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Post by L8rgator on Aug 7, 2011 15:16:32 GMT -5
Any experience with any of these sellers? I've searched old threads, but haven't been able to even find mention of some of them (which is probably a good sign about them, at least if they've been around a while). So from what I've read here and on the BBB website, these sites seem to be good prospects for purchasing what I'm looking for online: The Family Web / Hot Rod Pocket Bikes- They have been around since 2007 (or at least 2009 when the bbb found them).
- They seem to have the best value with prices, free shipping & warranty.
- They have an A rating with the BBB.
Motobuys- BBB accredited
- Have been around since 2004 (or at least 2009 when the bbb found them)
- Rating of A+ by BBB
- Great value with prices, warranty, and free shipping.
ScooterDynasty- They are BBB accredited since 2007.
- Have been around since 2005 (or at least 2007 when the bbb found them), and have only 3 complaints since 2005
- They have a rating of A-.
- Great selection and a user friendly website. I like that they list manufacturer and part number also.
- Value is reduced by shipping charge and short 3mo warranty - so final price appears to be higher than other sellers for many models I looked at. Some by $200 or more.
Evo- They have been accredited since 2004 (that is a big accomplishment), but their BBB rating is "under review" (hmm). 40 complaints in the past 3 years.
- Free shipping and some warranties up to 24 months.
Superior Power Sports- They have an F rating and subsequently had their accreditation revoked revoked a couple of weeks ago (with 1/2 of their 80 complaints being in just the last year). But I see them mentioned here alot, so I added them to the list.
- I like that they use the real roketa model numbers instead of assigning their own names and numbers.
- Include free PDI, assembly, and tune up. But shipping is extra, as is adding warranties over the 3 month included warranty.
Note: I only compared 150cc scooter / mopeds. Don't know how they are for prices on others. And I did the BBB research on 8/6/2011. Thanks! |
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Post by L8rgator on Aug 7, 2011 16:01:58 GMT -5
Here are some more that have been mentioned for positive experiences: Bandit MotorsportsBBB- F, 11 complaints in 3 years all more than 1 year old. 7 no response or unresolved. Started in 2003, BBB file started 2006 GSMotorWorks GS Motor Works Very small selection. BBB file started 2004, no complaints so no rating Valley scooters (scooterus.com)Site says been in business since 2003 BBB has no record of that name, website, or contact info. Brad's scootersBBB rating of B because of 1 unresolved complaint. Otherwise 3 complaints total in last 3 years. Opened in 2005 with BBB record from 2007 Green Earth ScootersI'm not sure about this one. BBB says "alert!" "out of business" . Seems they had the BBB logo on the site but were not actually accredited? I don't see a BBB logo there now. The Green Earth Scooters is listed in Tx with other names, including AA Power Sports Inc ...and multiple websites: peaceus.com - looks like a wholesale site www.greenearthscooters.com - has a small selection of 150cc Business opened in 2008/2009 according to BBB, so pretty new. |
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Post by mainepeace on Aug 7, 2011 21:54:54 GMT -5
Green Earth Scooters is the public sales side of Peace Sports, Inc. It's not a scam website, but that department definitely has some customer service issues. They work directly out of Peace Sports warehouse in Dallas.
Greg
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Post by L8rgator on Aug 8, 2011 4:17:38 GMT -5
SK Powersports
Has an A- rating with the BBB (they need to update their website, it says A+), and pretty good prices. Can't find any reviews on them though.
T-Motorsports
Has a D+ rating for not answering 3 of 39 complaints.
Deeal, Inc / powersportsmax.com /
They are accredited with the BBB. Wow 243 complaints in the last 3 years, with 92 of them being last year. All complaints were handled satisfactorily, so their rating is an A.
I think I'm going to go an MC-23 based on everyone's reviews here, (and the fact that I'm probably too short for the 16" wheels with disc brakes that I wanted). SK Powersports and Hot Rod Pocket Bikes/The family web look like they have the best deals so I'll probably go with one of them.
Thanks everyone for your help!
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Post by jdikov on Aug 8, 2011 10:21:04 GMT -5
Do not go by the BBB, they are a scam. They charge you about $800/year to join them and if you do, you get good ratings. If you refuse to join they give you bad ratings. Kind of like a mafia protection racket. I know many other dealers that have great reviews here on the forum but get Fs from the BBB.
The best references you will get are directly from scooter owners and people who have actually purchased a scooter from that vendor. Only those people understand the scooter market and the intricacies ofChinese scooters (at least most do) The BBB dosen't know a CDI from brake pads.
The other thing to look at is the warranty and how it works. Do you need to send the old part back first? Who pays to ship the part back and then the new one to you? Most importantly does the company actually honor the warranty? What may appear to be a great deal often becomes a rip off once all the facts are out and examined.
