96 sportsman 400 - $1300
Prairie 650 (earlier model im not sure of the year) - $2750

Prairie has 1994 miles and 246 hours and runs good.

Sportsman has no way to track the mileage or hours and runs good.

I will mostly be plowing and using this for yard work,,,grading,,,moving rock,,,dragging stumps,etc. With the ocasional trail ride.

Which one wojld you buy???

 

I would get the Sportsman just because the Prairie costs over twice as much. A 400 has enough power for plowing and trail riding.

 

The Prairie 650 came out in 2001 so is 6 years newer.
Not sure about the 1996 400 Sportsman if its a 2 stroke or 425 4 stroke back then.
One thing I did not like about the early Polaris was they used u-joints rather then stronger CV joints back then.
Also the 96 400 would be a SRA with a chain while the Prairie has a maintenance free shaft drive.

The 650 cost more but it's more machine, with a 4 stroke 650 twin vs a 378cc 2 stroke single.

 

Lot of parts that can go out on the old 96 400 2 stroke. Good machines if you can find one in great shape,but can be expensive to repair,especially if abused and if the engine ever needs to be rebuilt. I'd get the newest machine you can afford to get and cross your fingers.

 

The 650 prairie is twice the price but it's twice the machine, they are a bear to work on but they are pretty reliable, basically the same as a Brute Force and Dad's got one of them with close to 15,000 miles on it. It was overhauled last year due to a hole in the air filter and I put a new stator and fuel pump in it shortly after the overhaul, but other than the occasional belt change, it's been a good one.