Hope someone will be able to offer some advice on how to handle my dealer's lack of desire to want to fix my machine. It's a 2004.5 SP 500.
I'll try to keep it short as I can. While riding approx. 3 weeks ago I rammed a stick in my cooling fan and radiator from behind, breaking off the fan and denting my radiator. I rode the rest of the day with no engine heat problems. I did however notice a few miles later my 4x4 was fully engaged, even in reverse, despite the fact that the AWD switch was off and reverse override was not being pushed. I called my dealer and took it to him on the 2nd of December, I'm writng this on the 19th. He took one look, told me I needed a new radiator, fan and the AWD was operating fine. I told him it wasn't, he looked at it again and then said it was definately screwed up, mentioned some type of conversion kit for the differential, since mine doesn't have wheel hubs. He gave me a price of $800. $300 for radiator, $200 for the fan, $280 for labor, and the rest for tax and a $12 jug of antifreeze, the total was $799, and told me he'd go ahead and order the parts to fix it that day and it would take him about a week or so. He said under no circumstances should I ride without the fan, my motor would overheat for sure. I told him I broke in on the first 2 miles of a 35 mile trip, he looked puzzled and said it's a miracle it didn't overheat.
Well, I am still without my ATV. I called him after a week and he said he "Hadn't got to it yet" I asked him if he knew when he would and he said in a day or two he hoped. That should have been my first clue to go ahead and go retrieve it from him. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, since all he preached to me was how he took care of his customers who buy from him first, he said "I'll get you done ASAP". I called back again on the 16th and the service guy said he was getting ready to pull it in next, and he'd call in a while and tell me what he found. that was 9AM, still not receiving a call by 4:30, I called him back, only for him to say he was still waiting on the fan to come in, and he "hadn't had a chance to tear in to the AWD yet." I called some other local dealers and they said I needed to get the warranty work done at my original dealer.
Does anyone else have problems with their AWD? Anyone ever put on a fan, how hard, etc. I decided since the radiator was $300 w/o installation cost, only had a 1x1 inch dent on the back side with no leaks, to leave it in for now. Does anyone think leaving it in for now would be a huge problem, can a decently mech. inclined person replace the fan, anyone heard of the "conversion kit" for the new 04.5 differentials? I am just really disappointed in my service ay my dealer, and when I bought it he preached how he took care of his returning customers. He has had it over two weeks and still hasn't really done anything. Supposively two weeks and the fan hasn't come yet. If I could get the AWD fixed, i'd do the fan myself, but the AWD is warranty work, and he has to do it. All this,not to mention it's pouring the snow here and my snow plow mount is setting in the dealers garage. Anyone who has an idea how I could light a fire under him would be greatly appreciated. sorry for the lenghty message, I had alot to say, guess I was just venting a little. Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

Dealers are less likely to work on your machine if you dont' take it to the dealer you bought it from....this is for warranty work, but they make money just like anyone else when working on machines for maintenance....

What you need to do is give your dealer a deadline.....if he doens't meet the deadline, then tell them you would like to pick it up and take it somewhere else....

a 1 inch crunch in the radiator doesn't sound like a bad deal....also, if it was cool out when you rode without the fan, it shouldn't be a big deal as motors were air cooled before going liquid cooled....even though a liguid cooled motor will heat up faster without the cooling system working....you can replace the fan yourself.....my brank new 2005 machine has had almost all the front end when I installed different items, etc.

As far as the AWD, do a search on here for 'AWD', others have had problems with the AWD, minor usually...

Hate dealers like that....tell them you want to know when it will be fixed, tell them you will be in late that day to pick it up, if they haven't done any work, tell them you would like to take it...

 

If you have to have a deadline you may as well just go get it now .

 

its sounds that way on his case because he isn't getting his ATV back, since they've given him several different dates, doesn't sound like they're telling him the truth...then they told him his would be the next in the shop to be worked on and then that they don't have all the parts....thats an excuse....or BS.....

he may be able to go in and talk face-to-face and find out the real story....

i'm a manager of over 100 people, I have Leads in place where needed, but have over a dozen direct reports....if you want something to get done, then you give a deadline, it isn't needed in most cases as you trust the people to get the work done....i also teach classes on work performance, organization, Project Leadership, Project Management, LEAN, Six-Sigma, etc....

