I would like some feedback about the 2008 500 Arctic Cat 500 auto. I have a 99 Polaris 335 SP and am thinking of upgrading because the Arctic Cats are about $1000 less expensive than a plain Polaris 500 SP. I use it for hunting, fishing and utility work at the camp and wood lot. Just a few observations without brand bias please

Thanks Bob

 

Well i've never owned a Polaris but i had a freind who wouldn't own anyting but Polaris and i had never owned a Quad with a belt drive untill i sold my 86" Honda TRX350FM 4x4 whitch was a tank to my brother , and he asked me to sell him my 93' Suzuki LT4WD 300 KQ for his wife when i bought a new quad ; i told him at the time i would most likely never be able to afford a new quad but that i would give them the first chance on the KQ if i ever did get another quad new or used !

On Feb. 7th 2006 i stopped in a freind's Arctic Cat Dealership to see if they had a carb rebuild kit for the Suzuki KQ when i started looking at new AC's , i asked about the price for a 300 or 350 class Arctic Cat's and i was told that AC had stopped making the 250 and 300 AC's with 4x4 ; the 400 class Quad's with 4x4 and the Suzuki powered Engine's ; i looked at the 2006 Arctic Cat 500/650HI and 650 V-Twin with the Kawasaki engine she told me she would let me have one for $100.00 over her cost !

I took a test ride on the 500 , 650H1 , 650 V-Twin and desided i didn't want that much power or a liquid cooled Quad and i didn't really want an Automatic Belt Drive because i had been told for yrs. that the belt drive's weren't as tough as the semi manual shift geared trannies so i desided on the 2006 Arctic Cat 400 FIS Manual 4x4 ; after we had all the paperwork finished and i was ready to load up the new 400 she told me that she didn't have but 3 400's left in stock and they were all Auto's !

I'm a double amputee and i had alway's made a hand shifter from the bottom part of a push lawn mower handle to shift on the Honda and Suzuki KQ , i asked the Dealer had tough the Auto's were and she told me since 2001 when she started selling the 400 auto's that not even one had been brought in with a belt or clutch issue ; she also told me if i had problem with a belt or clutch problem within the next 4 yrs. she would replace it even if AC wouldn't cover it she would pay for them from her own pocket !

That was all it took for me to deside to buy and the 400 was powered by with Suzuki's 376cc engine and Suzuki's Duramatic belt driven clutch system , those were the final thing's that chinched the deal for me ; the only trouble i've had with the 400 came at 300 miles the Cooling fan motor started making a low squeealing noise the first few second's that it cycled on but this was covered by AC under warranty !

Two week's after i bought the AC i sold the 93' KQ to my brother for $3500.00 in $50.00 a week payment's , when we went riding the first day i got home my brother rode the Honda down to my house and pulled up in front of the cat and all i can say is wow , the cat looked like an Elephant to a Pony ; the Honda parked next to the KQ was like comparing a horse to a shetland pony !

We rode over some trail's that were near the house and up this creek that lead's to a watershed at the bottom of a lake , when we got to this deep spot in the creek where we had alway's had to get out of the creekbed and go around the bank then back into the creek where is wasn't as deep my brother rode the Honda out of the creekbed and started around the creek bank ; he gave me a shocked look when i rode the cat straight up this deep hole the water didn't get to the floorboard's on the Cat !

Then when we got to the spillway he started across some huge boulder's to make a new trail up to the Dam , i stopped and asked him why he didn't go through this hole that water came out of where they drained the lake less than a month before ; he told me it was to deep to go through this hole since the last time me had riden through it !

I didn't think it could be to deep to go through since the last time we went through it was shollow enough for even the 300 KQ and it was a good bit smaller than the Honda , so i was going to see for myself i eased into the hole and the water came up to the bottom of my headlight's ( it was deep ) but i knew the ditch was only about 2 yard's long so i just went for it ; when i got to the old spillway my brother said he couldn't believe i would go through that deep hole with my new Quad !

My clutch didn't slip even though i didn't know where the snorkle's were located at the time , after we got home i called the Dealership and asked her how deep was to deep for the Cat ? She told me the snorkel's were mounted high up in the front plastic's near the handle bar's ; after telling her about going throught this deep hole she told me about the drain plug on the belt housing but that if it had gotten water inside the case the belt would've started slipping !

Just to ease my mind i went out to the garage and removed the drain plug but no water came out of the drain , and when i started the engine and gave it the throddle a few time's and still no water came out ; i figured if i had gone through water this deep going to fast water would've gotten sucked into the belt housing !

The 2006 model's do feel a little tippy when i first started riding it but with a little more tire pressure in the front tire's made it steadier , the newer model's have some improvement's like a lower seat height making it feel more like riding inside the ATV instead of on top of the Quad ; but for the type of riding that i do i've had no problem getting around on the trail's i ride better than both the Honda or the Suzuki !

