Home Depot Bulldog 700 4x4 UTV?

[MotorSeven]

I also ordered the flip down windshield kit for $200. My buddy has a Polaris Ranger and he said the factory kit was over $400 for his, so he built his own since he had some Plexi laying around. I added up all the parts needs and they came to almost $150, so $200 ain't bad.

 

[RoyJackson]

My concern with machines sold through companies like Home Depot is service and parts availability a few years down the road...might be non-existent.
Also, resale can be problematic.
So, I'm another to support going with a used machine from Polaris, Deere, Kubota, Yamaha, etc.

 

[MotorSeven]

Too late Roy, and besides, HD has been selling these for over 8 years. I can go right onto the American Sportworks website and order parts:
American SportWorks®

The reality of all this is that all those brands you listed all use Chinese parts. Remember, I am volunteering to test his one out and report the good/bad/ugly, so stand-by as I promise to follow up with a un-biased review.

 

[MotorSeven]

Sold the Big Bear to a neighbor for what I paid for it. Yes I hated to see it go, but in all honesty don't think we put 3-4 hours on it. HD called and my Bulldog is ready for pic-up tomorrow..pic's to follow............

 

[MotorSeven]

Picked it up today, first thing was to put on the windshield:

It snapped on with no tools other than a rubber hammer & fit perfect:

First impressions compared to my buddy's Ranger:

-I already mentioned this, but the rear dump bed is single wall(Ranger is double and much better built) & the tailgate folds all the way down, so you can't set anything on it at all.
-plastic dashboard cover is very thin, Ranger's is much thicker
-roof is thick plastic and has more of a overhang as compared to the Ranger
-No hour meter or odometer( I will get an hour meter off fleabay for $10)
-diamond plate floor is very well done
-bench seat flips up which has a compartment under & under that is access to the front half of the engine. Both the seat and the plastic compartment tray are completely removable.
-Rear half of engine is accessible when dump bed is in the dump position
-Headlights & led tail/brake light is very bright.
-starts quickly & idles fine
-push button 4wd & headlights
-lever for rear differential lock & shifter(F-N-R) all work easily
-engine is protected by a heavy steel belly pan, but the rear diff is naked(yes, it will get a bash plate asap). Front diff is in kinda of a cage, but it too should have a plate.
- no protection for the CV boots,( I will make these)

I will add more to the list as I notice things. It accelerates quickly and then feels like a governor kicks in at max speed(will gps speed later). We hooked up the trailer I used to pick it up(800lbs-ish) and pulled it 2 miles down the paved road...I could tell it was back there but it pulled it fine even on a moderately steep gravel driveway.

I had to re-adjust the front bumper/grill guard as it was off center quite a bit & required a few washers to center it back up.

 

[MotorSeven]

Grill guard before straightening:

I like the 2" receiver hitch:

Even hauled some groceries:

LED tail/brake light(those are reflectors on the right & left)

Headlights:

I will add more as I use it more and I will be brutally honest, but I would appreciate it not getting "bashed" here unless someone has a direct in person bad experience with one. We plan on heavy use for showing real estate and farm use, so if I have a problem, y'all will be the first to know.

 

[aczlan]

-No hour meter or odometer( I will get an hour meter off fleabay for $10)

I would get one that also has a tach. Price is about the same and at times its useful to have a tach...

Aaron Z

 

[ruffdog]

The side view picture with the guy waving, it looks to me that the front tires are bigger than the rear????? Just wondering...

 

[KubotaToy]

Congrats, it looks like the exact same UTV as the Trailwagon 650 I had for over three years. I put an hourmeter on it but it came with a windshield and all the features you mention plus a 2" front hitch receiver. My top speed was 22 mph by GPS but you can change it by about 5 mph by changing where the throttle stop is set.

A few things I learned (some the hard way) that may apply to your bulldog: it has a narrow wheel track and will get over on two wheels and on its side if you do not pay attention to the angle, I kept tire pressures at max, low pressures make this tendency worse; I ran one sparkplug hotter on the NGK plugs than what the owners manual stated (sportworks customer service recommended this also), otherwise my Subaru engine would build up carbon on them in about 50 hours and start missing; the stock muffler seemed loud and was junk after about 100 hours, I build one from a stealth muffler I saved from my Honda ranger, made for a quiet ride and it did not seem to change the performance; the front diff oil is very hard to find and only takes a very small amount, customer service had no answer as to why it was differnet than the rear diff oil; I kept ripping CV joint boots on the front in the woods, I made some plates to protect them but you can buy them if needed from sportworks. I am sure I will think of more later.

I liked my trailwagon and worked it hard. One feature I really liked, it fit in the back of a pickup which made it easy to transport. I bought a RTV1100 this past summer and paid about 3x what I paid for the trailwagon, I like the cab with the heating and cooling and it sure is nice in the rain but I am not sure I like 3x as much now that that I had put about 150 hours on the RTV1100.

 

[MotorSeven]

aczlan, I'll look that those combo hr/tach's..thanks.

Ruff, I think they are the same, I'll take a look tomorrow and report back.

KT, thanks for the info, it is useful. I have been pondering what kind of governor these things have, and I bet they have them for liability reasons. I know a 22 horse engine is capable of hitting at least 50 mph in this machine and to be honest, my driveway is pretty steep and a little bit more throttle on it would be nice. I think a 30-35 top end would be perfect. I am all about quiet, and I find the Bulldog just as loud as the Ranger...too loud.