Hello all! I'm considering purchasing a used 05 660. Has under a 1000 miles. Are these ATVs good buys? I've always thought so until I've read some of the reviews. I realize that all have their problems. Price is under 4500. Is this a good buy? Thanks for any advice.

I have one of those 05 Grizz and it's been a great quad. Boots have been replaced do to riding in the sticks. I'm real happy with the quad. 2300 miles and it fires right up after sitting for several months. Under $4500 sounds good if the bike looks and sounds good. Shiney plastic does not mean they had taken care of the rest of the bike. Ride it somewhere you can run it out. Under 1000 miles what did they use it for?

Yes they all have problems, but Yamaha has always made a good product i have a buddy that still rides his 99 600 and it starts right up after sitting for months at a time. Just do a through inspection, ride it ,and ask lots of questions about what it was used for where he liked to ride. I have had a couple of different atv's and have good luck with them all, 06 kodiak 400, 06 kodiak 450, 08 grizzly 700. yamaha dirt bikes 04 wr450 and 06 yamaha ttr50.

I'm not sure what the guy used it for, but by the looks of it, it might have belonged to an older gentleman. It has some sort of metal rack/carrier on the back. I figure the guy probably used it for feeding and some hunting due to the gun rack on the front. The previous owner lived in Waco. He traded it in on a Honda. I asked if I could talk to the previous owner and they said that it went against store policy. I'm always nervous buying used just because I'm suspicious. Well, pray that I don't get starry-eyed and overlook the obvious.

Like the other guys said, the Grizzlies are great machines that do have their little problems. We have an 02 Grizz 660, 05 Grizz 660, and now 07 Grizz 700, all them served us well, with a few problems.

But, bigger than that when ever you buy a used machine check these things, especially for the Grizzlies. I know you mention it seems like an older guy owned this machine, so he probably did not pound on it in the mud, however check these things out;

1) Check the oil, pull out the dip stick.

a) Make sure its not pure black, and smell it, make sure it does not really smell burnt.
b) Make sure it does not look milky white, this indicates there is water in the oil.
c) Make sure the oil level is where it is at. The early Grizzlies 02-07 are notorious for burning oil at a small rate, even though you may never see it blowing smoke. I was one of those people who checked my oil level before a ride and realized wow, there was hardly any oil. I started paying attention to it, and sure enough I was burning a little oil after each ride. I am not the only person who has had this happen with their Grizzly, this is a very common problem on the early Grizzlies.

2) Check the air box.

a) Make sure the air filter is clean.
b) Pull the air filter off, and look into the choke, and make sure the butterfly is clean with no dust or dirt.

If the filter is dirty, and there is dust and dirt in the choke, more than likely there is dirt in the motor, and in the pistons. Don't buy it, more than likely the piston sleeves are scoured and it will burn oil, since oil will slip around the pistons.

3) Check the CV boots, make sure none of them are torn. This isn't the end of the world, since the boots can be replaced.

4) Check the throttle cable. Push, the throttle lever back and forth, and if you feel their is rubbing or the throttle gets hung up, just know you will have to replace the throttle cable. Again, many early Grizzlies were notorious for having their throttles hang wide open. My 02 Grizzly 660 never did it, but our 05 Grizzly 660 did it. Wife was riding her 05 Grizz, and the throttle hung wide open, and that was not fun.

What happens is, there is a plastic sleeve within the cable itself. If the cable is close to the motor, at some point that throttle cable gets to hot, it actually melts the plastic in side of the throttle cable, and this is how it gets hung up wide open. Just make sure the throttle has free play.

5) Check the front and rear differentials. All you need is a flashlight. Take the filler cap off both front and rear, flash the light in there, and make sure the oil does not look white. If the oil is low, or white this means the diff seals are leaking or shot.

6) If you can jack the machine up, and check the wheel bearings. This is very easy to do. Get the machine off the ground, put your left hand on the 12 clock position, and right hand on the 6 clock position, and rock it back and forth. If there is excessive play and the wheel wobbles the bearings are shot.

If the bearings are really bad, you can do the same thing with the machine on the ground. Just rock the top of the tire, and the wheel will move. There should be nearly zero play, it should be tight.

7) Check the 2wd/4wd/Diff lock, push the buttons and make sure everything engages.

8) Pull the drain plug on the CVT, its on the bottom of the cover. If anything comes out like a lot of dirt or even worse water, which it should not, but if it does this means the CVT was swamped. Meaning water and debris entered the cvt box.

The CVT intakes/exhaust on the Grizzly are horrible.

I know that is a lot to think about, and probably will make you look like a pain to the seller, but if you check those big items you know you are getting a rock solid machine. I would take a careful look at a used machine, personally I would never buy a used machine, because I know what these machines go through, and most people do not do the proper maintenance checks. However, there are some previous older owners, and 5 time a year riders, which haven't torn up their machines.

Good luck hope that helps.

quote:

Originally posted by S-Dave:
I asked if I could talk to the previous owner and they said that it went against store policy.

They might not want you to find out they only gave the guy $2500 for it? Be strong push the stealer your the buyer they are the seller. They want your bus. maybe?

I'll be the devil guy, if an older gentleman owned it, traded it in on a Honda and you can't talk to him....my guess is he was not happy or there were issues, I've seen these older Grizz stumble badly due to the gas boiling (at bad times), tip over VERY easily MANY TIMES, steer badly, burn a lot of oil and have trouble starting when hot.

I'd be wary unless they let you ride it for a couple hours somewhere, or offer a warranty. LOL

I like the new Grizz but wouldn't want one of the older ones.....

Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to look at it tomorrow. I'm a serious worry-wart. I realize that I'm very inexperienced and I don't want to be taken advantage of, but I also want the good deal. I guess I'm the typical consumer. I know one thing, I've realized how little I know. Thanks again for the tips, I intend to use them.