The new Arctic Cat's have the new chassis design so i don't think you can go wrong with the 2008 AC 500 and it has the Suzuki Engine with Suzuki's Duramatic Belt Driven clutch , so ride em both and deside for yourself because whatever you deside i really don't think you can go wrong and you will be the one who pay's for the quad ; all i can say is i love my 2006 Arctic Cat 400 FIS Auto !,,,,,,,, williebee

 

I've been a polaris guy since my dad brought home a shiney new two stroke 1990 2x4 trail boss when I was a little kid. Since then we've had a 92 4x4 350 xplorer, 99 335 sportsman(which I still currently have), and my dad has a 400 02 sportsman LE. I love polaris, all of these quads have been extremely dependable. Last year I decided I wanted a new fourwheeler and did alot of shopping around, I looked at polaris first of course but to me it seemed like they were the exact same fourwheeler now as the 335 and I wanted something different(the xp hadn't come out yet)
Anyway, I decided on an arctic cat 700 H1 SE. Arctic cat has a higher profile then polaris so if you get one it's going to feel tippier at first, but it's something that I got used to. I haven't tried the 500 but the 700 is extremely torqey. I've had one problem with it, at 300 miles it started to act like it was flooding out sometimes, brought it back to the dealer and they replaced the wiring harness under warrenty in a couple days. Since then it's been running real good, I have 600 miles on it now.
I am very happy with my 700, the automotive silver paint is very scratch resistant, I drive it in the woods and all the scratches I've had soo far buff out. I've backed into a couple of trees and the one time the rear fender actually folded back and got caught between the wheel and the fender, I was so mad but when I drove ahead it popped right back to normal and the paint didn't even crack.
So far I'm very happy with it, it just seems like it will go over or through anything. I still have the 335 SP tho, it's my wifes fourwheeler =)

 

I rode with a guy yesterday that had an Artic Cat 400 and that is an awesome machine IMO. He hung with me all day and I pulled him out one time only in really extreme conditions. I am impressed.

 

I know 9 people that have cats ranging from a 2000 250 up to my new 08 700efi and over the years no one has traded theirs in for something else. I have owned 3 cats personally, a 99 300 4x4, sold it bought a 2002 500 manual 4x4(still own), and now my 700. The only problems anyone else has had was either their fault or very small. No one has ever had an issue with the cvt transmission. I on the other hand have been having brake issues with my 500,with 3500 miles and alot of it was in mud im not complaining. the 500 cat is an awsome machine and will do just about whatever you want with it. one up grade to do after purchase that we all do around here are new 6 ply tires. The bike will handle alot better and our terrain can get nasty so a new more aggressive tire works really well.

 

Bob,
If you don't have to have the latest,greatest thing on the market. An Artic Cat 500 is a good atv.

 

I have an '07 500 auto. Issues as follows.
1) gas gage is so so. The sending unit needs to be cleaned with contact cleaner about twice a year.
2) Headlights don't like to get dunked. The mounts for the bulbs are crappy and leak. I replaced the stock lights with sealed beam units.

Other than those two minor things, the atv has been flawless. I ride pretty tough terrain, lots of water and rock.

3) The stock rims dent easily if you slide sideways and hit a rock.

The problems are all chicken s--t

I would buy another in a heart beat.

Of course, the stock tires are poor. I just put on a set of 25" Mud Gears. That should improve handling.

It's tough and goes wherever the Yami, Polaris', Can Am's go and is always there to pull out a high-sided Honda.

 

i like my 2up 2008 500 carb. everthing is stock i bought the rear rack for cat it big and heavy. i carried my deer on it back to camp. little over 1000 miles and no problems yet. steering is the down fall, grabs the rocks and ruts. but my 17 yr old daugher can handle it so can u

 

I had many problems with my 2002 AC 500 Auto. The drive train was always good (engine and tranny). Seemed to always be something small... many electrical probs and other things within the suspension.

Finally sold it for something more reliable, Honda. Just got sick of it breaking on me, way out in the trail. Brakes never worked right!! I also baby my stuff. I think I just got a bad one.

The thing could plow a ridiculous amount of snow.

 

I've got 2 AC's. My '08 650TRV and my wife's new '09 550H1 EFI. Both machines are Auto, and the TRV has over 600 miles w/only a small oil seal that needed replaced.

Oh and the 650 is carb'd - I'm sure like the 500 your looking at - and the 550 is EFI. But note that both my machines are the H1 platform, NOT the Suzuki motor.

Many have stated pros/cons for the AC, and you'll pretty much find that EVERY quad has them.
I like:
1. low end torque
2. transmission/clutch set-up
3. 4whl drive locking & 4Loc
4. towing capacity (2" reciever built in)
5. availability of add-on options
6. "open/room" for maintenance if required
7. combined brake handle (I do)
8. looks

dislike:
1. fuel gauge
2. stock tires are crap *(Rawhides on TRV)
3. suspention takes alot of "fine-tuning" to setup and is different for every rider
4. poor stock battery
5. steering kickback *(TRV)

this is purely based on my TRV, we haven't enough miles on the new 550 to form an valid opinion yet. (but it sure is a snappy machine...)

your best bet is to test drive as many models as possible and go from there.

good luck