I need everyone's help, how do we send Polaris the Message?

[tbeaton]

i think you guys are missing the op's point, he wants a better sled, doesn't everyone? some of you guys are defending the ****ty motors, why? why are you settling for what they produce? why aren't you pushing for a better, more reliable motor? he makes good points, and yes all mfg's have thier issues, but poo is known in the industry for the ****tiest 800 motors, and they have earned it. i didn't take his post as a bitch fest, and he seems to be a poo diehard. out of all the sleds i have owned this is by far and away my favorite, but i can't help but be worried about the motor and that should not be the case.

 

[Leaf27]

i think you guys are missing the op's point, he wants a better sled, doesn't everyone? some of you guys are defending the ****ty motors, why? why are you settling for what they produce? why aren't you pushing for a better, more reliable motor? he makes good points, and yes all mfg's have thier issues, but poo is known in the industry for the ****tiest 800 motors, and they have earned it. i didn't take his post as a bitch fest, and he seems to be a poo diehard. out of all the sleds i have owned this is by far and away my favorite, but i can't help but be worried about the motor and that should not be the case.

Cause lifes to short to whine and moan, when these are becoming more isolated incidents. The original poster also has a stage 3 kit, when he stated he only had a can.

 

[tdblakes]

i think you guys are missing the op's point...

the fact that this topic is still on top and hasnt been deleted from a ton of flaming is achieving the ops point. I dont think anyone is saying the past 7 years (900 & 800 CFI4) of Polaris large bore motors havent had serious issues that the consumer has paid for and Polaris's reputation has suffered for... its a widely known fact and it just gets old. my .02

 

[Matte Murder]

Because the only way to get Polaris to make BETTER engines is to stop buying their sleds. The Pro is by far the number 1 selling mountain sled. If you were the CEO and had sales like this would you spend millions to change it? And that is a risk. They only find out how bad something is after we thrash it for 1000 miles. What if the new engine was worse?

 

[beamslayer]

Can someone explain to me why a 800 long block cost $3700 and up.You can go to Jegs and buy a v8 engine long block for $2700.
Is it because of warranty/ insurance ?
Kind of like going to the doctors with insurance or paying cash it is always cheaper with cash.
I asked this ??? last weekend with some of my riding partners---How much does it cost poo to build this sled ? The $$$ amount was all over the place as high as $6500 to $1500 .
How many 800s pro have been sold since 2011?
How many 800 mountain sleds have lost skirts compared to the 800 rush ?
I like to ask a lot of ???

 

[Old Scud-doo]

POINT IS: Polaris doesn't give a rat's a$$ as long as you and I continue to purchase new products from them. I have a list of Polaris products just like this guy but past sales don't pay the bills...neither does spending money without a benefit.

I had to admit this, but I am a Bears fan. I was complaining about a season a number of years a go and a guy from Chicago said to me, "So, the seats and stadium are full for each and every home game yet you want them to spend millions more in getting you a better team?" "Why? They can't make any more money on what they spend and actually would lose money." Ok, never thought about it that way.

So if Polaris is selling sleds like crazy and we keep buying them, why would they build a better more reliable motor for us? It doesn't let the bean counters sleep well at night when company's do that. I did have a Stage III kit on my sled for a while. All my problems started when I added the kit as well as some other's I've talked to. The sled never ran right from the get go. After fighting all kinds of stuff we checked and the rings were flaked/chipped. Even my dealer believes they were that way BEFORE the kit was installed. So...no warranty. But really dude, tell me how a pipe, head, and controller cause your pistons and rings to fail exactly where the intake transfer port is? I can understand if you burn it down or whatever but the kit only magnified the issue or brought it to light earlier than it would have been if left completely stock.

You know, it's a stupid pi$$ing match about these motors. They suck! No they don't? I have had a failure? I have 2500 miles and nothing? Really? Fact is that they are not as reliable as the motors being offered by the other two two-stroke building companies. That is a fact. Just go to another section and look. This guy is just asking Polaris to provide a motor with average reliability. That's not asking for pump gas turbo from the factory that runs on aviation fuel!

I had two majorly known aftermarket company's tell me that the problem with the motors is common knowledge within the industry. My dealer believes every sled he has sold probably will have ring/piston damage like my sled at some point. Adding aftermarket parts just make the problem rise to the surface quicker than it would without them.

