Is it a Bargain or a Bucket?
Author: Roger Polak
It seems like around this time of year, in the couple of weeks just after Christmas that potential new karters have to make their budget stretch just that little bit further. As the credit card bills roll in and the holiday break spending spree hits the hip pocket, new karters are looking for bargains more than ever. So the first stop is usually a flick though the classified papers to see who's unloading top karts for tiny bucks.
At MKC we see the aftermath of this bargain hunting all the time and unfortunately for many of these guys, their new toy isn't quite what the seller promised. So here we're going to try and sort the classics from the crappers, the speeding bullets from the steaming bullshit and the winning karts from the shonky parts, with a few kart buying tips and common mistakes.
Firstly, you know that ‘hardly used kart, very fast engine, won heaps of trophies, nothing to spend, just rebuilt, ready to win' beast that you always see advertised in the papers, well much of the time they are not what you'd expect. So let's break down those claims to what they usually amount too.
Hardly used kart:
This usually points to a kart someone bought and then wasn't that keen on. It could be troublesome, out of date, have the wrong parts on it because it hasn't been raced regularly (or recently) and most likely hasn't been serviced recently or regularly.
Very fast engine:
Ever seen a slow engine advertised? The only time we believe claims of a ‘very fast engine' is when we can see it on the track turning out fast lap times and making the driver competitive. Don't pay extra to secure a so called rocket ship engine that may be nothing special, or worse a bit of a dog. If you can't rely on the reputation of the seller when you are buying a 'very fast' engine then perhaps look elsewhere. At MKC we have to make sure every engine we sell as 'something special' lives up to its reputation as we are here at the shop day after day. Others who sell engines using methods like the trading post aren't perhaps as bound by their relationship with their customers.
Won heaps of trophies:
The question here is what did the kart win and how long ago? If your buying a kart based on its pedigree then you'll need to know a bit about racing. A kart that recently won a state title or something big could be a good thing. A few club day wins 3 years ago doesn't count for much. Maybe everyone else fell off or this kart only beat 3 other guys. Check the credentials if this is what is swaying you to buy the kart.
Nothing to spend:
This is rarely true and we sell heaps of parts to people who bought a ready to race kart that had either the wrong size seat, wrong tyres, wrong exhaust, wrong gearing or had worn out parts or damaged parts. Bent axels get sold with karts very, very regularly!
Just rebuilt:
The only time we would believe this is if the engine still needs to be run in and the owner has the receipts from a reputable engine builder to show you. Remember, if the engine is illegal and you get caught running it, you'll get disqualified and possibly suspended from the sport. Worn out bottom ends are common in KT100S Clubman engines and they can be expensive to fix. The cranks often need hard chroming which can run into many hundreds of dollars. A completely worn out engine can be worth somewhere from $0 to a couple of hundred dollars, so don't pay $1000 for an engine that isn't fit to race. This is something we see on a regular basis.
Ready to win:
That will depend on who's driving it and what it is. But unless the kart was winning with the previous owner, what will make it stand out from the pack when you get it? We all want to do fast lap times, but without decent gear that has been set up correctly that will never happen.
The reality is that the best kart gear tends to be sold through shops or straight to other karters who know the equipment and have seen it running regularly. The other trap is that people tend to think that the papers etc are where the bargains are and that shops are dearer. That's often not the case either. Sellers tend to base their pricing on what the kart owes them and what they paid months or years ago. So the prices are often way over the top. Look at it this way, if these karts were such bargains, shops like ours would snap them up. But we've never bought a kart through the papers, because the value simply isn't there.
Another reason we don't buy karts like this is that it's generally not possible to fully assess a kart in the short time you have to view it. Every kart we sell gets stripped and rebuilt and believe me, we find small problems hidden in karts all the time. Even good karts. Karts bought privately are usually built by the owner too, not a professional kart mechanic. Did the guy know what he was doing? Who knows? But one thing is for certain, if there is a problem the seller has had time to hide the fault. Will you spot it when you buy it? Most likely you'll only find out when the problem surfaces on the track and that could cost you.
The bottom line is that when you look at buying a kart from a private seller he has one goal. Sell the kart and leave the sport. That's the end of his involvement and you're largely on your own from there on in. Kart dealers want to keep you happy for the long term and so they make sure you'll get the right kart in the first place (not a junior kart for a rookie or an F100 kart for a p-plater) and that it will perform as intended.
MKC sells karts all over the country and gets very, very few complaints. So we must be doing something right. If you're looking for a kart to get you started then by all means give us a call, or better still come in and see us. We love getting new people into the sport and we're happy to waffle on about karts to you for as long as you like (especially if you chat to Steve!). Hopefully you'll learn something and who knows, we might just have the right kart to kick off your racing career!
