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Dear Arctic Cat,
I have owned many first gen sleds from you, including my M-7, M-6, M-8 and M-1000. I have been a loyal Cat guy since my first Powder Specail in 1995. I was psyched to order a M1100 Turbo. All my first gen sleds have never had a problem and ran reliably for years. That all changed with my M1100 Turbo. I am putting this letter on Snowest in a chance you will actaully read it. If I sent it to you, it would probably end up in the trash.
After putting 60 trail miles on my M1100 Turbo breaking it in, I met my buddies at the trailhead for some serious boondocking. A foot of fresh and a blue bird day. Backed the sled off the trailer, put in forward and all it did was grind. My buddies riding Doo's found this quite humorous.
I then search on here to find that many other M1100 Turbo owners have experienced the same problems with reverse. Not only that, you KNEW about it, but kept producing sleds that your loyal customers grenaded. Mine was one of the last ones built, yet you did not fix crap. I have also heard, while you are aware of the problems, you have not invented a fix. WTF?????
1. If you know of a damn problem, quit producing and shipping the damn things till you fix them. I waited over a month longer to get it than I should have. A little Cat Cash could go a long way.
2. I would like some of whatever your engineers were smoking when they designed this hood system. 6 torque head screws? That is the best you could come up with? If I have to take this hood off in deep powder, I am going to get drunk, find the nearest Cat rep, and beat his ***, unless he is bigger than me, then I will find some buddies, get them drunk, and we will all beat his ***.
3. What in the hell is up with these skis? You take a 670 pound wet mountain machine, go to the nearest chinese restuarant, borrow some chop sitcks and bolt them to the spindles. WTF? Another 300.00 on top of the damn near 14,000.00 I already spent on the sled for some 8 inch sly dogs to hold the damn thing up in deep powder. Try adding an inch or two to the width of the damn things, please! Or better yet, contract with Sly Dog, SLP or Simmons to use there skis.
4. What is up with this air filter? Damn thing is idiotic. Putting it back on is like pulling teeth.
I do like the power and the sled does handle well. Seems to carry the weight very well. BUT, with all the problems I have read about the 800's (belts, clutches tearing up side panels, and the list goes on) and problems with the 1100 Turbos, these sleds were not ready for production. I have also heard, you would not listen to owners when these problems first showed up. DO you really think someone who has spent the money for a new sled is going to bitch because it is running perfect? LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS! Hell, some probably know more than you do, and I have already seen some come up with fixes on problems you have yet to even acknowledge exist. Ignoring them only pisses off your customers and does not make the problems go away.
What were dreams of the best powder machines ever made are turning into nightmares for some. While some feel it is acceptable for a first gen sled to have issues, when I buy a sled that costs as much as a damn car, I expect it to actually run, not leave me stranded at the trailhead with only 58 miles on it while I watch my buddies ride off on the perfect deep powder blue bird day. You owe alot of people an apology for the design flaws in both the 800 and 1100 turbo. An apology doesn't make them run right, but at least it lets your customers know you are listening and care. I haven't heard a damn thing out of you at all, which really pisses me off. Nothing about M1100T reverses, 800's belts, jackshafts, etc.... A little Cat Cash wouldn't hurt either.
Here endeth the lesson.
John
I have owned many first gen sleds from you, including my M-7, M-6, M-8 and M-1000. I have been a loyal Cat guy since my first Powder Specail in 1995. I was psyched to order a M1100 Turbo. All my first gen sleds have never had a problem and ran reliably for years. That all changed with my M1100 Turbo. I am putting this letter on Snowest in a chance you will actaully read it. If I sent it to you, it would probably end up in the trash.
After putting 60 trail miles on my M1100 Turbo breaking it in, I met my buddies at the trailhead for some serious boondocking. A foot of fresh and a blue bird day. Backed the sled off the trailer, put in forward and all it did was grind. My buddies riding Doo's found this quite humorous.
I then search on here to find that many other M1100 Turbo owners have experienced the same problems with reverse. Not only that, you KNEW about it, but kept producing sleds that your loyal customers grenaded. Mine was one of the last ones built, yet you did not fix crap. I have also heard, while you are aware of the problems, you have not invented a fix. WTF?????
1. If you know of a damn problem, quit producing and shipping the damn things till you fix them. I waited over a month longer to get it than I should have. A little Cat Cash could go a long way.
2. I would like some of whatever your engineers were smoking when they designed this hood system. 6 torque head screws? That is the best you could come up with? If I have to take this hood off in deep powder, I am going to get drunk, find the nearest Cat rep, and beat his ***, unless he is bigger than me, then I will find some buddies, get them drunk, and we will all beat his ***.
3. What in the hell is up with these skis? You take a 670 pound wet mountain machine, go to the nearest chinese restuarant, borrow some chop sitcks and bolt them to the spindles. WTF? Another 300.00 on top of the damn near 14,000.00 I already spent on the sled for some 8 inch sly dogs to hold the damn thing up in deep powder. Try adding an inch or two to the width of the damn things, please! Or better yet, contract with Sly Dog, SLP or Simmons to use there skis.
4. What is up with this air filter? Damn thing is idiotic. Putting it back on is like pulling teeth.
I do like the power and the sled does handle well. Seems to carry the weight very well. BUT, with all the problems I have read about the 800's (belts, clutches tearing up side panels, and the list goes on) and problems with the 1100 Turbos, these sleds were not ready for production. I have also heard, you would not listen to owners when these problems first showed up. DO you really think someone who has spent the money for a new sled is going to bitch because it is running perfect? LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS! Hell, some probably know more than you do, and I have already seen some come up with fixes on problems you have yet to even acknowledge exist. Ignoring them only pisses off your customers and does not make the problems go away.
What were dreams of the best powder machines ever made are turning into nightmares for some. While some feel it is acceptable for a first gen sled to have issues, when I buy a sled that costs as much as a damn car, I expect it to actually run, not leave me stranded at the trailhead with only 58 miles on it while I watch my buddies ride off on the perfect deep powder blue bird day. You owe alot of people an apology for the design flaws in both the 800 and 1100 turbo. An apology doesn't make them run right, but at least it lets your customers know you are listening and care. I haven't heard a damn thing out of you at all, which really pisses me off. Nothing about M1100T reverses, 800's belts, jackshafts, etc.... A little Cat Cash wouldn't hurt either.
Here endeth the lesson.
John
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