Back in 2004 when the thread started, $2500 for a 2001 Trailboss might have been about right. I think the reason maybe the grinding noise occurs was that back then, there was no lockout to prevent someone from changing gears when an auto cvt Polaris was moving. Not sure if they are different now as I haven't owned a newer Polaris. It probably happened many times because whoever was riding it was stupid and kept shifting it while it was moving. Now you can probably buy the same quad for $1000. Many times people just don't check the date of a post and respond to a dead thread that has laid dormant for many years.

 

They had lock outs and people cussed them on several of the larger models.Spring actuated plunger that wouldn't let you shift into reverse or park without the foot brake being pressed.People were always loosing springs or they stretched too far.You still have to be stopped to change any gear. These don't shift like a semi auto with their beveled gears that slipped one gear silently into another. Slider gears that had dogs that would lock into the dogs of the mating gears. Makes a terrible noise if you try to shift while still moving. Plus some people never looked at owners manual or had one or bought one used and didn't know a thing about them.The poster before me did attach on to 13 year old posts and probably didn't realize it. Happens all the time.

 

I let someone ride my 2001 Trailblazer once and they tried to shift it into neutral while it was still moving. Made a horrible grinding sound. I didn't keep it that long so if it did damage anything I never found out. A later Scrambler 500 I had made noise when you shifted it into reverse. I never fixed it as it later had a lot of other problems and just sold it as is instead of spending more money to fix it than what it was worth. I hated the chain drive on those things. I would have much preferred they made them shaft drive like the Sportsman. The rear sprocket killed your ground clearance.