Shopping for a snowmobile

[Pinchecharlie]

For the sake of my budget, skill level and perhaps reliability iam considering a used ski-doo? With all the turbo craze and new platforms Zada Zada and the supply chain stuff. I've been seeing very low mile 19,20 and 2021 ski doo sleds reasonably priced. I have no experience and iam a new rider but I am hooked on deep snow and I'd like a capable mountain sled. I have no brand affiliation or real world opinions on handling or reliability but I'd rather have a low mile sled than a high milage or a 15 to 20k dollar sled. I know everyone has an opinion and hopefully you'd share pros and cons. Iam new last year and have a 2016 m6000. Live in Montana and wanna ski access and try to learn hop overs lol. I've just found way more low mile reasonably priced ski doos than all others. Yes I know polaris is the cool kid turbo but I have a long long way to go before I can handle a slash style snowmobile. Thanks Charlie

 

[DRIVEBYE]

I have only owned and mostly rode Ski Doo. I have been on all the Poo sleds over the years and like them. I don't buy into one is far superior to the other personally, it's just getting comfortable on them. I do think the reliability is better with the Ski Doo but if I wanted a Poo I wouldn't not buy it because of that.

 

[chickenstixx]

A 2016 m6000 is no slouch to be fair.

Budget?

Are you saying you want an 850 or is an 800 okay?

I bought a '21 khaos over the summer. Had it out a few times now and I really like it more than my skidoo 850. Balance is better, can 1 ski it forever on trails or powder.

 

[Pinchecharlie]

Thanks for the replies. My budgets about 10k before I sell mine. I just made a mistake and bought a small track. Even though it's a m series it's a 141. I was going to just lengthen it but it'll cost around 2k and I think I can get 4k for it so when I look at other sleds for sale it makes me think twice. I'll still lengthen it if I keep it. I actually like a 600 but they just aren't that available and when I do find them they are as much as the others so I'll run a 800 850 and have to learn to use the throttle lol. Like I said I have no real world experience or opinion I was basing it on prices and milage and availability. I love the way a khaos looks but I allways feel like a machine like that has been riden hard and usually has more miles typically. Iam not a very good rider yet so I was also thinking a khaos would be more high strung but I could be wrong. I will say we live in a polaris rich market. They are very available lol. Thanks

 

[chickenstixx]

You're lying to yourself if you think skidoo's are abused any less lol.

Sure polaris has all their ambassadors hammering on sleds on jumps and stuff but skidoo does too.

You need to find one, go look at it, check a-arm clearance on the shocks, gaps in body panels, look at the bulkheads, track alignment, etc. If they won't take off the hood or panels walk away. They be hiding something. The skidoo hood takes 5 min to take off, slightly more PITA but not bad.

I straight up ask em if they jump them or anything. The more aftermarket parts the more likely it's been abused IMO.

Both motors are the same as far as high strung. They are sub-liter engines making 160+ hp.

 

[chickenstixx]

Used Snowmobiles For Sale in Utah, Idaho, & Wyoming | ksl.com

Find 850 for sale near you or sell to local buyers. Search listings for 850 and other items on KSL Classifieds.

classifieds.ksl.com

Avoid the 2017 skidoos

A couple polaris and a few skidoos are under 10k.

Good luck!

 

[donbrown]

If you really want a deal. Go to skidoo website get list of ALL dealers the distance willing to drive, If you ship it gonna cost $400. Call email every dealer ask for any hold overs.
Best place/dealer to buy from far away? A region where there is NO SNOW. Dealer where they sell alot of everything. I am in Los Angeles and buy my sleds in Feb - May Bought mostly in Oregon / Colorado (Montrose)
I have no LOCSL shop but if I did would ask to price match so to keep local shop around for warranty issues. All sleds have issues ... especially when you crash or do poor maintenace . storge.
Ive seen posting of new turbos for under $15k this month. Friend just bought 4 turbos in Oregon for under $15k each

 

[Pinchecharlie]

Ok cool. O see that also, lots of miles lots of racing parts warranty engines ect. I also find 2019 (20) sled with 3-400 miles for 11.5-13k. BUT usually they are a ski doo??? Lol. I would wager to say (?????) Maybe some guys that impulse buy a snowmobile ....may be because ski doo shops are bigger and fancier? At least here it is? So they just have a longer history and a larger market brand name . Like saying kleenex instead of tissue? I dunno but I have researched the crap out of it including hours and hours of you tube and they seem to have a loyal following. It's a stereotype I know but polaris seems to be more the you get more hard core dude. So if I find a 300-500 mile late model polaris it should have the same reliability?? I'll read some more lol!! I ll call dealers too and let them know iam interested and see what pops up. I would but new I guess if I could get a decent trade in. I looked at my dealer but after the smoke cleared it wasn't EXACTLY what I wanted and it was 16k so....

