Just a heads up for anybody buying from KartSport NA. I live 3 hours away and was buying a used kart they had advertised on their website as having only one race event on it. I paid $3600 upfront for the chassis and new LO206 package. They then wait till 4 days later to tell me that the body work pictured wasnt available. Shouldnt this have been told to me before I bought it???
Im just getting into karting and this was gonna be my first kart. I already have a sour taste in my mouth from this sport and I havent even gotten started yet. I live in Charleston, SC and this is the only kart shop I can find thats within decent distance. Ive wanted to get started in karting for a long time, and when I finally decide to pull the trigger, this happens.
Anyways, this is just a warning for anyone interested. If buying from KartSport, dont buy anything if you arent there to personally inspect what you are buying.
That is discouraging. I think you’re within your rights to request the bodywork pictured. I will say the chassis’s condition is the issue on which to focus. Is it in the condition it was in the photo?
I would have bet that the photo was of the kart before it touched the track; and it should be thoroughly checked if they’re passing off a beat up kart as like-new.
I asked when I first called and was told that it was the one pictured. Then I called back the next day to create the invoice and submit payment. It was only after payment that I was told “Oh yeah, this Kart has a white bodywork kit”. I told him thats not what I wanted, and that I wanted what was pictured. That was what I paid for. He said “Ok, we can put the green/white body work back on”. Then they call me today to tell me that the green/white body kit is missing pieces to it. I asked them if they could order the missing pieces and the artwork kit to replace it. I was told that it wasnt possible and I was given the option of either of the two kits pictured, or a refund. Guy acted like he could care less if I wanted my money back. When I see “Almost new, only used for one event” I expect that to be for the chassis and the body work unless otherwise stated. It all just seems very shady to me.
I figured that the sticker kit was available online. Im just not gonna spend the money to make the kart into what they advertised it to be. Especially if I still have to pay full price.
While it sucks that your experience with KSNA wasn’t exactly as you had hoped, I wouldn’t completely write them off, as Eric and the guys there are some of the nicest, most helpful people in the sport and do a massive amount to support karting on every level.
Fortunately bodywork and decal kits can be sourced pretty easily if you’re dead set on running the Sera factory kit for whatever reason. Bodywork gets beat up, swapped around, and replaced on team karts like this pretty regularly. As long as the frame is in good shape, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
Its not so much that Im dead set on that body kit. I really do like that body kit, but I was willing to try and work with them. Especially after I asked multiple times if the kart in the pictures was still available and I was told yes. I then paid and they waited almost 4 days later to tell me that that kit wasnt available. I was told by both Brandon and Jake that the chassis and bodywork I was looking at was what I was buying. Then they send me pictures of 2 beat up body kits and expect me to still pay full price. This is classic bait and switch. I paid for whats in the first picture. I could have bought something that looked like the 2 later pictures they sent me for almost $1k less. Just because bodies get beat up doesnt mean I should pay more for beat up body work. Especially when it was advertised with clean bodywork.
Check out acceleration kart racing out of Vegas. Very solid company, I’ve spend thousands with them and have gotten nothing short of stellar service. They do have some used chassis as well as new.
After this experience, Im wary of ordering anything site unseen. Plus that would probably cost an arm and a leg to ship. I was buying the kart and buying a brand now 206 package to be installed.
Oh I was thinking you could ask them to get the kit for you.
@tjkoyen sure the bodywork gets bet up, but that’s not what he was told he was getting. We’re only hearing one side of the story of course, but the difference between what he was told He was getting, and what he got is easily $150-200 + time.
I havent received anything yet. Im making them process a refund. It definitely cost me time. I was planning on picking up next friday since I have someone that can go with me with a truck. I have an suv and am installing a tow hitch but purchasing the kart was my first priority since it was used and could be bought by someone else.
@KartingIsLife I asked them to purchase the sticker kit and order the missing body pieces. The person I spoke to told me that its not possible. Its not just the stickers either. The front bumper, side pods, and driver shield would all be different than whats pictured and wouldnt be almost brand new as advertised.
I understand why you are annoyed, but this is some context for you.
904 Kart Force livery, was raced at the Supernats by Scott Foster Multiple state championship winner, son of Kip Foster (world champion) of Australia who designed the KF kart (Arrow manufactured). He was on for a podium place until was involved in an accident in the dying laps.
396 SDD Livery was raced by Dave Sera at Supernats who didn’t do so well this year but has finished 2nd twice from memory, 18 time Australian champion, 56 time state champion and 2nd at Rotax World finals.
Both those Body work sets have been used for one weekend, unless KSNW have let some one use them between now and last November.
