RTV, Gator, Mule, by Nov.'07

patrick_g · Feb 28, 2007

rox, I've seen Japanese mini trucks that I can't sit upright in and I have seen some that I fit in OK. All I have seen are for two (real sized adults) and I have seen a "quad" before but didn't test the back seat room. It was a 4 door so in/egress would be some easier than with just two.

Well, I did see one made for a single occupant. It was a motorcycle pickup truck. Had pickup bed but motorcycle front end. (trike configuration) Steered with handlebars and had standard motorcycle seat. It was at the Truck museum near Campo, California where a friend of mine was a volunteer docent.

An alternative is a KubelWagen, a german military counterpart of our pre-hummer Jeep. They are street legal in US and are imported used. For a couple years the VW folks sold a civilian model in the US and called it a "THING." They are mostly all 2 wheel drive but will go anywhere and do about anything a 4x4 military jeep will do. They are comfortable for 4 adults and can pull a light trailer.

Pat

mars1952 · Mar 17, 2007

hunterridgefarm said:
My uses will be:

Hauling fire wood and pulling a small trailer 50% of the time.

My property has hills everywhere (Western NC). So I need something that will pull a hill loaded ( bed and/or trailer).

Some trail riding and chores 50% of the time, 85% of trail riding on old logging roads.

Hi Robert: I have a Polaris Ranger 700 XP with a ROPS certified cab and I am very happy with it. I looked at UTVs for a couple years before I picked the Ranger. I have 130 very hilly acres and I have fences in places that my 4x4 pickup and tractors will not fit or climb. The Ranger can go just about anywhere. You really have to work to get it stuck (I haven't yet). It will climb hills that are too steep to walk up without reaching down to touch the ground with your hands. It will ford streams as deep as the seat and maybe a little deeper. It will plow through mud that is over the tires. The best thing to me is the power and speed. The Ranger has a 40HP engine and will go 50MPH. I can move about my farm and check my fences quickly and easily with the Ranger. It also has unsurpassed ground clearance and suspension travel. I can zip across an open field at 35MPH and the ride is very smooth, better than my pickup. I have crossed a 10" downed tree with my ranger and it was not much more than a speed bump. As for work the Ranger can haul 1000lb and pull 1500lb. I have hooked my Ranger to my dump trailer (2000 lb empty) to move it around the yard. It has a very low low range and it will only go 10mph in low range @ 5000rpm. As you should know from your tractor experience, you can do a lot of work with a low HP tractor but the more HP you have the faster you can do the work. A Gator, Kawasaki, Cub Cadet or any other UTV might be able to pull a 1000lb trailer but how fast will they pull it up hill? As far as gas vs diesel goes, the Ranger doesn't use much gas. You can go all day on a tank and have some left over. Rear seat kits are available and you could seat 3 in the front and 2 in the back with some storage room under the rear seat. Here are a few videos and pictures of Rangers in action:
Ranger in deep water
Ranger in mud
Ranger climbing log 1
Ranger climbing log 2
Ranger climbing log 3
Ranger climbing log 4
Ranger climbing log 5
Ranger climbing log 6
My Ranger with a ROPS certified cab
When ever I have tried to save money and bought the less expensive tool (not the one I really wanted) I have been disapointed in the long run. I usually end up looking for a reason to sell the cheaper tool and get the one I really wanted. And a UTV is a tool. It can be very fun to use but if you have a farm it is a tool.
Good Luck, Marshall
P.S. I also live in WNC near Asheville. My farm is in Madison county.

hunterridgefarm · Jun 4, 2007

Just wanted to give a little update.

I took my wife to the Kubota dealer Saturday to drive the RTV. She drove it for about 20min. and really liked the powersteering and the bench seat. She actually did better with the hydro (stopping) than I did

. So since she will drive about as much as I will, the RTV moved up to the top of the list. And I seem to like it more this being the second time I have driven it.

I still have to get her to drive the XUV, Mule, and Ranger. And still thinking about the TransMule but 4 seats may not be as important as before.

Also drove the LandPride, nice ride, but not enough dealers around.

It still looks like November before our house will be completed and a decision on a Utility Vehicle.