The art of buying snowmobiles, and selling them.

[pano-dude]

This is defiantly my thinking going forward buy holdover machines between March and April very likely to put that 1000-1500km on a year. Try to keep yearly hit at $3000

Bought my holdover 18 850 summit last March and saved 4k.

 

[Bnorth]

For the most part I have found depreciation to be about $2/km if you keep a sled for a few years. 4000 km is about the limit for me. Past that you are looking at needing at least a top end plus more risk of a bottom end and you need to start to do bushings and bearings which add up quick. You are either taking it in depreciation or in maintenance costs, it's your choice. I choose depreciation so I am not turning wrenches all the time. I have found the best value is to buy something with about 1000 km and then run it to 4000 km and sell it. Generally no repairs besides those that are self inflicted, no major maintenance, and the 1st owner took the bulk of the depreciation from new.

 

[lilduke]

bushings are cheap. if you don't like wrenching hard to avoid I find. i generally have to fix something after every hard ride, even on a brand new sled...

wrench ride repeat.


buying hold overs is a good idea though.

 

[Bnorth]

bushings are cheap. if you don't like wrenching hard to avoid I find. i generally have to fix something after every hard ride, even on a brand new sled...

wrench ride repeat.


buying hold overs is a good idea though.

I like wrenching but like not needing to always wrench especially on ****tier jobs. Maintenance is easy and my sled is usually apart after every ride weekend for at least a checkover, clean clutches etc.

 

[lilduke]

I like wrenching but like not needing to always wrench especially on ****tier jobs. Maintenance is easy and my sled is usually apart after every ride weekend for at least a checkover, clean clutches etc.

for the harder stuff and warranty work I take my sled to banner in golden.

easy stuff I do, for quick fix''s in revy full speed and power house or infinite depending on what I need done.

 

[lilduke]

just for an example. a new sled is going to cost me 15-20g


I could fix the freeride for 1500 - 2g and be good to go another 5000km.


only reason I'm not doing that is because technologies have progressed enough that my sled is
a bit dated now.

 

[Jorg Jorgenson]

Not sure if someone has already mentioned, but I look to buy a 2(ish) year old sled that has been hardly ridden , say a few hundred miles) and you’ll pay 60% what it would have been new from the dealer. Ride it for a couple years and get it up to 2500 miles(ish), sell for a few thousand less than what you bought it for. You’re still selling a good machine that you can trust to give to someone else to enjoy, and still have a fairly saleable sled compared to one that’s got 3000-3500 or more miles.

Better than being the guy that buys a new sled from dealer and takes the loss, I’m typically buying from those guys haha

 

[c_nelson99]

I know I'll never snow check again, bought a 09 M1000 at the end of 09 for under 10k out the door and rode it till 15 when I snow checked a new M8000 for 15k. Sold the old M1000 for $5500 and it had like 5000miles on it barely spent any money on it besides all the bs performance parts I bought.

2 guys I ride with both got holdover 800 Pro's last yr and put sidekick turbos on them for the same price as a guy we know got his snowcheck 850 pro for. Personally my next sled is a holdover or a low mile used sled,I don't see the value in the snowcheck.

 

[The Kickass One]

Take a holiday trip down south or buy a new sled?

Money out the door!

 

[jhurkot]

Buy new or really low km. Ride it for 1 year and sell it in Sept-Nov. All other options are worse.

 

[Caper11]

I really thought when Rotax put direct oiling on the crankshaft bearings in the 850 engine reliability was gonna go way up, more on par with 4 stroke.
But in reality I think the 800 etec may have been a more reliable engine.

I agree the chassis can take 10,000km with no issues.

Has any looked into the cost of doing a swap on a running engine?

The 19 engine is a different engine over the 18-17.

 

[skegpro]

The 19 engine is a different engine over the 18-17.

Oh, what did they update?

 

[Ronaha]

Yup I’m always buying 2 sleds or quads so I shop smart aswel, it’s crazy to think when people buy stuff new,then have to sell for whatever reason,they burned up anywhere from $4000-$6000 just to ride 1000km or under....they would of been better renting lol

 

[Caper11]

Oh, what did they update?

Oiling system.

 

[pfi572]

And people wonder why AC went to basically mail order and the dealers are packing it in?
I am a cheap SOB as well but if I walk into a dealer and people treat me well and price is fair ?
I will order from them and feel good about paying .
If I walk in and don’t get the time of day ? Not happening as they are too busy for this guy as they sit on there ass looking at the phone or computer screen .
One dealer I was Impressed with was RiderZ and haven’t bought a thing from them.
Walked in a few years ago and the owner was dealing with someone that I would have told to pound sand after listening for a bit .
Customer was completely wrong but he kept is cool and sure tried to make it okay .
I waited till the owner finished and introduced myself and shook his hand ,telling him well done !!
I am sure a few other dealers do this as well but I know others that are completely terrible if you’re not in the specific group . Lol
Anyway , Alberta has been on a roll for a numbered years and I think owners better be having meetings and grooming employees to change attitudes.
Happy dealing

 

[skegpro]

And people wonder why AC went to basically mail order and the dealers are packing it in?
I am a cheap SOB as well but if I walk into a dealer and people treat me well and price is fair ?
I will order from them and feel good about paying .
If I walk in and don’t get the time of day ? Not happening as they are too busy for this guy as they sit on there ass looking at the phone or computer screen .
One dealer I was Impressed with was RiderZ and haven’t bought a thing from them.
Walked in a few years ago and the owner was dealing with someone that I would have told to pound sand after listening for a bit .
Customer was completely wrong but he kept is cool and sure tried to make it okay .
I waited till the owner finished and introduced myself and shook his hand ,telling him well done !!
I am sure a few other dealers do this as well but I know others that are completely terrible if you’re not in the specific group . Lol
Anyway , Alberta has been on a roll for a numbered years and I think owners better be having meetings and grooming employees to change attitudes.
Happy dealing

Cat ****ed up that snow check program big time this year.

Full full pop for a sled and zero warranty past the first year.

No thanks.

 

[LMLCHEVY]

Cat ****ed up that snow check program big time this year.

Full full pop for a sled and zero warranty past the first year.

No thanks.

Didn’t really matter much though. The extended warranty was/is third party and really not worth a pinch of coin $hit anyways.

 

[skegpro]

Didn’t really matter much though. The extended warranty was/is third party and really not worth a pinch of coin $hit anyways.

A good dealer could still navigate it.

I really hope for the dealer's sake and the industry's sake Textron turns this around.

They are gonna be majorly disappointed with their sales numbers this year.

 

[c_nelson99]

A good dealer could still navigate it.

I really hope for the dealer's sake and the industry's sake Textron turns this around.

They are gonna be majorly disappointed with their sales numbers this year.

I really hope they get their stuff together just supplying parts for the sleds they sell, 2 yrs ago couldn't get a steering post for like 2 months. This yr I needed an a-arm and it is back ordered until end of april. There is a lot to be said about access to parts keeping these toys usable and so far Cat has royally sh*t the bed the last 3 yrs.

 

[Got boost want snow]

I find it hard to take a 4-6 thousand dollar hit on a toy after just a year. Doesn't matter which manufacturer builds the junk they are all the same. I love to ride but am to the point I will never own another new sled! jmo