Polaris=poopy.

Yamanewf

Yamanewf

New member
Joined
Jan 24, 2005
Messages
252
Age
52
Location
Paradise,Newfoundland
Before I tell the story I want to make it clear that I'm not bashing poo.

A friend of mine just bought an FST Switchback. There is 0.4 km on the odometer. Before he even rode it there was a recall on the starter or something that he had to bring it in for. Two days ago he goes to start it and it wouldn't start. After a few attempts battery dies. Talks to the dealer, dealer says fouled plugs. 1.5hrs to change the plugs . Then the dealer says that he must of left the key on and thats what killed the battery no warranty on either of these. Needless to say he is pissed. He has always been a faithful Polaris guy. When he told me that he bought the FST I asked him why didn't he go Yamaha for the four stroke. He got a good deal on the sled because someone he knew snowchecked it and wasn't going to take it from the dealer. He says that he should've spent the extra couple of grand and got a Yamaha (duh). I've had numerous conversations with him on converting to Yamaha and he went against his gut on this one (being brand new design). All I could say was i told you so. He's totally digusted with it and he hasn't even had a good ride in it yet. I'll keep this updated as I get more info.
:yam: :yrules:
 
Thats why I dont own a Polaris anymore plain and simple. You always break down. Polaris,The way out, of the trail and back to the dealer!
 
That's too bad. What would really bother me though is the dealers service.
First dragging a$$ diagnosing the plugs then saying the work on the plugs and battery weren't covered by warranty. I'd say gimme the bill prick, enjoy the money because it's the last you'll ever get from me and anyone I can tell what a crappy outfit you have if I can help it.
 
All my friends are the same way, for example, in three seperate days for 3 seperate polaris's. Day 1, 91 indy trail 488 fan, skidframe came apart due to automoatically loosening bolts and other stuff. Day 2, 92 indy 500, the axel in the skidfame that the suspension mounts to loosened off on one side, then the bar that holds the limiter straps on came off one side, warped and bent the rail edges where the bolt goes, susepension partly came apart, ruined our day..., but it did wheelie like a psyco, ill give it some credit there!. Then Day 3, worst of all, 94 indy 500 classic, 2 up, seized the engine up solid beofre we could even get everyone to go for our ride, and like usual, it was pulled home by a yamaha.

Iv said it so many times iv created it into an acronym, SHBAY....should... have... bought... a ....yamaha
 
polaris really went down hill after the edge, ill agree with that. your friend needs a new dealer though! my polaris dealer is great, i have bought 2 used sleds from him in the past and he takes great care of me. i bought a 1997 polaris ultra from him in 2001. it came with a 90 day warranty. a year later i brought it in and asked if he thought the back end sat a little low, he didnt bother looking and offered to throw in a new shock for free! another time back a few years ago i asked how much to sync the carbs on my friends sled. he had me bring it down and he taught me how to do it for free! if only i had a decent yamaha dealer by me!
 
n2oiroc said:
polaris really went down hill after the edge, ill agree with that. your friend needs a new dealer though! my polaris dealer is great, i have bought 2 used sleds from him in the past and he takes great care of me. i bought a 1997 polaris ultra from him in 2001. it came with a 90 day warranty. a year later i brought it in and asked if he thought the back end sat a little low, he didnt bother looking and offered to throw in a new shock for free! another time back a few years ago i asked how much to sync the carbs on my friends sled. he had me bring it down and he taught me how to do it for free! if only i had a decent yamaha dealer by me!
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That wasn't G&G was it David? I spoke Dan's polaris up in houghton and he told me that EVERY push button reverse four stroke they have sold has come back with the reverse trashed. It is an electronic mechanical system because so many people love the push button. Uses a solenoid to actuate the reverse mechanism. It seems that when you are cruising down the trail the reverse decides it wants to engage, and you know how that makes the chaincase feel. Polaris' solution as of about three weeks ago is to install a big washer to make the reverse inoperable until they think of a more permanent fix. You would think maybe they would TEST the design before they produced it...Polaris R&D is horrible in my opinion, especially on the newer models.
 
i work at the local dealership(yamaha and polaris) part time and have seen more then 12 pages come over the fax at once about the fst and the problems they are having. wow. we sent one up to the north coast of labrador and the guy had problems within a week. we called polaris headquarters and they said we shouldnt sell a new sled to a remote area. we have sent up many many yamahas and never heard a word from the guys except to tell us how good the sled is working. atleast one of the sleds has over 10000 kms . polaris said there was no way that it was possible and that it was our fault for selling it to them. you should not sell a sled in remote locations until a couple of years to get the "kinks" out.
we said why would you sell a sled that would not be trustworthy or not even working right.
no reply.
 
