Newb looking for a little advice - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

1ninjanina · 06-01-2012, 07:56 PM

Hi, I'm a female. Just bought my first ATV, and I'm a member over on the PolarisATVforum. Asked for advice on a snowmobile question and was given a link to this site. Hope it's as good as that one!

I'm afraid that when the snow flies at the end of ATV season and I can't ride anymore I'm gonna get withdrawal! So, I'm thinking that although I won't be able to buy a new snowmobile, due to paying off my new ATV this summer, I'd like to buy a used one later in the year.

Just want a little advice on which older machines are dependable. Thinking Polaris or Arctic Cat. Yamahas are attractive, too. 500-700 engine. 2004 or newer, I'm hoping. I'd like EFI if possible. Definitely want reverse. Short or medium track, I think. I know I don't want a triple. I'd rather not have a carbeurated machine, but if that's all I can find, I may just have to deal with it.

My friend just bought himself a brand new Polaris Switchback 600. Simple, but the frills he wanted, not too much power, but plenty for what he wants. I'd buy the same machine if I could afford it, but other finances have to come first at this time.

We'll be riding old rail beds, so the trails are smooth, not a lot of bumps.

So, I like the look of Polaris Fusion, Indy. Arctic Cat F5, F6, F7 (not a big fan of Arctic Cat green though, so I'd find one in another color or the liberty edition. There were three of those for sale near me this winter.) I've seen the Polaris Classic for sale near me too. Though they were older than I'd like to buy, I'd also like to know if they're dependable.

I know that just like ATVs, it depends on how they were/are maintained and how they were ridden as to how long they'll last, and whether they're worth the asking price. But I'd just like some advice about 2000's models and which ones are good. Thanks!

**BC_Dan** · 06-02-2012, 12:31 AM

Polaris Edge models never had EFI. Fusion 700/900 are to avoid, the 600 is a nice engine. The first two had horrible problems with durability. All Polaris sleds since 2004 have electronic reverse (PERC). The only triple in the years you are looking will be a Yamaha and that will be a 4-stroke.

The Edge sleds, especially in the 600 are very reliable with plenty of power. Set up right, the carbs run fine. We had a 2005 RMK in 600 and that was a really nice sled. The XC should be equally nice.

F5 is a nice sled, but if you can find an F6, it has a bit more power. A lot of AC sleds don't have reverse. If they do, it will be mechanical. The diamond drive had issues, AC finally discontinued it.

Yamahas are known for reliability, but are a bit heavy. For trail riding, they offer a quality ride and may fill your needs. They don't require a ton of maintenance, but when they break, they are spendy to fix.

Welcome to the forum! Glad to have you aboard.

1ninjanina · 06-02-2012, 06:48 AM

Wow, thanks! That's exactly the kind of information I was looking for!

**RJ Gleason** · 06-02-2012, 07:20 AM

Welcome and Happy Trails

Most sleds now come with reverse as standard equipment [04 and newer] and they are all the electronic [reverse the engine style] except Yamaha due to them using all 4 stroke engines.

600RacerX · 06-02-2012, 06:34 PM

Well you've seen my responses from the ATV forum. Let us know on a specific budget you're thinking about and maybe the area you live. I can quick look up some examples of sleds you could look into if you'd like.

1ninjanina · 06-02-2012, 07:06 PM

I live in Rochester, NY. My time frame for buying is probably going to be late fall, so I know how much money I'll have to spend. Depending how much money I make this summer and how quickly I pay off my ATV will determine my budget for a snowmobile.

With my job we're guaranteed a certain amount of salary, but sometimes we do jobs that the customer has a government grant, so we get paid a government rate, and our paycheck can sometimes double, which will allow me to pay off my ATV in one year.

Thanks for the advice on remembering about quality gear.

Originally, I was thinking of spending only about $2000, but I'm thinking to get a quality machine, I'll need to spend $4000 if possible.

I'll create a signature and add a little about myself to my profile, so I'm not a ghost on here.

I really appreciate the advice, but I won't be making a decision on what to buy until late fall probably, and I may be leaning one way or another right now, but likely will change my mind many times before making a purchase. This will be affected by my budget and by what I hear from you guys, as well as discussions with my friend, though he is a newb also.

**BC_Dan** · 06-02-2012, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1ninjanina

... but likely will change my mind many times before making a purchase...

A woman changing her mind?? Does that really happen??

Prices are normally lower in the summer, higher in the winter (supply/demand.) Good deals can sometimes be found near the start of the riding season as people with new sleds coming have to get rid of their older ones to afford the new ones. You have lots to look at and a long time to do your homework, when you have a specific sled that's on your list, post it up and we will be sure to make comments.

Good luck in your search!

600RacerX · 06-02-2012, 07:37 PM

Well, in that time frame, just read up all you can and ask any and all questions you may have. It may be easier for you to just read some articles/older threads and get a good base knowledge of everything. It's hard to explain to a complete newbie as to what he needs when he doesn't know how everything works in the grand scheme of things.

