Can't speak for all the newer sleds; but I snowchecked an '04, and it's been flawless. I tip the scales around 250 and have hit alot of rocks/stumps/trees that sent me over the bars....never bent the "nun" or anything else that couldn't be straightened back out. (I've been through four bumpers though; they need to make those a little bit sturdier if you ask me.) It's rolled down many of our little hills and been ridden out. Have ridden it hard for 3500+ miles in our heavy, wet, western Washington snow....haven't gone through any rings, and a visual on the rings and a leak-down test is still showing they have alot of life left in them.
Aside from some bumper issues and a windshield that; (although it pops off when I go through it, is still suseptable to breakage, especially if you land on it in a rockpile...) it's been a great machine. It can still outclimb most of the machines I ride with. I did replace the skis and the can. Skis because the stock ones suck and the can because it was easier to lose the weight there than anywhere else on the machine. I don't think you can go wrong whatever you find in your price range.
Aside from some bumper issues and a windshield that; (although it pops off when I go through it, is still suseptable to breakage, especially if you land on it in a rockpile...) it's been a great machine. It can still outclimb most of the machines I ride with. I did replace the skis and the can. Skis because the stock ones suck and the can because it was easier to lose the weight there than anywhere else on the machine. I don't think you can go wrong whatever you find in your price range.
