I agree with what Lenny said.
trailshredder, this thread is obviously not for you. She's looking for answers to HER questions...
NIC,
A couple of things to consider...I am hearing that the 2011 sled prices have come down recently. I bring this up because the EPS is that good. You only get that on 2011 sleds, not 2010 sleds as someone previously said. I just sold a 2006 Apex GT with over 5,200 miles on it for $ 6,000. I paid somewhere in the mid 9,000 range on the fall of 2005 when I picked it up. I think that's a pretty good example of holding value. I currently have a 2007 Attak GT that's for sale. It has 5,000 miles on it and I will get around $6,500 for that sled. I paid $ 10,800. The point I'm trying to make is there are some other points to consider when making a purchase. These machines are getting expensive and are an investment. Makes it easier at upgrade time.
I also own a 2010 Vector LTX GT. Up until my new 2011 Apex XTX, the vector was the favorite of my riding partners. For one, Yamaha finally got the grip warmers to work the way they should. Off the line the Vector will hold it's own. It's not until you hit higher speeds that the Apex pulls away. On trails, with equal skill levels someone riding a Vector will keep up with the guy (or girl) on the Apex. Vector has impressive torque. It's very easy to lift the skis off the ground with the Vector. It feels lighter than the Apex (except for the 2011 Apex's with EPS).
I did have to replace the vector's (actually all the Apex's too until the model year 2011) windshield to the mid height so it wasn't so cold. I ride like you and your husband and I think the mid height is a must to stay warm. The 2011's are now coming stock with the mid height windshields, finally. Also, pre-2009 Apex's had softer rear mono springs. I had to revalve the 2007 Attak and replace the mono spring with a firmer one along with a re-valve to prevent bottoming out. While running grades at 90+ a slight dip in the trail would cause the sled to bottom out unless you had the monoshock set all the way up. Newer models were corrected with stiffer springs and re-valved shocks. Bergstroms (if you can ever get him on the phone to order) or snowtrackers are a must. Front ends need to be adjusted for you to reduce inside ski lift. totallyamaha.com has lots of info on this.
I'm a Yamaha loyalist obviously for many reasons, not just reliable motor. I have owned two ski-doos within the last several years. One was the E-Tec 600 which my son wanted. I personally didn't like riding them. They were very light, which isn't a bad thing but it gave me a strange feeling like there was nothing between me and the trail. Like riding a go-kart. It seemed like you felt every little stone or rock on the trail. Almost like you weren't very insulated from the trail. I personally like the right amount of trail feel so to speak. IMO, fit and finish, resale value and the confidence when hitting the trail knowing there is a high probability I won't have a breakdown is enough for me.
Of course, if you were an off trail rider most of this doesn't matter. You'd be looking for different characteristics. But, you said you were a trail rider so I think you are heading in the right direction.
Hope this helps.