redsnake3 said:
polaris said there was no way that it was possible and that it was our fault for selling it to them. you should not sell a sled in remote locations until a couple of years to get the "kinks" out.
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WOW, that is BS! :o| I can't believe Poo would say something like that, it is THEIR responsibility to make sure these sleds are reliable NOT the dealer! The dealer just sets the sled up. Seems like Polaris isn't sure what their responsibilities are. I own a Polaris right now, and I'd have to agree that their R & D seems like it sucks. Their Fusion 900 is a wreck to say the least. Like n2oiroc said, Poo went down after the Edge chassis. I have to say I really like my Pro-X 800...but I'd like it better if it had a SRX motor in it! ;):D ;):D
 
yamaholic22 said:
That wasn't G&G was it David? I spoke Dan's polaris up in houghton and he told me that EVERY push button reverse four stroke they have sold has come back with the reverse trashed. It is an electronic mechanical system because so many people love the push button. Uses a solenoid to actuate the reverse mechanism. It seems that when you are cruising down the trail the reverse decides it wants to engage, and you know how that makes the chaincase feel. Polaris' solution as of about three weeks ago is to install a big washer to make the reverse inoperable until they think of a more permanent fix. You would think maybe they would TEST the design before they produced it...Polaris R&D is horrible in my opinion, especially on the newer models.
Click to expand...
yep g&g in muskego. the owner bill is neighbors with an old friend of mine. i really dont know who would buy a polaris 4 stroke. heavier than a yamaha with less power and worse mileage. the worst is the switchback fst. who wants a 120 hp off trail sled that weighs 650 lbs dry! from what i hear, the only cool thing is the fact that you dont need to open the chaincase to do a track swap!
 
I can't believe the stupidity of some dealers out there! The battery was probably trashed from sitting for 1/2 a year with no charge. once a battery is charged the worst thing you can do is let it get down low, and leave it. Even if the guy left the ignition on, was it worth loosing customer for life? Dealer cost an that battery was probably $25 lousy dollars. I will say that dan's polaris in houghton has got to be the exception, this dealer is awsome!
A little story. Last year while riding up the Bill Nicholes my exhaust pipe split in half. I limped it into dan's polaris on a sat, about three in the afternoon. Dan was just coming out of the shop to go home, when I pulled up, needless to say he could tell I had a problem. When I asked if someone could weld up my pipe, he replied that all of his mechanics had left. Seeing the distrought look on my face, he replied, "But if you now how to weld, your welcome to use my welder." The short of it is, he hauled me to his back shop, and pointed at the welder, and some tools. Said he had to go, and when I was done please tell the young man in the other building, so he could lock up. Upon trying to flip him some bills, he insisted he didn't want any money, but i finally pryed a twenty into his fingers. Thanks Dave, when I need a new four wheeler, I will be driving up to see you!!
Cheers, Steveo
 
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Here's why companys make such junk!

Engineers,.... well we did have the best in the world for many years! I have worked with hundreds of engineers over the years, and the new grads who can't make a pencil drawing, or even do simple math without a calculator, or tell you decimal to fraction equivalents off the top of there head, or know the basic symbols of material types, or actually know the terms, rockwell, tensil strength, brinell, durometer, stress relieved, annealed, tempered, ECT. What they don't know is fanomanol. Fact is most are much more concerned with, who just called them on there cell phone, or who the hot chick in the office is dating now? If they put half the effort into their job, as they do into their social life, they wouldn't be so $hitty on the job. Sad but true! Now the hammer is comming down on the country, and all of the good engineers are retiring, so there is know one to take up the slack. I'm not saying they are all bad, but the majority are piss poor. Bottom line is the japs aren't smarter, they just have more conviction, and perseverance. Future looks kinda bleak for U.S. companys, M2C.
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This is why the sled are such junk!
 
n2oiroc said:
yep g&g in muskego. the owner bill is neighbors with an old friend of mine. i really dont know who would buy a polaris 4 stroke. heavier than a yamaha with less power and worse mileage. the worst is the switchback fst. who wants a 120 hp off trail sled that weighs 650 lbs dry! from what i hear, the only cool thing is the fact that you dont need to open the chaincase to do a track swap!
Click to expand...

Yea i would have to agree with you there. I have never had any problem with G&G, they are just a good dealer selling a bad product. And same goes for Dan's polaris up in houghton. We came there an hour after they were closed to pick up some new reeds and jets for my buddies pos Pro X2 800 (he will NEVER own a polaris again by the way), and we saw someone inside, so we knocked on the window. He pointed towards the shop so we went back there and he let us in. We got all the stuff we needed and ended up b.s.ing for about 45 mins about the new polaris's and their disgust with them. It also happened to be that the polaris corporate ride was headquartered there that weekend. When we were up at the Mariner in copper harbor the next day, the WHOLE polaris crew pulled up, counted 29 sleds in their group, all brand new 06's. When my buddy's pro X blew up shortly after leaving that bar, guess what group was coming down the trail with brand new two-ups to give him a ride? lol. My 280 pound friend jumped on the back of one of those brand new two-ups and one of the corporate reps gave him a ride all the way back to houghton from phoenix. Nice guy, but not nice enough to justify owning a poorly engineered sled again.
 
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