Many of us often get a headache when shopping for a pre-owned snowmobile. We all have the same goal in mind, to find a vehicle that will meet our needs, at a good price and most of all, in good condition. The idea is to avoid others’ problems or to avoid models that did not prove their reliability over time. Polaris offers many interesting models produced in the past years, that would be a good choice in used snowmobile market.
In order to reach your legitimate goal of making « the right purchase », you must take into consideration two basic elements. Firstly, take a look at the maintenance and storage conditions of the vehicle during its lifetime. Of course, this aspect becomes more important as the vehicle gets older. Secondly, without doubt, you must consider the reputation of the machine and concretely, the number of problems listed per sold unit. It is precisely with this in mind that I am going in this article to suggest the Polaris models of the past 15 years that are a good purchase in the pre-owned snowmobile industry.
To find these proven models, it would be very useful to get statistics on their reliability, which unfortunately is not offered in the industry. To achieve our goal, we must meet someone who sees a lot of these models passing by all year long and furthermore, who takes care of the maintenance of these vehicles. This is why my first reaction for this article has been to refer to a dealer I trust, who knows the Polaris products and who will advise me impartially. So, I contacted Mr Christian Barbeau and team members of CM Barbeau, Polaris dealer in northern Québec City.
The first model is a reliable snowmobile with a simple but efficient technology, the Indy Lite GT 340. For example, this lightweight snowmobile is perfect for those you are looking for a small, not expensive vehicle for the cottage. Those who regularly take care of their maintenance say that the 340cc engine with axial ventilation is « indestructible ». Its technology is simple, so maintenance and repair costs are corresponding.
In the Touring snowmobile category, the 600 Touring series with Liberty engine produced from 2000 to 2003 is an excellent choice. Due to the Xtra-12 suspension, that was very comfortable at that time and even still today, it is a good touring snowmobile at a reasonable price. The 2004 to 2007 models are equipped with the excellent M-10 suspension and they were also a good choice, despite a loss of power of the 600cc in comparison with its predecessor. The reliability of the 600cc is renowned and these vehicles offer a good quality-price ratio.
In the Mountain snowmobile category, the 600 RMK on PRO-RIDE chassis of years 2011 to 2015 will not disappoint. With a proven chassis, these snowmobiles offered in 144 and 155 in./365,8 and 393,7 cm editions provided good performance. Once again, the 600cc engine is very reliable and remains the most powerful of the industry for this size.
Finally, we must not forget the Performance snowmobile category. The 600 and 800cc Rush are good purchases versus their sale price. You must avoid 2010 models, but models from 2011 are interesting and can also be worth buying in the 137 in./348 cm edition named Switchback.
As you can see, many generations of Polaris 600cc engines have been efficient year after year. Let’s be honest, this size of engine has always shown the best reliability and durability in the industry, and most especially at Polaris’. An engine with good performance that ages well.
Of course, this article is not an absolute guarantee when time comes to buy a second-hand snowmobile. However, according to the law of averages, these models, if well maintained, are more likely to be better purchases than others. This said, have a great shopping time and remember that a dealer you can trust is still one of your greatest assets.
