im contemplating buying a ARGO 8 wheeler but the cost is large and id like some input from others as to the good versus bad of this machine.

my dad is moving up here to alaska to live and id like to take him [ 73 yr old] out with me and the trails i go on would buck him off the rear of my sportsman 500.

id like to hear from others that have had good or bad experiences with this costly machine. i can buy 2 complete polaris 4-wheelers for the price they want for the ARGO here in alaska so before i purchase one,,,id like to hear from you.

thanks for your input

ted

fiberglass and rubber seals, in alaska? sounds like a mant. nightmare .. the argo's are cute, though I haven't driven one in 20 years .. they BREAK, and in cold temps, breaks go up.

get a mule 4x4, NOT a rhino .. the rhino is "Awesome" ... for the parts dealer, as its built a bit too light for agressive use

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
get a mule 4x4,

Mule's (the four-legged kind included) are slooooow. They're built like a tank but not too sporty.

Get a Polaris. Twice the HP and speed with significantly more payload too.

As far as the Argo goes, there are supposedly a lot of 'em cruising around the tundra of Alaska but I have to agree w/Jeffe...everyone I've ever seen was sitting behind someone's house with weeds growing around it.

Regards,
Scott

Scott,
I have to agree, the RZR is am amazing ride .. but they too break down pretty well, but are pretty tough .. I just have a softspot (in my head?) for the mule.. a used one costs 1/3 or so of a used rsr

oh, yeah, the argo is SLOW .. at least used to be .. the zillion wheel drive is complicated and power robbing ...

You might think about one of the new Polaris 6x6 in a ranger configuration. They will typically go through more "stuff" than a 4X4 but less fun and more $$$.

I got to use an Argo 8 wheel Avenger for a year. Yes, they are not fast, the one I used topped out at 30 mph on a level hayfield. But they go through just about anything, especially if you decide to use the tracks.

They are not "unstickable" however. If you break through a crust and there's nothing to provide traction, it will high center on the belly pan. The only time I got it stuck was when I tried to cross a bog swamp. However, I was able to winch it to more solid (?) ground and continue on. On the return trip, I simply kept the ground speed up and shot right through the same place where I had gotten stuck earlier in the day.

But they go through a lot of stuff that a conventional 4 wheeler, or even 6 wheeler will balk at.

What I liked about the Avenger is that you can put two people in one, along with hunting gear, camping gear, and return with your game, and still carry everything. Try that with a 4 wheeler!

Plus, they are amphibious, so instead of traversing around a pond or waterhole, as long as the shoreline allows access, simply cruise across! But remember to screw in the drain plug!

If you're seeing Argo's sitting with weeds growing around them, chances are it's an older unit. Like everything else, early models were not as good as units produced nowdays that have had time to find the weak links in the system. The new ones are much more dependable. In the year I had mine to use, I never experienced any trouble whatsoever.

They are pricey little boogers, but I really enjoyed my time in one. And I'd get the 8 wheeler instead of the six.

hunted in an Argo on the Zambezi floodplain in Moz. and the tundra of Newfoundland. they will go places a 4 wheeler wouldn't even think of trying. in those two remote areas, i can't believe breakdowns are a common problem, since they are a LONG way from product support.

Argo's are great tools
they hav both plus-s and minus's
the some of the plus side is they go most places including across water and even can be fitted with a small electric outboard for longer and faster crossings
they can carry several people and plenty of gear
if you put a canopy on aswell you don't need to worry about the the weather as much
if you get a punture you can still carry on your journey with out to much hassle
some bad points are they can get stuck if you bottom out but having a winch should sort that out if the event ever arises, if with a canopy on it can be a little noisy and be-carefull of fumes from the exhaust
they are a little bumpy if you are a passenger due to the skid steering and can be a little slow, but once you hav got used to it, you can get a bit of a lick on in high box
but on the on the whole the for far out-weighs the againsts
they are a practical vehicle for total off-roading and go places a quad will never venture
i use mine quite a bit
here it is out on the flood plains where i do a bit of duck shooting

ATB