Best UTV?

[RoyJackson]

Here is a picture of the UTV... the one I bought for $1000

View attachment 557788

That a real Bantam?
The only downside I see to buying something like a Suzuki or Jeep instead a UTV is size...UTVs (for the most part) are narrower and a shorter wheel base...able to get into places a beater pickup might not be able to go

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep... Bantam 60 Roadster... 60 mpg and 60 mph... or so the advertising said.

It sure is a crowd pleaser... at 6'4" tall I can only look over the windshield when driving... had a 1933 American Austin too...

Can't say anything bad about the Sami... owned it about 20 years and spent nothing on it... taken it on a few trips to Santa Cruz/Redwoods... mostly it hauls fuel and supplies and for a time was my only 4 wheel drive so needed it to haul trailers out from the back 40...

I have loaded it up with sack concrete and pieces from a 18 by 36 concrete driveway... wanted to use the chunks to shore up a soft spot on a fire trail... loaded Sami and then drove 5 miles, then down the trial and off loaded.

The Kubota RTV 900 is safer for the family in that it is always in gear... the hydro provides excellent hill holding and braking... I let the kids drive the Kubota just about anywhere... no clutch or shifting to worry about.

That old single axle trailer has been in almost every State with a lotus Super 7 in tow back in the day... it has also hauled original GT40 to the SF import car show in the 70's.... wish I could find the picture... a million dollar car on that trailer.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

We have the four seater Kubota 1140. We call it our farm taxi... Great machine, lots of power, good 4wd, good load capacity, and towing ability. That being said, it is not an atv... no tearing around, and jumping hills with it. Also, the turning radius is about a quarter acre... We absolutely love ours.

View attachment 557820

 

[davrow]

My Sami was bought new by a couple that towed it behind their RV. It had been sitting in their carport for several yeas here in California.

Same as me, almost. I have a Yamaha Rhino but wanted something enclosed with air conditioning.

Samis are great, almost as easy to get parts as Jeeps, but I wanted an automatic so got a Isuzu Amigo. 2-door (with rear bench seat seats 4 or 5), very short, but V6 with 4x4 with hi-lo will go anywhere and is barely larger then my Rhino.

OP asked about UTVs so my first response was a UTV, but a Jeep, Sami or Isuzu can be had for far less and truly is more capable. But the Rhino may still have the edge for plain fun on really nice days, except for the noise and dust.

 

[davrow]

Huntington Beach, CA

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for...t=SUZUKI&searchRadius=500&listingId=484496700

That's a very pretty Sami (in the picture at least ), but I think they are asking too much. If I didn't have my Isuzu I'd go look, though.

Is the front lift kit mount ripping away from the frame? Picture from the ad:

 

[davrow]

Even closer to Big Bear, 4-door Isuzu Rodeo in Palm Springs: Craigslist Rodeo

Betcha this would work for OP.

 

[two_bit_score]

Even closer to Big Bear, 4-door Isuzu Rodeo in Palm Springs: Craigslist Rodeo

Betcha this would work for OP.

View attachment 557829

Those are good.

 

[NoTrespassing]

That's a very pretty Sami (in the picture at least ), but I think they are asking too much. If I didn't have my Isuzu I'd go look, though.

Is the front lift kit mount ripping away from the frame? Picture from the ad:

View attachment 557824

Wondered the same thing and agree the price is too high, but hey, it's Cali, it's cool. lol

Kevin

 

[woodlandfarms]

We have an x900. I would sell it in a heartbeat if my wife didn’t love it so much. It hauls a ton. Will go up any hill. Reliable to a fault and so painfully slow you can walk faster up a hill.

 

[crazyal]

I'm not sure what the OP means when he says guests. If they are just friends then maybe they would be fine with getting into the back seat of a Suzuki or a Jeep. Or maybe not. I've owned them all and each has their place. Around here forget trying to find one, the demand is too high to find a nice used one. I also don't think I would want a unibody vehicle. They only last so long driving over uneven rocky ground. I had a Sidekick given to me and after a couple years of playing where the Samurai would take the abuse the Sidekick started falling apart. Even if you do go with a Samurai you will still need to modify it. You'll most likely want to put more aggressive tires, locking differentials, and probably a roll cage. Depending on what tires you put on it you could be adding new springs. But if you'll be climbing hills with it raising the center of gravity isn't the best idea.

