Finally talked her into letting me get one....questions???

[dzg]

Ok, some may remeber me from about a yr or so ago when i was posting on this site, money issues due to vehicles came about so the getting a AATV went on the back burner with the gas turned off....BUT....

This year with our tax returns my wife gave me the ok to get one....

Im planning on having 2500-3000 to spend, i have found a quite a few nice (older, which dont bother me) machines around here in that price range....

But i do have some questions....

Will an Argo or Max (II or IV) fit in the back of a fullsize pickup with an 8ft bed?

I was reading that something is different with the old Argo transmissions, what exactly is different about them? I dont wanna go so old where im stuck with a 2 stroke, but i dont wanna dish out themoney for something super new.

Are tracks worth it? I like the idea of them, BUT, they seem to up the price of a used machine way up.

I prefer an argo, but i like the max's to, does one have any distinct advatages over the other?

thanks guys.

[racerone3]

In the price range you mentioned, you can pick up a pretty nice Max if you are patient and wait for the right one. For that same price range, any Argo you find is probably going to be a money pit.

Max will fit in the bed of the truck, I won't comment on the Argo though as I have never personally done it.

[roblynn]

hello dzg i cant give you some of the advice that some of these older members can on some of these issues , i just wanted to give you my two cents . you said you wanted to avoid a two stroke motor ? two strokes have got a vary bad wrap over the years for being unreliable power plants that produce alot of power 'when they run' . im here to say thats all false info . they can smoke a little if there a little worn in ,tuned wrong , or oil fuel mix is off. the next up side is lots and lots of power per displacment. the best part about a two stroke is there very cheap and ez to work on in comparison to its four stroke brothers and sisters.
a two stroke motor is as basic as a motor can get if you plan to do your own work. the big place ppl make a mistake is to get the biggest badest two stroke they can find with twin carbs and liquid cooled with crazy gizmos all over, then they go beat the crap out of them with no upkeep.when it comes to all weather riding in a bumpy machine there is nothing better than a air cooled single carb two stroke that makes about twice the h.p. of a four stoke thats the same displacment.

long story short if you can mix your oil and fuel correctly ,tune a carb correctly , keep a good air filter on your motor [ like a k&n or uni filter. you will and can get twice the h.p. , half the four stroke life beffor overhual , and a top end overhual for the $ 100 to 150 range . how many four strokes can do that?

the only four strokes that can even get close to two stroke power are the new gen high rev four strokes. i built one four or five years ago it was in a honda 450r race quad. vary impressive little motor made gobs of h.p. for a four stroke but it was allso vary complex and vary costly to maintain.
besides iv never even heard of any body trying to drop one into a aphib everybody has lawnmower type setups. and by the way be vary carefull when getting one, the koler v twins pop head gaskets , build case pressure , worp heads . not a good motor at alljust google the koler curage and koler comand you will find alot of guys with a ton of top end motor problems .
plus they are expencive to rebuild if its even worth rebuilding after it comes apart but i see and here alot of ppl in here wanting to" upgrade" to one for more h.p. no motor is bullet proof 'none' so i say give me the lowest cost to rebuild with the highest output.that is unless your pocket book is bottomless and you can write all this off with uncle sam, then just skip all this and get a modle with a diesle. good luck if there is ever anything i can help you with just hit me up.

[dzg]

No, the biggest reason i dont want a 2 stroke is they are "all or nothing", i prefer a 4 stroke just for the low end torque, i have wrenched on lawn mowers since i was about 14 yrs old, so a Briggs Vanguard is nothing new to me

I also dont like the smokieness, the noise, and the mixing oil and fuel...

Ive had my eye on this....

1984 Argo 6X6 with Tracks

Its been for sale for a long time, (like since october or so), so hopefully its still there in another 2 months or so.....im pretty sure 3 cash would get it seeing as how its been sitting....

[roblynn]

ya i saw thay one the other day ! nice looking old argo . i went with a maxii for a resto project i plan to start in the spring "im a contractor" limited funds in the winter so the max has to sit for now. i bet you can get that guy down to atleast 3 grand because of the age . id hit him at 2500 cash in hand and go from there .make sure your waving the bills in his face when ya do it ;]

[dzg]

How much more do the Max IVs go for compared to Max II's?

[guyfox]

I bought an 89 6x6 argo with tracks and I paid $2200.00 for it here in Newfoundland, Canada. Been running it for over a year as a second machine nad have not had any problems with it. Just usual maintence.

And yes, it will fit in the back of a full size truck. You may need to build a block system for the wheel wells but that is not a problem. There is a pic on here as an example if you want to search for it.

[racerone3]

How much more do the Max IVs go for compared to Max II's?

pretty similar in price, I would geuss a IV brings a little more than an II, but not much in comparable condition.

[roblynn]

iv been looking at them for some years in the ne OHIO aria . iv heard ppl around here want more for what they got wich seems true when i look any other place 'except ebay' most seem high there too for year and shape in my opinion unless the owener isent willing to ship then ya see some good deals. but any how it seems where im from you should expect to pay $2500 and up for a decent maxii and $4500 and up for a max iv that wont need to much work. thats why im a basket case guy on these , i cant justify thousands of dollers for out dated and basic tec that im going to beat im the creek bed i still to this day dont know how or why these manufacturs put such a high sticker on a product thats not to much more advanced than a go cart with more chains and a plastic tub

[amphibious drew]

pretty similar in price, I would geuss a IV brings a little more than an II, but not much in comparable condition.

I see less of what I consider to be "good deals" on Max IV's vs the Max II's, but if you are patient and resourceful, you could get a good deal on one.