Discovered left behind in a recently purchased building and looking like true time capsules is this stash of Mini Z snowmobiles.  Located in northern New Jersey and appearing to “have never been used” these sleds are offered for sale here on Craigslist for the package price of $5,000 or to be sold individually for an agreed upon “deal.”  Despite this week’s “warm” temps here in the Northeast, there’s still snow on the ground and plenty of time for a youngster to be able to enjoy riding this winter.  But if your little one isn’t quite ready to handle a sled then perhaps this is the perfect chance to do some early Christmas shopping – as long as you can find a place to hide it until December!

For those unfamiliar with the world of snowmobiling, these are not full-sized sleds.  The Mini Z weighs just 154 pounds and is about 6 feet in length.  It’s the perfect size for mom or dad to easily hoist it out of the snow and maneuver each time junior manages to get it stuck.  Youth-sized sleds have been around a long time and most snowmobiling aficionados will remember the Arctic Cat Kitty Cat (thanks to snowgoer.com for a fascinating history on the Kitty Cat!).  Introduced in the early 1970s, the Kitty Cat wasn’t the first mini sled but it came with a governor that kept its maximum speed under 12 mph.  It was a great sled for beginning riders learning how to handle a machine while doing loops around mom and dad’s house.  I’m amazed at how many Kitty Cats are still around.  I know guys who’ve used the same Kitty Cat sled they rode back in the ’70s to teach their kids to ride today!

The base MSRP for a Mini Z was $2,149 back in 2006.  Values haven’t declined too much in the past thirteen years as used mini sleds in running condition regularly command $1,200 or more on Craigslist.  Considering the mint condition of these Zs and the likelihood they’ve never been ridden, $1,667 each sounds like a decent price to me.  Most people that own a youth-sized sled typically only use them for a few years while their children learn to ride.  Often they manage to sell the sled at or near the price they paid so purchasing one can be a pretty safe investment.  That’s especially true for someone who’s good with a wrench and capable of fixing any mechanical issues that may arise along the way.  Snowmobile engines are historically finicky but the technology in newer sleds (like these) has greatly improved in terms of reliability over those that were produced in the 1970s and 1980s.

The Mini Z is powered by a 118cc single cylinder 4 stroke engine manufactured by BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products).  You probably know BRP makes all sorts of stuff from Sea-Doo watercraft to Can-Am motorcycles and ATVs.  Unfortunately, the seller fails to provide us with engine photos nor does he mention whether or not he’s attempted to start any of the sleds.  Unlike full-sized snowmobiles, the Mini Z is chain driven as opposed to belt.  Nevertheless, a close inspection of the chain and chain guard for grease splatter may reveal whether any of these sleds have actually been ridden.  There are many collectors in the snowmobile world and I would think someone interested in adding one or more Mini Zs to their collection would be hard pressed to pass up this opportunity.  Maybe I should buy all three?  I could give one to each of my kids and keep one as a collector’s piece and hang it in the garage.  Or better yet – the living room!  What a conversation piece!