Buying A Used Argo: The Red Flag Checklist

Shopping for a used Argo XTV 6x6 or 8x8 is exciting, but it can also be a financial minefield. Because these machines are amphibious, they face unique stresses that standard ATVs never encounter. A clean exterior and a shiny coat of tire-shine can easily hide major mechanical nightmares.

Before you hand over your hard-earned cash, remove the floor pans, pull the firewall, and use this checklist straight from the service bays at Doc’s Full Bore Outdoor to spot the 10 biggest red flags.

The polyethylene hull is what keeps your Argo afloat. A punctured hull turns your amphibious machine into a sinking rock.

• How to spot it: Do not just look at the machine from the outside. Pull up the interior floor pans and crawl underneath. Look for daylight shining through the lower plastic tub on sections above the skid plate especially along the front of the vehicle and on the inside spot ripped plastic hull portions of the hull under the chains.
  
  
• Where to look: Pay special attention directly under the sprockets. If a previous owner snapped a drive chain, the loose chain often whips around and punches a hole straight through the plastic. Next, check the center of the tub for punctures from sharp rocks or stumps.  Previous owners could have repaired the tub but using epoxy glues or silicone are only a band-aid.  Plastic welding is the only sure waterproof way to go.
  
  
• The Track Trap: If the vehicle has tracks, inspect the outside hull under the fenders. If the previous owner ran the tracks too loose, they will rub right through the plastic tub and depending on the damage could go into the thousands of dollars for repair.
  
  
• Doc’s Warning: If the machine has a skid plate, look closely for rips or previous repairs. Sellers often patch a damaged skid plate but leave the main tub underneath completely ruptured or with shoddy repair work.

Because Argos go in the water, moisture is inevitable. Light surface rust is normal on any steel frame or bolts and nuts. However, heavy, structural rust is a total dealbreaker.

• How to spot it: Remove the floor pans and the firewall to expose the main steel frame.
  
  
• The Warning Sign: If there is a noticeable water scum line around the tub or the frame's factory paint has peeled away and you can physically flake pieces of rust off with your fingers, walk away. This means the vehicle sat with standing water inside the tub for a long period of neglect.
  
  
• The Hidden Cost: Standing water destroys internal bearings, chains, and seals. Crucially, on many older Argo models, replacement frames are no longer manufactured. If it breaks under demanding terrain, your only option is expensive, local custom fabrication.

The chain-drive system is the heart of an Argo. A well-cared-for driveline should be heavily lubricated, free of surface rust, and have smooth, unlocking chain links.

• The 1-Inch Pinch Test: To see if the chains are stretched out and are in need of replacing, go to the center of a chain span and pinch the top and bottom runs together. If you can make them touch, or if they get within an inch of touching, the chain is completely shot and needs replacement.
  
  
• Check the Adjusters: Look at the chain tensioners and wear blocks. If they are clicked up to the second-to-last or final tooth, the chain has reached its maximum stretch and if the wear block are cut through, that could indicate a chain binding issue or improperly set-up tracks.
  
  
• The "Popping" Test Drive: During your test drive, listen carefully. If you hear a loud popping sound, it could indicate a bad bearing, an axle shifting, a stretched chain climbing off the teeth of the sprocket, or a worn-out sprocket that no longer matches the chain's pitch.
  
  
• The Cost: If the chains are dry and red with rust, prepare to spend at least $650 just for the replacement chains, plus hours of your own labor or an appointment at the Argo dealer.  Argo Chain Kits

A bent axle or a blown outer bearing will ruin your first trail ride. You cannot accurately judge axle straightness just by looking at the machine while it sits on the ground.

• The Car Jack Trick: Bring a standard rolling floor jack with you to inspect the vehicle. Slide it under the rear of the machine on one side and lift it until all 3 or 4 wheels on that side are a few inches off the ground.
  
  
• Check for Clunking: Physically grab each tire and lift up and down and pull in and out. If you feel even the smallest movement, play, or hear a "clunk," the outer bearing is worn out and needs to be replaced possibly along with the outer flange and even axle depending on how long the vehicle was run with the bad bearing.
  