**RJ Gleason** · 06-03-2012, 11:06 AM

Start by picking up the CNY Swap Sheet, you can look at what is available and compare prices over the brands.

KBB and NADA [links below] are also your friends.
Official Kelley Blue Book New & Used Car Values - Kelley Blue Book
http://www.nadaguides.com/default.as...=36&f=5070&c=4

meburdick · 06-04-2012, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BC_Dan

Prices are normally lower in the summer, higher in the winter (supply/demand.) Good deals can sometimes be found near the start of the riding season as people with new sleds coming have to get rid of their older ones to afford the new ones.

Typically, that would be very sage advice. After the winter we just had, however, I'm not sure WHAT to expect this fall. In some respects, I expect to see overly high prices this fall from all those riders that simply refused to sell their machines last season at a discounted rate because it wasn't a good year. And now, their stuff is a year older, and they're going to expect the same high price. And, with a reasonable chance that many folks didn't snow-check new machines at the end of last season, there might be a smaller selection of used stuff out there (which may support the over-inflated cost).

At any rate - definitely do your research to see what might be appealing and interesting. GO LOOK AT THEM NOW. Don't wait for riding season because you'll really want to know what you're looking for so you can snatch up the deal if there's a good one to be found.

Also - Use kbb.com / nadaguides.com to understand the value of these machines. Hold your ground on your price you're willing to pay - you WILL find a machine. As long as you're respectful to the sellers when you tell them it's more than you wanted to spend, you'll be able to go back gracefully three weeks later when they're still selling it and ask "any chance you'd want to re-consider your price?"

Good luck, welcome, and rest assured that guys like BC_Dan and RJ Gleason are here to give you way more information than you thought might be possible (they've both been very helpful to me).

1ninjanina · 06-06-2012, 08:32 PM

Opinions? Of course I don't have the money right now, but would a sled like this sound like a good deal?

2006 Ski Doo REV GSX 600 SDI Sport

Just cruising CL getting a feel for what's out there, watching to see what comes up. Watching which ads are getting renewed over and over. Last year, I made an Excel file with several machines that were for sale under my criteria and saved them with specs listed and phone numbers. I don't see those machines still listed, but I planned to call them this fall and see if they ever sold them, and offer them a lower, but still respectful price.

600RacerX · 06-06-2012, 08:43 PM

Yes, that is exactly the sled that would be suiting you.

For rev's, the GSX are more of the long trail touring machines (which I believe was what you were going to be doing). They are very similar to the MXZ, but offer a few different luxuries catering to the non aggressive trail rider. The 600SDI was the most advanced engine produced for a LONG time out of all manufacturers. I believe milage was around 18 mpg and a very respectable horsepower (you'll learn that this is quite good when talking sleds).

That individual sled appears very clean and low mile. You need to know that it is quite easy to commit odometer fraud on these sleds, so keep that in mind. Condition is your biggest concern. We can go into what to all check when purchasing later. I will say that is about a $35-3600 sled as is.

1ninjanina · 11-13-2012, 06:35 PM

OK, I'm back. Only $700 left to pay on my four wheeler! Looking at sleds on CL again. I kind of like this one, but I re-read my thread, and if I'm reading what someone wrote correctly, this one is not fuel injected. I still think I'd prefer fuel injected unless you guys can convince me otherwise. Does this sled look like a good deal? And what is VES? I tried to look it up, and it sounds like something that increases power.

06 Polaris xc 500 with reverse (perc)

I talked to the dealer that I bought my four wheeler from. They sell Polaris and Arctic Cat. I told him I was interested in a few F series models, and he told me that 2003-2006 they had a bad suspension. He said that if you're just gonna be flying through fields, they're nice, but not good for general trail riding. Anyone want to contradict that? He rides bikes and sleds.

Thinking about that, I've eliminated any AC from my searches in those 4 years. If I was able to come up with the money, how does this one look? The guy had two ads, and the other one was the same sled in orange with twice as many miles. Obviously, his wife didn't ride as much as he did.

2007 Arctic Cat F8

If I have to go cheaper, this one looks OK, except that it's been on CL since late summer and makes me wonder why it hasn't sold...

2004 Polaris Switchback 600 Electric Start and Reverse

And, this may sound like a stupid question, but if a sled has electric start, does that mean it's fuel injected? I feel silly asking, but I really don't know.

Thanks for your patience, guys!

meburdick · 11-13-2012, 07:40 PM

VES is Variable Exhaust System on some Polaris sleds - also known as Power Valves by some. Basically, when the motor gets into the top 25% (ish) of its max speed, the exhaust back pressure will increase and reduce horsepower. The VES allows the pressure to be reduced by opening the power valves and restoring some of that lost horsepower. The result is maintaining max HP all the way through the RPM range and more power output from the motor at the top motor speeds.

Personally, I wouldn't touch that 06 Polaris at any price. It's been modded fairly heavily, some of it likely to allow for harder riding, but he's passing it off as "female ridden" (implying that it has been babied).

