The decision of buying a Go-kart comes with a rush of enthusiasm, anxiety, and plenty of expectations. If you dream of becoming the next Callum Ilott, your brand new kart may take you there. Of course, you may want a Go-kart just for the fun of it, to keep yourself entertained and active.
If you practiced karting a few times before, you know you have to pay a lot of attention to the future kart you buy. You want it to be in perfect shape and be resilient to the challenges it will face while you ride it.
Today, we will present you with three things you need to know (and do) before buying your next best ride.
1. The Best Buying Decision begins with Thorough Research
Any informed and educated decision before buying a kart should begin with a thorough research of manufacturers and models, professional reviewers, forums, and shops. The internet is an amazing resource for you to dig deep and take notes. Here are the things you need to factor in your decision process:
· Match your future cart with the track you are going to race and the class you are going to race in. Make sure you do not overestimate or underestimate your skills, so approach this with as much objectivity as you can muster.
· Try a few karts at the racetrack to make sure you know the type of karts, tracks, and classes you want to embrace in the immediate future.
· Check out brands and models and follow the reviews, users’ opinions, and dedicated racers’ advice. This is the hard part of your buying process, as you have plenty of options when it comes to makes and models.
· You should narrow down your brands’ list; European manufacturers have a better reputation than American ones, but your short list should include both types, along with a few Australian ones.
· Keep in mind that you need to look for: high-quality components, good design, readily available spare parts, professional service and maintenance providers in your area, and reliable warranty, as you need to take care of your kart and make sure you check and maintain it on a regular basis.
Look for a kart in The Fast Five category – five reputable kart brands that have a strong reputation, offer high-quality products, and deliver on their promise. If this is your first kart, it is better to start safe and go for reputation and reliability.
· One more thing you need to know: when a single manufacturer offers several models for the same application, you need to refine your search even more, to make sure you pick the right model that fits your needs.
2. After-Sales Support is Crucial
Not many people know how truly important is after-sales support from your manufacturer or shop. Besides warranty, you need to buy a kart from a shop / brand whose staff knows everything about karts. Here are the most important things you need to evaluate when it comes to after-sales support:
· Good mechanical knowledge regarding your kart;
· Good knowledge regarding the tuning of the machine so you can make the best out of it and use it at its maximum potential;
· Good knowledge about the maintenance of the kart;
· Availability of common spare parts you need; it would be a shame for you to miss practice or a race because you do not have some parts or some tools at hand;
· Buy-back options;
· Assistance and support whenever something goes wrong with the kart from a mechanical / performance point of view.
When you look for a kart, surely you take into account its price. As karts go, what you pay for is usually what you get. Besides the costs and the name brand, however, you need to trust the shop/manufacturer, so give this part of the process enough time.
Customer support is the window of any business’s soul, so take time reading customers’ reviews and feedback, watch the sellers interact with the clients, trace the manufacturer’s history of communication and interaction in the online environment. These factors are essential if you want more than just a working machine.
3. Testing the Kart is Mandatory
You may have settled for the brand, the model, the shop, and the budget. Now all you have to do is test the machine and make sure it is the right one for you. You may feel this is a waste of time, as karts are not quite cars, but karts are more complex than people usually imagine.
If you are serious about karting as a competitive sport, you need to test the machine before paying for it. Safety is always an issue to consider, together with racing performance, and more. Even if you buy the kart for leisure, fun, and hobby, you still need to test it and make sure it will offer you the rush you need in complete safety.
Do you have other advice to offer people wanting to buy a new kart? What other important information these buyers should keep in mind?