6 tips for selling a used snowmobile

Here are some things you can do to help make your snowmobile sell faster

by Addam Saruk, ASA Regional Director for Central Alberta

A man stands next to his snowmobile on a mountain.
Rule #1 to selling your used snowmobile: Take a good photo. Jake Allred photo

There's never a bad time to sell your snowmobile. Everyone is looking for the new and better thing.

Generally speaking, the best time to sell is in the early fall before the snow falls. Everyone is looking at this time. People who look later on in the year are usually looking for really cheap deals. The fall is also a good time because all the snow-checked sleds are coming in. Regardless of when you choose to sell your sled, there are always some things to keep in mind. Here are a couple tips to sell your sled this season:

1. Take a good photo

A picture is worth a lot. Most people don’t even click on the ad if there is not a good photo. Make sure the lighting is good and don’t have a messy background. Make sure you take photos of important features, for example, custom mountain seats or wrap kits. Take a picture from every side and pick the best one to be listed first. 

2. Describe your sled accurately

Make sure you have the make, model and year, as well as any accessories that will go with the snowmobile. The mileage is important as most people want to know how many kilometres or miles it has. List any work done or modifications to the sled. If the engine was rebuilt, have receipts; people like to have peace of mind knowing that the work was done.

3. Include contact information

Make sure you put a phone number that you will answer or indicate if you prefer texting or emailing. There is nothing worse than phoning someone who would rather be texted. It is frustrating when no one answers, or if they do not reply to emails. I have found that those who email are mostly tire kickers. The serious ones are the people that call you.

4. Clean it!

You don’t have to professionally get it polished but a little bit of elbow grease does go a long way. Nothing is worse than opening the hood to see a mouse nest or pine needles or last year’s sausage. It does not hurt to clean it up a bit.

5. Make sure it runs

There is nothing more embarrassing than pulling it 200 times and it won’t start.

6. Finally, price the sled right

You can look on websites for prices, but remember that these are the asking prices, not the final sale prices that all of them are getting. Sometimes people think their sled is worth its weight in gold. Call a dealer— they have the right tools to tell you what your snowmobile is worth. Try and have a bottom-line price that will make you happy. Have a competitive price; you don’t need to give it away. Don’t be afraid to negotiate with the buyer. Make sure you are protected—only take cash or a bank draft. You can get a bill of sale from most registration offices in your town.

These are just a couple of pointers that might help you make a quick sale. Happy selling!

What if you're in the market for a used snowmobile? See Five Tips For Buying A Used Snowmobile.

Related Articles

A snowmobiler leans right into a turn on his blue Yamaha sled.
SnoRiders Insider Yamaha says sayonara to snowmobiles

Yamaha snowmobiles will soon become relics of yesteryear, heading exclusively to Old Sled Zone territory

by Kyle Born
A futuristic concept snowmobile called the Snow-Crawler.
SnoRiders Insider Top 10 weird and wild concept snowmobiles from cyberspace that will dazzle your imagination

From cutting-edge to just plain bizarre, check out these concept snowmobiles and vehicles.

by Keith Powell
Gloria Cunningham stands against a white background with a white helmet in her hand.
SnoRiders Insider, Manitoba Inside the Industry with Gloria Cunningham

Gloria Cunningham, Cycle Works West ambassador, gives a powersports insider’s perspective on the state of the industry

by Kyle Born
>
View all SnoRiders Insider articles