I'm looking at getting another quad but not sure what to buy. My cousin works at a Polaris dealer and gets trades all the time. He can basically buy any trade for like 10% over what the dealer paid for it. (ex. they just traded for a 2003 sportsman500 for $1500. He could get it for $1650) So basically I can get a really good deal on a Polaris if I choose that direction. I don't know that much about any quad as far as what to look for but basically I want something somewhat fast, preferably manual tranny, and good all around on wide open and technical stuff. I really like the scrambler500 just because of the 2x4/4x4 option. I really don't like the utility type quads and the scrambler is the closest I want to get to that. But I don't really like the auto trans. Any suggestions???

Thanks,
-CJ

 

CJ, I personally wouldn't buy a Polaris for a good deal unless I was going to turn around and sell it. I'm just not a Polaris fan. But from what you said you need a sport quad. It doesn't sound like you would be very happy with a ute. I'm sure that dealer also gets sport trades so just wait it out, and get what you will be happy with. Don't buy something because of a good deal. Unless your gonna make money on it. A quad is a pretty big investment and if you don't like it, then you just wasted your money.

 

Do some searching here on the forms and give yourself time.........Do what I did ..read, talk to friends, internet, search dealers, And bought the ATV buyers guide. Then made my choice!!!....Caper...

 

rinman is correct the sportsman is a big utility machine, not something you would enjoy based on the riding you described. that being said the 500 sp is damn good machine for what it's designed for.

 

Go ride a few. I did back in 99. Decided on a Honda Foreman but hadn't rode a polaris yet. Co-worker bought one (Sportsman 500), I asked to ride it, and called Honda to cancel. Love Honda quality, but the machines didn't compare in my opinion. On my third Sportsman since.

 

Thnaks for the replies,

I didn't mean I was going to buy the sportsman I just used it as an example of how good of a deal I could get on a Polaris. I plan on going out and riding anything I am looking at to buy but I just wondered if there was any reason I shouldn't buy a Polaris. My cousin is a junior in college to be a doctor so he won't work there for ever and If I do buy a Polaris the good deals on parts and such won't be there for ever hence the question "should I buy based on a good deal"

 

Only if the deal is so good that if you don't like it you can sell it with no loss. I bought a 2001 Polaris 325 Trail Boss for $800. We used it for about a year and sold it for $1500.

 

I'm not going to bash a Polaris. They are super capable machines and Polaris sells a ton of them. But my negativity to them comes from one that used to ride with us. About the only thing it was good for was stretching a tow rope. It ruined several trips. Maybe it was from lousy maintenance or lack there of. But when the handle bars broke off on the trail, I have seen how cheaply they were installed. I just think the build quaility is pathetic. This is my opinion and I'm not trying to start a fight. Alot of people have never had a problem with them and they are very capable machines. But this one left a very bad taste in my mouth.

 

Who else make the selectible 2x4/4x4 option? I have tried the search on several occasions and must not be doing something right. For example I typed selectable (and) 4x4. And look in title and body and it said "no results found" I think I'm sold on the selectability of 4wd. I like trail riding but also love to go out and tear up the straight aways.

My riding experiences have included a Wolverine350, Kodiak400, Fourtrax250 Ute., and a Scrambler500. The first three were way to slow for me but the Kodiak kicked butt on the rocky trails.

 

maybe they willg et a trade for an outlaw that has a manual tranny