I am looking for a new snowmobile. Any suggestions. I wanted to buy a used one, but my wife said if I was to buy one, she wanted me to buy a new one.

 

What are you going to use the sled for? Are you going to be touring on groomed trails or using it to get to your favourite ice fishing hole or are you going to be doing some deep powder mountain riding? And are you going to be travelling with your wife on the back?

 

must be nice!

 

Get a SKI-DOO REV, it has the newest technology of any sled. In fact all the other manufacters are trying to come up with something to compete with ski-doo. I've driven just about every sled out there and nothing comes close. In my snowmobile club we all switch sleds back and forth, just to try them out. With 100 plus members I get to ride most popular makes and models.
Here in western WI we've had 2 winters with no snow, so the sled market is very poor. The dealers are sitting on unsold new 2-3 year old sleds. Buying a used sled would be the biggest mistake you could make. You can buy a NEW sled for less than most people are trying to sell their used junk for.
The current price for a NEW 2003 ski-doo REV 600ho is $5640. That's brand new on the showroom floor, "out the door" price. No hidden setup or freight charges. I don't think there are any deals on used that can compare.

Ski-doo Rules.... Think snow

 

If my wife was so kind to let me buy a new sled I'd have to go with the Ski-Doo Legend Sport 600 H.O SDI for all around use, ditch banging,touring,ice fishing, winter comuter. Why the 600 ? in my neck of the woods anything over 700 will kill ya on insurance. There making me sell my first born to insure my 700 ZR Cat. Shop around buying new is great, but why not let someone else take the hit for the first year of ownership. Sledding has become hi-tech,people have to have the newest, so the used sled market is overflowing with good deals.

Here's a few good sled forums that might help you out.
The Ultimate Snowmobile Forum and
Maximum Sled World Wide there both very informative sites.

Good luck keep us posted on what you buy.

 

I plan on using it for ditch riding and trail riding. I was debating a 2-up so the kid could ride with. I think a new sled is the way to go right now due to the deals I can get. I found a basic 550 polaris supersport (air cool) for $3200, but am not sure if it is a good deal.

 

Ugh, I agree with going with a Ski-doo. They are willing to spend more money on R&D for their sleds than anyone else and it show. Better sleds, last longer, more reliable, better trail manners ect. I'd stay far far away from Polaris.

Oh yeah, does your wife have a sister? With mine I have to convince her why I need such a machine, not the used or new argument.

Oh yeah, I ride a 2000 Mountain Max 600 Yamaha. I'm going to trade it in next year for a 800 REV Summit.

 

My wifes only other sister is 10. Maybe if you have a boy about that age.

As for a machine, I just want to make sure that I get a decent machine for the money, that isn't an overkill for what I need.

 

The Ski-Doo touring series are very nice. Now with the Semi-Direct Injection they can go 200 miles on a tank of fuel. They ride great. I'd spend the money on somthing like that. Plus the liquid cooled sleds have better engine longevity.

 

My advice would be a liquid cooled machine. I have always had pretty good luck with Polaris except for a used XLT. My last one was a 2000 600 XC SP and it was an exceptionally great sled. I have never ridden a Ski-doo but their quality control is unequaled. The only problem I have seen is due to the robotics system of manufacture, it is a real nightmare to repair a damaged chassis. Arctic Cats quality conrol and fit& finish leaves something to be desired unless you by a race sled, which I think they put more effort into. I had one of the first 700 ZRs and it was built much better than the other offerings that year.
Since I am a very aggresive rider, I think 2 up riding stinks and wouldn't even consider a 2 up sled, except I realize you want to take your kid. Get the kid a seperate, entry level machine to ride and you will have a lot more fun, so will the kid.
I realize that Yamaha has come a long ways but the last ones I rode in the mid 90s were junk. Their 600 couldn't even keep up with the other 500s and handled poorly. All the manufacturers have had their hits and misses so read the magazines that rate the comparable models, but keep in mind they are testing new machines and it doesn't really give you any idea about reliablity or dealer service.

 

I don't know if any of you have ever been to the Jackson Hole Hill Climbs, but last year Polaris swept the event. The RMK's are pretty sweet machines.

Longneck

 

if your using it for "ditchbanging" and trail use i would without a doubt get either a arctic cat firecat with the snopro package or a skidoo mxz rev -x . i have both the doo and the cat and love em !

 

For a few years I just bought whatever won the IronDog the year before.

 

We ship some of the Iron Dog sled back to their homes. And boy are they beat. Seems the Skid-oos come back in better shape.

 

I didn't know that many ski-doos ever finished which was always a little disappointing. I think they needed better riders, but Hal Cronquist has Ski-doos Alaska performance so wrapped up that his kid was always their big gun. I have done trail sweep for cross country races when he was broke down just a few miles out. We did trail sweep for a Big Lake to Skwetna and back when I had the 700ZR. There were so many people out on the trail coming back that we hauled butt coming home and passed about half the racers. There were a couple places that we ran flat out and in a tuck for 7-8 miles at a stretch. The ZR would run a good honest 105. We raced my 2000 Polaris 600 in a 500 mile open class race at White Horse and got third. Other than the suspension it was bone stock and they were radaring it 122-123 in the straights. We took home $10,000 Canadian.
OOPSS!! there I go again, 13 you just seem to get me started.