I purchased a new SkiDoo Skandic SWT with the 900 ACE motor in 2016. I did this right before I retired as a means of pulling my portable ice tent onto the lake through deep snow. The snowmobile always performed flawlessly, and all necessary service was performed by a qualified technician at a SkiDoo dealership.
In February, 2020, after starting the machine, the check engine light came on, the alarm beeped 4 times and then it died. I pulled my equipment off the lake and brought the snowmobile into the dealership in Bemidji, MN (excellent dealer with exceptional service technicians). They initially thought it may have been a clogged fuel injector, but when they found no pressure in the third cylinder, they knew it was much worse than that. After pulling out the engine, they found that the teeth on the plastic gear that operates the oil pump had worn off resulting in catastrophic engine damage. I asked the service technician if I had done anything to cause this problem, and he assured me that it was equipment error, or perhaps manufacturer error, but not operator error. Not surprisingly, he also said that the gear on a critical component like an oil pump should have been made out of metal; not plastic.
I used this machine sparingly, putting less than 300 miles on it since purchasing it new. The machine looks like new and shows no wear. In fact, I never take it out of the low speed gear because going too fast might spill my minnows!
I realize the machine is out of warranty, but I also believe that BRP manufactured these machines with the expectation that they wouldn’t fail after 300 very gentle miles.
The estimated cost to repair the machine is $10,000 ($8,000 for a new engine and $2,000 labor). BRP agreed to pay $4,000 toward the cost, and suggested that I consider putting in a used engine from a sled that was wrecked. Then they clawed back $1,000, saying that they never offered any more than $3,000. I thought I was purchasing a quality product from a respected manufacturer, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.
BRP stands behind their warranty, but not behind their product. Give some serious consideration to this. Making me pay for something that was not my fault is wrong and I want everyone to know.
In February, 2020, after starting the machine, the check engine light came on, the alarm beeped 4 times and then it died. I pulled my equipment off the lake and brought the snowmobile into the dealership in Bemidji, MN (excellent dealer with exceptional service technicians). They initially thought it may have been a clogged fuel injector, but when they found no pressure in the third cylinder, they knew it was much worse than that. After pulling out the engine, they found that the teeth on the plastic gear that operates the oil pump had worn off resulting in catastrophic engine damage. I asked the service technician if I had done anything to cause this problem, and he assured me that it was equipment error, or perhaps manufacturer error, but not operator error. Not surprisingly, he also said that the gear on a critical component like an oil pump should have been made out of metal; not plastic.
I used this machine sparingly, putting less than 300 miles on it since purchasing it new. The machine looks like new and shows no wear. In fact, I never take it out of the low speed gear because going too fast might spill my minnows!
I realize the machine is out of warranty, but I also believe that BRP manufactured these machines with the expectation that they wouldn’t fail after 300 very gentle miles.
The estimated cost to repair the machine is $10,000 ($8,000 for a new engine and $2,000 labor). BRP agreed to pay $4,000 toward the cost, and suggested that I consider putting in a used engine from a sled that was wrecked. Then they clawed back $1,000, saying that they never offered any more than $3,000. I thought I was purchasing a quality product from a respected manufacturer, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.
BRP stands behind their warranty, but not behind their product. Give some serious consideration to this. Making me pay for something that was not my fault is wrong and I want everyone to know.
