I am sure you've done a LOT with goats!

Nothing like hunting a bunch of transplanted inbred goats!

I can see I will have to defend my honor again. The MINI-Z kicks butt and that is all there is to it. I dont get stuck I just put it over my shoulder and carry it out.

glad to see your keeping up woodelf, i know it takes an extra step or two.

I guess that will fix the getting stuck problem!

Fish have you looked at the Etech know a few guys here who love the 20 miles to the gallon they get

I have heard good things about the etec as well. Expensive oil but great gas milage.

I am ottermans nephew and I own a 2010 renegade 600 etec. After putting on 6K miles on the machine last year, i still got about 20mpg. In those 6k miles, i burned about 6 gallons of oil. It didn't matter if i went fast or slow either, in powder or packed trails. This is by far the best efficient machine i have owned.

One thing on the E-tecs: must, and I mean MUST use premium gas. If you don't (and most of us in the villages don't have that option) it is only a matter of time till you burn up your engine, and they won't warranty it, as it clearly states to use premium gas.

True but octane booster in every tank fixes that for some. I am pretty sure nushking has not had to put booster in his. I can also say he rides hard very hard when wolf hunting especially

In my etec, I run regular gas. Haven't had any problems so far. The good things about etec's are they are very quiet. A lot of people asked me if it was a four stroke. The motor starts up every time either on the first or second pull. Very easy to maintain, and it pulls load very well.

I hear ya, but w/o a supply available of "Premium" gas, when (and it is a when, not an if) the engine has issues, the dealer will point to the gas. Saying you put octane booster in it won't matter. Personally i think it's BS, but it does state to run Premium through it (on the website and in the literature). Have a few buddies that have them (I REALLY wanted one but waited, and am glad I did) and half have had issues, the others haven't had any. But when there are issues, they are $3-4k issues....

Fisherman I cant comment on the Doo motor but my friends that are test drivers at A Cat say everything else will wear out before the motor.

They tell me 20000 plus miles is realistic.

I've only got 7000 on mine.

Back to life for this thread...any more comments on the ACE machines? I am going to 'snowcheck' or 'spring order' an expedition sport ACE next month and possibly one other ACE but not sure which platform. curious to hear folks' thoughts after a couple months since original thread.

Dave

For those interested in cold starting a 600 ACE I tested out my non electric method this weekend. Two cans of sterno next to the exhaust pipes coming out of the cylinders for one hour and it started at -42F. Don't use the gelled stuff it can spill and burn your machine up. The wick stuff works well. I checked the oil to see if it would pour and it does at that temp so there should be some lubrication on start up. I covered the hood with an old sleeping bag. I don't have any worries of cold starting without power now. Of course around electricity I will get a good thorough preheat in order to prolong engine life.

We have no snow here this year but i have put about 150miles on my new one in western maine. I think I will really like it. I can see 2 problems with this machine: the reverse lever and the "key". I can see me breaking the reverse bracket sometime soon. It is a plastic piece you have to pull down and it pulls very hard. The key thing is also a pain and has to be adjusted after most start ups. I will lube the linkage on the reverse to try and fix the problem and just have to deal with the weird key thing. The sled is very comfortable and quiet. You dont have a headache after riding and you don't smell like a sled. I will let you know milage after this next tank.

You bring up the reverse lever Maniac, I had forgotten to mention that, when backing up, don't sit normal, the jolt in reverse could cause your knee to punch it back into forward. The reverse gets easier with more miles.

I am getting between 17 and 22, pulling a sled, seems when it is super cold I get closer to 17.

I have put a few tanks of gas through this sled finally and am getting around 17mpg. This is not pulling a load. I have yet to try it in deep snow but I am heading north this wekend for a good test.

I'm snow-checking one of these this week. Wish they had an 800 ACE but we'll see how the 600 does...

Dave you will love it.

I sure love mine! At about 500 miles on it, and easy 20+mpg in any condition. I do have the shorter 136" track on the renegade.