Ok guys so this lockdown(and before) I was and am contemplating upgrading from my 2016 ranger to a new 1000 ranger xp or a can am defender so give me pros cons and watch outs

I have two friends that have Can Am's. Nothin g but trouble with them. I would go with anything else for the price you pay for them. I went Honda and love it but there are other makes out there that are more economical and better than the Can am.

Honda......Yamaha......Kawasaki......

do your research & reviews on the forums....

Bought my '18 Teryx T4 new 2 yrs ago...now with 3500 miles

Been flawless......

Wow can’t believe that, on another forum everyone said go can am rangers were junk

Honda or Yamaha would be my first choice.

Polaris my last.

Can AM would not be on my list.

The first choices are the most reliable, in my experience, and your experience may vary. I have had two Polaris and both had problems with fuel pumps and starters. Can Am is difficult to assess as there are almost none of them around where I am.

You are between the Ranger 1000 XP and the Defender HD8? The Defender XT HD10 would be a better comparison.

First, lets address the brand loyalty issue. Throw it out the window. Powersport machines have reached a level of performance and manufacturing that reliability is a model to model issue. The first year of any model will have issues. When people tell you they had a lot of problems with their Polaris, ask what year and model it was. Maybe it was a Sportsman from ten years ago with an oil pump issue that Polaris still fixed 5 years after the sale. Maybe is was a Can-Am from five years ago with a fuel pump they don’t use anymore. Both of which are irrelevant to the two machines you’ve listed above.

One brand problem I have with Can-Am is their Canadian distribution system. Sometimes parts come in a week, other times an order is stopped by customs for ten weeks because of a 36 cents nut.

What is the intended use of the machine? I like the ride in the Defender XT over the Ranger XP. Both machines have more power than traction. Brake feedback was better on the Polaris. Power steering is a personal preference, I like the lighter steering for backing trailers.

If you’re looking for power and ride quality, I’d also look at the Arctic Cat Havoc in that price range.

Agree with Tikkanut. That's kind of like having to choose between a Cadillac Cimmaron and an AMC Pacer, in my opinion. The Polaris machines at our camp, and the single Cam Am Commander 800 are the most unreliable modes of transportation I've seen in a long time. We no longer call the Pioneers, Hondas, but "Polaris Recovery Vehicles".

Had a guy I know......tried to pull out a 1/2 ton Ford stuck in the sand........

with has CanAm.....(dummm azz)

He to replace the belt in it a week later.......

I'm a CanAm guy now, but not on my dime....

Finn approves I see.

We're not brand particular if we don't have to pay for them......

I'm that way with beer.

Bombardier, in Queerbec, builds the Canam.......for that reason alone I would avoid it