  
• Check for Wobble: Pop the Argo’s transmission into neutral. Spin the tires rapidly by hand. Watch the wheels from the front or back. If you see the tire out of true or notice a distinct wobble, you are dealing with a bent axle or axle hub. Repeat this test on both sides.  Argo Axle Bearing Parts Kits

During your test drive, pay extreme attention to how the transmission shifts and steers.

• The Smoothness Test: The transmission should not grind when going into gear, and it must engage smoothly when you accelerate. Test every single gear option: Forward, Neutral, Reverse, and both High and Low ranges to be sure it drives without issue in each position.
  
  
• Steering Red Flags: If the vehicle resists turning left or right, or if you hear belt squeal when trying to steer, take note. A vehicle that refuses to turn usually points to worn-out brake pads, chain lubricant overspray on the brake rotors, air in the brake line, old brake fluid, or catastrophic internal transmission issues.  The squealing belt indicates the belt is probably heat soaked, glazed over and needs replacing.  Brake pads and belts are readily available and are easy to change out.
  
  
• The "Gen 1" Warning: If you are looking at an older Argo (models from the 1980s up to 1997 Conquest, Response, Bigfoot or Vanguard), it uses a Generation 1 Argo transmission. Many parts for Gen 1 transmissions are discontinued. If a machine has high hours and the internal transmission fails, it literally cannot be repaired with OEM parts. Buy with extreme caution or walk away.  Argo Transmission Parts

A neglected engine will quickly drain your wallet. When the owner starts the engine for you, pay attention to the startup routine and the exhaust color.

• The Carburetor Check: The engine should start and idle cleanly without needing to be choked after the initial start. If it requires a choke to stay running when warm, the carburetor is gummed up with varnish. This is a telltale sign that the previous owner failed to use a proper fuel stabilizer like Sta-Bil 360 Marine to fight modern ethanol fuel.  While cleaning a carb is an easy job, old fuel could be an indicator of lack of maintenance on the rest of the vehicle.
  
  
• The White Smoke Warning: Never ignore white smoke pouring out of the exhaust. This indicates the engine is burning oil. While it could simply be overfilled with oil, it often points to a blown head gasket or a bent pushrod that is allowing a valve to stick slightly open. Also smell the oil on the dipstick, does it smell like gas or oil sludge?  Digital Engine Parts Diagrams

If the seller lets you do a water test, take advantage of it immediately. A water test is the #1 way to see if the hull and bearings are watertight.

• How to test: Remove all the floor pans and ensure the drain plugs are installed before driving into the water, taking caution to not place your shoes on the chains when moving. Slowly transition into the water and watch the inner hull right where each axle exits through the plastic tub.
  
  
• The Red Flag: If you see water actively entering the tub interior, it means the hull is possibly compromised, the outer bearing flanges/seals have zero grease left in them, or the bearing itself has expired, leaving wide gaps for water to pour in.  Don't go far from shore if you see water entering or expect  to go for swim.
  
  
• Check the Plugs: Don't forget to check that the Drain Plugs are tight. On older models, they are located inboard under the rear sprockets—make sure they haven’t dry-rotted over time and on newer models they screw in from the back on the outside of the vehicle.
  
  
• If you cant do a water test, then pay close attention to any axle or bearing movement when inspecting all axles.  Play of 1mm sometimes can be tightened with 3 - 4 pumps of grease on the outer zerks, but 2mm plus of play can indicate an underlying issue.

Tires are incredibly expensive due to their unique swim tread design, so inspecting them closely will save you a massive chunk of cash upfront.

• The Pattern Problem: Look for abnormal wear, dry rot, or chunking. Most importantly, make sure the previous owner didn't replace the tires with regular, non-swimming ATV tires if you are purchasing it to swim. Also look to see if any of the tires are flat, this could be caused by a poor rim bead seal that is either rusted or the bead lip is bent. 
  
