Looking to buy a Gator TH 6X4 Gas

[Lisacope]

Pardon me - I am new to this forum!

I am looking to buy a new gator for my equestrian facility. How can I go about getting the best price?

On a completely unrelated note: We currently have a polaris utv (I think it is a ranger with ~50 hours on it) which has been completely unreliable. It has been serviced once with no change. Any thoughts? We were told that the carb needed to be adjusted as it was running "too rich"? but that didn't make it more reliable.

 

[farmboy12]

Do you want a new or used Gator? What exactly will your uses be, as there are other models of Gators that may be more compatible. Pics would help in knowing what you have as far as the Polaris. If it has an ATV front end, seating only one person safely, it is not a Ranger. If you have a 4x4 or 6x6 Ranger, a 2x4 or 6x4 will definately compare to the Ranger. And a 4x4 Gator will still probably lack behind if you need speed or sporty uses like mudding and rough trail riding. It is odd that a Polaris is having problems that early. You may just have a problematic one that comes with a 1 in 100 chance.


Kyle

 

[Dargo]

Unfortunately I've had several friends who have bought Polaris products and have found them on the cutting edge of technology but unreliable. I would still love to have one of the 6X6 Rangers with EFI. I personally think they would be the ultimate in my work and fun side by side vehicles. Two friends bought those exact units and they have had nothing but problems. I have a Kubota RTV1100 for my 'work' side by side but since I sold my Rhino I have no 'fun' side by side, just my Suzuki 750 King Quad ATV which is great but not a side by side. If I can read where Polaris has had a couple years worth of reliable history with their 6X6 EFI units, I'll be all over one.

I've had several of the old 6X4 Gators. I'm not sure they make those anymore. In their day they were great. Anymore I think they have gone away and replaced by 4X4 Gators. I've not owned one of those but I have heard that they perform extremely well and are very reliable. I suppose it all depends on what you want to do with your machine. For work, I don't think you can beat the Kubota RTV machines. If you want one that is fun on the trail, then there several machines to consider. The RTV900 and RTV1100 are capable on trails but painfully slow when it comes to the 'fun' factor. Maybe a Polaris 6X6 EFI Ranger with a 5 year warranty thrown in from your Polaris dealer would be the ticket?

 

[MrChris]

I own a 06' 6x4 gas gator. Just clocked 800 hrs this month and have to say it has been very reliable. (Just for comparison, my 06' tractor has 150 hrs) We use it exclusively for our horse farm every day and found certain advantages over other utvs. First, the bed height is low. It makes it much easier for getting square bales,horse feed etc. in and out of. Second, it is extremely stable on hills or inclines. Third, the brakes are wet brakes in the transmission like a tractor....very low maintenance and stop and hold the gator especially well even on inclines and with a full load. Fourth, its very easy to drive and operate. You have a gas pedal, brake and parking brake handle like a car. Forward, neutral and reverse gear control which is very simple and intuitive. No hi,low 2wd,4wd controls to worry about. All the family and helpers, young and old, all find it very easy to use. Fifth, the bucket seats are very comfortable and keep you in your place. Sixth, headlights are like car lights,very bright. It always seems to start (just remember to use the choke knob when engine is cold), never seems to get stuck, goes as fast as you really feel safe to go and really hauls plenty of gear and "horse stuff" safely.Options I would recommend would be the power bed lift and a canopy to protect you when it rains( Curtis makes one). Just follow the manual as far as general maintenace..oil changes and the like and you should have the same experience as myself. I'm actually considering another just in case because we have really become so dependent on this one. A footnote: I believe they are changing the bed size and material on this model. It might allow you to get a better deal on present stock in your area. Good luck!

 

[WH401]

I have an 04' Gator, only 103 hrs, and it's one of the best purchases I've ever made. While yes it might not be the smoothest riding over severely uneven ground, but it's been dead reliable, will haul 1k lbs, and it's very good at not getting stuck in the muck because of it's "high flotation" nature.

As far as price, build a Gator on John Deere's builder on their website. Then take about 10%, possibly 15%, off of the price that the builder gives you and that should give you a good starting point for negotiation. When I bought mine back in 04' I got 10% off without even mentioning price, but all dealers are different.

 

[Lisacope]

Thanks for the replies all -

I have sold the polaris (and took a big loss because I very openly revealed the problems we have had with it)

All of MrChris' input echo very strongly our needs with the gator and I have found two that I am deciding between - maybe you guys could chime in?

Both are 6X4 gas gators -

1) '08 model that has been demoed so has ~25 hours on it. Cargo box is a little smaller than newer model and sides don't drop down. I am not sure of other differences between '08 & '09 models. Close by dealer who offers free delivery and 3.9% financing. Price is $7850 + 8.2% = $8493.00

2) '09 model which is brand new, Cargo box is a little bigger and sides drop down (a nice feature!!!) Dealer in nearby state so we would go get it with the horse trailer. Price is $9600.00 and no sales tax. Dealer offers 0.0% financing for 36 months.

Edited to add:

Dealer with Gator #2 just called back and said that she misquoted me and it is actually $9375.

 

[farmboy12]

I would say go for '09. It has that nice new bed, and we'd all love to hear from someone with experience with it. I think if anything, and should be a little better performance, if any at all. And that's only $1k more, and you get that 24hours back.

Now, here's the thing. Dealer support is great. So service and support is great. And, when the time comes to buy something else from them, you'll know about the experience and whether or not you want to deal with them again.

So it's up to you again, do you want better features? Or a dealer experience?


Kyle

 

[WH401]

What kind of features or extras does the 09' have? List price on Deere's website for an 09' is $8679.

If it were me I'd go with the 09', even though the 08' is still practically brand new and priced lower. You get newer features with the 09', the flatbed seems like a cool option, and the drive train is still the same from the previous MY.

 

[Lisacope]

The base price is $8679 and the power lift for the cargo box is an additional $699.

 

[WH401]

That makes sense, just wanted to make sure they weren't trying to swindle you out'a your money.