Barebones Mule or your Suggestions

[BleedGreen]

Eddie,
As long as you are ok with 2WD, check out the TS and TX Gators - absolute workhorses - the basic design has been around almost 20 years now.

Gator T Model Utility Vehicles - John Deere

We can sell a base TS with Knobby tires for $6,400.00, while a base TX with All-Terrain tires will set you back $1,000.00 more.

Good Luck on your search!

 

[KentT]

Eddie,

I'd second Jim's recommendation to go 4WD versus 2WD for the few extra $$. Though you may use it in 2WD 95% of the time or more, it's that other 5% that can prevent you from having to walk all the way from the "back 40" to get another vehicle to pull you out. Plus, if you're by yourself, then pulling another vehicle out is a PITA at times.

These things are so light that they do not get a whole lot of traction with standard tires on wet grass, slippery wet clay, etc. 4WD becomes invaluable there. The 4WD mule is still low enough that your Mom or anyone else can easily enter and exit it.

I'd also recommend the Mule over the Club Car. For what you're looking for, the Mule is the known brand name and proven commodity. There's also much, much more aftermarket support for it. In fact, other than wheels and tires, aftermarket support for the Club Car would be very limited.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

I'd pay the extra $800 and get the 610. I have one that my MIL uses to putter around in, but will also haul around a lot of stuff in its decent sized bed. The 4x4 has high-low range, not sure if the 600 does(?) If not, another good reason to get 4x4. Yeah, its no speed demon, but it runs well and has been trouble free since new, two years ago

 

[yankeerider]

Eddie-
When I read your initial post, I was thinking "used gas golf cart." Here's why:
We got our late 80's model EZ-Go for $300 a little over 10 years ago. All I've ever done to it is air up the tires, replace the starting battery every 3-4 years, and put gas in it.

For just moving myself and a few tools around the civilized portions of our property, it works every bit as good as our 4x4 Gator. I actually prefer it in some ways, because I don't ever have to decide whether to leave it running or shut it off. Press on the gas, it starts up and you go. Take your foot off the gas, it shuts off. Ours was used as a grounds maintenance cart, so it has a small sheetmetal bed on it.

I would think you could still find one of these for under $1K, which could leave open the possibility for a heavier duty UTV in the future.

 

[old8nguy]

Definitely look at 4wd mules. I had a 2wd model before my 3010 and I would never own another 2 wd model. I really thought the 2wd model would be ok. As posted above these things lose traction really easy. The diff lock and 4wd are life savers.

 

[/pine]

...I had my brothers electric golf cart here for awhile while he was looking for a place to buy, and never had any problems with its ability to go anywhere I wanted...

So why spend thousands more for something you don't need?

electric carts have a lot more (initial) torque than the gas models...and other than adding water to the batteries every now and then..they can be charged overnight and run for days on a charge...

 

[Bird]

I, too, would agree with jinman. My brother bought the bigger 4WD Mule, like Jim's. in September, 1995, and at the same time bought a Kawasaki 50 gallon spray rig to pull behind it (12 volt pump). He later had the hard top added; made it handy to stand on when working on rain gutters or other high stuff. And he had an electric screw type dump added, instead of the hydraulic dump. After I took a neighbor for a ride in that Mule, doing fence repairs in some rough terrain, he went and bought one just like it.

 

[blueriver]

Eddie ... I got a mule for sale!! 4 wheel drive, all terrain, and ya never change the oil or grease her!!

Also she has five speeds ... including reverse!!

 

[Cat_Driver]

When I went through this a few years ago I wanted 4WD and a nice size bed and nothing in the mule size fit my needs plus they were over 10K.
I went with the mini trucks from Japan a 4WD unit with a nice size bed for 3K. Since I purchased it I have abused that thing every way I can and she still starts up and runs like a Swiss watch.

Best money I ever spent.

This is what I mean when I say MINI truck:
All Terrain Mini Trucks - Japanese Kei Mini Trucks - Mini Truck Direct Importers

 

[JESSE1]

I have an '04 4x4 diesel Gator. I wouldn't trade for the four wheel drive. I almost had to keep it in 4x4 mode all last winter due to the rain. Not the case now. The diesel sips fuel, holds 2 qts oil that I change every 50 hours. Also have the hydraulic dump which really is a necessity if you ever intend to dump anything from the bed. It's a handy tool that anyone with land should have. I'm also looking to trade soon. Hope to have a new Gator by years end.