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Post by yoshidawg on Dec 14, 2012 0:32:32 GMT -5
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Post by prodigit on Dec 14, 2012 0:46:50 GMT -5
Problem is: Their prices are nice, however the shipping added, make them priced at a less attractive price! Also, when dealers stock them up, they're asking ridiculous dealerfees, like ranging from $100, to $399! Usually TaoTao ATM50's are sold for $500. Dealers scoop up the extra profit in their pockets and sell them for $800, eventhough they can buy them for less than 360 when buying 10+ of them, and shipping for a single Tao in a crate costs $200, which they seemingly add to every tao they sell. They probably pay something closer to $36-$50 per scoot for shipping to their warehouse or store.
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Post by spandi on Dec 14, 2012 1:48:24 GMT -5
Nearly three grand for a scoot and they can't even clean the whitewalls?
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Post by lovemy2strokes on Dec 14, 2012 7:45:39 GMT -5
20 Tao Tao atm50s go for 239$ each, thats how much my friend pays when he buys bulk
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Post by carasdad on Dec 14, 2012 11:42:27 GMT -5
20 Tao Tao atm50s go for 239$ each, thats how much my friend pays when he buys bulk That is true....when I used to sell scoots they were about that for a bulk purchase. The Sunny scoots I sold were $400 each in a lot of 20..but then better scoots I might add...so worth the price. The MOST common scoot I worked on all summer...were the TaoTao ATM50's. Most common prob with them is that they ship with loose steering stems..super cheap belts....tiny jets #68 or smaller...where Sunny's and other stock scoots came with #78 jets.Plus the carbs are not tuned not tuned properly. With the #68 jet the TaoTao's ran super lean and saw many seized up or with cracked pistons or rings frozen to the piston...
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Post by tortoise on Dec 14, 2012 12:16:46 GMT -5
Sunny's and other stock scoots came with #78 jets Apparently some Sunny 139QMB models have 14mm carbs, as compared to the more typical 18mm or 19mm.
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Post by carasdad on Dec 14, 2012 12:31:02 GMT -5
Sunny's and other stock scoots came with #78 jets Apparently some Sunny 139QMB models have 14mm carbs, as compared to the more typical 18mm or 19mm. Nope...of the 30+ I sold..they all had CVK 18mm carbs and #74-#78 jet. A few came with #85 jets which was way too rich..had to be changed to a #78... and makes me wonder how they passed U.S. emmissions being so rich..
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Post by thumper650 on Dec 14, 2012 12:55:03 GMT -5
The local dealer here dropped Tao Tao, he just said the had too many issues.
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Post by urbanmadness on Dec 14, 2012 13:00:15 GMT -5
20 Tao Tao atm50s go for 239$ each, thats how much my friend pays when he buys bulk I wonder how much they get for a good 150 in bulk?
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Post by carasdad on Dec 14, 2012 13:10:48 GMT -5
The local dealer here dropped Tao Tao, he just said the had too many issues. Many here in Michigan have as well for the same reason...which sux cause they kept my parts/repair business going. ryan52 on here lives about a mile from me...he bought the last remaining 'secret 63's' from a local dealer..got a good price on them and has not had probs with them..they run great. But the kid is top notch with scoot diagnosis and repairs. He got the T3's which seem to be less problematic. But the ATM50-1 and CY50-A ones kept me busy all summer. Which makes no sense as they are built by the same company as his CY50-T3's...
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Post by skuttadawg on Dec 14, 2012 13:30:01 GMT -5
They are cheap and plentiful but a lemon
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Post by carasdad on Dec 14, 2012 13:34:19 GMT -5
They are cheap and plentiful but a lemon Kevin....come on now...yours lasted what....like a week?.. You got your moneys worth...and yer just ungrateful bro... Hey call ya later k?..like about 7 pm?.. Gotta funny story to tell ya...it has to be told..as a PM just won't do it justice..
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Post by skuttadawg on Dec 14, 2012 13:45:23 GMT -5
Well mine cracked the piston on the 2nd day POS and blew up later I then put on an Air Sal 50mm BBK as I did not want another POS . I have been on two wheels since I was 12 and NEVER once had a piston crack or explode . The Air Sal is still going as I see the guy I sold it to here and there . It rode like crap and the headlight was a mere candle .
I love my Johnway Magnum as it is so far superior , safer , faster and waaaaaaay more fun to ride
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Post by Bintelli - Justin on Dec 14, 2012 15:11:13 GMT -5
The engine quality has gotten worse this year because instead of buying the engines from an engine factory, now the Taotao owner wants to make his own. For only $10 more, distributors can choose the higher quality outsourced engine but everyone wants to save a buck so they're using the new taotao made engines. I saw them in the factory.