 

I'm really suprised you didn't over heat ... my fan got stopped with some dry mud from cleaning out the radiator, and when i rode it next (outside temp was 40deg) i only got 5 miles before i saw the hot light and my temp guage confirmed it was at 210degs. I found (since i installed the temp guage) my sportsman will need the fan in all but the teens or less outside temp. As for your service [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] it's really hard to find a good dealer and with the snow coming i'm sure many of them are working on snowmobiles and putting off the ATV's. I havn't heard for any changes or kits for the 2004.5 sportsmans AWD system. As your radiator ... i would replace it and the fan with polaris parts ... the fan seams to last going under water, mud and snow. Many auto replacement parts were never ment to go under water or mud. If your are mechy, then y not try to fix it your self? I found that most of the polaris parts are VERY straight forward and easy to install or replace.

 

The fan is very easy to replace and I have never heard of a update for the AWD system on any Polaris either. Also any authorized dealer can do warranty work. Go to the web site for one near you.
The problem with some dealers is that warranty work is not very profitable since Polaris only pays flatrate and they hesitate to do it. I would think its a good way to get new customers and it would pay in the long run.
The problem with the awd could be related to whats called Sure Power module. It can cause problems like you descibe.

 

Mud caked in your radiator is different to the cooling than just the fan not working, you don't want to run extended periods in warmer weather with the fan not working as it will overheat, in cooler temps it depends on how you are running....

on my comment about a 'deadline' above, i don't really mean to give them a deadline, but ask them for one, than then go that day to pick the machine up....a good dealer will tell you when it will be ready...

we have quite a few dealers here, 4 dealers for Polaris....the service dept on 2 of them is 'OK', the other two have somethings left to desire....

one dealer when working on a machine will keep give you an estimated timeframe after they look the machine over....they will tell you the problem, they will tell you how long to get the parts, will call you and tell you the EDD, Estimated Delivery Date of the parts and will tell you when the machine will be going in for service and when it will be done....

the other ones you have to constantly call, keep getting different stories, no firm deadline on when it will be done....they get their money either way, but don't ever keep the customer informed...

where I work, if I had people like the last case, they wouldn't work for me long....not only do I have an Engineering group at work, I have over 35 Maintenance Techinicians....they have to inform me when there is a problem, what their estimate is to fix it and let me know when it is fixed....and if they need Engineering support....its a smooth running operation, we schedule maintenance, who is going to work on it, when they are going to work on it and when it will be done....some things are scheduled months in advance if parts are required....

in the case above, its poor customer service if they don't give the scoop....fire them for lack of performance....lol....

 

You know I don't think that Polaris dealer is any different than most any brand dealer. About 80% are a pain. Not horible, just a pain. 15% are horible. 5% are the kind that work for you. The crappy part is you may not have a 5% dealer in your town and may never know how nice of an experience they can make it. I am lucky enough to have a 5% down the road from me. I feel comfortable enough to go in just to shoot the breeze. The funny thing is they take the time to shoot it back. One thing to try with one of the other dealers is to let them know of your BAD experience with the other guy and how much business the other guy stands to lose since you don't plan on returning.
Also I bet you could do most, if not all the work yourself.

 

I havent had any experiance with the fan...but i know on my 700 efi, my basket broke in the front diff, it was plastic, and it has magnets on it to engage the AWD, and that caused mine to be locked in 4x4 all the time...what a b!tch to steer ahahha lol

 

Well, callled the dealer today and spoke with the owner. He says he is still working on machines that were brought in around the 28-29th of November, and is not got to mine yet, and said he couldn't give me an estimated date because he basically didn't know when he could have it done, but all he said for certain was that it would not be ready before Christmas. He also said if I didn't totally replace the radiator, i was basically killing my machine, and I might as well not even fix the fan. It's a 2x2 dent and the most, with no leaks at all, of coarse, he stands to make $300 plus 5.25 hrs labor to replace it. I think I'll just go get it tomorrow and call some other dealers. This is ridiculous.
Just thought I'd give an update to my latest call. Thanks to everyone for all the advice.