My Letter to Polaris:

Polaris Industries

Feb. 16, 2007

Problems regarding 2006 FST Classic SN# SN1PD7FSX6C636630

2005-06 Season

ISSUE: REPAIR: DOWN TIME:

Sled just shut off fully plug in air box sensor 2 days

Sled would just stop again. Repair plug going to fuel Pump 2 days

Fuel gauge not working Replace fuel tank 2 days

Reverse Issue Replace parts in chain case 5 days

Starter Recall Dealer fixed on a Sunday 4 Days

Suspension riding rough Dealer installed heavy spacer 1 day

Belt wear issue (800 miles) Dealer rechecked all alignments (Warr belt) 1 day

Holes in skis Dealer thought they should be warr.
Polaris denied (Dealer sold me set @ his cost)

Re map ECU Recall Dealer remapped ECU 1 day

2006-07 Season

ISSUE: REPAIR: DOWN TIME:

Recall for ECU Dealer installed new ECU update 1 day

Belt wear – still taking belt Dealer rechecked belt alignment - Rebuilt 1 day
every 800 miles Clutches at owner expense – new rollers,
Springs and Helix. Currently 3600 miles on sled.

Alternator issue Dealer diagnosed no charging and battery failure 3 days
Replaced both –

Bearing issue Currently at dealer 3 days

I have purchased 4 belts and got warrantee on 1, plus the current belt is shot. Sled still does not ride like

Fast M-10 and since you sell it as such it should. Skis had holes at 1700 miles but yet hi fax have 4700

miles and look excellent. Dependability is totally gone as I can not afford to buy your top of the line sleds,

haul them to MI and then have to rent a 500 xc at $155 a day. As a side note my wifes 07 LX IQ 600

burnt a piston down today also. Her Electric start fell off the night we were leaving so we decided we

would just crank it this trip. Now we have $19000 worth of sleds BOTH your top of the line and we are

at home. I am not the R & D department for Polaris snowmobiles, nor do I want to be.

So I am requesting you purchase back this sled at actual cash value as I felt this sled should last me many

years which is why I purchased a 4 stroke in the first place.


26 days lost riding plus all the trips to dealer are totally unacceptable

Sounds like alot of bad luck

Hope you get your sleds running soon

Had many of the same issues, I was patient with the sled because of the loss I would take on getting rid of it but I just couldn't take it any longer and traded it in for next to nothing and bought a 07 Yamaha Apex GT. I've fot 150 miles on it since Satuday night and it is awesome. Hope you can get them running if at all possible get an Apex or an Attack you won't ever look back at Polaris.

I got back into sledding in 2000 and went with Polaris sleds. Watched through the years as the Yami 4-strokes came out and waited for Pol to do something similar. Continued to rack up the miles on my sleds (7,000 plus on my Triumph and 6,000 plus on my wife's 500 Touring) and kept waiting. Intrigued when Yami brought out the 3 cylinder Vector/Rage in the fall of 2004 (2005 model). Was excited when Pol brought out the FS and FST in the fall of 2005. Very disappointed with all the problems Pol had their first year out (2005-2006). And it looks like you had pretty much every problem!

When the 2007's were introduced a year ago I ordered a Yami Rage and I now have one year of riding on it. I was only able to put 1,000 miles on it this winter, but only due to the lack of snow. Other than an appetite for hyfax it appears to be 100% bulletproof - no reverse problem, no engine problems, no recalls, nothing other than one hyfax replacement which I think was due to low snow as much as any design issue.

I'm still debating picking up a FST Classic for my wife because I think she would really like the smooth ride. But every time I get close I come across another person like you who has had one problem after another. So I'm still in a holding pattern at this point.

Waiting to see what Yami introduces for 2007 (website gets updated later today). If they add fuel injection to the Rage/Vector my wife might be getting one. Her only complaint on the current sled is the throttle pull, 3 40MM carbs make for a sore thumb.

I would love to go back to Polaris. My 1993 440, 2000 600 twin and 2000 600 Triple are all great running sleds (sold the 500 Touring). I keep them because they ARE low-maintenance. Cannot imagine spending almost $20 grand and going through what you did.

2008 is a pivotal year for Polaris. Their reputation is tarnished and every sled in the lineup needs to be 100% on this year. Can they pull it off? We won't know until a year from now......

