Ended up biting the UTV bullet

[RollingsFarms]

After years of kicking the idea back and forth and finding all sorts of reasons NOT to buy a utility vehicle, I ended up talking myself into one finally. I looked at several including the Gator 825i and 550, Mule 610, Honda Pioneer, and Polaris Ranger 400 & 570. Ended up buying the 570 in camo because the dealer had a couple 2014's leftover and gave me a good deal one it ($8900). Where they get you is all the stupid little fees and that discount quickly disappears! Apparently all Polaris dealers are this way as the two i checked with had similar pricing. The Ranger also doesn't qualify for ag exemption because it goes faster then 30mph. Haven't got it yet but will pick it up the end of next week and will post pics. Also ordered a top and windshield.

This is replacing a golf cart I bought for my mother. She doesn't ride it much anymore and you can't really take it around the farm and if you try it'll beat you to death and it's just rough on it. I dunno if she will drive the Ranger or not but at least I can go pick her up and taker her for rides around the farm as well as use it for many other things. I'm still keeping my honda fourtrax 300 4x4 as this utv will never be able to replace my atv 100%, still have plenty of uses for the old honda.

 

[nybirdman]

Enjoy.You will find they are very useful around the farm,mine is used almost daily.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Enjoy.You will find they are very useful around the farm,mine is used almost daily.

Thanks. Yeah I figured it would be more versatile then her golf cart and should see more use. I'll just keep it at my house and give her a key if she ever wants to drive it. One thing I'm worried about is the speed of this thing. Don't want her going too fast and wish there was a governor on it. Might just teach her to drive it in low range only as I hear that let's it go around 25-30mph.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Congratulations on finally getting a utility vehicle. That was one of my first purchases when I bought my little farm. It has been invaluable for transportation around the farm (1/4 mile square), hauling and pulling out some saplings. Before I got my B26, I used it to uproot some sweetgum saplings that needed thinning. Just chain them and hook the chain to the ball hitch and yank them out. It was much easier getting in and out of the RTV than on and off the tractor. I have been recently using it to haul rocks that I am removing from a new garden spot. We have plenty of hidden rocks, so I have been using the backhoe to root them out from up to 2 feet deep, then loading them in the RTV to haul to some areas that wash a bit during flood type rains. Thank God for the hydraulic dump bed. I have been working on it for about a week and just about finished with the one area, now on to the other garden spot.

I am sure you will find plenty of use for yours too.

 

[Xfaxman]

Hope they ordered the glass swing out windshield.

Closed, in cold weather


Open, in hot weather

With it open you don't need a rear window to keep the dust from swirling in the back.

 

[RollingsFarms]

I think I'll find more uses for it then I first thought. I'm already thinking of stuff in my head I can do with it and it won't even be here for a week!

I looked at all the windshields they offered and debated between the glass one that flips out and the golf car style one that can fold down halfway. I went with the golf cart style after giving it some thought. They wanted almost $1k for the glass one and only $400 for the one i got. If I don't like it over time I'm sure changing it out won't be too hard. I did notice the tops on the Rangers seem to fit flush now as opposed to sitting on top of the roll cage.

 

[Xfaxman]

Yep, you'll find lots of uses for it.

I haul brush, loaded with the grapple.


And dump it on the brush pile.


Found this front hitch on eBay, very handy for parking trailers.

 

[troutsqueezer]

Like you, I wanted a UTV but did not want to ignore my ATV. Yes, there are things an ATV can do that a UTV cannot but there are more things a UTV can do that an ATV cannot. After a year with my UTV, my quad has become a Hanger Queen. The UTV is just too handy.

 

[Green Power]

Congrats! Post pictures when you get it!

 

[DutchHenryBrown]

Here's mine.

 

[nybirdman]

Here's my 2006 Rhino;working as usual.I own an uplands preserve so it see's a lot of use.
Feed hauler
Bird mover
Manure mover
Sprayer
Fire-wood hauler
Disabled hunter hauler
Dog hauler(with trailer)
Tool hauler when clearing brush
General scouting

 

[Gary Fowler]

I think I'll find more uses for it then I first thought. I'm already thinking of stuff in my head I can do with it and it won't even be here for a week!

I looked at all the windshields they offered and debated between the glass one that flips out and the golf car style one that can fold down halfway. I went with the golf cart style after giving it some thought. They wanted almost $1k for the glass one and only $400 for the one i got. If I don't like it over time I'm sure changing it out won't be too hard. I did notice the tops on the Rangers seem to fit flush now as opposed to sitting on top of the roll cage.

The glass is expensive but they are worth the extra cost. You will find that the plastic windshield will become scratched and crazed so bad after a few years that when facing the sun, you wont be able to see. For my RTV it was $800 option and well worth it.

 

[DIXIEDOG]

Great choice on a utv....I think the midsized Rangers are tough to beat.


The only real complaint I have with my Gator 825i beyond the price being high is the width, if it was 6" narrower it would be perfect. I like having a ton of power and a machine that goes dang near anywhere pulling whatever you put behind it but at times the width makes some trail riding sketchy.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Great choice on a utv....I think the midsized Rangers are tough to beat. The only real complaint I have with my Gator 825i beyond the price being high is the width, if it was 6" narrower it would be perfect. I like having a ton of power and a machine that goes dang near anywhere pulling whatever you put behind it but at times the width makes some trail riding sketchy.

I really like the 825i and even the 855d but didn't want to put that much money into one and you're right they were a little too wide. I just don't like the 550 at all and didn't even give it a serious look.

The Ranger 570 seems to have the most
Of what I wanted so I went with that. Never thought I'd own anything Polaris being a Honda owner all my life.

 

[Interceptor]

I don't know if it's still an option, but they used to have a speed limiting key available for the Rangers. That would be the perfect solution if you want it to go slower for your mom, especially if you're giving her her own key anyway.

 

[tamu94]

UTV's are incredibly handy. My quad sits most of the year now. I should probably sell it.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Why are utv parts and servicing so much more expensive then atv's? Aren't they basically atv's underneath? My dealer quoted me $225 for my first service and that sounded very high. Not to mention I read about replacing parts that are easily $1000+. I spent $300 on my honda fourtrax and that was a TON of work done to it! Shoot I can have the entire engine rebuilt in it for $1000 probably.

 

[Blade Breaker]

Why are utv parts and servicing so much more expensive then atv's? Aren't they basically atv's underneath? My dealer quoted me $225 for my first service and that sounded very high. Not to mention I read about replacing parts that are easily $1000+. I spent $300 on my honda fourtrax and that was a TON of work done to it! Shoot I can have the entire engine rebuilt in it for $1000 probably.

Because......

 

[DIXIEDOG]

Why are utv parts and servicing so much more expensive then atv's? Aren't they basically atv's underneath? My dealer quoted me $225 for my first service and that sounded very high. Not to mention I read about replacing parts that are easily $1000+. I spent $300 on my honda fourtrax and that was a TON of work done to it! Shoot I can have the entire engine rebuilt in it for $1000 probably.

I wouldn't particularly say they are atvs underneath......everything seems to be a bit harder to get to on a side by side which adds to labor cost if you don't do it yourself.

 

[Rod in Forfar]

I dunno if she will drive the Ranger or not but at least I can go pick her up and taker her for rides around the farm as well as use it for many other things.

Ranger's much softer over bumps than the rather brutal suspension of a late model gas EZ-Go. My mother's arthritis didn't hurt her when riding in the Ranger, so she became a much more willing passenger.