New Toy

[blksn8k2]

I bought a used 2023 Can-Am Commander XT700 UTV a few weeks ago. It has almost $6k in add-ons and still has about 11 months of remaining factory warranty. It has just under 2000 miles on the clock. The dealer who took it on trade has already replaced both rear axles under warranty and has filed a warranty claim on the winch. The winch still operates under power but the "free-wheeling" knob will not turn which means you cannot pull the winch cable out by hand. I've also done a few minor repairs and repainted most of the shiny body parts due to some nasty paint scratches. I have a full Can-Am decal kit ordered since I had to remove most of the factory decals before doing the paint work. I also just added an outside mirror on both doors. The other add-ons that were done by the previous owner include the windshield with a manual wiper, rear cab window, upper door kit (fixed windows), cab heater, front forward off-set A-arms, LED light bar on the front bumper, rear cab lights and 32x10 tires on 15" System E beadlock wheels. Factory equipment includes the lower doors, digital dash, an electronic locking rear axle, limited slip front axle, front mounted winch and electronic power steering. It also has a tilt bed with a 600 lb load capacity and is rated to tow 2000 lbs.  The engine is a single cylinder 650cc Rotax with 52 HP and 41 LB-FT with a CVT transmission with high and low range.

 

 

 

Edited April 19 by blksn8k2

[blksn8k2]

Oops. The wheels are actually System 3 brand, not System E. My bad. In my defense I wasn't the person who bought the wheels and I guess I should have been standing on my head when reading the name on the center cap. 🙃

 

Bottom line is this thing is a blast to drive and I really do enjoy fixing the little stuff that someone else ignored, unless it's a wiring issue which I generally hate having to work on.

 

For example, the LED light bar on the front bumper didn't work and the problem was a ground wire that pulled out of the poorly crimped wiring eyelet that is attached to the ground post on the power block under the dash. One other thing that I hadn't noticed before was that once that ground was reconnected the taillights now stay on any time the vehicle is running regardless of whether the headlight switch is in the ON or OFF position. According Google AI that is the way they are supposed to work and it is a safety (visibility) feature. Kind of a taillight only daytime running light thing which seems a bit odd. Why would you do that and not have the V-shaped lights under the headlights do the same thing? 🙄

 

BTW, the extra equipment that was added by the previous owner (like that light bar) is obviously not covered by the factory warranty.

 

[twintornados]

40 minutes ago, blksn8k2 said:

Oops. The wheels are actually System 3 brand, not System E. My bad. In my defense I wasn't the person who bought the wheels and I guess I should have been standing on my head when reading the name on the center cap. 🙃

 

When I hear "System 3"...I think of this....

 

[fordmantpw]

43 minutes ago, blksn8k2 said:

Oops. The wheels are actually System 3 brand, not System E. My bad. In my defense I wasn't the person who bought the wheels and I guess I should have been standing on my head when reading the name on the center cap. 🙃

 

Bottom line is this thing is a blast to drive and I really do enjoy fixing the little stuff that someone else ignored, unless it's a wiring issue which I generally hate having to work on.

 

For example, the LED light bar on the front bumper didn't work and the problem was a ground wire that pulled out of the poorly crimped wiring eyelet that is attached to the ground post on the power block under the dash. One other thing that I hadn't noticed before was that once that ground was reconnected the taillights now stay on any time the vehicle is running regardless of whether the headlight switch is in the ON or OFF position. According Google AI that is the way they are supposed to work and it is a safety (visibility) feature. Kind of a taillight only daytime running light thing which seems a bit odd. Why would you do that and not have the V-shaped lights under the headlights do the same thing? 🙄

 

BTW, the extra equipment that was added by the previous owner (like that light bar) is obviously not covered by the factory warranty.

 

 

The tail lights on our Polaris Ranger are the same way.

 

I originally wanted a Commander, but we're in and out a lot doing stuff around our property, and I think the bucket seats would have been a pain.  Plus, we opted to go with full cab, heat, and A/C for drives down our gravel country roads.  I wish we could license ours for legal driving on the highway.  Thankfully the cops around here don't care much, as long as you are being respectful.

[akirby]

4 minutes ago, twintornados said:

 

When I hear "System 3"...I think of this....

