Polaris Ranger

[Kennedy Farms]

We have a Polaris Ranger that is used all over the farm. It started giving us some problems that we couldn't correct, so we carried it to our local Polaris dealer (who happens to be our local John Deere dealer as well). They replaced the cam shaft, rebuilt the carb, and service the chasis and engine while they had it. As you can imagine, the bill was not easy to swallow and was actually a hundred or so over the estimate. When they called to tell me it was ready, they indicated it needed a clutch. They indicated that the clutch was rattling badly and needed to be replaced. It would be over $1k for the clutch. I calmly explained that the clutch was OK when I delivered it to them and I was sure it was OK at that time. When I picked it up, the tech drove the Ranger around from the shop and loaded it on the trailer. He tried to tell me the clutch was rattling badly and needed to be replaced. I explained that I had already discussed that with them and the clutch was fine. I should have driven the machine there, but I didn't.
When I got home, I unloaded the ranger and started driving it around the yard. There was a knocking sound that had not been there before. I remembered the mechanic saying that they had changed a u-joint, so I checked it and sure enough the u-joint was out of alignment. I loaded back up and took it back in for them to correct the next day. The mechanic put up a short fight before finally deciding to check the u-joint. Once he checked the joint, he discovered it was out and that was making the knocking sound (that they insisted was a $1k clutch going bad).
I took the ranger back home and 3 weeks later the machine is flooding and quits running. I carry it back and they put a new spark plug in it and send it back to me. 3 weeks later, the same thing happens, the ranger quits again. This has happened 4 times. Now the shop says I need a new carb, the old carb (that they rebuilt) is not going to work with the new cam shaft.

IS this how all Polaris dealers work & act?

Thanks for letting me vent!

 

[bandit80]

We have a Polaris Ranger that is used all over the farm. It started giving us some problems that we couldn't correct, so we carried it to our local Polaris dealer (who happens to be our local John Deere dealer as well). They replaced the cam shaft, rebuilt the carb, and service the chasis and engine while they had it. As you can imagine, the bill was not easy to swallow and was actually a hundred or so over the estimate. When they called to tell me it was ready, they indicated it needed a clutch. They indicated that the clutch was rattling badly and needed to be replaced. It would be over $1k for the clutch. I calmly explained that the clutch was OK when I delivered it to them and I was sure it was OK at that time. When I picked it up, the tech drove the Ranger around from the shop and loaded it on the trailer. He tried to tell me the clutch was rattling badly and needed to be replaced. I explained that I had already discussed that with them and the clutch was fine. I should have driven the machine there, but I didn't.
When I got home, I unloaded the ranger and started driving it around the yard. There was a knocking sound that had not been there before. I remembered the mechanic saying that they had changed a u-joint, so I checked it and sure enough the u-joint was out of alignment. I loaded back up and took it back in for them to correct the next day. The mechanic put up a short fight before finally deciding to check the u-joint. Once he checked the joint, he discovered it was out and that was making the knocking sound (that they insisted was a $1k clutch going bad).
I took the ranger back home and 3 weeks later the machine is flooding and quits running. I carry it back and they put a new spark plug in it and send it back to me. 3 weeks later, the same thing happens, the ranger quits again. This has happened 4 times. Now the shop says I need a new carb, the old carb (that they rebuilt) is not going to work with the new cam shaft.

IS this how all Polaris dealers work & act?

Thanks for letting me vent!

I sure hope not. I've had my Ranger for 2 years, and the only problem I had was the clutch belt got ripped to shreds this spring. Other than that, it has been problem free.

 

[dun]

That's a P poor dealer issue not the equipment

 

[Brute 23]

Go to another dealer. I agree with Dun .

 

[hillrancher]

I do not want to take sides or cause trouble. I bought my first 4 wheeler 3 years ago with the direction of my friend that repairs and services 4 wheelers and motorcycles. He had several polaris in his shop and none had 1000 hours on them without an overhaul. He recommended to buy Japanese made. Yes, I thinks your shop is in the dark on repairing the machine.
I took my machine to the dealer for service work till warranty was out took it to my friend this summer it runs and shifts better than it ever has. We have around 1200 hours on it.

