Quad shopping?

[gregp]

I am currently actively shopping for a 4x4 quad. I have been perusing CL for days now, and the choices get a bit confusing. I am looking at a Grizzly 450, Outlanders, and Honda's, from Rancher's to Rincon's. I am going to be using this machine for yard work and trail riding. I have owned quads in the past - a 1987 Honda 300 fourtrax and a 2000 Grizzly 600, and I have been stuck with both of them, so I know how important a winch is. I would like to have a differential locker as well, but those seem a bit rare (the Grizzly 450 has one). I would also like to have IRS for a nice ride, as my wife wants to ride this machine as well.
I am looking for input (good or bad) or recommendations. Also, if anybody knows of a decent deal on one, I would appreciate the heads up.
Thanks!

[Rodney54]

Im a huge Yamaha fan. The Grizzly 450 is a great ride. independent suspension saves your body on those long rides. With a winch and a nice set of ITP mud lights youll be able to perform awesome in the mud/trails.

[R7]

on the grizzly 450. My neighbor was shopping for a quad for the longest time and scored a deal on one from craigslist. Seeing him pull a 4x8 trailer heaped full of firewood from the woods has me impressed.
I have the older model of that, the Kodiak 400. It handles everything I toss at it with ease, from plowing snow, hauling firewood from the woods, and even pulling a trailer full of stones out of the woods. It doesn't have IRS but rides surprisingly well

[gregp]

Have you guys had any problems with your Yamaha's? I have heard bad things about the Polaris machines, but I also read that they have made improvements every year. I also read that the Bombardiers/Can-Am's can have frame issues with their SST design.
I had the fuel pump go bad on my Honda (after 20 years!), and a CV joint go bad on the Grizzly, but only after the boot had been torn by the previous owner.
Also, I am considering Honda's, for their renowned reliability, but I am curious as to how well their "limited slip" front differential works. Same with the Can-Am "Visco-lock" front end. I can not imagine that either of them work nearly as well as a conventional locker. Has anybody had any experience with them? Both my Fourtrax and my Grizzly would spin only 1 front wheel in the deep snow, and I often got stuck with both of them because of this. This is why I want a locker so badly.

[gregp]

I have also heard of sprag clutch issues on the big Grizzly's (but I do not believe that it applies to the 450, but I could be wrong), and I think that I saw an upgrade kit somewhere...

[TheIglu]

I have a Prairie 360. It's not a play quad in any regards. Enough squirt to have fun riding it around and on trails, but nothing for top speed (probably 30mph max).

It has the same running gear as the Brute Force. Solid rear axle, but from what I've heard, very durable. Has a lever actuated front locker. When I'm pulling a trailer full of cordwood up my steep hill in the front yard (think stairs steep), 4wd works great most of the time but the 4wd plus holding the locker lever really locks that thing into the terrain, even when shitty stock tires.

I've skidded logs with it too. No issue with power, run out of traction before power in most situations.

I'd take a look at the Brute Force line, same exact running gear as I have, just better engine and some extra goodies.

And I hate to say this, because I don't want to start a shit-storm, but from what I've read on countless forums, stay away from Artic Cat. Their trannies/drivetrain just don't hold up to any abuse. I nearly bought a 2001 500 two days ago because it had a nice Moose plow and winch, but the tranny was dead. Did a little homework first before tossing the guy an offer, the list of "won't shift" or "clutches spin but no movement" issues on the ATV forums is huge. All with "split the cases" as a repair. No thanks.

[gregp]

Thank You for the heads up on the Artic Cats! I looked at a couple on CL, and they looked like very nice machines... They seem to be the least popular of all of the brands, though.
A co-worker has a Praire 360 2wd machine. I just recently helped him replace the pinion gear in his rear drive. I had never seen one split in half before! It seems his wife got stuck going up a steep rocky hill, and rolled the machine backwards, up against a tree. She had a large rock right in front of one of the rear tires as well, so she really had to beat on the machine to get it dislodged. Eventually, by doing this, the pinion gear shattered!
I rode it a little bit after we repaired it, and it is a very nice machine. I like the size - not too big, not too small, but I would never buy a 2wd utility machine.