 

Back in the 90s my wife's grandmother had a Curtis Mathes console tv that died at least once a year.  I asked her why she kept buying them instead of a new mitsubishi.  She said because they'll come to her house to fix it.  I said but if you buy a mitsubishi chances are it will never break in the first place.  That possibility never occurred to her.

[fordmantpw]

I walked many miles just changing the TV station on command.  And we only had 3 channels, sometimes 4 if the weather was perfect!

[twintornados]

38 minutes ago, fordmantpw said:

I walked many miles just changing the TV station on command.  And we only had 3 channels, sometimes 4 if the weather was perfect!

 

Same here....and my dad owned a Zenith TV store!! He did not need a remote, he had six kids....lol

[blksn8k2]

On 4/21/2026 at 11:44 AM, fordmantpw said:

I walked many miles just changing the TV station on command.  And we only had 3 channels, sometimes 4 if the weather was perfect!

 

You must have lived in the same neighborhood as me. Our 4th iffy channel was the ABC affiliate from Pittsburgh. It was usually too snowy to watch.

 

My dad had his own version of a remote control. He mounted a toggle switch under the window seal beside his favorite chair. He had it wired to the console TV's speakers and used it to turn off the sound during commercials. 😁

That was in the early '60s.

 

I had the Can-Am back to the dealer yesterday to have the winch replaced under warranty.

 

Both the service manager and I were surprised to find out that the replacement winch came with a synthetic cable in place of the troublesome original steel cable plus a new fairlead. The fairlead is the guide through which the cable passes on its way in or out when the winch is being used.

 

I guess it makes sense that the replacement winch would have a synthetic cable since all of the new Can-Ams that I looked at on the showroom floor also had the synthetic cable. They also sell Honda and Polaris UTVs but all of the ones I looked at still had a steel winch cable. 

 

The problem with steel cables is that they eventually rust and get twisted to the point where the winch gets locked up and is useless. If the steel cable starts to fray it will also cut the shit out of your hands.

 

Before making this visit to the dealer I had already purchased a new synthetic cable and a new fairlead neither of which I now need. Can't hurt to have spares of those though since both are fairly high wear items.

 

While I was there I also picked up a new striker for the driver side door. 

 

I also asked about getting an owners manual. The salesman said I would have to get one through their parts dept. The parts guy said they didn't have any in stock but I could order one for about $10. When I got home I found a brand new one in a plastic bag lying on the passenger side floor. I assume the service manager put it there.👍

 

Steel winch cable and roller fairlead before replacement:

 

Synthetic winch cable and new style fairlead:

 

 

Functioning LED light bar:

 

 

BTW, I'm obviously running out of storage space.

 

 

[fordmantpw]

I've got the same garage space problem!  We're adding another bay to ours next spring.  Sadly, it will likely cost as much as it cost to build the entire 3-bay detached garage 12 years earlier.  

[blksn8k2]

10 hours ago, fordmantpw said:

I've got the same garage space problem!  We're adding another bay to ours next spring.  Sadly, it will likely cost as much as it cost to build the entire 3-bay detached garage 12 years earlier.  

 

Heard that. I've considered just adding a lean-to on the backside of my 40x50 steel building. The plan would be to move my Kubota tractor and all of its attachments into that. That would not only solve some of the space problem but it would also get the biggest contributor to the dirt and dust issues out of the main building.

[fordmantpw]

14 hours ago, blksn8k2 said:

 

Heard that. I've considered just adding a lean-to on the backside of my 40x50 steel building. The plan would be to move my Kubota tractor and all of its attachments into that. That would not only solve some of the space problem but it would also get the biggest contributor to the dirt and dust issues out of the main building.

 

Yeah, my garage is a filthy mess, mostly because of my tractor, and yes, the attachments take up so much space!  I'm considering building racks for them and get a set of pallet forks to lift them up to store them on the racks to save space.

[blksn8k2]

Ordered a factory fender flare kit for the Can-Am. Those 32" tires throw a ton of mud up the sides of the cab.

[blksn8k2]

Added the fender flares today. About the only appearance thing yet to do is replacing the factory decals which I have already received. I had to remove most of the original decals when I painted the shiny parts.