Gator XUV

[Kahuna]

I am about to order a new XUV this week. I know they have not been out long but would like to hear from anyone who has one. I currently have an 06 HPX I will be trading in. Any time you trade a fairly new anything you take a hit on depreciation. I don't think it is too bad of a trade but still in the thousands so I want to make sure it is worth trading from the HPX to XUV.

As a matter of fact I have had 3 new Gator's in the past three years. I bought the CX when it came out (small 2 wheel drive) which I liked very much around the house but had its limitations off the road. I traded it in for a new 2005 HPX which I liked but the ride was very stiff, it was hard to steer and the gas engine was very cold natured.

They made several improvments for 2006 with it much easier to start, better steering, true 4 wheel drive, a ROPS, and a little better ride. I put the hydraulic dump and deluxe light kit on this one. The dump is very expensive but it gives you so much more versatility.

The new XUV has the features, I thought, should have been put on the 2006. The big things being independant rear suspension, greater speed, more power and electronic fuel injection. The question again, is it worth it. The XUV is a $1000 higher on the list. I am paying a total of $2300 difference. The way I see it is that it would only be like loosing $1300 if I was trading for a new HPX. I don't think that is terribly bad but the one I have now only has 40 hours on it and there is not a thing wrong with it. It will clean up like a new one.

Any opinions out there?

 

[Skipholiday]

I traded my 06 hpx and gave $1400 difference. I had low hours as well. My dealer is getting $8700 for the trail XUV.
The lift for the xuv was $650. It is a different design than the hpx lift.
I had the deluxe light kit on my 06 but chose to leave it off the xuv.
The rear lights were constantly catching trees and getting bent.

This is a much improved gator. The ride is much better. More ground clearance. Takeoff is much better.
Did I mention the ride is much better?

 

[jcmseven]

Kahuna,

It is worth it. The new XUV Gator is MUCH nicer than previous Gator models. The performance is better, the ride is better, the load capacity (how well the machine hauls a load) is better, they look better, they smell better, etc. I have not gotten mine yet, as my dealer is customizing it (he will not tell me all he is doing, but it should be pretty nice). I have driven both a gasoline and a diesel model, and compared both to the HPX I had. It is well worth the price difference to go XUV, but my opinion this year is to go gas, not diesel. To me, in the HPX, there was a big difference in performance, but now with the improved fuel injection the gas is a real motor and will equal the diesel in performance and is much quieter with less HNV. Also, they can be "chipped" for better performance, so we will see how that goes.

 

[CJ4]

I've briefly checked out the new XUV at my dealer. He had one diesel (JD green) and one gas (the solid dk green).....the diesel had floor mat kit and bed lift and brush bumper guard and both had the ROP with a metal top. He quoted me what i thought was probably list price.....$10,400 for the gas and $12,400 (approximates) for the diesel. I know they had some extras but I thought he was way too high on his price.....what do you guys think????

 

[gordon21]

Kahuna:
I have had my gas XUV almost two weeks. I never had an HPX to compare to, but I can assure it the XUV rides very well. With the independent rear susupsion, you can have one wheel drop into a ditch or hole and you barely feel it. There is lots of suspension travel. The load limits are realistic. You really can put 1000# in the back bed and zip around nicely. The second day I had it, I took it to my grandaughters 4th birthday party about 100 miles away. I had two adults in the front, one adult in the back and about 5-6 kids in the back. Think of a sardine can. I gave everybody rides around the yard and neighborhood. Needless to say I kept the top speed hauling screaming kids around to 10MPH. Hit the gas and it started moving. No hesitation and the throttle was ready to give me instant acceleration and lots more speed. It starts instantly at under 40 degrees. No chance to try really cold temps yet. I was seriously considering the diesel, but the gas version starts instantly, the fuel mileage will be much better than old gas models due to fuel injection and the price of gas and diesel are about the same again. I saw no need to spend the extra grand up front for a diesel machine.

The power dump has only one piston, but works well. When the back was full of firewood, I had one 6'10" adult who weighs about 350# lay across the bed full of wood. I hit the power dump switch. It rose so quickly to a 30 degree angle he barely had time to jump off. I quickly stopped the dumping. Needless to say we were both rather surprised at how quick and easily it lifted that much weight.

I paid almost exactly 90% of the list price for the Gator and all the options. If you can add $2300 and your old HPX, then that is a good deal for you. You will have a newer nicer machine with no hours. Half of that would be the depreciation hit trading in a one year old used machine and the other half of the money could be attributed to moving up to a better machine.

You get 12" yellow rims standard. You can also get AT489 tires at no extra cost. There is no need to buy any aftermarket tires or rims.

My only complaint is that the shift pattern is very strict. You have to move the gear shift lever exactly like the cutout shape in the plastic. You have to go sideways exactly 1/2", make a 90 degree turn, move it some more, make more 90 degree turns, etc. There is no smooth flowing motion to gear shifting like in a car or jeep. You only shift when starting from a stop so it is not that often.

 

[Kahuna]

Gordon:

Thanks for the reply. My 06 had the two post lift and I see they went to a single. I figured that was either a cost cutting move or it was easier to engineer into the new engine compartment. I am happy to hear it works well.

I am familiar with how the tranmission shifts, they are all sensitive and you have to some to a complete stop or you with grind a bit. I took a test drive on a diesel yesterday (no gas avalibale at that dealer) and I think the gas engine would be better. The diesel is noisy and vibrates at an idle, I also think the response is not as good as my 06 gas.

The dealer I went to yesterday sold two XUV's that morning. He was also $1350 higher than the dealer I had by best price from. I think I will call this morning and place the order. My home dealer is getting his only XUV in next week and it is still not spoken for. I am going to get the dump, bed liner, floor mats, grill guard, horn, deluxe light kit, poly roof, and skid plate.

 

[Kahuna]

CJ:

The list on the gas XUV is $9499. It sounds like he had the property care package installed which is a bed liner, floor mat, lift and brush guard which is a $1175 option. You mentioned it had a metal roof. The JD option is the poly roof which is another $359. The base unit with options would come in at $11,033 list price. The XUV is a pretty hot commodity right now so you are not going to get as big a discount as a dealer would normally give. A good discount would be 15% off list, I would think with the XUV, 10% off list would be more realistic. That would put a cash price in the neighborhood of $9900.

 

[RollTideRam]

SkipHoliday and I buy from the same dealer. I gave $8700 for mine plus $900 for the lift package, (lift, mats, brush guards, bedliner). I got my gator but not the accesories. There seems to have been a bigger demand for these than was expected. They are supposed to come in this week. I also traded in a hpx trail and like others think this one rides much better. I has a very improved throttle response too. The tires are one size bigger but a little more narrow. This seems to make it steer much easier also. I don't have 2 hours on mine yet, but really like it. JC

 

[cef2lion]

I have an 05 HPX diesel. Was going to trade on an 06 but decided to wait on the XUV. My dealer has some XUVs coming in and was going to work a trade price. Was going to go with the diesel. Plan to test drive it for sure given some of the comments here about the diesel version. Interested to see if current HPX diesel owners go to a gas model. Interesting comments on the diesel model. The 06 diesel I drove was more quiet them my 05 and was one reason I was going to trade.

Craig

 

[Skipholiday]

The diesel has no clutch enclosure. My understanding is that mid to late summer JD will release a trail xuv diesel.
May be worth checking into if you are set on the diesel xuv. I ride in muddy and wet areas and the clutch enclosure is a must.

JC I still haven't been able to get my skid plate. Must be a large demand problem~!