[Pooly_31]

I was sitting in my MIS class tonight talking and thinking about computers and i had an idea. you know how computer companies like dell and gateway let you configure and pretty much build your own system? why can't the snowmobile manufacturer's have some kind of system like that? for instance: go to the polaris (or whatever you choose) site, pick your chassis, engine, suspention, add various options (color, reverse, windshield, etc)...you get the picture. anyone else thought of this?

Celebrate Your Indepence With A Rocket...Ride Polaris

 

[jbjbjb4]

Snow Check one in spring. That was the only way to get the Edge X with the M10 last year.

'00' 500 XC SP

 

[Tfin70]

I think this is exactly the direction the manufacturors are headed. A/C and Ski Doo already have this to a limited degree on their websites. I believe we will be seeing more and more of this in the future. Who knows, maybe the dealers will end up only being places to sell used sleds, fix sleds, and the place to pick your new sled up when it arives from the factory after you chose the packages you wanted, and ordered it online.

They might only have shells of sleds and engines at the dealer so people can get an idea of what they really look like in person......who knows what the future holds......................

1997 XLT SP 600

 

[Pooly_31]

I'm thinking way beond what snow checking gets you. i'm thinkin a 440 pro-x race chassis with the walker evans shocks, a 700 ves engine, 1.25" track, black with yellow pro-x graphics and a low chrome windshield. something like that, where you can literally, build your own sled.

Celebrate Your Indepence With A Rocket...Ride Polaris

 

[Tfin70]

Hey, I'm all for it. The more choices, the better.

1997 XLT SP 600

 

[intendedacceleration]

Yeah I would like that too, but the thing stopping this is that they could not build ahead any sleds....it would take forever to fulfill orders, and it would cost them a ton of money. It simply would not work.

2002 Arctic Cat ZR 800 EFI

​

 

[Pooly_31]

Thats what people said about the computer industry as well. Theres a thing called JIT (Just In Time) processing that the computer industry uses. i wouldn't say its impossible. it wouldn't take any longer than snow checking a sled, you order it in the spring and recieve it when, late summer or fall?

Celebrate Your Indepence With A Rocket...Ride Polaris

 

[93SafariDlx]

I'm with you intended .. it's a great idea, but it would drive the production costs through the roof, and that ofcourse would be passed down to the consumer.

Made-to-order computers are a little different, where everything just plugs in, and component fits are so standardized for everything.

Plus, there is a safety aspect to all this as well. You can economically put a computer together, and if the video card pops out while you're running it .. well .. maybe you'll need a new card ($50), or just turn it off, pop it back in and away you go.

If your motor mounts came loose while drifing along @ 50mph .. whole different story!

 

[xltman]

yeah i agree, i dont think its impossible, you would still need all the parts built ahead of time to put what the order is togather and stuff, but i dont know how economical it would be for the sled manufacturers, unless they only did this for certain models, and still had the other stuff ready to just ship off to the dealers and sell


1993 xlt sp 580
xtra 10 suspension

 

[Sled_Dog]

We pretty much have that. I mean all you have to do is tell the dealer I want this windshield these handlebar ends, etc etc and you get it. And just like with Dell or Gateway or the many other companies I wouldn't buy a product for my personal use from those things cost a little more. And the thing is like Intended said it would take forever to fulfill orders. They could have stripped down sleds that are just a chassis and engine waiting but they have to store them and produce them. What happens if no one wants that one? or they run out of one. They either have to cancel that person's order or take time and produce more. I mean I can slap a computer together in less than 1 hour heck less than 30 minutes if I don't have to do anything complex. Comp companies deal in much more volume than Snowmobile companies. There are lots of ppl wanting very different things in computers. A lot more than there is with snowmobiles.



Edited by - Sled_Dog on February 21 2002 3:40:42 PM

 

[XCSP 700GUY]

Personally i dont think this idea would fly there would be so many diffrent combinations of sleds that they would have to put a computer system in to keep everything strait also it would take a lot longer and if you have ever been to the factory there isent a lot of room so if they had to be switching from a 1 inch track lug to a 1.25 inch track lug there wouldnt be enough room to have all these diffrent tracks around. So they would have to build on and that would be really spendy. Also now when they make the sleds they make all the same and they shut down for a lil while when they switch the line from one snowmobile to the next. Another reason is that they would have to hire a lot more people and in this area there isent that many people. So i dont think this idea would fly.

