How to find the value of your snowmobile

When selling your snowmobile, it's worth as much as someone will pay. It's as simple as that. Where can you get a rough idea of the value of your snowmobile?

Traditional way

In previous years, when real-time data wasn't available, the tried and true method was to get it from Kelly Blue Book or JD Power.

These websites gather data primarily through dealers and are slow to adapt. They are okay with getting a rough idea but need to adapt to changing market conditions. COVID times exposed them for their slow speed when snowmobile prices were much higher than the listed value on any NADA, KBB, etc sites. Anytime someone approached me on Facebook Marketplace and tried to use one of these sites as a basis for the machine's value, I knew a lowball offer was coming and would later sell it for much more than the valuation.  

So I advise avoiding these dinosaur sites like the plague, as they are slow and will have you priced either too high or too low in market conditions.

The New Method

Currently, the best method to get a real-time value for your machine is to go on Facebook Marketplace and search for similar machines. You'll find people ahead of you in the selling process and either sell it quickly or are forced to drop prices. Please keep in mind that geographies matter a lot; someone with a good snow year in the Northeast will have an easier time selling it for higher than a poor year in the Midwest. 

Keep tabs on similar sleds and message those sellers to stay in touch and learn what they sell for.

Prices Of New Sleds

The cost of the new ones is the most significant influence on the price of used sleds. If sleds are flying off the shelf at MSRP, that will pull used prices up. Suppose manufacturers have to issue rebates to move inventory that will directly impact the value of your new sled. Buyers of used machines want a decent gap in price between new and old. Nobody will buy your 1000-mile machine for two grand less than new with zero miles and a more extended warranty. It's as simple as that. So when that $1000 rebate comes out, you can knock $1500 or more off the value.

Seasonality

In a previous article, we go into the timing of getting the most money for a snowmobile. So, we'll keep it short and sweet. It's better to sell in September-January rather than February-August. There are more buyers in the upcoming winter months, excitement is high, and buyers are yet to be disappointed by a poor snow season and have their eyes on warmer recreation hobbies. So your same sled is worth more in fall and early winter than spring-summer. Buyers don't want to lay down big money for something they want to use for 4-8 months ahead of time. If you need to sell in those months, expect to take a significant drop in the sale price.

Signs that you are too high

You are too high if you list your snowmobile on a high-traffic site like Facebook Marketplace and receive little action during prime months. Don't confuse little action with high prices in the off seasons as there are not many buyers looking and very well can sell for that price in the fall/early winter. 

When you decide you are too high, I recommend you delete the listing and upload it with new photos. Buyers seeing prices reduced on the listing see blood in the water and will start shooting you lowball offers.

Another thing to watch is if people message you saying you are too high. Unless you are seeing this frequently and not getting any serious offers, disregard it. Most of these buyers would not give you a serious offer anyway and are looking for that one-in-a-million sale they can brag about.

Aftermarket parts

There are two scenarios you should sell your snowmobile with aftermarket parts; one is they are part of a total package, or you cannot easily remove them.

If you have aftermarket skis, hand guards, etc, take them off and sell them separately to get maximum value for sale. While cool parts may lure some people in, in my experience, it's always used to negotiate against you. It's better to remove them, not mention them during the sale, and sell them separately. Selling a stock sled is the easiest way to move it and doesn't scream that you beat the life out of it. 

Conclusion

So you have two options: you can use the outdated KBB, NADA, or JD Power recommendation, or you can do a real-time investigation using Facebook Marketplace. Facebook is more challenging than entering a snowmobile and getting a number, but you quickly know what it's worth. It just involves some guesswork and trial and error. Good luck with selling your snowmobile!