Buyer's Remorse / Insights?

[Interceptor]

2010 Polaris Ranger 800 XP...Mossy Oak Camo...purchased new.

Use for work and play. Three wide seating (w/3 seat belts) was important as Ranger rarely leaves w/o 3 seats full...except when I am working on my land. My use is frequent but miles and hours are moderate as most is on our property.

Your post reminded me of another point I forgot to mention. We rarely have more than two people in the Ranger, but the bench seat and flat floor are important. I'm often working in the woods in tight spaces and find myself entering/exiting the passenger side because the driver's exit is blocked. I didn't even bother test driving a 855D Gator because the big hump on the floor and the shifter and brake sticking out in the middle make it too hard to slide across to get out the other side. I did sit in one and everything about it just seemed awkward.

P.S. Was just in Polaris shop this week and I have no motivation to trade "up" to a newer Ranger 900 XP...more speed and smoother among other options son't move me to trade up for my purposes. If I did not have the grandkids and did not need the three seats...the Ranger 500 looks much better now than when I purchased my 800 in 2010. WOuldn't work for me but would survey purpose well if one did not want/need the three wide seating. Tom R

The only thing that makes me want to upgrade to a new one is the better cab options.

 

[kubotacres]

I was curious how many current UTV owners, based on what you know now, how you've used your UTV to date, based on what was also available at the time of your purchase, based on how much you had to spend, would have gone a different route and why?

UTV Purchased - Model, Manufacturer, Model Year

Purchased New or Used

Yes Would Purchase Again Favorite Features

No, Would Not Purchase Again Would purchase Manufacturer, Model, Year instead because of X, Y, Z reasons

I've owned lots of ATV's over the years and still do, but I'll just comment on the newest ride.

2015 Kubota RTV500 purchased new a month or so back.$8500. Purchased a Front Brush Guard and a Roof Canopy.

I would most definitely purchase again. It has surpassed my expectations. Of course I always do my homework before buying and I knew I would have Kubota on my list. My only quirks are minor items.... I wish it had a Dash Fuel gauge instead of under the seat, and it should've came with some Standard minor accessories for the price ( Brush Guard, Glove Box Door, Under hood storage box,ect

Biggest items that made me choose the 500 was, Kubota Reliability, Kubota built Gas Engine, Steel Dump Bed, Bench Seat, Unlockable Rear Diff, 2" Tow Hitch, and Hydro Tranny(which I didn't think I would like, but love now).....

I wanted a nimble Work Horse and that's what it is.:thumbsup:

 

[nybirdman]

Got to ride in a 2014 Polaris 900cc crew($18,000 machine).We were in the hills and couldn't believe it didn't have engine braking.Wrong machine for the woods if you need to turn around.
Not for me but the owner is happy with the machine.

 

[pathunt]

Sounds like the ones made my Hisun, After they discontinued the 400 and replaced it with the 500. it is like they never made a 400, the parts suppliers act like it never existed, and don't support parts for it.

RandyT:
Hisun had a lot in common with Massimo as a company. Some of the parts are interchangeable. Massimo in 2011 made a really poorly machined rig. Some of the original parts had real sloppy tolerances - clutch, for example. Mine qualified for the lemon law in Arkansas since it had been in the shop more than a month in the first year. Wish your experience with the dealer had been better...

Still - it is encouraging to hear real reviews of equipment in this forum. A good side-by-side is a necessary thing.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I've been shopping a test driving basically everything in the UTV space.

Of upmost concern the ease to get in and out, then noise.

Where I'm coming down is I like the Yamaha Viking chassis and transmission, but dislike the engine noise.

I like the new 900 Ranger's engine, I like that it is easy to get in an out, but I dislike how small the seating area is relative to the Viking and the way the seat made my back hurt.

I plan to cab the UTV I purchase and clearly Polaris has good cab options. While not as integrated as the Ranger, Yamaha has two aftermarket cab options. Curtis makes one but its doors cannot be removed in the summer and it doesn't have a glass windscreen and DFK makes another cab that is also sold by Moose and Koplin.

I'm now waiting to see if Yamaha releases a twin for the Viking next month with their new ATVs.

DFK cab.

Curtis cab.

 

[ovrszd]

Eric, we talked about this before. The large lung single cylinder engine that Yamaha offers is antique. Go for a multiple cylinder, EFI or stay home.

P.S. one of my top 3 bitches about my Rhino is that reverse is high side in the transfer case, WTH???

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Eric, we talked about this before. The large lung single cylinder engine that Yamaha offers is antique. Go for a multiple cylinder, EFI or stay home.

P.S. one of my top 3 bitches about my Rhino is that reverse is high side in the transfer case, WTH???

I'm a fan of thumpers (I have a Yamaha SRX600 and a Husky SM510R--both are track toys), but not when they are as noisy as the Viking application.

And let's face it, even though the vibration goes away off idle, the Yamaha rattles at idle. Not exactly what I want for tooling around my campground doing chores.

That said, I like the direction Yamaha is going with the Viking, but I'd like to see a sophomore effort.

 

[Interceptor]

Remember, any engine noise will be greatly amplified with a cab. If the engine noise bothers you without a cab it will probably be unbearable with a cab. I wonder why Curtis didn't put lift-off doors on that cab, most of their other cabs have them. That would be a deal breaker for me, but the cab looks awesome otherwise. It looks like it wouldn't take much to rework that lower hinge to make them lift off. I don't like wipers that park at the top, they always leave water running down the window when you turn them off. Unfortunately it seems like most UTV cabs are this way.

 

[WM75Guy]

We just bought a 2015 Kawasaki Mule 4010 Trans4X4 for use around the property. Biggest uses are towing the manure spreader and the 25 gallon sprayer. It has lots of room & seatbelts for 4 adults, easy to get in and out as there are no doors or side nets required. I also take it to VFD special events that we work such as rodeos and parades to transport personnel, haul equipment, and make EMS calls in the crowds. I would buy another one.

 

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

I have a 2011 Kubota RTV 900XT purchased new. Rather pricey.

As others have said, fast, no. But it is a work horse. I have modified the snowplow so that it is nearly 8' wide and it moves snow like nobody's business. In the winter I can plow 5 good sized 200' driveways in an hour and fifteen minutes before work.(3-4 inches of snow)
I have studded tire chains for all 4 but only use the back two any more. I'll run it 200 yards down over the hill to build the kids a snow tubing run. No issues getting back up. The old TC35 CUT would need to claw its way back up with the loader...

Dump bed is handy though I'm jaded already having a dump truck.

No remorse whatsoever.

(I must say I'm impressed by the number of RTV replies)