I'm a owner of one of these 826 4x4. By now I can take it apart and put it back together with my eyes closed. I paid a little over 900 bucks for it new. The first year I had it, Cub Cadet put $1,100 dollars into warranty parts and labor. If the unit your looking at doesn't have multiple zerk grease fittings on the 4x4 unit... RUN! Don't buy it. The warranty fix was to change bushing material and add grease fittings.
Second or third year the chute motor failed. I added a manual crank, but MUCH perfer the power (more on that later).
Twice the entire wheel set on the right slide out and fell off. Fixed that problem with a better clip.
I have been through three rubber drive wheels (mouse got one of them), plus they change one for warranty. The 4x4 does give it great traction, but puts more work on the drivewheel.
Two years ago the drive unit started to jump or bang as if a gear was broken. Didn't do it unless it was under a heavy load. I found that the drive unit had two worn bronze bushings causing them to deflect and then the powersteering cog latch would slip off making the wheel slip. Changed the bushing and problem solved.
The plastic "Key" or safety corroded and caused a open or short (forgot which) and the thing wouldn't start. By passed that, issue solved.
With all that said, I have owned this for ten years. The past 6 years it has been clearing a 175 foot driveway in North Michigan. I blow around a shed and trailer on very uneven ground. When working this thing is a bull. Never remember getting stuck. It will rip through 20 inches with no problem. I blows the rocks in my driveway deep into the woods. The powersteering and heated hand grips work great. Headlamp is bright, but shines in the trees and no adjustment.
I say would say it worth is more near the 3 to 400 dollar range. Start it, put it in second gear, engage the clutch. If you can hold it back and the wheels don't spin, don't buy it. Other than that most else is a easy fix.
One other thing, I actual mounted (added support) a 1-7/8 ball to the front of this. It pulls my empty snowmobile trailer around really well in the winter.
Long, but I hope you find it helpful.
AWK
