looking at used sportsman and for some odd reason it looks like 2002 700's are cheaper than 500 HO's? Is it because of the water pump problem or are there other problems I need to be worried about. Cruising the internet i see very low prices like $3500-$4000 for '02's. I guess my question is what should I be looking for in the new 600-700 sportsmans. How can I be assured the waterpump is fixed, what other known problems occured in the 2002's? Should I just stick with the trusty 500, or go all out and get some torque in the v-twins? thanks

 

the Sportsman 700s arnt v-twins..

 

or am i wrong? i think that they are side-by-side

 

sorry your right they are parallel twins, been looking at too many motorcycles lately. still that's small potatoes compared to potential quality problems, any info on that??

 

im not familiar enough with sportmans to give any help, but somebody with knowledge will help soon.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

well called on some today, moral of the story if it looks too god to be true IT IS!! every bargain priced quad was a dead end, either a wrong phone number or disonnected number, I think the scam is they want your e-mail to get you to mail them a check who knows, but I prefer the phone to do my business. Still would like info on the known problems with the 6-700 twins.

 

Well, my experience with the SP 600s and 700s is just what I own and what my friends have (3 SP700s and 3 SP600s between us). The one issue that seems to be somewhat common betwee them is the waterpump mechanical seal (I think Polaris calls it the 'ceramic' seal). It tends to go out over time and cause a VERY VERY small leak. Like, I will see it drip one drop after I shut it off. It really is that small. Not sure why the seal seems to be a weak point. Another member on this forum says he has had good luck after he 'fixes' this weakness. Claims that dirt and junk finds its way back through the weep hole and slowly starts taking its toll on the seal. Sounds pretty believable to me and I will probably follow his advice on the fix. Anyway, as much as I wish it did not do this, it really is not that big of a problem to me. I fixed the one on my '02 700 and it was pretty easy to do. The only other known issue is the waterpump cover on my '02 (and ONLY on the '02 as they addressed it on all twins in '03 going forward). Sometimes the waterpump cover will warp and leak a tiny bit. There is a Polaris kit that fixes this - which consists of a metal plate that goes over the plastic waterpupmp cover, new o-rings, and new bolts. My dealer did it for free and it was fine after that.

Now, for the good stuff. In my humble opinion, you will not find a better work horse utility ATV. It has TONS of torque, unmatched pulling ability, unbelievable ride/suspension, super tough frame and undercarriage, killer ground clearance, a 4wd system, that when engages, has ALL 4 wheels turning, and super simple engine that requires little maintenace (only one carb... no valves to adjust, etc). There are plenty of good ATVs today, but if you want the toughest, most off road capable, get the SP's... and in my opinion, get the 600 or 700. If you want more of a sport utility or more of a racer, maybe consider the competition.... cuz the SPs are all business when it comes to work, rock crawling, and mudding.

 

ok thanks, do you have a preference on the 600 or 700?

 

I really don't see much of a difference between them. What little power difference there is almost not noticeable. If you were to buy brand new, I would go with the 700 (only because you get more 'stuff' for the price". If you buy an 03 SP 600/700 they are exactly the same except the motor. In 04 and later they took some stuff off the 600 (chrome wheels got replaced by black wheels and the rack extenders came off).