I agree with Fredster.
I seen an 07 FST yesterday on trail, and it looked and sounded impressive, first one i have seen in these trails.
Only talked to the owner briefly but he said it worked great.
I like 4-stroke sleds and my next one will be another 4-stroke but which one i am not sure yet.
I would love to try an FS or FST but the stories i read on here are making me wait.
The fact that my local Polaris dealership closed and the next nearest one to me also closed does not help either.
My next nearest is 2 hours away, I will have to check there reputation first before deciding.
We have a reputable Yamaha dealer only 45 minutes away.

I feel your pain. Have had my sled since Dec 2005. Had sled 10 miles, then motor had to be replaced. dealer had my sled more than I did last year. This year finaly got snow rode once 260 miles and now it is back to the dealer has had it the last two weekends.
Should take it to Polaris and put it were the sun don't shine but I don't think it would make it that far.

sledding isn't a sport where you can just ride without fixing (though for the money you should) get a sled you like ( i have a 98 xc 600) and keep it forever i got 400 short of 9000 on mine and it barley farts starts up on 2 pulls in -5 lucky im a mechanic so i don't have to take it anywhere and i hear your stuggle with the sled (first post) hope that gets resolved anyway take it easy guys

go on the lamaha site and you can learn about there promblems there i have a o7 fst and i know lots of other with them that are trouble free any one that burns holes in skis and expects warranty needs a quad not a sled

The problem with the 06 FST skis are the fact that polaris designed it's mounting point in the wrong place. It also made for very hard steering. The steering got corrected in 07 and this should have been warrenteed as it accured in most all 06's

2006 was not the year to buy one of those but now they run extremely well !

I'd have to agree with this statement. I have had so many problems with the 06 FST Classic. All are snow is gone now and again it sits at the dealer with check engine on. I have renamed it From FST to POC. My wife says I have bought a lemon and I'm afraid she is right this time. When I can this thing will become a Yamaha. I ride with a guy that has an Apex and his sled has never been in the shop this season. Mine on the other hand spent more time in the shop than with me on the trail. Winter is too darn short to have to put up with this crap. And Polaris does not care there answer is trade up. I did not buy a fourstroke to trade up. I wanted to keep it for at least four years. I too wish the would buy back this Piece Of Crap. This sled reminds me of the Fusion or the storm my 02 classic was great I should of kept it.

I have an 06 FST classic and it's been trouble free on the trail. It did have its share of recalls but that seems to be ironed out now. You never buy a first generation sled and expect it to be trouble free....at least i won't ever again. Yam had it's many issues with the RX-1 which became the APex, which did have some issues in 06 but admittingly not as many as POO's FST. Doo did not have an easy first year with their REV and while i think the XP is a great chassis, they did have some issues with it this year as well. I believe i did read about the Doo 800 having its issues. Don't know much about CAT but i bet they have issues as well. Yam would be a good though so go get r done

I also purchased an 06 from a dealer for a reduced cost and only 160 miles on it as they didnt want to get stuck with another no snow season. I also had all the updates done in November but the fuel gauge issue was still a problem. But with the help of HSC and a few of your readers who really know what they are doing I repaired the problem my self. I also had the reflash done in November before the season began and have had no problems at all. Total miles of 2360 and it runs really great, smooth fast and always I would consider good mileage, 15-19 depending on my driving and conditions. I am really happy with mine, remember out of the thousands of machines made I am sure there will be some with problems. I agree with you in your anger I would really hate to miss any weekend riding for some sled problems, nothing more discouraging. An in your fear of dependability I totally agree as when we ride we are sometimes 30-50 miles from the nearest town/city for further from a dealership. I really dont blame you for wanting to make the switch.

As said before there are other brands with some problems too, a buddy I ride with has an 2005 Yamaha RX-1 and that he just pruchased and stuck $1,000 into a bad gasket and new computer processor and he only has 400 miles on it. Another buddy has an 2006 RX-1 and he has had suspension problems for a while.

So beware there are always problems with mechanical items they do break, some more than others, but as far as I am concerned Polaris and the dealer I deal with have always treated me well. Not to say I wouldnt buy something else in the future.

Just my 2 cents worth....