I bought a '01 400 4x4 about 2 months ago, so far it has done everything I have asked it to. I paid $4750 and got the $69 Warn winch deal. I also got the Cycle Country Vee blade for it, no snow yet, but I have used it to push rock and dirt around, I have also used it to drag my full-size Bronco around the yard to work on it. It was woking to get the Bronco moving, but it seems to run out of traction before it runs out of power. The main reason I went with the 400 was that no other brand could touch the price in that class, an excellent dealer, and I have always has good luck with Cat snowmobiles, and hope this 400 will be as good.

Dale
'01 AC400 4x4
'99 AC ZL500efi

 

ATV MAN,
I paid $6700.00 CDN for the bike it is a 2000 model bought in April. The US price would be around $4400.00.

Cheers Jim

 

Hey Boner, if you recall another ATV magazine trashed the AC500 Auto as well. We both know Arctic Cat makes a good machine but most of the people in this forum own 500's. So I think that your opinion may be based on your choice of machine. I almost bought the 300 knowing that it had less power than the 400, but it has better supension, the only reason I didn't is the front differential is a conventional clutched limited slip. The 400 and 500 use cam followers and provide a little better traction.
Cheers Jim

 

I bet you didn't know that you could lock the front end of a 300 with only a 5 min adjustment. You would lose 2wd, but you don't have 2wd on the 400 either so it realy would not matter. By lossening a bolt moving a lever and tightening the bolt back up you will have 4wd limited slip/ 4wd locker on the 300.

So, which has a better front differential now?

 

I was aware of the ability to lock the 300, but was led to believe that you would end up with only two positions available 4wd/4wdlock. The other thing the dealer told me was that due to the independant supension in some situations you actually lose ground clearance. The AC rep also told me that the top speed was 38 MPH. This was not going to be fast enough for travelling on dirt roads for me, come to think of it, he basically talked me out of the 300. My dealer was also out of 300,s and offered me the 400 for $500 CDN more. I had already been waiting for two weeks and could wait no more. Anyway, as I said earlier, the 400 is good value for my money. My only complaint is the lack of after market stuff. I was told this ahead of time but didn't listen. Maybe I should have bought a Honda, not.
Cheers Jim