904 Kart might be a bit bent from its accident at the Supernats if that’s what you are buying, that would be my only concern.
My point being I know people that would pay extra to just own a kart used by either of these 2 drivers.
Plastics are easily changed, karts not so much.
Again I get why you aren’t happy but I can also see the other side of this deal.
If it were me, I would check the kart itself over and if that’s straight I wouldn’t worry about it, and take the extra cred of having a “famous” or at least well respected drivers Kart.
If the Sticker kit is that big a deal, see if they will throw the green one in as @KartingIsLife James suggested.
@Billholt. My point in all of this that they misrepresented what they were selling. Both the cosmetic and the condition. The kart I wanted was the one pictured. When I asked if that kart was available, I was told multiple times that it was. That’s what I paid for. Then I’m told that they dont have what I paid for. Let’s say you buy a car. You spend time and decide on what you want and pay for it. They call you and tell you that they dont have what was pictured even though they said they did before you made payment. Mechanically it’s the same car but it’s not in the condition you were sold on and the exterior is beat up. And the kicker, that they want you to pay full price. Are you telling me that you are gonna be happy with that purchase?
Yes, I really did like the Sera body style and colors. BUT, I offered to work with them to find another body style since they refused to order the correct parts and sticker kit to complete the kart they sold to me. They even refused to pay for a new sticker kit. I was then told I had one of two options in the pictured bodies or my money back. The person I talked to acted like he could care less if I remained a customer or not. Does that sound like somebody you want to do business with? I dont know about you, but in my experiences, those are businesses that I should avoid.
Taking your side of it at face value, if the as-advertised product does not represent what you got, then it’s on them. There are actual laws concerning situations like this.
I dont really have any real advice to give you on what to do because its an odd situation that ive never been in. I hope it all works out and you get what you paid for or you get a discount. Once you’re racing the sour taste will instantly go away.
That’s all fine and correct, and might add value to some folks, but in this case the guy saw a nice clean kart, paid for it and expected it to be as seen.
The rest is semantics to anyone outside of our tiny world of karting and I think that’s where the disconnect is…
What matters to existing racers and new ones is different. What’s not a big deal to us can be a big red flag to someone new. For example, they’re excited to show this kart they spent nearly 4K on, their friends look at it and go “jeeze that looks pretty beat up”.
I see this as a cautionary tale and reminder for us already embedded in the sport (Myself included) to pause and think about perceptions and expectations to those new to it. Perception is reality.
This is a loose analogy, but bear with me. Imagine a situation where you’re looking at a $3700 car… you turn up and it’s got some pretty decent paint scratches, super dirty, emblems missing etc. It turns out (due to timing/miscommunication etc) the pictures were taken before that happened. Very few people would be happy. I want to be clear, I’m not saying there was intent to mislead by seller, it was an honest mistake.
Isn’t one of those karts an Arrow Kart with Sera bodywork and the kart you actually got a KF Kart (with KF bodywork). I’m pretty sure the KF kart was still made by Arrow too but I’m also fairly sure its a totally different kart. For one the axle is a different color.
If your refund gets processed, or if it doesn’t and you can get you’re credit card company to refund you, then ask on here for kart shops in your area. There are plenty of companies selling karts in your area, they may not all have big shops at a kart track, but they are usually present at most races.
I do appreciate all of the replies and perspectives. Just to clarify. I never took delivery of anything. I tried to work with the shop but they gave me no other options than the ones pictured. I had them process a refund. They just lost a future loyal customer. This post was more of a warning than anything. If buying from KartSport, inspect the item in person before paying. They lied to me multiple times about what I was paying for. That’s all I wanted to say with this post.
@Billholt. I get what you were saying about those body styles having meaning to some racers. For me, I want something clean to start. That way any scrapes or damage picked up is something that I can own. Battle scars if you will. Dont know if that makes sense to anyone else.
I just hate being lied to and I’m just hoping to avoid it happening to someone else. I’m the kind of person to speak out against shady practices in hopes of helping others avoid going through the same ordeal.
KartSport may be a great shop, but in my experience they let me down, lied to me, and treated me like my business didnt matter to them. I will deal with them the least amount possible moving forward.
Sorry you had a bad experience with KartSport, they’ve always been really good to us and helped our low budget program.
If you’re still looking for a kart you may want to check with Tim Shutt (http://raceupfront.com/ or timmytech on Facebook). He is a Compkart dealer and had some really good deals a few weeks ago. Don’t know if he still has anything available, but a super nice guy who knows his stuff and who is glad to help you out.