  
• Why it matters: If you want your Argo to swim in the water without a outboard motor, the tires must be Argo OEM or Serwa aftermarket tires featuring the specific "swim pattern" tread. Standard ATV tires will leave you dead in the water, unless you add an accessory outboard motor. At Doc's Full Bore Outdoor we sell OEM replacement Argo Tires along with aftermarket Serwa Swim Tires that will get you across the pond if you purchase a unit that needs tires.
  
  
• A Professional Notice: While Interco AquaTorque 25x12-9 tires achieved significant aftermarket popularity around 2017—even prompting Argo to briefly offer them on a factory "Bigfoot" package—prospective buyers should exercise caution. Although their aggressive tread design delivers exceptional traction in deep mud, their performance in amphibious applications is heavily compromised. The dense tread profile traps air, which severely restricts water displacement, while the substantial weight of each tire reduces overall buoyancy in the water and compromises ride comfort on hard terrain with some owners comparing the ride quality of that to a sitting on 2x4. Consequently, a high percentage of owners who adopted this trend quickly transitioned back to the standard Argo swim tire configurations once the practical limitations became apparent in the field.

Tracks are a phenomenal accessory for conquering deep mud and heavy snow, but they place immense structural stress on the vehicle and missing components could leave you scratching your head during installation or could even damage your vehicle if not installed correctly.

• The Damage Check: If tracks are installed (or included off the machine), check plastic tracks for cracks along the molded tire guides or missing links. For rubber tracks, check for rips and missing lugs as well as any broken or missing track guides. Ensure the track splice still has its pins, wheel spacers, and lug extenders if that specific model requires them.  Argo Track Parts
  
  
• The Axle Toll: Running tracks year-round on dry grass, dirt, and general terrain takes a heavy toll on axle bearings. If a used Argo spent its life on tracks, give double the attention to the outer bearings during your floor jack inspection.
  
  
• The Missing Part: On Argo XTV models prior to 2017 if installing any 18" track plastic of rubber required wheel spacers to push the tire away from the body so the tracks don't rub on the tub causing damage. Be sure the tracks come with all the wheel spacers and lug extenders to install the tracks as well as the main track pins on the 18" rubber tracks.  Models 2017 and newer (Avenger, Aurora) and in 2018 (Frontier Models) have a different offset rim and longer axle where they no longer needed the wheel spacers. Argo 13.5" plastic tracks do not require any spacer on any model year.  See the different Argo OEM Tracks  or highly regarded aftermarket Adair Mud Pro Tracks.

Ed Pfeiffelman of Doc's Full Bore Outdoor has been selling and servicing Argo vehicles since 2008. If there is one thing he has learned, it's this: When a used Argo is covered in a heavy coat of Armor-All and all dolled up to look pretty, the seller is usually trying to hide serious flaws that they don't want to spend their own money on.  Not all are this way, but way more then I can count on two hands of folks who called me saying they were duped buying a unit on Ebay or Facebook Marketplace that looked great but cost them thousands of dollars to get running properly after their first ride.

A Great Deal: Needles In A Haystack

The above red flags are the critical items to look for and should be used as bargaining points to get the price down if the vehicle is priced over market value. Some owners that know there are issues will normally price the vehicle appropriately and disclose the issues upfront, but not all will and even some dealers will sneak things through, so ask for that car jack even at the dealer level if things don't look right.

While shopping for a used Argo XTV, do not assume every listing is a gamble. Exceptional, well-maintained units are out there. You might find a pristine "barn find" sold by an estate, a machine from an owner whose Alaskan hunting plans never materialized, or an outfit from a waterfowl hunter who logged only a few trips a year, leaving the factory tire nubs completely intact. These low-hour, turn-key units are worth immediate action, requiring nothing more than basic fluid changes and greasing before hitting the water.

Do your due diligence. Do not be afraid to pull the panels, take it for a thorough test drive, and float it in the water if possible. The last thing you want is for your new purchase to turn into a $2,000 to $4,000 parts bill the very first time you head out on the lake and realize it's sinking.

Every Argo model year has its own unique quirks. If you are looking at a specific used unit and want to know exactly what to look for before you buy, give us a call!

• Phone: 1-715-758-2480
• Location: Bonduel, WI
• Stop by our dealership to see our fully inspected pre-owned and New Argo Inventory

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