Decided I need (want) a UTV

[DIXIEDOG]

Of the two I'd go Polaris....not sure about the new ones but the old Rhinos didn't have a selectable locker on the rear end which is bad on the lawn. They are both tough but the Ranger is more capable in my opinion and will hold it's value much better.

 

[RoyJackson]

I've got a Gator 855D...nice machine and good torque. Not the quickest ride around, but suits my needs for work and a bit of joyriding (no trail blazing though).
I did look at a few Polaris machines though. Almost bought a used one, in fact.

I do suggest you check out some of the ATV/UTV forums (other then TBN). Polaris UTVs are good, but they have their problems as well as most other brands.

While you're cruising the internet, get some used machine prices on Used Farm & Agricultural Equipment - John Deere MachineFinder

 

[Glocker]

My neighbor has ranger 800 cc at his fruit farm he loves it and has tracks for winter sap collection.

 

[nc redneck]

Kubota is the gold standard for hard working UTV. I would spend some time on UTV Side by Side forums. Kioti makes one that I think outclasses Kubota. I ended up with a Honda Pioneer 4 as I have 2 tractors and was looking for a trail machine. I also have deposit on Honda 500 late July or August delivery date ( probably will be later than that ).
I did a lot of research before buying and every dealer I went to had 10 to 20 Polaris on hand ready for pick up. 6 months or more wait list for Honda.
Side by Side forums full of endless Polaris problems. Not knocking Polaris never owned one. But for me I wanted something to enjoy not a project to work on.
Yamaha is like Honda probably bullet proof. I would lean that way over Polaris.
If true work machine is needed I would take a hard look at Kioti first and Kubota second. Either one you will probably never need a dealer if you do your own maintenance.
Hope this helps
Scott

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Go find where the dealers store them while their waiting to be fixed. Then you'll see which brand not to buy.

You can break anything, but I'd probably go Yamaha for a good all around work/play machine.

 

[kdm0811]

I have a good deal of experience driving a Gator, but when it came time to spend my money, I went with a Kubota RTV 500. I did not need a truck, and wanted something that was extremely dependable around the horses. I read a lot of bad press about the machine being underpowered, but I have determined that that is largely because most people do not understand how a hydrostatic transmission works. It is not a fast machine, but it is extremely easy to control.

 

[TnWV]

I've been looking at them all myself and "plan" to purchase one this week. My main use is to ride around my property with the wife and 2 kids, so I actually wanted as much cab space as possible. I also want it to be sporty enough for the wife and I to hit the trails with friends on occasion. My buddy has a new RZR 1000. I really want one but can't justify it as it's very difficult to cruise around the farm with my kids and has no utility function whatsoever. But man is that thing a power house and an absolute blast to play on!

After months of reading, I was dead set on a new Yamaha Viking. Wife and I headed to the closest dealer that had the configuration we wanted with the intent of bringing it home. After taking a ride ( dealer actually had some off road trails in a field), we just couldn't find anything we liked about it. Seat was too far from the dash for our height (5'4"-5'10") and with no tilt wheel, it just wasn't comfortable and I felt like I was constantly reaching for the wheel. The thing was so loud we couldn't even talk to each other at cruising speed, and really shook at an idle. Overall it just didn't seem to have the power of the older Rhino's I've been in. Not knocking anyone's decision to get one, but it wasn't for us. It had some really nice features such as the engine brake and separate parking brake that really lead me to it.

Next we looked at the Teryx. The twin cylinder engine was much smoother and quieter than the Viking and had great power. We really liked the look of it as well. I would have bought one if it didn't have the console in between the seats. I absolutely have to be able to slide my kids in there and don't want a 4 seater as I do need it to have some utility use without being as long as a vehicle.

Lastly we drove the ranger 900. Wow, that thing was a beast! It was the quietest of the bunch and seemed to fit us perfectly. Only problem was they didn't have the configuration we wanted, so we wait. Should have a 2015 in this week. Hopefully I don't talk myself out of it before they get the one I want, I am really good at doing that, and it drives my wife crazy.

Recently rode in a new ranger 570 that belongs to a neighbor while putting up hay. It was a nice machine and perfect for cruising between fields and just getting around, it would serve is very well, we just prefer the larger size of the 900. I believe the price difference was about 3,000.

We didn't look at any of the Kubota's or more utility type machines, as we absolutely want the sportiness and extra speed of the Ranger, Teryx, or Viking.

Good luck in your shopping, and make sure to drive all of the ones that seem to fit your needs. It's amazing just how much different each one feels.

 

[PapaPerk]

Of the two I'd go Polaris....not sure about the new ones but the old Rhinos didn't have a selectable locker on the rear end which is bad on the lawn. They are both tough but the Ranger is more capable in my opinion and will hold it's value much better.

I completely agree on the unlocking rear diff. I bought a Polaris Ranger 400 because it's diff unlocks. Locked diffs are used on most atvs and side by sides. They rip up the ground, wear out the tires and make it difficult to steer.

 

[bucktaker]

I will add this was my first SxS and I went with the base model 570 efi. If I was going to do it again I would have gotten the LE version with Power Steering. Its not hard to steer but it takes some effort and we have tight areas we have to ride.

I read some of the maintenance/breakdowns written on some forums but it seems to me if you dont treat it like a tank or a baja buggy they work very well and do what they are supposed to do. Sink it mud or go underwater **** will break

 

[Gary Fowler]

Other than price, one cant beat the overall capacity of the Kubota RTV's. I don't have much knowledge about the smaller ones, but the 900cc and 1100cc ones are awesome. They are not speed demons by any means but are fast enough at 25 MPH to get you from one place to the other on a farm. The power steering and hydraulic dump bed are awesome and I have never had any issue with dumping as much rocks or dirt as I cold stack on it with the motor idling. If you want a workhorse, the Kubota is it. My brother in law has a Gator,2 WD, and after over 1000 hours it is still trouble free, but the bed is a manual dump so it is of little use other than to haul things.