I get so tired of hearing people say these motors are just fine! They are not just fine! They are just barely good enough. That being said, there is not a damn thing Polaris is going to do until they admit there is a problem internally within their think tanks and their wallets take a hit. Sorry, but give up the pipe dream. No rant, no matter how big or how small, is going to get them to redesign the motor. THEY will give us a better motor when THEY want us to have a better motor...if ever.

Ok, I am off the soap box...NEXT!!

 

[aebsledder]

Some pretty good points in this thread. Being one of the unlucky ones in the 5-13th percentile I have some feelings as well, since I was in this percentile with my 09 Dragon, and my 05 Vertical Escape. I guess I am just really unlucky. My plan is this. I am going to keep my sled completely stock, it can take me places most mods can, it just takes a little more effort and riding ability. I am going to purchase the extended warranty. If my sled keeps losing engines and other major mechanical items it will be out of Polaris's pocket. I do believe the extended warranty is through a company that is not Polaris. I realize that my little teeny tiny chunk of business isn't going to make much of a difference, but just maybe they will notice something. I guarantee they would if more people did the same. At the end of the riding season I was thinking about asking my dealer for an exact dollar amount of warranty work that has been done to my sled. Then I will divide by half and probably come up with a figure that is reasonably accurate as far as how much Polaris has lost. Then I might compose a little email. Not to flame, just to inform. Who knows, maybe someone will have an epiphany.

 

[Demo250]

For the record, my previous post showing my busted Doo block was in no way supposed to be defending this Polaris motor. Just saying, the grass was in no way greener on the other side. Heck, I think the grass was dead on the other side. The engine wasn't the only thing to fall apart under me.

I also wonder how much money they have lost shelling out shortblocks. Although when you are the number 1 selling sled, you have to figure many of your buyers will put very little miles on and will therefor never use the warranty. If we figure they build in a certain $ amount per sled sold to cover warranty claims, and 50% never use that warranty, than they have a lot of extra dough to cover the guys who use it more than once. So in essence, Polaris is having their customers who ride 400 miles a year end up paying for the "I ride every day 5000 miles a year" guys motors.

 

[camocat1000]

aahhhh remember the good ole days when the sleds rode like chit and had a Fugi motor that ran for thousands of miles....Hint hint Polaris...Fugi motors

 

[TurboMatt]

I had to admit this, but I am a Bears fan. I was complaining about a season a number of years a go and a guy from Chicago said to me, "So, the seats and stadium are full for each and every home game yet you want them to spend millions more in getting you a better team?" "Why? They can't make any more money on what they spend and actually would lose money." Ok, never thought about it that way.

Man, it must suck to be a Bears fan, with management that has that mindset and all.

GO PACK GO!!! LOL



I figured maybe that would lighten the mood around here.haha

 

[tbeaton]

the grass is not always greener, but doo accepted thier **** up and recalled all 2011 etecs for a frsh top end rebuild due to bad locator pins on the pistons. it was a problem and they fixed it on thier dime. polaris just turns the other way. i will bet that many people will ditch the rmk's if either doo or cat comes out with something even remotely close, the xm might be that. the warranty is great in all but its the most expensive warranty i have found, it doesn't help when you loose weeks of riding, doo is $700 or so for 3 years, poo is over 1k. the motors are over 1k more than a doo motor ( based on ones i have bought). it was not that long ago that we could get 7500 plus miles out of a motor before a top end rebuild, call me a liar? think not, my buddy had more on his 05 before we did the top end. all three have thier issues and alot of it revolves around the epa and the constant effort to have the most hp in a 2 stroke. these things run on the ragged edge and it doesn't take much for them to blow.

 

[Leaf27]

Ahh man, I went through the whole 08 XP fiasco. Broken drive shaft, dozen or so blown belts, electrical problems, ect. Don't kid yourselves EVERY manufacturer has issues. The XM wont be any different. Did you not see the pics in this thread of Blown Skidoo motors? It happens. Go spend $585 on the MTNTK kit and crank the oil pump up 3 turns and your done!!!

 

[TurboMatt]

I don't think anyone here is debating the fact that "it happens". Its more the frequency that "it happens" that is in question.

