The issue here for me (and I think many others) is not the failures themselves, but rather the way the sled has not lived up to some of its marketing. Furthermore BRP has gone silent addressing these issues (so far), effectively leaving their customers out to dry and profit from the parts they sell.
The front end was claimed to be stronger over previous designs with a-arms being the failure point. This is turning out to be apparently false.
The clutches are supposed to run cooler. For many, myself included, the clutches run hotter than the previous generation for the same riding conditions. Some of the mountain riders are destroying a belt every few rides without any explanation.
Also, the calibration is so far off for many high altitude riders, changing/adding parts is required just to get it within their own specifications.
The claimed oil consumption reduction was rescinded during the summer.
These were all selling points that were well marketed by BRP. There is no disputing that. If these points weren't so hyped, then this would not be such a big issue to me. I expected some first year problems, but BRPs lack of acknowledgement or recompense will likely motivate me to spend my money elsewhere in the future. Their arrogance and lack of support ruins the ownership experience of a premium priced product.
Now to be fair, some things that BRP did deliver on and things that you don't hear people complaining about.
The engine is a performer, and the reliability is there so far. Too early to judge the longevity, but I suspect (and hope) these engines will last.
The mountain tracks are impressive, and some models received extra wheels and unexpected anti-stab kits.
Overall performance is fantastic. No one is complaining about poor handling, lack of throttle response or insufficient rider enjoyment. Fact is, these are the best performing sleds ski-doo has ever produced. Even some of the people with problematic units are praising their machines.
