Good year to buy ?

[funrider]

Hi I am looking to buy a 2000-2004 summit 151 ish whitch is the best year to buy? I have an 02 renegade 136x1.25 zx chasis I would like to be able to go to the mountians with friends and ride at home with the kids. Any advice the good/bad&ugly would be appreciated. Thanks Bill

 

[Bburrap]

To be honest with you, for the Summit Rev chassis, the 06 is the undisputed champ. That is if you were looking for the rev over the zx, which I would highly suggest.
Just my .02

B

 

[catmando]

As said above,Go with the rev chassis,04 wasnt the best year but you could likely pick one up fairly reasonable!
Way more fun to ride!
catmando!

 

[slednek]

definately go with the rev chassis. Have an 04 and love it. I have had no problems at all with over 4000km's. Agree with catmando about the 06.

 

[steveo10]

06 is the yr to get if you want to bump up a couple of yrs

 

[tchcont]

06 is the 1 you want.

 

[2003Summit]

Hi I am looking to buy a 2000-2004 summit 151 ish whitch is the best year to buy? I have an 02 renegade 136x1.25 zx chasis I would like to be able to go to the mountians with friends and ride at home with the kids. Any advice the good/bad&ugly would be appreciated. Thanks Bill

I don't know if I would buy an 03 or 04 rev. An 05 or newer would be better. For sure not an 04 though, some early release problems there, although some serious owners will have worked the bugs out of them.

I have an 03 ZX 600 chassis, and it's a great sled. The 03 had a better engine (more power/better economy) and better TRA clutch than the 02 and a better track, all are significant improvements over the 02. My stock 03 ZX 600HO pulls very hard for a 600 and still impresses me. I have also ridden 01 and 02 800's that were pretty strong sleds too. Some people with 01 and 02 800 sleds have upgraded the clutches to TRA-4 and they have done very well with them (a take off clutch from a newer rev and a cheep upgrade or an 01/02).

Others are right though, a rev is a better riding/handing sled out of the box if you can find one both in your budget and that has not been road too hard. But I would try and look for an 05 or newer. Its really going to come down to budget and what type of gem you might find in a sled. If you have a limited budget and it comes down to taking a beat up rev or a well cared for ZX, you might be better getting the sled that is better taken care of. Millage does not matter very much, I have seen sleds with only 3000km that were beat pretty hard, and sleds that had 8000km and were still a solid buy. You really got to look at the condition of it. Nothing worse then wrenching a sled when you should be riding.

The ZX is still a solid product though, not like it's going to give you trouble or something - it works well, handles well, goes through the snow well. The ZX chassis can also be easily be improved over stock for deep snow riding with a riser kit on the bars, 4" riser makes a big improvement for riding in deep snow. Even a 2" riser helps a bit, but 4" or 6" or 8" is better. A higher seat also helps, but if you buy one and have to make $1000 of upgrades to it, maybe just buy the rev?? Depends if you just want to be able to go the hills (which a stock ZX will do just fine) if you want some serous time in the hills (means you will want a better/newer sled).

Get a 144" 2" track if you are going to the mountains. 136" is not enough. Don't get anything longer than 151" if you still want to ride quite a bit around here, too long is not so nice on the trails. 144" is kind of a sweet spot for versatility. An 800 in hills helps a fair bit over a 600. Although I can still go through a fair bit with my 600, but 800's are more fun. Around here 600 vs 800 is not so important.

 

[OVERKILL 19]

I went from a 01 800 ZX to a 06 800X. I was amazed at how much better IMO the rev was over the ZX. I was going to upgrade this last year again to the XP. But I really could not justify the $5-6000 difference. I love my 06X but any rev will be better than a ZX, again IMO. The Rev made me a way better rider, I did not have to be WOT every were I went as I did with the ZX.

 

[funrider]

Thanks everyone
I is it wise money to buy a 06 between 5-6 or a new 08 summit everest 154 with all updates for 9000.00
Thanks Bill

 

[Slamnek]

I also went from an 02 zx to an 05 Rev and it rocks. I have seen an 06 get the snot beat out of it every ride and it does'nt miss a beat. Strongest stock 800 for sure!!

 

[summitx]

I have an 08 with all the updates and absolutely love it. I was looking for an 06 when I bought last year but decided to go to the XP instead and have no regrets. Personal preference, you can't go wrong with either sled.

 

[OVERKILL 19]

I paid $12000 for my 06 the year before all the sled prices went to he!!. I would think a 08 @ $9000 is going to have way less miles on it compared to a 06 @$5000. I have rode the XP alot, great sled you won't be disapointed. The Xp has a DJ clutch kit,vent kit and a can, just to give you a idea of the mods done to it..... "I hate it when people say this sled is best ever, then you find out later it has $10000 worth of mods".

 

[summitx]

No mods to mine other than a can but I did gear it down to a 19T under warranty, I also put the new reverse helix on it and it works pretty good, gets me everywhere I want and more. Wouldn't mind putting a clutch kit in to really find the sleds potential. Still love it

 

[OVERKILL 19]

No mods to mine other than a can but I did gear it down to a 19T under warranty, I also put the new reverse helix on it and it works pretty good, gets me everywhere I want and more. Wouldn't mind putting a clutch kit in to really find the sleds potential. Still love it

Sorry, did not mean for my last post to read like it was directed at you. It was not my intention. I have been bouncing from fourm to fourm, where I saw this "my sled is the best crap" but forgot to mention that it has a $5000 M10, a $6000 turbo and a whole host of other add on's.

 

[summitx]

didn't think you were directing anything this way and I agree with you on the :my sled rocks / is best" posts. Just wanted to let funrider know not to listed to all the hype out there that as long as the updates are done the XP is a pretty damn good sled out of the box.

 

[OVERKILL 19]

My 06 is a great sled but I don't think it will keep up with my brother's XP stock. My next sled will be a XP! I just don't think you can beat the light weight.

 

[2003Summit]

Thanks everyone
I is it wise money to buy a 06 between 5-6 or a new 08 summit everest 154 with all updates for 9000.00
Thanks Bill

if you can get an xp for 9K and you can afford it, don't even think about it, get it as long as it is not beat. I would seroulsly regret spending 6K on rev when you could have an XP for 9K. It's a no brainer. No only is it 2 models years newer, it's a generational improvement. Ski-doo was pretty good at updating the bugs on the 08, if it's updated it will be pretty solid.

 

[Slamnek]

i still don't think the xp will take the abuse That a Rev will. I could be wrong, just my thoughts. The xp's do work really good though.

 

[funrider]

Hey summitx Have you or anyone heard of the xp's trenching? more than they should?
Would this be rear spring related?(saging) Thanks for all the feedback I am looking to buy before or on Fridaythe 13th. ??? (hope no bad omen)
new 08 xp looks good (9100.00) or a/c 09 800 hcr (12900.00) would have to finace
Thanks everyone

 

[enis750]

u wont be disspointed w the REV chassy
mine is an 03.5 Summit REV 800HO 144..thing rips
i have alot done to it, and it keeps up just fine
also has over 5600kms on it (new top end less than 700 kms ago)
looks brand new to me

i would like to upgrade to something w warranty, but not 100% SOLD on the XP yet
I have ridden a few, and honeslty, my sled feels like it has 20+ more HP
maybe b/c it is set up so good, i dunno man
but im NOT leaning towards the XP right now.....nothing out there really impresses me a whole bunch

will keep mine until one of the big 4 release a decent sled
good luck w your decision...but you wont be dissapointed w the o6 REV dude

heres mine