 

[judger101]

yes these manufacturers will not make any drastic changes to their products if people keep buying them. what they do is mask the larger problems, such as the motors, with the new fancy running boards, and better shocks. they are here to make money people, and you continue to give it to them, why would they want to invest money into R&D?

 

[800 hillbilly]

One of my close riding buddies and I both bought new sleds last year. He got a summit X 800 E-tec I got a pro rmk. He is on his third rebuild with 1700 miles on it and hes had the updated pistons done and it still went down last weeked for the third time. I have 1800 miles on mine and lost the pto side crank bearing. Was I mad yeah a little but then I remembered I still have a warranty, and I do for two more years. My buddies is for sale right now. Both sleds are bone stock no Mods. You can say what you want they all have problems.

 

[GREICO1]

I hate to jump in here because all of the arguing seems pretty pointless. Polaris is listening, but it would seem that many of us here are not. We have cried, whined, bitched and thrown tantrums for years about how much our machines weigh. There is a fine line between weight, and reliability-and we seem to be there. We cried for years to have a lighter, more nimble machine, and Polaris stepped up. I would love to hear how many on this forum would agree to add 30 pounds to our machines to get the reliability back. Or even be willing to add a few thousand dollars to the cost so the manufacturers (not just Polaris) could afford to give us what we want straight from the factory. Everything we seem to want is attainable, but at what expense? The manufacturer could, for all intents and purposes, cutout the need and/or want for any and all of the aftermarket mods we do to our sleds. Two stroke turbo-no problem, but what will it cost. We will happily spend 5-8000 dollars modding these things, but when it comes to buying one, how many threads are on here asking who has the best price? Why not jut be friendly to your local dealer? They suck because the customer sucks. Maybe we need to look at ourselves. We bitch to the dealers, the manufacturers, our buddies and everyone here about everything under the sun on our sleds, but I read through these forums and there are rarely any viable solutions that everyone will agree on. What makes you think they aren't tired of hearing it too? We all have our opinions, and maybe it is time that we suck it up a little, and realize a little humility. The manufacturers are not perfect, but neither are you. From what I see here, about 90% of the issues are self inflicted. We say that our machines are stock, well except for this or that. That is not stock, so stop lying about it. We post about an issue we have, but rarely do we include ALL of the information. I hate to say it, but tunnels do not bend on trailers. They bend because they are being pounded through moguls, overloaded, and dropped off of cliffs. Between our bitching, and EPA standards, 2 stroke engines will NEVER have the reliability the old motors had, until we agree to let the manufacturers add some weight back to our rides. Suck it up kids, this is the future of the sport.

 

[Roundy800]

I love my pros they re the best handling sleds I"ve ever rode. But the 2011 broke a skirt and destroyed motor at 2200 miles. 2012 broke a clutch in half at 900 miles. both sleds have warranty. I will not own a new sled without warranty, but I'm going to order a 2013.

 

[tbeaton]

I love my pros they re the best handling sleds I"ve ever rode. But the 2011 broke a skirt and destroyed motor at 2200 miles. 2012 broke a clutch in half at 900 miles. both sleds have warranty. I will not own a new sled without warranty, but I'm going to order a 2013.

and thats the thing that gets me, a few years ago you didn't even think about getting a warranty past the one year and now they give them to you if you spring order as an incentive to buy thier product. its almost like they know they are selling crap and the only way to get people to buy is to give them a false sense of security for 4 years.

 

[towngrunt]

Message to SnoWest user TBEATON, Polaris did step up in 08 and 09 and put fresh top ends in all the Dragons at their own expense so dont go spouting off how great and all mighty Ski-Doo is. Bottom line is if their is an obvious most all manufactruers will step up to the plate. I normally will not sled bash or user bash but it does bother me when things are said without doing your homework. Lets all just ride and enjoy. If you have a gripe about Polaris sell the darn thing and buy something else.

 

[judger101]

One of my close riding buddies and I both bought new sleds last year. He got a summit X 800 E-tec I got a pro rmk. He is on his third rebuild with 1700 miles on it and hes had the updated pistons done and it still went down last weeked for the third time. I have 1800 miles on mine and lost the pto side crank bearing. Was I mad yeah a little but then I remembered I still have a warranty, and I do for two more years. My buddies is for sale right now. Both sleds are bone stock no Mods. You can say what you want they all have problems.

get a yamaha