 

[erick]

This idea is great, I just think that it would be VERY difficult to do. Like XCSP 700GUYsaid, there isn't that much space. Every sled would have to be hand built. with computers it is much easier, you can give the job to a single person, and they can do it in a matter of an hour or so. I mean, it is not as hard as building a snowmobile. All I think is that there would need to be a lot of changes made. It would be great to have, but difficult to actually do.

Vote for Snowmobile Fanatics.com

 

[Sled_Dog]

want stuff done to it tell your dealer and plop down a couple extra bucks.

 

[Tfin70]

I still think its possible. Its obviously something that would have to start out w/limited options, than as processes were refined, more options could be added. As for storage of parts, many are interchangable w/other sleds. Again, in the begining fulfilling orders would take time. But thats why you would order your sled in the spring and get it in the fall. When you order a sled, there would have to be some contract you'd sign stating that you or someone would present payment in full upon delivery of the sled to prevent people of backing out of the deal.

Start small....refine process....increase options as you grow and learn. Hey I'm not saying its something that could happen over night, but I definately think its possible, AND I think its something we will begin to see more of in the future. IMO

1997 XLT SP 600

 

[xc racer]

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>Originally posted by Tfin70:

I still think its possible. Its obviously something that would have to start out w/limited options, than as processes were refined, more options could be added. As for storage of parts, many are interchangable w/other sleds. Again, in the begining fulfilling orders would take time. But thats why you would order your sled in the spring and get it in the fall. When you order a sled, there would have to be some contract you'd sign stating that you or someone would present payment in full upon delivery of the sled to prevent people of backing out of the deal.

Start small....refine process....increase options as you grow and learn. Hey I'm not saying its something that could happen over night, but I definately think its possible, AND I think its something we will begin to see more of in the future. IMO

1997 XLT SP 600[/quote]

therein lies the problem. manufacturers are making chassis specific snowmobiles for many different riding styles, therefore meaning less sleds on one specific platform. interchangebility is becoming less and less of an option as the elusive 'perfect' snowmobile is trying to be designed and built directly from the factory.


There's no stopping Arctic Cat........ REALLY!!

'99 XC SP 500

 

[Tfin70]

I hear what your saying, and I agree to some extent. But take for example:

You want an MXZ REV. There is only one chassis (I believe), or there will be. Then you decide what options you want on it (motor, shocks, graphics, grips, studs, and on and on).

You want a touring....one chassis, then pick and choose the add ons.

Like I said before, its nothing they could start up tomorrow. It would take a lot of planning and research. But I believe manufacturors really like to have sleds pre-ordered. That way there are not as many left overs at the end of the year. Also "Joe Consumer" wants more and more choices....we see that in any marketing study. And if that is what the consumer wants, then thats the way any manufaturor of any product is going to gear their production towards. The old "supply and demand"......its the American way.

1997 XLT SP 600

 

[Sled_Dog]

we have exactly what you just described now. Go to your local whatever dealer and pick out a model. Ask them about the very numerous things they can do or you can have done. Aka before you even take your sled from the dealer you could have new shocks(I know almost all Yammi dealers sell diff shocks), new windshield, new grips, new handlebars, and studs don't forget a track. I said it before and will again if yuo want those options just ask your dealer. Only thing they can't really help you with is the graphics package but manufacturers are offering more and more of those. Sure Polaris or Arctic Cat isn't installing the parts for you but who actually cares about that? I mean so your dealer does it big woop they do stuff when they get the sled anyway. It doesn't come out of the crate ready to go.

 

[XCSP 700GUY]

Good point sled dog i mean if thats all you want is studs and diffrent grips or shox or even a windsheild even if your dealer didnt do it for you that kind of stuff isent that hard to do on your own.

 

[Sled_Dog]

I don't know any dealer that won't do it for a price. I mean if you had that with manufacturers it would cost you too just like it does to upgrade parts on computers.

 

[Pooly_31]

it also wouldn't cost you your warranty if the factory did it

Celebrate Your Indepence With A Rocket...Ride Polaris