[TheIglu]

You are welcome to come try my 4wd 360....

[Stoneman]

I'm a happy A/C owner. For what it's worth, almost ANY A/C was manu'd by wunna the Jap companies until recently. The 400 & 500's utes & the DVX 400 are all 'Zook, while the 650 & 700's are all Kawi. The smaller ones were mostly Kymcos. Arctic Cat did very little-to-none manufacturing of their own ATV lines until recently...

As was pointed out, stay away from Polaris. There's a small handful of happy onwers, the rest own Jap machines now. BRP products are great, high-end machines but the repair bills on those are outrageous...

If I was to go out TODAY and buy a ute 4x4, it'd be hands down the Grizz 700. But I continue to be incredibly happy with my Arctic Cat 400 (Suzuki running gear - engine, tranny, suspension, etc). And I've put that thing through pure hell in it's short (3 year) life...

[KB]

I'm a happy A/C owner. For what it's worth, almost ANY A/C was manu'd by wunna the Jap companies until recently. The 400 & 500's utes & the DVX 400 are all 'Zook, while the 650 & 700's are all Kawi. The smaller ones were mostly Kymcos. Arctic Cat did very little-to-none manufacturing of their own ATV lines until recently...

As was pointed out, stay away from Polaris. There's a small handful of happy onwers, the rest own Jap machines now. BRP products are great, high-end machines but the repair bills on those are outrageous...

If I was to go out TODAY and buy a ute 4x4, it'd be hands down the Grizz 700. But I continue to be incredibly happy with my Arctic Cat 400 (Suzuki running gear - engine, tranny, suspension, etc). And I've put that thing through pure hell in it's short (3 year) life...

Speaking of you putting things through hell. Did you ever kill that lawn mower?

KB

[Stoneman]

Speaking of you putting things through hell. Did you ever kill that lawn mower?

KB

Different thread, but no. It still lives...

[gregp]

I just had to get a brake cable for my neighbor's Bombardier Quest 650. The cable that connects the hand brake lever to the foot brake pedal was $50. That seems a bit excessive to me. The same cable, for a Honda, is $19. Installing the cable was a whole new experience for me! I had to remove no less than 4 body panels, and the cable ran through a clamp that would not allow the ends of the cable to slip through it. I had to unbolt the clamp, and when I did, that same bolt held two frame members together, and they sprung apart just enough to make that little clamp the most miserable part of the whole experience! These types of construction techniques, along with the elevated parts prices, make the Outlander look less attractive to me.
Interesting information on the Artic Cat's, though, but the Grizzly 450 is looking better every day...
Any feedback on the Honda's? Particularly the limited slip front ends? It looks like all but the top-of-the-line Rincon have a solid rear axle, and they look to have less ground clearance than the others...

[gregp]

Stoneman, what year and model is your Cat? At this point, I am still considering everything, depending on what kind of deals are out there. I would even consider buying new, if there are deals available. I am a bit surprised that in this economy, I am not finding much for deals on new machines out there. I think that I saw a Honda ad for 0% for 60 months or something like that...but not much on the Yamaha's...

[Stoneman]

Stoneman, what year and model is your Cat? At this point, I am still considering everything, depending on what kind of deals are out there. I would even consider buying new, if there are deals available. I am a bit surprised that in this economy, I am not finding much for deals on new machines out there. I think that I saw a Honda ad for 0% for 60 months or something like that...but not much on the Yamaha's...

We have an '07 400 4x4 w/ manual shift (I'm a purist) and a 250 2x4 fully auto...

Besides mud runs and water holes, the 400's been used regularly since new to plow my yard & most of my road, pull trees down, skid logs, pull an F150 out of a ditch by my house, pull my old Murano outta a snow bank, move my boat & trailer around, pull docks in & out of my lake, lug rocks & stone around, haul firewood, keep the ice track plowed, and on & on & on. It's never skipped a beat, but if I don't keep a charge on the battery it'll commit suicide in a coupla years - but my winch gets A LOT of use too...