 

[Sage]

Find another dealer, we have 5 Polaris Sportsman 500s 3 of whitch have over 7000miles on them. Other than one new drive clutch , regular maint. and some wiring repair for the front drive there has been no problems. We have a wonderful Polaris/Honda dealer here local, but if the service was poor I would switch to a brand with a good service dept.

 

[BeefmasterB]

Kennedy, I have a Polaris Ranger too. Got it in some very deep mud and got it stuck. Had to lift it out with the tractors front-end loader. Not long after, the rear end started making noise. Turned out that a rear axle seal gave way that allowed water into the rear differential. Took it the dealer who said it was out of warranty (by about 3 weeks) and it would cost $700 just for the new differential, plus about $300 in labor. I claimed it was a bad seal, while they claimed water was introduced through the snorkle air tube (no way!!). I went all the way to the corporate brass to resolve it. They wouldn't budge, claiming a new corporate policy to enforce their warranty period and that there had been no history of bad axle seals in any other units.

I shopped the whole differential online and installed it myself in about an hour. It was pretty much plug-n-play.

I learned that these folks make a huge amount of $'s on shop work and will do practically anything to force you to into their act. After all, they believe it's a luxury product and that you have the $'s.

 

[1982vett]

...Now the shop says I need a new carb, the old carb (that they rebuilt) is not going to work with the new cam shaft.

:? I don't understand, how does a camshaft effect how a carburator works.

 

[cfpinz]

...Now the shop says I need a new carb, the old carb (that they rebuilt) is not going to work with the new cam shaft.

:? I don't understand, how does a camshaft effect how a carburator works.

It doesn't in this case.

Wife's family uses Polaris, seems they have more maintenance issues than our yamahas, but to each his own. My last yamaha left here with 11k miles on it, a friend of mine put a carb kit and a paint job on it and still uses it.

 

[Earl Thigpen]

Sir, this guy is blowing smoke under your skirt by telling you that the carb "is not going to work with the camshaft". I do have a question for you though. When they replaced the camshaft did them also install new followers? You MUST replace the cam followers when installing a new camshaft. If you don't, the new cam won't last 10 hours before it's flat again.

I'd find a new dealer and let your friends know the kind of service you've received from this yahoo. JMO

 

[Kennedy Farms]

Sorry, I've been out of town for a week. We went to the NAILE show in Louisville, KY.

Before all of this happened, we were very pleased with the Ranger. It had been very durable and always ran with no problems. I argued with the shop that the cam shaft (to my knowledge) would not effect the carb. It should run fine with a re-built carb or new carb.

I feel that it is just poor service and they are trying to stick the customers.

Earl, I do not know for sure about the followers, I'll find out today.

I went through an earlier argument with them about the machine idling. When we picked it up, it wouldn't idle without flooding out. The mechanic said it was not made to idle, I unloaded on him. After two trips, they got the carb adjusted so that the machine would sit and idle without flooding.

Thanks for the ideas/advice,
Andy

 

[bigbull338]

i bought a band new polaris 300 in 96.that joker was chain drive wich was ok.but after 2yrs it fell apart.took it into the dealer had a new chain new starter carb worked on cost $600.brought it home.well it ran for 2wks then quit.so i took it back to the shop.told emm to put a new carb on it.well they cleaned it.that was another $200.brought it home an it ran a week an quit.so i parked it for good.so when they start falling apart you better get rid of them.

 

[Kennedy Farms]

I spoke with the shop, according to the mechanic, he replaced the exhaust rocker arm when he replaced the cam shaft. I don't know whether to believe them or not, the service manager did not know when I called and asked them to look at the service ticket and tell me. They said they would have to call me back and let me know. That tells me that they didn't really replace the rocker, maybe I'm just looking for something to be wrong at this point.

Andy

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

In a car engine if you put to big of a cam and not enough carb it will not run properly. Same is true in reverse order. If the shop said the cam was wrong for the carb could be true but they should have put the proper cam (stock I assume) in,for the carb you have. If they put a bigger cam in (not stock) then they should never have rebuilt your (stock) carb.

All sounds like BS to me.

 

[1982vett]

So we are back to a shop that didn't do a proper job.