Side by Side or 4x4

[ArlyA]

We do have a thread titled working atv's and utv's picture thread here. Work is what we use them for 99% of the time.

 

[mikester]

My wife and I have been looking at getting a side by side for running up and down the mountains in southeast KY. It seems the cheap ones start at about 8000 and they go up from there. The JD Gators can easily be 25000. Even used the resale seems fairly high for what it is.
My daughter was looking at a 2013 RAM 4x4 shortbed - 185000 miles. It was $6500. I took it for a test drive and it seemed fine - it needs a new heater core which I'm factoring in.

I can't really see why the side by sides are so high when a truck like this probably can about everything for just driving around the homestead - and maybe once in a while driving into town.

Why would someone get a gator/side by side if you can get a beater 4x4 truck for less money? What am I missing here?
What are you thoughts on this?

I wish I could find a $6,500 used pickup. Trucks in that price range are nowhere near roadworthy, rusted out POS (southern Ontario), multi wreck basket cases.

I'm stuck back in the 1990's for pricing and think prices these days are mental. Back then I could have bought a 20 year old Japan 4x4 mini truck for $4,500 with right hand drive. I now wish I did.

I settled on a brand new RTV-XG850 that weighs 1800lbs, 1,000lbs bed capacity, tows 1,500lbs, 4x4 billygoat. Full warranty. I just wish it had stop-start like my old golf cart.

 

[ArlyA]

View attachment 786907

I wish I could find a $6,500 used pickup. Trucks in that price range are nowhere near roadworthy, rusted out POS (southern Ontario), multi wreck basket cases.

I'm stuck back in the 1990's for pricing and think prices these days are mental. Back then I could have bought a 20 year old Japan 4x4 mini truck for $4,500 with right hand drive. I now wish I did.

I settled on a brand new RTV-XG850 that weighs 1800lbs, 1,000lbs bed capacity, tows 1,500lbs, 4x4 billygoat. Full warranty. I just wish it had stop-start like my old golf cart.

Same here. I buddy of ours had a dated chevy tracker as his UTV which sat in the repair shop with electrical grief. Great price!

 

[wolc123]

Same here. I buddy of ours had a dated chevy tracker as his UTV which sat in the repair shop with electrical grief. Great price!

My prior UTV was a Chevy tracker. That was ok, but I’m liking my current Dodge Durango a lot better. The tracker was a little narrower, allowing it to fit into more spots, but the suspension was not as good. The shift cable also broke on it, so I had to use a vise-grip on the end to get it in and out of drive and reverse.

The only trouble with my Durango has been a slow draw on the battery, which I corrected with a knife disconnect switch. I can’t wait for the fields to get dry enough to get it out back. I’ve been using it a little all winter, to jump start my tractor, when it’s real cold and lacks the cca’s to crank its high compression turbo—charged Diesel engine over on its own.

It works good for that, except for the big Christmas blizzard that we had, when it was trapped in the barn with a 6 ft drift blocking the overhead door. I had to shovel a path from my
daughters little car to the tractor that time, which took me longer than it did to dig everything else out with the tractor after I jumped it with her little car.

Now, I keep the 4x4 Durango parked straight out in front of the tractor, so I don’t have to deal with that bs again.

 

[jezreel]

It is ridiculous! But too many people are willing to pay the price so they keep on jacking the price up. I bought my 2020 Can-am Defender with full cab (doors, windows, and heat) for $21,000 and now the price has doubled. Same with Jeep...I've been looking at Jeep Wranglers for a couple years now and the price has gone up $30,000 in that time...they've even started charging $500 for any color paint except white. But again, as long as people keep buying they'll keep raising the price. Check out this window sticker on a Wrangler Rubicon!

View attachment 786891

Exactly. . . My neighbors just bought a CanAm Defender, 2 seats with full cab, air and heat. $40,000. With a few extras. Are You Kiddin’ Me!?!?!? That’s the price of a brand new pick-up. Wowwwww! ! ! Yep, I’d love to have a SxS, but Only if I had Totally Disposable income. But they are a handy vehicle to have. I reckon I’ll have to stick with my 1999 Dodge Ram 4x4. Maybe one day, the Money Man (wife) will give the OK for a SxS.

 

[5030]

We have both here, a Kubota gas side by side and a Honda Foreman quad. Each has their own uses and stengths.

 

[RalphVa]

???
Hill what.

Engine braking on a hill.

 

[DK35vince]

Engine braking on a hill.

OK. Thanks

 

[Jchonline]

I have a truck and a Kubota RTV cab diesel. It is as slow as all get out...but man is it handy. Honestly I put more miles on the RTV than anything else I own including my truck!

I was skeptical at first (ie do I really need a SxS if I have a truck and tractor) but the answer has been a resounding yes. Hard to live without it now. I can get it into so many more places in the forest and mountains. It is also very easy to work around..saves a bunch of steps compared to a truck (walking around it 100 times adds up).

 

[jb1390]

My wife and I have been looking at getting a side by side for running up and down the mountains in southeast KY. It seems the cheap ones start at about 8000 and they go up from there. The JD Gators can easily be 25000. Even used the resale seems fairly high for what it is.
My daughter was looking at a 2013 RAM 4x4 shortbed - 185000 miles. It was $6500. I took it for a test drive and it seemed fine - it needs a new heater core which I'm factoring in.

I can't really see why the side by sides are so high when a truck like this probably can about everything for just driving around the homestead - and maybe once in a while driving into town.

Why would someone get a gator/side by side if you can get a beater 4x4 truck for less money? What am I missing here?
What are you thoughts on this?

We bought some property in connecticut, about a mile from us. We bought a polaris ranger, used, for 7k. It will go places that no truck would be able to, especially crawling over rocks and roots. It also does better in the mud, and is far more nimble in the woods. Visibility is also much better. A truck might work for some, but our truck couldn't go all the places that the ranger will go with ease.