 

[Ken65]

If you really want a deal. Go to skidoo website get list of ALL dealers the distance willing to drive, If you ship it gonna cost $400. Call email every dealer ask for any hold overs.
Best place/dealer to buy from far away? A region where there is NO SNOW. Dealer where they sell alot of everything. I am in Los Angeles and buy my sleds in Feb - May Bought mostly in Oregon / Colorado (Montrose)
I have no LOCSL shop but if I did would ask to price match so to keep local shop around for warranty issues. All sleds have issues ... especially when you crash or do poor maintenace . storge.
Ive seen posting of new turbos for under $15k this month. Friend just bought 2 turbos in Oregon for under $15k each

Where are you seeing new turbos for under 15K? I will take 2 and start heading that way.

 

[Pinchecharlie]

Oregon I think he said lol

 

[Ken65]

Oregon I think he said lol

Oh. There's only 1 dealership in Oregon?

 

[Pinchecharlie]

Was a joke bro....sure that'll the best price you ever heard of has no strings attached. But feel free to hi jack ! Chevy ford thing never goes well. Oh and chevys best

 

[chickenstixx]

Ok cool. O see that also, lots of miles lots of racing parts warranty engines ect. I also find 2019 (20) sled with 3-400 miles for 11.5-13k. BUT usually they are a ski doo??? Lol. I would wager to say (?????) Maybe some guys that impulse buy a snowmobile ....may be because ski doo shops are bigger and fancier? At least here it is? So they just have a longer history and a larger market brand name . Like saying kleenex instead of tissue? I dunno but I have researched the crap out of it including hours and hours of you tube and they seem to have a loyal following. It's a stereotype I know but polaris seems to be more the you get more hard core dude. So if I find a 300-500 mile late model polaris it should have the same reliability?? I'll read some more lol!! I ll call dealers too and let them know iam interested and see what pops up. I would but new I guess if I could get a decent trade in. I looked at my dealer but after the smoke cleared it wasn't EXACTLY what I wanted and it was 16k so....

Snowcheck polaris from 2019 - 2021 have a 4 year transferable warranty. IF ITS NOT A SNOWCHECK IT HAS 2 YEARS ONLY!!
i know skidoo had 4 with the 2018 and maybe 2019. I am nearly certain they reduced it to 3 years on the 2021 model year.
Reliability is pretty good with everything nowadays as long as you dont hit logs lol.

Skidoo holds the lions share of sleds still. Skidoo > Polaris > Arctic Cat > Yamaha (for out west anyways)

The only thing with the skidoos are they can be belt eaters, the newer (2019 and up) are supposed to be better. Otherwise everything is pretty good to go and long as it hasnt been wrecked. I am not for or against polaris or skidoo. I had a gremlin skidoo last year and this year i have a working polaris. But I also run my rev 800 from 2007 still as a loaner.

Like I said you gotta find one, get a phone price, show up and look at it, and start knocking dollars off the original offer if you see anything wrong. There's a few "how to buy a used sled" videos on youtube. Go watch them, the canadian revmods or powermodz or whatever is a really good one.

 

[donbrown]

Where are you seeing new turbos for under 15K? I will take 2 and start heading that way.

canada posted yesterday

 

[donbrown]

friend bought 4 here https://www.snowmobile.com/dealers/valley-powersports-101548

 

[ullose272]

A polaris is going to feel more like the arctic cat you currently have due to verticle steering. I cant stand the lay dow steering of a skidoo and the body panels feel wide to me. But thats my opinion, plenty of people love them. An Alpha would also be a good sled. If you can try to ride different sleds and get a feel of what you like

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[Ken65]

friend bought 4 here https://www.snowmobile.com/dealers/valley-powersports-101548

4 what? They don't even advertise that they sell skidoo.

 

[donbrown]

Another rider Rodney bought 20.5 skidoo turbo off craigslist for 14.5 in fresno ca only 130 miles

 

[donbrown]

4 what? They don't even advertise that they sell skidoo.

oops go here ... https://www.waterworldmedford.com/

 

[Pinchecharlie]

Well I have messages left and emails out so well see what happens !