My first sled in the early 80's was an old clapped out approximately 1969 Artic Cat Panther that looked about like this. I think I paid $100 for it back then.
Next was a $50 POS 1974 MotoSki 440, next a Polaris Cutlass 340, then a '78 Scorpion Whip 440, then a '79 SkiDoo Blizzard 5000.... All were cheap used clapped out pieces of ****. All were from when I was in highschool and early years in college. Used to get enough snow to ride em all winter long with friends. We would ride all over with them going to restaurants and later bars in the small towns I lived around.
Years later, after getting married, I bought an '89 ArticCat 650 Wildcat which I still own... I still ride it on the rare occasion that we get decent snow here in NW Ohio. I have ridden more modern stuff with freinds, but I can't justify owning the new expensive stuff knowing I won't get to use it here where we live.