 

[davrow]

I'm not sure what the OP means when he says guests. If they are just friends then maybe they would be fine with getting into the back seat of a Suzuki or a Jeep. Or maybe not.

Agree 100%. That's actually why the folks I bought from were selling the Amigo, they were tired of reaching into the back seat to retrieve their gear (professional photographers). They were going to buy a 4-door.

I've stuffed friends in the back of the Amigo... but it ain't easy. In or out.

 

[ArlyA]

I'm with crazyAl. UTV's might be pricey but they do there job. Buying an old 4wd vehicle to do the same job is buying future repairs, which might start immediately. The original poster did not ask about purchasing an ancient jeep or samurai.

I'm not sure what the OP means when he says guests. If they are just friends then maybe they would be fine with getting into the back seat of a Suzuki or a Jeep. Or maybe not. I've owned them all and each has their place. Around here forget trying to find one, the demand is too high to find a nice used one. I also don't think I would want a unibody vehicle. They only last so long driving over uneven rocky ground. I had a Sidekick given to me and after a couple years of playing where the Samurai would take the abuse the Sidekick started falling apart. Even if you do go with a Samurai you will still need to modify it. You'll most likely want to put more aggressive tires, locking differentials, and probably a roll cage. Depending on what tires you put on it you could be adding new springs. But if you'll be climbing hills with it raising the center of gravity isn't the best idea.

 

[davrow]

The original poster did not ask about purchasing an ancient jeep or samurai.

Perfectly correct, but... The OP doesn't know what he wants or he wouldn't be asking. We're just trying to be helpful.

I'm with crazyAl. UTV's might be pricey but they do there job. Buying an old 4wd vehicle to do the same job is buying future repairs, which might start immediately.

While a used car might need work, a UTV is going to as well. And it is generally harder to find qualified repair people. Buying a brand new UTV has the sole advantage of being a new vehicle, but check the threads. Even brand new Kubota UTV's can have problems (not Kubota bashing, just an example I read here on TBN).

 

[ArlyA]

We purchase new and use the dealer for service. Would not ever consider a Kub UTV for our special work needs. But thats just us.

Perfectly correct, but... The OP doesn't know what he wants or he wouldn't be asking. We're just trying to be helpful.

While a used car might need work, a UTV is going to as well. And it is generally harder to find qualified repair people. Buying a brand new UTV has the sole advantage of being a new vehicle, but check the threads. Even brand new Kubota UTV's can have problems (not Kubota bashing, just an example I read here on TBN).

 

[ovrszd]

We purchase new and use the dealer for service. Would not ever consider a Kub UTV for our special work needs. But thats just us.

What do you use and what special work do you perform?

 

[Industrial Toys]

I enjoyed a trouble free dozen or so years on my Mule Diesel. Low hours, pampered. Then the Crank Broke. I had to fight to get Kawi to give me a new crank, but between that and clutch issues, it still cost thousands.

 

[bdog]

What do you use and what special work do you perform?

I too am curious. We run two RTVs and are about as hard on them as I could imagine anyone being and they work great. Note these are the newer RTV-X's. The older (pre 2014 or so) RTVs with the radiator under the seat were horrible. We had nothing but trouble with them.

 

[ruffdog]

Transmission and altitude should be important considerations.

HST in utility vehicles has the same advantages has HST in tractors. Kubota diesel RTVs use the same engines and HST transmissions as Kubota tractors. HST develops max torque as the vehicle begins to move. For a work vehicle, Kubota is a top choice. If you want to go FAST, HST is not your best choice.

Keep in mind that at 7,000 feet normally aspirated engines, diesel or gas, will be down about 20% in engine power output, so you should probably consider only 24.8 horsepower models.

I agree^^^ Some old car may run ok at lower elevations but not at 7000'. Turbos made a world of difference for diesels running through the mountains. With a CVT you can change weights and springs for high altitude to change the shift points. I have the optional hand throttle on my RTV that I rarely use but would help climbing steep grades.

 

[ProjectKing]

I would seriously consider the Honda Pioneer 1000 or a Kubota. The Kubota will be a lot slower than the Pioneer.

 

[millsan1]

I won't comment on "best", since I have only owned two, but I will say my diesel Mule is an absolute beast. Hauls a lot, nothing stops it, and snow plowing is a breeze.

Super happy with it. I went diesel, since I have a tractor and excavator, so wanted to stay with one fuel type.

Machine drives slowly, but works great. Only downside is no engine braking, but that is a minor thing for me.