And?? 25 years ago that was something to complain about, but today, in the global economy, it really is a moot point. What is not built over seas today? Blame the greedy unions, and no one else.

Would be nice if they lowered their prices though.

 

Yeah that must be the whole reason! It wouldn't have to do with mis-management.
What a lot of the UNEDUCATED people don't know is that the company is the ones who set the pay... If the union side came in and said we want $100 an hour the company can laugh in there face and tell them to get bent... The union only Negotiates! So hate unions if you want but just remember if we didn't have unions you would all be working for $5 an hour with no benifets! I am not saying there perfect cuz there not, all I am saying is get your damn facts straight before you blame all this on unions.

 

both were great rides but I chose the 550

 

I have the 2010 500 outlander xt and I am lovin it, love the power, love the handling, and the ergonomics are perfect for my build (5'10, 200 pounds), and the newly added power steering is a godsend. My buddy recently got the 550 xp and he loves it also, I did ride it for awhile and really loved the longitudally mounted engine, the footspace is enormous! Reminded me of being on a sport quad. What you should really do is test ride both of them and choose the one you like best and buy that one.

 

Damn, I just saw he was talkin about the sportsman 500, but my statement above still stands, the outlander is a great machine.

 

I don't hate unions, as I am a member of one!! CAW is one of the worst for putting wages first. I do agree that these companies need to grow a pair and say no, but I also do not blame the unions for asking for more when you hear about all these executives getting bonuses in the millions. I guess it is more of a slippery slope. What angers me is why they always lay off the ones who take pride in building the product, but rarely lay off executives.

I also should have stated the manufacturing Unions and the trades Unions are entirely different as far as what they do and how they operate. Some will fight for their brothers and sisters till the bloody end, and others will roll over for whatever management wants. You can pretty well guess which one I am a member of, and it is not the CAW that I mentioned above, it is the latter...

 

As a member of a trade union (Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 22) I'm glad you could draw a distinction between the two. We operate competitively with non union trades, with the big difference being that I (and my union brothers and sisters) make a decent wage, and the non union fitters make about $10 an hour less. Where is that ten bucks an hour going?? Right in the pockets of the company owners and executives. And the guy who owns my company buys a new Ferrari every two years, so he's still doing OK.

Ironically, I'm a right leaning Libertarian. Go figure.

 

Maybe I'll buy a "Taco 550 XP".

 

I couldn't have put it any better myself!!! I hope I didn't offend you with my last post, I just feel as a union member you should stick up for union members. I also agree that a Trades union is way diffrent than a manufacturing union.

Now that we cleared that up
I own a 05 Sportsman 700 EFI and recently UPGRADED to a 550 XP. I say upgraded cuz it is a whole new bag of tricks... Better ride and the Sportsman chassis, better handeling than the older chassis and the new 550 powerplant is more than you'll ever need! My 550 will pull wheelies but still gets right around 20MPG!!! I love my XP and will be buying another

 

We also support people in asian countries as well as canadians.