A couple of months ago I posted a thread about what to get a 400 Big bear or Kodiak or 400 or 500 Artic Cat. From the replies I kinda threw the 400 Cat and Big bear out and around here a kodiak sells for more than a AC 500 manual so I kinda decided on a 500 Cat for later in the summer when finances would be more accomidating. I have Yamaha and AC dealers nearby and the nearest Honda dealer is over 60 miles away and prices seemed high so I really had my mind set on a AC. Well a week ago I went with a friend to get some windows he ordered and low and behold we go by a Honda dealer so I say lets stop on the way back. So we stop and I'm checking out a 450 S with a $6299- price tag and naturally a salesman is trying to feel me out. Now I have no plans on buying one but anyway he says with the deals he has going he can go down to $5799, I say how about $5500. He says $5600- today only. Well I took it, no money down deal,12% for 24 months after that it goes up, $109 a month. I did'nt talk it over with my wife and she's po'd but getting over it. I don't know if I got a good deal or not but do like it and it has a noticable power and ride advantage over the Kodiaks and Big bear my friend has. Anyway I feel a little like a traitor as this Ac forum is my favorite as the other forums seem over whelmed with 2 wheel drive stuff. I also feel maybe I acted a little impulsively as the AC has low range , liquid cooling, and disc brakes but too late now. As it will be used mostly for fun and hunting I don't think I'll miss the low range much but anyway thanks for the input on my past thread.

 

Not to ruin your day but your impulse did cost you a better machine. Arctic Cat has rebates on all their machines. The 400 and 500 has a $400 rebate. The 300 has a $300 rebate. Lets see from my dealer here are the base prices. You need to add taxes and licensing.
$5,600 for the 500 auto 4X4
$5,300 for the 500 man 4X4
$4,500 for the 400 4X4
$4,300 for the 300 4X4

You also can still get the winch for $69 or a 2 year extended warranty. I have seen posted here that some dealers in MN are offering the 500 Man 4X4 for $5,100.

Now, not that Honda is a bad machine, I am sure you will be happy with the Honda. It will last a long time. The thing that matters is that you are riding and enjoying ATVing.

My Personal opinion is that Arctic Cat offers more features, same quality, and a better price. I believe that with Honda you pay for a name, with Arctic Cat you pay for the machine.

Good luck with making up with your wife... you should have tied a bow around it when you brought it home and told her it was hers. hehehe
I know if I would have done that with my wife I would be single and homeless right now!!!

 

Good luck on the new purchase. I think the new rebates on the cats are awesome. I want another to put three in our family "pride". I told my girlfriend I was going hunting one time and she was mad as all get out because we had a meeting at church to go to. I took all of my guns if you get my drift and made sure to come home before the 10 day waiting period was up! She still rides me on that one. I can't imagine what would happen if I came home with a $5500 quad. I hope you enjoy.

dakota r/t

 

I live in MN and the better numbers on a Manual 2001 500 CAT with a Warn 2000 installed average about $5525 add our sales tax if you are a local and you end up either side of $ 6000. There are some non-currents available from a dealer in Fargo ND which had some pretty good numbers but I can't think of the Dealer s name. I think they are out of 300's. One real important issue here is the Dealer. I would much rather spend a couple hundred extra for a bike from a good Dealer, it pays for itself in the long run.....

 

Good luck and well done..don't second guess,,it'll drive you nuts..you can always buy another one ..for the wife...later!

 

While we are on the 450S thing, Bartlesville, OK is selling new 450S's all day until the end of the month for $4900. No joke. $300 of that is honda bonus bucks but still. I had 2 friends that got a Springdale AR dealer to match the price and another that got one in Springdale for $5100.

Pretty damn good buy on a 450.

 

Don't feel too bad. I gave serious thought to an Arctic Cat before my last purchase. A.C. seems to offer the most bang for the buck but I just couldn't pull myself away from my loyalty to Honda. I do think the Arctic Cat forum is the most informative on this board for my needs. I like to hear about mudding, climbing, working, and hunting ATV's. I could care less about Banshees, Rartors, or 400ex's.

 

Don't feel too bad. I gave serious thought to an Arctic Cat before my last purchase. A.C. seems to offer the most bang for the buck but I just couldn't pull myself away from my loyalty to Honda. I do think the Arctic Cat forum is the most informative on this board for my needs. I like to hear about mudding, climbing, working, and hunting ATV's. I could care less about Banshees, Rartors, or 400ex's.

 

Be glad you didn't get an ES. Some people probably haven't had any problems with their's but i have. The shifter motor gets water in it when i go into water about an inch or two above the floor boards. If i'd known about it i would have bought something else.

 

Slayer,

Don't tell us you are sorry, we should be the ones telling you that. I mean, you are the one that ended up with the HOnda. SO sorry about that.

Just joking man. It's a good bike, but I don't think it's in the same leage as the AC 500. You might think differently, but thats you.