If people have standard complaints about certain 'Cat models, you should be finding similar complaints about their Jap counterparts. As I stated, it wasn't until recently that 'Cat started manufacturing their own quads. And by recently, I mean they started making SOME of their own running gear last year, but not for all of their models...

[Stoneman]

Not to try to push anyone toward the Arctic Bandwagon. But some of the things that won me over when I was looking was they had the most clearance (12"), the most suspension travel (10") and the largest gas tanks (6.5 gallons) over other comparable models. Plus at the time they were offering a '0-0-0' thing PLUS a 2-year warranty (never had to use it). It was 0 down, 0% for a year, and 0 payments for 6 months. We just rode the 'free' wave and made payments to pay 'em off in 10 months...

Most manu's are offering low interest financing right now, aren't they?

[Stoneman]

If people have standard complaints about certain 'Cat models, you should be finding similar complaints about their Jap counterparts. As I stated, it wasn't until recently that 'Cat started manufacturing their own quads. And by recently, I mean they started making SOME of their own running gear last year, but not for all of their models...

By counterparts, I meant brethren. That is, if the 400 & 500 have 'typical' problems, the Zook 400 & 500 should be the same. If you're finding common complaints about the 650, then you should be finding the same complaints about the Kawi 650. The 250 & 366 should have the same problems as the Kymco 250 & 366. The DVX line is also Zook made. You get the point though...

[gregp]

Stoneman, Thanks for all of the information on the AC series. I did some more research, and you are right - they look like some of the best machines out there! Longer wheel travel, higher ground clearance, and large fuel capacities. If their reliability is not an issue, they really seem to be at the top of the ratings. I did read that they are very wide, though - because they are so tall, they need the stability. Some of the trails that I ride are very tight, so this might cause some problems. I also read something about the steering being "linear" with no progression as the bars get turned more towards full lock. Testers did not seem to like this for trail riding and folks had the bars ripped out of their hands. OTOH, they liked it for utilty work. I also read something about the rear suspension systems on their older (2002?) machines - it was not IRS, but it behaved very good. I could not find much information about it, though.
After seeing some of the *beat* offerings on the used market, I just might purchase a new one. I will keep looking for a while longer....but the Arctic Cat machines will definately be high on the list. I have not found many used recent models for sale, though...

[Sheppo]

Yes most manufacturers have some form of low interest rate promotions all the time.
Arctic Cat is the one manufaturer I don't know any one selling so I can try and hook you up with a good sales rep.

[RC51FMT]

I have a Brute force 750i Ive been thinking of selling . It has low hours . I just put some carlile mudwolfs on it . there unbelievable . And they better be for the price. $400. All fluids have been changed . I have the mass title. Has winch . $4800 let me know if your interested. Its the red one in the pics. These pics were before the new tires ,that are wider and 4" taller

[Stoneman]

...I have not found many used recent models for sale, though...

What does that tell ya?

[Stoneman]

I have a Brute force 750i Ive been thinking of selling . It has low hours . I just put some carlile mudwolfs on it . there unbelievable . And they better be for the price. $400. All fluids have been changed . I have the mass title. Has winch . $4800 let me know if your interested. Its the red one in the pics. These pics were before the new tires ,that are wider and 4" taller

Those're great machines...

[RC51FMT]

Those're great machines...

Thanks, and yes it has so much power . Here are some phone pics of it recently with the new tires

[RC51FMT]

I looked today and it has 266 miles and 56 hours on it.

[gregp]

lol. Here is a clip I found demonstrating the need for a diff lock option, a winch, and high ground clearance:

YouTube - brute force 750 grizzly 660 kitty cat 700

It would not be a stretch of the imagination for me to find myself in a similar situation...but it would probably be snow, instead of mud, and I would be alone...

[RC51FMT]

Nice video , Ya the Brute force 750i is an unbeilevable machine.

lol. Here is a clip I found demonstrating the need for a diff lock option, a winch, and high ground clearance:

YouTube - brute force 750 grizzly 660 kitty cat 700

It would not be a stretch of the imagination for me to find myself in a similar situation...but it would probably be snow, instead of mud, and I would be alone...