Polaris Sportsman 335 problem

[Francis K]

I purchased a 1999 Polaris Sportsman 335 almost a year ago. When I first
picked it up I noticed that it didn't shift into high forward easily. Kind
of had to rev the engine a little while putting it into gear to get it to
go. All the other gears worked fine. When I brought it to the dealerships'
attention they said it just needed some time to wear in and that if it
didn't improve after 100-200 miles I should bring it back in. Well I waited
till I put on 150 miles( which took 10 months for us to do) with no
improvement before I brought it back. I also mentioned there was a burning
oil smell coming from the engine and asked them to check to find the cause.
Then they say the warranty period is over and Polaris won't pay for the
repairs.

The dealership said that a lot of the 335's had the shifting problem and
that Polairs didn't really have a fix for it. They said they tried to adjust
the transmission and that it was better. When I picked it up the high
forward was slightly easier to shift into but now shifting into all the
other gears is harder. I think the only thing they did was raise the idle
which is now way too high. They said the smell was caused by a leaking hose
which they fixed but when I got home and crawled underneath it I found that
oil was leaking from around one of the head gaskets(? not sure exactly but
that is what I think it is).

Other than those problems we've been happy with it, it's perfect for what we
use it for.

Was wondering if anyone else had the shifting problem and whether there is a
fix for it. Also not really mechanically inclined but it doesn't seem normal
for an engine to be leaking oil like that after 150 miles of very light
riding. Anyone have any luck getting Polaris to take responsibilty for these
kinds of problems? I mean it is a $6,000.00 machine not a toy.

Thanks for any helpful replies. Please don't bother replying if you're just
going to tell me to sell it and buy another brand or that is what I get for
buying Polaris,

Francis K
fr...@yahoo.com

[BEYV]

Dear Francis,
Did you try e-mailing Polaris this same letter you posted here. From my own
experience, I've found that some dealers can get more results than others, but
the factory always answers my e-mail. I think they should explain why you
aren't getting your machine fixed at your dealer under warranty. You only
followed their advice and got screwed for it. Perhaps, you should talk this
over with another dealer that might be willing to earn your business by
treating you right..
good luck,
BOB (BEYV)