great power- no apparent problems. Just not familiar with these quads and not sure if this "hole" is a problem or not.

 

yep...just a casting hole

 

Thanks holtzer1- So nothing to worry about?

Just to let other know-I also sent an email to ATVDiscounters last night since they offer a 12 month warranty. They replied back this morning (4:30am) with this response: The hole is from the mold while manufacturing. Its nothing to worry about.
Please read the warranty policies regarding the defective parts. You must
send them in to us, so that we may get the working parts from the
manufacture. Thank you and feel free to contact me.
Can't beat that for customer service!

 

Welcome to the forum magbolt! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Kinda curious why "despite many bad reviews" (your words) you bought it anyway?

You bought from one of the importers with one of the worst reputations and has probably changed his name more than any other also. They import a quad with the worst reputation. And as a bonus you claim to have no ATV experience twice in your first post. You do your research and still buy from them? Sorry but this is very confusing to me.

Does this seem strange to anyone else reading this? Or is it just me?

 

Me too. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

Let me explain. I should have said "despite many bad reviews my SUNL seems to be fine". I didn't realize that there were bad SUNL reviews until after I already ordered and paid for the ATV. I kinda did things *** backwards since I was pressed for time (her birthday). I bought first then reviewed- I know that is not the way it should be done.

Before buying it I researched the place I was buying it from ATV Discounters. They had thousands of positive, satisfied customers (per the ebay reviews). I had called them and they were very informative, told me that this was not going to be the same quality as a Honda or Yamaha but this ATV109B would be perfect for an 8yr old girls first ever ATV. They were not pushy and I even called them 4 times before actually placing an order. Got a person on the phone everytime I called and they even responded to my emails during the shipping process (which was kinda long). Ordered it on 5/9 and it got here on 5/29.

I couldn't justify spending $1500-$2200 for a "name brand" ATV since this one was only $435 shipped to my home. Maybe if she likes riding I will upgrade to a "better" quad next time around, but if in a few months she gets bored I can get rid of it and only be out a few hundred instead of over $1000. By the way, she just rides around our 2 acre yard with full protection. Helmet, gloves and chest protector, nothing extreme, no trails.

I want to thank everyone for all of the advise and knowledge. I have already learned a lot and will continue to read so I can learn the basics of ATV maintenance- Like tightening the chain.

Hope this explains- Tom

 

My brother in law bought a 110 chinese quad for one of his grand kids for Christmas. After spending way too much time to tell him what to look for, he bought one from a flea market. He's never checked any of the stuff I told him to, so I just figure he's got money to waste. (I hear you laughing MWQ)

Anyway, it's kept at my house, and I had to move it to cut the grass. Has a hole in it that sounds like it's bigger than the one you described Magbolt. Haven't bothered to tell him.

Sure it runs fine (for now) but it's a major defect to me. If they didn't get the metal in the cast like it should have, where else is it weak? I know there are quality chinese motors out there, but this isn't one.

I'll just wait till it has it's pending catostrophic failure, and then say, I told you to look it over.

 

Too bad for your brother. How large is the hole. Mine is probably nickel to quarter size.
I checked everything over very carefully. This is brand new and you maybe right and there may be other defects - but ANY ATV can have defects.
I even checked out a used Polaris (after I bought mine), it had more holes in it that I could count (not the cylinder head but elsewhere) it also had bent frame and pretty beat up- they wanted $1500!
I talked to someone at a local ATV store talking about their new Yamaha that will not run and needs a new "head". So any bike can be bad, just hope it aint mine[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: magbolt

Hi, ATV's are brand new for me.


I can turn a wrench but am not very mechanical.


remember I have never owned or even ridden an ATV before today. </end quote></div>


Yawnnnnn

 

A whole in the cylinder head of any kind is a problem period. I am more worried about someone saying that is "normal", geezzz.....