How To Buy A Snowmobile

Like all first-time vehicle purchases, buying a snowmobile may feel like a herculean struggle with the market having so many models and options out there. The “Big Four” manufacturers always know which way the winter winds are blowing, catching them in their tracks to set the latest trends for snowmobiling. The good news is that snowmobiles are designed to be versatile and rider-oriented, allowing you to upgrade your chosen model as much as you want. Your hunt for the perfect sled is not as intimidating as it might seem at first. This article sheds light on how to buy a snowmobile in a simple, smart, and productive way.

What Kind of Snowmobiling Will You Pursue?

Generally, snowmobiles are categorized into mountain, trail riding, sports, utility, crossover, 2-up touring, and youth applications. Yamaha, Arctic Cat, Polaris, and Ski-Doo have manufactured top-notch solutions within their line of snowmobiles. You can follow the links to their well-guided websites to keep up with the latest inventions, and get some idea for the type of sled that matches your purpose and choice of trail.

How Robust is Your Budget?

Youth snowmobiles cost around $3,000 and the other types range between an estimated $10,000 to $20,000 depending on the brand and model. Make sure that you consider costs for additional accessories, snow gear and heated apparel, permit costs, insurance, trailer, and customizations when setting your budget as well. Apart from snowmobile pricing, the Big Four websites offer great options for accessory purchases, so these should guide you in the right direction while negotiating with the dealer. There are clearance offers and sales all year round. You can also sign up and request local prices. There are automatic payment calculators on the manufacturers’ websites that show you the final payment options, taking into account the purchase price, down payment, monthly payment, and number of months to distribute the loan.

Research and Locate Nearby Dealers

The best part about these websites is that they offer options to automatically locate a suitable dealer in your vicinity. Just enter your city, state, or zip code and you will be redirected to websites of the best dealers around you.  An online map route gets updated to show the location. Having a list of potential dealers will greatly narrow down your search for the best snowmobile as sometimes having (or not having) a dealer near you who carries the snowmobile brand you are looking for will help to determine which brand you should choose.

Filter. Find. Compare

The major snowmobile brands have great comparison tools that assist your efforts in how to buy a snowmobile.  These features facilitate your knowledge base before you contact the dealers. Polaris has a unique Find & Compare feature online to help you pick and compare your favorites by checking the “Add to Comparison” option. It is a convenient way of listing your sleds side by side and comparing their prices, features, and performances. Ski-Doo offers a functional Build-and-Price page where you can customize your chosen snowmobiles, add accessories and colors, and obtain the final estimates. You can filter the models with your required specifications.

Sign Up for Demo Rides

The Big Four organize strategic demo rides at various points of the year, throughout the US and Canada. This is an opportunity for you to test the snowmobile that you wish to buy. Check their websites for updates and submit a request on their demo ride page to get in touch with an authorized dealer and confirm the schedule.

Used or Pre-Owned Options

If you decide to opt for a used snowmobile, you can find a number of sites online that offer snowmobiles for sale.  When you do find one that you like have it inspected by a professional to determine that proper maintenance and servicing was done by the current and previous owners. Make sure that the temptation of cheaper of buying a pre-owned snowmobile does not cost you in the long run. Some aspects to look for include optimum suspension, agile handling and balance, functional tracking with undamaged studs, and negotiable accessories like tunnel bags, underglow LEDs, signal lights, etc.

Hopefully the steps above are helpful for you to take on how to buy a snowmobile, either brand new from the manufacturer or used ones at potentially less expensive pricing. Finding the best dealer and weighing your options through negotiations will lead you towards your dream snowmobile, custom-made for your adventure.