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Post by carasdad on Dec 14, 2012 15:51:07 GMT -5
The engine quality has gotten worse this year because instead of buying the engines from an engine factory, now the Taotao owner wants to make his own. For only $10 more, distributors can choose the higher quality outsourced engine but everyone wants to save a buck so they're using the new taotao made engines. I saw them in the factory. I read about that on another forum....but I thought it was a rumor or bogus info. I did notice however that while working on the ATM50-1 and the CY50-A scoots...many of the fasteners were not good steel...threads were sloppy...and some bolts sheered off while removing them. The engine castings had 'flash' on several parts. Kinda makes sense now...but for $10 cheaper...I would expect better than that.
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Post by teddy554 on Dec 14, 2012 16:26:30 GMT -5
i always tell everyone there is different grades of quality in these scooter motors and the taotao the worse i have every seen with the peace renegade a close second but thats why u can buy one for 650 shipped to your door
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Post by snugglebunny on Dec 14, 2012 17:59:48 GMT -5
they are popular because to un educated they see such a cheap price on line so they buy 'em
they just dont realize they are POS
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Post by scootnwinn on Dec 14, 2012 19:11:39 GMT -5
People generally want something for nothing. Even the surmise that the prices on cl were high shows this. Those $3000 Stella scooters are made out of metal real actual metal.
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Post by Bintelli - Justin on Dec 17, 2012 1:26:41 GMT -5
The engine quality has gotten worse this year because instead of buying the engines from an engine factory, now the Taotao owner wants to make his own. For only $10 more, distributors can choose the higher quality outsourced engine but everyone wants to save a buck so they're using the new taotao made engines. I saw them in the factory. I read about that on another forum....but I thought it was a rumor or bogus info. I did notice however that while working on the ATM50-1 and the CY50-A scoots...many of the fasteners were not good steel...threads were sloppy...and some bolts sheered off while removing them. The engine castings had 'flash' on several parts. Kinda makes sense now...but for $10 cheaper...I would expect better than that. If you visited their factory, you'd never want to sell one of their products again. It's scary. The room where they make the engines, the workers were pulling whatever hardware they could find instead of using the correct nuts/bolts. We inspected a few motors and none of them were identical.
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Post by hardd1 on Dec 17, 2012 6:14:17 GMT -5
are the tao engines 44mm?
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Post by prodigit on Dec 17, 2012 14:56:38 GMT -5
Funny, They're good as a first scooter, to see if you like scootering or not. I did 2200+ km on mine, now need a valve adjustment. I've seen how good the engine performs, rides 48MPH top speed; I can't say that about all the other scooters out there!
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Post by carasdad on Dec 17, 2012 21:29:38 GMT -5
Funny, They're good as a first scooter, to see if you like scootering or not. I did 2200+ km on mine, now need a valve adjustment. I've seen how good the engine performs, rides 48MPH top speed; I can't say that about all the other scooters out there! Because you can't say anything about something you never owned..or work on...on daily basis as I do....oh but you can speculate and assume. I love TaoTao's....keeps the business busy.... ;D
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Post by quest4fire on Dec 24, 2012 14:05:06 GMT -5
Hard to spell, too.
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Post by lovemy2strokes on Dec 24, 2012 14:23:38 GMT -5
I like saying Tao Tao. Say it out loud its fun!
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Post by yoshidawg on Dec 24, 2012 17:24:46 GMT -5
You say potato, I say potoatoa!! LOUDER = POTOATOA!!!
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Post by dcalebro on Feb 16, 2013 15:59:23 GMT -5
i have had 2 tao tao atm 50 and both of the never gave me a bit of trouble. i found out if you pull the maintenance on it like you are suspose to they will last . my first on i put 8000 miles on it with no problem. i just sold it and i have a new one now. i will do the sam to it and hope to get another 8000 on it.
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Post by youngboipsl on Feb 16, 2013 16:04:25 GMT -5
Cause their price. I had one
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Post by doomsday on Feb 16, 2013 16:23:12 GMT -5
I only have one scooter so far and it is a tao tao. I have had no real problems with it other then a few bolts here and there that have worked their way lose and dropped off lol. I am still running stock carb that came with it but am going to put a different one on at some point.
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Post by prodigit on Feb 16, 2013 18:29:40 GMT -5
My evo is giving me a headache!
I guess sometimes you got lucky the dayshift guy made your tao. Other times the night guy forgot to put locktite on the bolts, and they all rattle out!
Then you'd have a POS. In such case, I'd send it back straight to the factory.
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Post by motts on Feb 16, 2013 18:57:59 GMT -5
I'm not sure who is telling you these dealer prices @ $360 for 10 or $239 for 20 but that is absolutely not true. If you bought a full container you might get them for $360 plus shipping. That would be the only way.
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