We are selling one of our four wheelers due to required upgrade.. We need a machine Mama or both of us can ride with newborn..
Looking at either new Argo Avenger EFI with delux cab, heater and tracks for snow / tundra (keep em out of weather) or the rhino.. and two snow machines..
Dave,
Argos are not snowmachines, they will go through snow with tracks but are not snowmachines. There are also some limitations on slopes with the Argo even with tracks. Argo's are slow by most standards, and especially when compared to rocket sled snowmachines that have CC's approaching 4 digit numbers. Argo's also need preheat, either plug in block heater or some other mechanical means of getting the engine warm prior to starting in cold weather. If speed is not a problem for your winter activities, and you have a way to pre-heat then and Argo would fit the bill. There is also some maintenance with an Argo, servicing, and greasing on a regular schedule.
As for comparing them to a Rhino, there is no comparison except for speed, the Rhino is faster. A Rhino will not follow and Argo, period.
I was in yours shoes a little over a year ago, and bought the Argo Avenger, HUGELY happy with my decision, although I don't use it in the winter. The Argo is warm and dry, (mine is covered) All Seasons Argo has be a pleasure to deal with, I have no complaints with the machine over 100 hours on the Argo and it has accomplished all task I have asked of it with style. Tead--lighty...
Regards,
M
There is no ARGO that can compare with any snowmobile. ARGO's are slow and they dont side hill well at all according to people I have talked to that own them.
But they are the cats meow in the real muddy stuff if the trail is wide enough to accommondate them.
I’ve never heard of any problems with oil pressure while side hilling. Someone else posted that their friends had problems side hilling in an Argo. That news to me I've been doing it for a long time now and there’s no comparison to the stability you get in an Argo regardless of whether you climbing, side hilling or descending.
There was one glitch with the Avenger when climbing a steep incline though. It had a fuel accelerator that would dump a little extra fuel in the carbs when the driver really poured the coals to it on a steep hill. The engine would load up for just a second until the fuel was burned off.
The problem is the Argo is geared so low you don’t need the boost of fuel. Argo showed me how to disconnect the accelerator and it works like a charm, something you won’t have to worry about with the EFI.
Dave,
No kids, and my wife rides in the Argo with me, to answer your question. I have not had any oil pressure issues on slopes and never heard of anyone else having problems either. My machine is not the EFI model, wasn't out when I bought mine, would I buy and EFI? Probably. I have found that my Avenger with tires will handle about 15 - 18 inches of loose snow without a problem. If you start running into hard pack and break through or encounter drifts, you better have tracks on the machine. In addition I have to echo everything Northriver21 stated I also found to be true.
DaveLuntz ,
I will have to agree with everyone else above , I do not own the avenger yet but I have 5 conquest , My main rig has the back bench seat for close friends. Never had a problem starting them in sub zero temps either. Slopes can be a problem at times I have the metal cleats on my super tracks helps a bunch . My wife has her own rig and she loves it. I like the argo because of its all around use . Not to many places it can not go. It was the cats meow this hunting season with all the flooding.
Maybe you should think about a trailer . Ask Jason to show you the photos of the one he made for us ,It will carry 8 adults ,And we turn it into a camper during hunting season.
buy a rhino or like machine they are faster and can have heat with a liquid cooled motor ,also put tracks on with idler wheel kit,and skis on the front for winter,(yes even on a four wheel drive rig) argos are great but slow yes they float but NO SUSPENSION!!!! new born being key word there bud..
you can have the best of all in a rhino or polaris etc. and all season with huge savings on pocket book.and the family can go and enjoy in the same rig!!!!! all 2 season we got here.
All you folks with argos, do you have alot of maintenance issues? I heard they do break alot. I dont have one which is why I'm asking. I need to buy a couple new 4 wheelers this winter but am looking for something me and the boss can go out in together and keep our current wheelers as back-up.
Been looking at the rangers, and rhinos. Speed doesnt interest me, reliability does.
Problems...Only had a few carb problems ,I solved that by changing out the fuel lines. I have over 400 hrs on my personal one. My friend has 2000 hrs on his.
I changed out one of my drive chains it was strecthed , I change out seals on the wheels as they do start to leak , Depending on how you abuse them. I heard all the horror stories before I bought mine but I was impressed and still to this day impressed. Yes ,they are slow and bumpy but can not be beat. Heater,fully covered, Windshield wipers,cruise control,radio,able to float and start up at 30 below. I do own alot of wheelers also a 6x6 big boss polaris that was my main choice of transportation for years until I bought an argo ,Now the 6x6 just sits in storage with a plow until it snows.
Question for you owners. Do you ever feel you are limited to where you can go that an ATV can? I am referring to steep hills and tight trails.
Even though I am flush with ATV's at the moment I have often considered one of these 8 wheelers with tracks for the mud and bog hunting we sometime do but I always gave up because some of the places we went the trails were a squeeze for an ATV.
Limited somewhat.....Argos are big and tight trails can be a problem but where we go the atvs are running the tree line or in the trees ..We run in the middle of the bogs no problem.or just run the trees over they pop back up with no damage as the bottom of the argo is smooth . It is a little slower going without tracks , Tracks are the way to go hands down if you are hunting bogs or crossing creeks or beaver ponds. Argos do get stuck just like anything else with wheels .
Now for the hill climbing I have taken my argos up into the Talkeetna's many,many times . I have a few times had to drop the tracks to climb up the side of a mountain. Tracks are slippery. But once you get the hang of it you can put tracks on in 10 min, The longest part of the process is putting air back in the tires.
If you're willing to look at other options and just want something to get out in there but aren't concerned with speed, I'd recommend an old Studebaker M29 'Weasel'. The top speed is around 35-45 on flat ground, and they are hard to get stuck in any terrine unless you slip the tracks or break an axle.
A picture is worth a 1000 words, I laugh every time is see this picture. I bet the last words out of this guy's mouth just prior to his machine flooding out were, "Hey you guy's watch this"! The most dangerous words in the English language. Next time your out on the trail and hear those words, either run for cover or a camera, as things are about to go south at the speed of light.
anybody concerened with maint. issues shouldnt be the new models are very reliable, i work at all seasons as a mech. and we just had our 1st avenger tranny come in BUT the guy pulls very heavy load ( over the rated limit) and it has a ton of hours on it, with little to no maint. the rest of the machine is very strong and beefed up. go on down and take one for a drive, i have had 1 conquest and just recently traded in my polaris ranger for the new frontier 6x6, it will not win in a drag race but will go many more places than the ranger. tracks on wheelers are are very hard on the drivetrain and also very costly i had a set of mattracks on my sporstman 700, top speed 25 mph steering was a real chore and cost almost 5000.00.
Although I do not own an Argo, I have spent quite a bit of time around one, and from what I have witnessed they are actualy faster than any 4 wheeler. Now before you start nay saying, let me explain, my hunting partner goes right through the middle, or over the top of anything in front of him, while pulling a trailer, wearing Reebok's, in a t-shirt. While we ride 4-wheelers behind him going around this and that, pulling winch lines etc. All the while the Argo put put put's out of sight. Now whats faster?