argo upkeep costs? $$$

[squirrel13]

just wondering how much it costs to upkeep an argo annually if you grease the bearings and treat the argo good?

[thebuggyman1]

There are just too many variables to answer that. What model? What engine? How many hours use per year? Conditions driven in? How is your driving style? How old of a machine (year), with how many hours/what shape is it in? And the big one, BRAND? I'm assuming you are looking at an Argo, but many people use the name generically to mean all amphibs.
Parts for different machines (brands/models) cost different amounts. What you are asking is akin to asking how much does it cost to drive a car for a year.

Edit: Your location matters too, as used replacement parts are cheaper/ more plentiful in some areas, and I'm sure the guys from Alaska will tell you what shipping costs are there.

[ARGOJIM]

There are just too many variables to answer that. What model? What engine? How many hours use per year? Conditions driven in? How is your driving style? How old of a machine (year), with how many hours/what shape is it in? And the big one, BRAND? I'm assuming you are looking at an Argo, but many people use the name generically to mean all amphibs.
Parts for different machines (brands/models) cost different amounts. What you are asking is akin to asking how much does it cost to drive a car for a year.

Edit: Your location matters too, as used replacement parts are cheaper/ more plentiful in some areas, and I'm sure the guys from Alaska will tell you what shipping costs are there.

Great answer Jim, some people drive their machines 5-10 hours a year on groomed trails so maintenance would be minimal, other people are in the bush,sub zero,tracked, loaded in slush/snow for a couple hundred hours a season. Hard to compare costs.

Basic maintenance is the key, if you are trail riding, keeping the machine cleaned/lubed/serviced, that should be your main cost to upkeep a new machine for the first 250-300 hours. Any of the variables such as extreme terrain/mud, lack of maintenance, unkempt machines and track use will vary normal expected maintenance costs.

[squirrel13]

sorry for the lack of info. lol it's a 1993 argo magnum with 18hp kohler, 800 or so hours on it. the guy I'm getting it from says he's babied it. my use is 4 wheeler trails that are fairly dry and pretty smooth, and maybe winter riding on groomed trails, maybe 100 hours a year if I'm lucky

[thebuggyman1]

I wouldn't call an 800 hour machine "low hours", but still, it should be far from worn out. With proper maintenance and treatment, you should get around 2000 hours or so out of the motor and trans before worrying too much about them. The chains and bearings are wear items and need to be replaced regularly, maybe every 200-300 hours. You may get even longer with easy driving. Sprockets and axles wear too, as do the tires, but these are far harder to predict. One thing often over looked is the drive belt. When they get old/worn, the performance suffers, but I haven't had one shred yet. Our machines are maintenance intensive, but they don't have to be cost intensive. Put in the work and save the costs.
Even if money is not an issue to you, nothing is worse than breaking down in the middle of a ride.