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Post by L8rgator on Aug 8, 2011 11:03:30 GMT -5
That is not true. The BBB does not give you a bad rating (usually F) unless you don't answer complaints they send you (even as many as ONE depending on the circumstances), or you don't try to be reasonable (according to your own advertised terms) in fixing a problem. Even if you have a HUGE volume of complaints, if you answer and solve them all satisfactorily then you will keep a good rating. And even if you are "accredited" with them and have a complaint you don't answer ONE or more complaints, they may toss you out and give you an F rating.
They do, however, sometimes not list you at all if nobody ever puts in a complaint or you don't join them. So NOT being listed is not a bad thing at all. It just means you haven't had any complaints. That can be a problem for consumers since they don't know that.
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Post by Carolina Fun Machines on Aug 8, 2011 11:17:00 GMT -5
L8rgator is correct and to a degree so is jdikov. You do have to pay to be a member of the BBB. But you are not punished if you are not. If you check a company and they are not listed it is because they are not a member and ALSO never had a complaint filed against them. If they are not a member and have a compaint filed against them they will be listed with a rating based on if they resolved the compaint. All you have to do is be true to your stated terms and conditions and respond to customers and the BBB when complaints happen. If you live up to your terms and conditions, even if the customer is never happy, you can have a good rating. They don't protect customers from being dumb and not reading a vendors terms and conditions.
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Post by L8rgator on Aug 8, 2011 11:47:19 GMT -5
Do you want me to put in a complaint for you and resolve it so you can have a good rating?  They don't protect customers from being dumb and not reading a vendors terms and conditions. Which is exactly why I think some vendors have a large number of complaints, but almost all resolved. Please ARE dumb when it comes to these scooters. They need to do more research to know exactly what they are getting into (tendency to be unreliable bikes!) and WHY the warranties are what they are - not complain to the BBB when their warranty is expired and their bike stops running. I'm definitely not saying that the BBB is some big all knowing, ethical, end all organization that determines all business quality either. I own 2 businesses. I joined with business 1 in 2005, and didn't renew after that. I never joined with business 2. Never got any complaints with either. Currently Business 2 is listed on their site with a rating of A (not A+ I assume because the business hasn't been around long enough, or I'm not a member). Business 1 is no longer at all. So I DO think if you un-join and had a good rating, they delete your listing just to pressure you into rejoining to get your listing back. That's the only thing that explains why one but not the other is listed. And the BBB is quirky... I've personally put in a complaint about 1 business, and the BBB gave me the run around for nearly 8 months (shifting the compaint to different offices, and losing the paperwork so I had to call or email every month asking what the deal was. But when finished that business, with one unanswered complaint, has n F rating. Another business I complained about answered the complaint, but not resolved satisfactorily (and was obviously pretty rude and dishonest in their answers). Their business complaint has been "filed" for future reference, but they don't have a listing at all. And frankly I didn't renew my membership because they yelled at me for writing "member of the bbb" in the text of my website. Apparently at the time I had to pay a huge additional fee to use the BBB anywhere online. That was just wrong. But it is true that they do not give you a bad rating just for not joining. You get a bad rating by not answering complaints, or I'm guessing if you have lawsuits / legal inquires against you, or complaints that were not resolved well. And you can't get get the highest ratings unless you have been in business a long time. I like to always check the complaintsboard site, because they let people say anything and everything, and you get to read it all. But you have to take that will a very HUGE grain of salt (because consumers ARE stupid). For that one I look more for shear number of complaints as much as quality. |
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Post by youngsterness on Aug 8, 2011 22:15:28 GMT -5
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Post by medman1952 on Aug 10, 2011 13:22:25 GMT -5
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Post by jdikov on Aug 10, 2011 15:28:23 GMT -5
I tend to disagree. Our rating with BBB is a C and the reasons they state are that they have not been able to verify information about our company and we had one unresolved complaint. Been in this business 8 years, ONE unresolved complaint! Give me a break.We folowed our printed policies to the letter and actually went far above and beyond as we always do to satisfy each customer. But some people will never be satisfied. Which info can't they verify? Why don't they call us and ask. I really do not think we are a C rated company and I don't think people on the forums would think so either., However many people go to the BBB and use their ratings as gospel.
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Post by medman1952 on Aug 10, 2011 15:56:38 GMT -5
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Post by L8rgator on Oct 28, 2011 10:49:39 GMT -5
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Post by leo on Nov 17, 2011 16:30:12 GMT -5
Do not go by the BBB, they are a scam. i know this for a fact. a local business was deliberately ripping its customers off, EVERY ONE OF THEM! i managed to scrounge up the evidence to prove it and sent it to the BBB. after about 5 years the business is still doing business as usual. the BBB gives them an excellent rating simply because the customers are unaware of how they are being taken. the business is not scooter related. |
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Post by mike6736 on Nov 17, 2011 17:09:26 GMT -5
Family Motor sports was right there with replacement parts when I had problems with my Magnum. No charges at all, not even shipping
Mike
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