What Quad To Buy...

[Tippmannr]

Hey guys. We have a '03 Sportsman 500 and a 2009 XP 550. We had to pull them both back from the lake due to problems. The new 550 has a lot of problems in particular.

We are looking at a new quad. I want a 850 XP, because it is the cheapest. But, i don't want the problems. I usually spend about 1/4 time utility/pushing snow in the winter, 1/4 mudding, and 1/2 driving on the gravel roads and trails. I want minimum problems for as low as price as possible, and would like to not buy used as i know used quads can often be iffy. Any recommendations?
Thanks guys.

 

[FTBeaver]

What kind of problems have you had with the 550? Mine has been great.

 

[Tippmannr]

2 engines, and a few electrical issues. The frustrating thing is i took it into a dealer last month to get the engine repaired, then i went to plow some snow and it wouldn't run right, so i took it to the dealer again to get them to check it over. Nothing was wrong, so it went to the lake this weekend and it wouldn't run. The repair bill on my '03 has been about half of the 550, and it is 8 years older and has 1000 more miles.

 

[Remington721]

I would checkout the new 2012 brute force with powersteering

 

[..Stiffler..]

You want something with next to no issues look at a grizzly 700. They lack the power of the big V twins but they are reliable if treated good. If you want power look at a can-am. Asy to,work on and great warranty if issues come up.

 

[MacMud]

Dont think you can really go wrong with any 2012 model .. I have a 06 Kingquad 700 very happy with it .. But if I were to buy a new one .. It would be a Brute 750 .. Or a slightly used Outy 800 .Like Stiffler mentioned that 700 motor in the Grizz is a very tough reliable power plant .. Maybe stay away from the Polaris this time !!

 

[OnlyPolaris]

no issues that weren't self inflicted on my 850 and it spends most of its time rack deep in water.

 

[kbrunlees]

You are going to have as many opinions as there are grains of sand on the beach. They all have flaws, they all are good machines, some are just better at doing somethings. Some you have to modify the heck out of to get it do what you want. For absolute reliability ,Honda, but not really exciting and not a lot of things you can do to it, Can Am great power lots to modify but expensive as hell. Grizzlies are tough machines but they don't like to get drowned much( but what machine does) Some people swear by them, others at them. Maintainence is the key to any machine. If you can get a low milage machine you can get lucky. I got a 07 max xt with Mudbugs for 6500 two years ago with only 700 kms, added a stealth snorkle and full under armour. Love my machine and the wife gets upset if I don't get us covered in mud. Go with your gut, but do some research and make the best choice for you.

 

[Bisch]

I don't see a lot of people talking about the Arctic Cat Quads. I have a 2003 500 that has been a good machine for me, and I'm thinking about getting a coup,e new ones (one for the wife, and a new one for me) with power steering. Looked at the AC 700 and it looked pretty good. Most buddies have Honda.

 

[doorfx]

My cats have been bulletproof not one issue. Regular maintenance and thumb control go a long ways to making any machine last. The I can go anywhere mentality without doing the preventative things first get people in trouble. Then they blame the machine!! The new 700 cat with ps is a nice machine. Only issues I've read is motormounts need to be updated as they wear out pretty quick. Ps is flawless

 

[Bisch]

That is so true. I've happy with mine, but I think it's time to get a bigger machine.

 

[09 arctic cat m8]

go with a honda

 

[old mountain man]

Honda Foreman 500. Esp. if you want to pull any kind of load.

 

[TheMuffinMan]

Grizzly. Best combination of power, ride quality, and reliability out there. Some guys will say they are gutless which I never understood. I suppose if all you're into is throwing 30" mudders on and riding through the deepest pits you can find then they could use a little more jam, but I think there's more to riding than that. The 250lb weight difference between a grizzly and a big outty or sportsman goes a long way in real world riding situations. A 700 single might not be as exciting as having 70-80 HP, but it's certainly effective enough.

 

[storm1972]

try several models, pick the one that best suits your riding conditions, the ride will speak for itself

 

[Lowlife82]

Grizzly. Best combination of power, ride quality, and reliability out there. Some guys will say they are gutless which I never understood. I suppose if all you're into is throwing 30" mudders on and riding through the deepest pits you can find then they could use a little more jam, but I think there's more to riding than that. The 250lb weight difference between a grizzly and a big outty or sportsman goes a long way in real world riding situations. A 700 single might not be as exciting as having 70-80 HP, but it's certainly effective enough.

Yuppers!!!!!

 

[snowho]

I tried many and went with a smaller one cause I am a smaller rider only 150 lb. 2011 Honda 420TRX and SS rims with 26" swamp lites with no issues. My buddies have 700 grizzlies and 750 brute forces and like them too. I keep up with them no problem and feel I can transfer my weight easier to manoeuvre it. You do not ride faster just smarter.

 

[MacMud]

No one mentioned the King Quad .. Mine has been very reliable .. Its heavily modified including a VDI .. Lift kit .. 28 inch mud tires .. And i dont baby it by any means .. The 2008 and up models have all the previous issues fixed .. And there cheap .. As far as Arctic Cats go .. I think there a great choice for muddin .. High ground clearance .. But if I were buying a new one it would be a King Quad or Griz with PS