OK, I was talking to a good buddy of mine who is the Ski-Doo, Can-Am, (Used to be Bombardier) dealer in Fairbanks. I asked him about when Can-Am is going to come out with a side-by-side. He said, "By next spring, or late this winter". I said, "That will do me no good since I want one for this years hunting in August". So Can-Am is coming out with one this winter or next spring.
So I asked which one of the current manufactors are the best, ease of maintenance, and reliable. He said he could not tell me which one to buy, but he would tell me which one not to buy. He said when BRP started looking at building a side by side, they went out and bought one of each of the currently made models. BRP mechanics and engineers dismantled them and took a hard look at everything from an engineering and mechanics point of view. He said there was one that from a mechanics point of view it was a nightmare. The Polaris was so complex and every thing was hidden behind covers or plates or other parts that had to be removed to get to something simple that needed to be replaced. Simple things that should take 10 minutes and do on other machines, will take at least an hour on the Polaris. I told him, "Wow I had decided on the Polaris 6X6 Ranger". He then told ne, "Since you are looking now, I don't have a dog in this fight, but I will tell you not to get the Polaris". So I started looking all over again.
I went to the Artic Cat dealer, who also deals in used machines as well. I have known the owner since he was a small kid, and we have a lot of dealing outside on other matters. In fact I was his first customer, back in 1987. So I trust him to tell me the truth, and to be honest about his products. He showed me the Artic Cats, and said if he had a Yamaha he would show me one of them, but they are usually sold before reaching his shop. He can't get them in fast enough. I asked about used machines, and he showed me several Atric Cats, and a few Kawasaki's. I asked about Polaris, he told me he did not take in Polaris machines. When he did the customers were so unhappy they wanted to bring them back. His mechanics all but refused to work on a Polaris. Therefore he said don't go looking at Polaris if you are thinking about resale value. By the time they are used a few years they are trashed. So there you have what I have been told by two friends that deal in machines and know the business.
Kawaski just came out with a new model, that hit the dealers last week. The Mule 610 4X4 XC. It's smaller, but has better ground clearence than the other Kawaski. It will fit in the bed of a pick-up, but it only has a 400CC engine. That is big enough for what I am doing so that is the way I am currently leaning. Rog