The asking price for the Switchback doesn't seem too bad. If he's the original owner, has all of the papers, and everything checks out (compression, skid, clutches, etc), and he has papers for the work that has been done, it might be a pretty good deal. It's a hybrid sled, so it's intended to give you some mountain riding abilities (longer track, taller paddles) and some trail abilities. It won't be 'great' at either, but should do both pretty well. The motor has VES, so it will run very strong. And, that 600 motor is about the largest you would want from that year in a longer-tracked sled.

Having electric start means that you turn a key and an electric motor engages to turn the motor over. It has nothing to do with fuel injection.

EFI is great because it's "always the same", no matter the weather conditions or the riding elevation. Carbs will give a quicker throttle response off the line. I've owned both, and the EFI ran exactly the same in the dead of winter as it did in the spring. For 80% of the riding season, it was inferior to the carb machines. The other 20% was about the same as them. Carbs are immensely easy to work on, and MUCH cheaper than EFI. If your carb gets gummed up or out of adjustment, pull it out, clean it, maybe throw in $25 worth of parts, reinstall it, adjust it, and you're good.

When your EFI goes out, drop $1500 for a new control module so that you can then determine what other electronic components have been fried and need replacing.

**BC_Dan** · 11-13-2012, 11:25 PM

EFI in the newer sleds also means the air/fuel mix is spot on all the time. That means the manufacturer can get more HP out of smaller engines. My carbed 2004 big block RMK 800 put out 138 hp stock. My EFI 2007 small block RMK 700 put out 140 stock. Fuel mileage on the 700 is about 1 mpg better, too. Meburdick is right, if the computer goes out, they are spendy to replace. But they don't fail often.

Is it me, or does the red XC 500 look faded?? Looking at the seat color, the hood color is a different shade, which usually indicates it sat in the sun during the summertime. When I see that, I avoid it. If someone doesn't care enough to at least toss a tarp over the sled to keep the paint from being damaged, they are probably neglecting all the other important maintenance too. Buyer Beware.

The F8 is a lot of sled, especially for someone new to sleds. I don't know if that one has reverse, but reverse is a really nice option. Tugging and pulling to back the thing off a trailer or to move it at the parking lot can be a pain, literally. The one you listed has studs and looks to be set up for very aggressive riding.

The Switchback would be my choice of the three listed. The longer track will do better on the stutter bumps and will give you a bit better flotation in the deeper snow, so you will get stuck less. I have always liked that color scheme too. Personal preference

The 600 engine is very reliable and puts out about 116 hp, so you won't be outgrowing it for a while. It does have carbs, which means a bit more maintenance to start the year, and as meburdick already stated, you can actually work on them.

Good luck in your choice! Hurry up, snow is coming!!

**RJ Gleason** · 11-14-2012, 06:35 AM

Much as I am a Cat fan, in your case, I'd go with the Poo over the F8 this time.
Looking at the track on both, the Switchback has less wear and over all shows better care of the sled.

meburdick · 11-14-2012, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BC_Dan

Is it me, or does the red XC 500 look faded??

It's not the original seat... That seat is off of a Pro-X (he mentions it in the listing very casually) and is one of the mods I mentioned that didn't seem to line up with the "female ridden" statement.

1ninjanina · 11-14-2012, 06:50 PM

Lol. I thought it was orange. I was telling my friend about it and he was like, polaris made an orange sled? Those I posted were only three of many I have saved shortcuts to on my desktop. I didn't want to overwhelm my thread by just throwing a whole bunch of ad links up here.

I have a few ski doos I like too but my dealer can't give me knowledgeable advice on them. Can you please advise me which Polaris, Ski Doo, and Arctic Cat models 2004 and newer have EFI? I really appreciate the advice and patience. I know someone posted what year Polaris started EFI earlier in my thread but I'm reading and writing this on my phone and it's difficult to go back and look right now.

I work out of town and decided not to bring my laptop this week.

**BC_Dan** · 11-14-2012, 07:08 PM

EFI for Polaris in sleds you should consider started in 07 with the 700. The short-lived Polaris 900 in 05/06 and it's smaller brother 700 in 06 were also EFI. You don't want either of those sleds. Polaris didnt' have an Edge model EFI, all those sleds will be carburated.

Ultrafrozen · 11-14-2012, 07:42 PM

If you're interested in EFI and appreciate four-stroke engines like your ATV, have a look at the Yamaha Phazer. No need to fill up the oil tank every second or third fuel fill-up, just a yearly oil change, again, like your ATV. Only 80hp but a very torquey engine. Look at 2008 or newer if you can afford it as the 2007 was the first year out and it needed a few mods to make it perfect (my wife has a 2007 and loves it). You ride in the more rider forward stance like other newer sleds (and your ATV) instead of the more sit-down older style. This lets you stand-up ride very comfortably as well.

The Yamaha Vector is a 120hp lond distance touring sled (best in class IMHO) that is carburated up to 2009 then 130hp EFI after 2010. I picked one up last year and love it; was a two stroke sled owner since 1983 and will likely never go back.

Welcome to the forum and good luck hunting for that perfect sled.