# Any help would be appreciated!!!



## buck_buster (Dec 3, 2007)

I am looking for some input from you long time snowmobilers, I am thinking of trading a car for a snowmobile but since I have only always owned atv's, I really am not sure about the snowmobile industry. I have two different sleds I am looking at. One is a 2002 arctic cat ZR 600 with 2287 miles, no tears in seat and owner states he has taken great care of it. The other is a yamaha Vmax 4 that has had some performance work done such as PSI pipes, ported and polished, Boysen reeds, comet clutch, trued crank and slp ultra ski's.

Both sleds as far as cosmetically look very good. The vmax has 1900 miles on it with a very small tear in the seat which is no big deal to me. Yes I understand that it depends on the quality of the motor in each but I am wondering about overall performance and longevity. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.


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## Otis026 (Jan 22, 2007)

Just thought I would mention, I believe Michigan has new noise emission standards beginning this season. 88db at stand if I recall correctly. One of my pet peeves are loud aftermarket exhausts on snowmobiles as with many other recreational snowmobilers. -Otis


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## dumredneck (May 19, 2005)

The v-max will be much faster and louder. They have a "retro" feel/look to them with a cult following.
The cat will ride MUCH better, handle better and probably get better gas mileage. I would think in the long run it would require less maintenance. If the Cat is EFI it will be easier starting and run consistently no matter the temps.
With the v-max being a quad cylinder and the Cat a twin, the maintenance will be much cheaper/easier on the Cat.


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## SalmonBum (Feb 28, 2001)

Put it this way, We don't let Artic cats ride with us every more. Them things are always breaking. I don't care who has it, who maintained it, etc.... they just break. Couldn't give me a new one for free. If I go up north for 2 days and one of the guys riding with us has the Kitty, one of my days will be spent wrenching. Kinda funny, We saw a "newer" CAT abandoned on the side of the trail tyesterday with no one around. As we passed it, we saw the tow strap hooked to the skis that broke. I guess they decided to cut their losses and leave it :lol:.

That said, Yamaha makes a great sled. If I didn't ride Ski Doo, I'd be on a Yammi.


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## 2SloSHO (Jan 23, 2008)

The ZR will def. ride better and handle better then the Max-4. I haven't ever really heard of anyone having problems with the max 4. What year is the Max 4 BTW. The Max will as stated be a lot faster than the 600 obviously as it is a 750 or 800 with mods. If your looking to go riding for long days i'm going to steer you away from the Max 4. I am a Yami guy its all I ride, but that machine is a BEAST, and if your going to be riding in the lower you're going to want the Suspension the Zr has trust me.

The cats do have their fair share of problems but if it was maintained like said and you just ride it, I have seen cats run A LONG TIME. On another note the ZR chassis is probably THE best chassis cat has ever had.

I'm just going to say if you wanna ride trails in the lower get the ZR , if you are going to be riding in the YOOP get the Max 4


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## Fish Stalker (May 15, 2005)

Personally I would go with the Arctic Cat. The EFI is a wonderfull thing! They have been a very dependable sled for me. I just totaled out a 96 Wildcat 700 EFI Touring that had been a great sled with over 6K on the clock & all original. I was really bummed about the loss. I went thru a thawed out creek bed & hit a rock which bent up the bulkhead, busted the hood & belly pan & the bulkhead hit hard enough that the motor was twisted in the chassis. Even with all that happening it still made it 20 miles for me to get back to my trailer! The only thing that happened to me was a bruised tailbone. My neighbor has had Cats for years & 1 sled in the mix is a 800 triple with 13K on original motor and still runs great. I always ran Amsoil & never had any problems. My 700 never took more than 2 pulls to start & I only changed plugs once per season. I just bought a Ski-Doo touring to replace the Cat, what a mistake I made. I put 7 miles on it & kaboom. I am going to rebuild it & probably sell it for another Cat touring. I miss the Cat already. To bad the insurance company would not let me buy it back or else I would have rather rebuilt it than what I just bought. I have also had Polaris & Yamaha sleds but Cat is #1 in my book.


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## donahue5668 (Sep 25, 2007)

yamaha is garbage, go with the cat but an even better choice would be a polaris


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## Sand ridge gang (Jun 11, 2007)

Just my .02 if youl except it.

If a sled had aftermarket parts,, i.e. pipes, reeds, clutch,,, Buyer BEWARE
ITS BEEN RODE HARD!! You dont put em on to toole around town and back and forth to the shanty and so on.

Myself,, Im a polaris fan.
Had a few cats and they are heavy beast's. Run good when properly taken care of but when they break, and that can be often once milage is up around 3K or so, you'll be dissappointed. First thing to look at on a used cat is, (Does the speedo work) Speedo's are direct to drive line. meaning if the cable is not broke, and this happens often, than the shaft is starting the beginning cycle of failure. Very common amoung cats.

Like I said ,, just my .02


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## Millersburger (Nov 7, 2007)

:evilsmileGotta a 98 ZR 600 efi, 6000 plus miles no problems.....


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## Itchin' to go (Oct 4, 2001)

I would highly reccomend not getting the v-max 4, any sled especially a go-fast sled like that with performance work done to it, is gonna be a wrench magnet. Think of it like a race car or a lifted up muddin 4X4.....you'll be lucky to ride it all weekend without it breaking and you'll for sure be wrenching on it during the week. The only difference between cars/trucks and sleds are parts are hard to get for sleds and snowmobiling season dont last long. A few ruined weekends with a broke sled gets old fast.

I am not a Cat fan but if the ZR is stock i'd be looking at that one. If your a first time sledder that 600 will be all the sled you need and more. 

I'd Take someone that knows sleds to look at with ya. Check the slides, carbides, track, compression, etc. Should be fairly easy to see if it was maintained.

Ryan


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## smiley1544 (Oct 18, 2002)

With the ZR being stock I would also choose that seld. In our group of old sleds we have a 97ZL with alittle over 11,000 mile no problems and a 2000ZR 500 with 9,500 trouble free miles. I ride with alot of different brands and we never seem to have any problems, except with sleds that have be modified.


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## NittanyDoug (May 30, 2006)

There's alot of info on the yamahas/vmax-4's at totallyyamaha.com The 4's have a cult following for sure and it is likely that the suspension/ride will not be as smooth/comfy as the cat. The 4 will definitely been a heavy sled. 

I guess it would depend on what you want the sled for. There are plenty 4's out there that are super reliable sleds, even with mods.


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## InTheRiver (May 15, 2006)

Between the two sled you are looking at I would go with the Arctic Cat less work the ride will be good and you wont have to worry if everything has been done right. those ZR 600s are pretty quick should be a good sled for ya.


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## zx10r2004 (Sep 24, 2005)

Sand ridge gang said:


> Just my .02 if youl except it.
> 
> If a sled had aftermarket parts,, i.e. pipes, reeds, clutch,,,* Buyer BEWARE*
> *ITS BEEN RODE HARD*!! You dont put em on to toole around town and back and forth to the shanty and so on.
> ...


 they are made to be rode hard.


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## tracker14 (Jun 1, 2007)

Haven't owned one but riden many. Loved everyone. I've had all ski doo's but hoping next year to get a 03' 440 snopro cat. efi sleds are nice for starting and great on gas. GO CAT OR GO HOME:lol:


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