UTV Help

[NYBOB]

NYBOB,
I just did some quick calculations based on your discussion about gas versus diesel and upfront cost, payback, life expectancy, etc.
Just some quick math based on our TODAY prices of fuel here in NC. Thanks to another tax increase, it isn't too much different than back home in WNY anymore.
We use our XUV about 100 hours a year on our 20 acre property. I also have a JD5210 with FEL for the heavy duty chores. I guess if I didn't have a tractor I'd put a few more hours per year on the Gator.
At 100 hours per year, that is 40 gallons diesel (at $4.15/g today) or 70 gallons regular gas ($3.80/g today), meaning $166 / year for diesel versus $266 per year for gasoline. Difference $100 / year. Break even 20 years for $2000 upfront extra expense
If you will use it 200 hours per year, your difference doubles and your payback goes to 10 years, 2000 hours.
If fuel gets cheaper, say $1 / gallon less, the expenses go down and the break even point s farther out.
After 2000 hours, I'd say you've used your machine and PROBABLY you'll already have flipped it for a different one. I almost never hear of someone running longer hours on them, so I don't know if a discussion of which will wear out faster is realistic. With proper maintenance, I think most machines will last longer than the owner's interest in keeping them. I know. I have three 1988 cars, two 91s, a 92, 93, 95, etc. My hobby takes advantage of other people loosing interest in older stuff.
This is a very timely consideration, with the cost of gasoline going up. People at work talk about this every day. Buy a new, small, energy efficient car to save money on gas, or keep the older, paid for vehicle. It takes a lot of fuel to make up for the difference in cost between the more energy efficient model (i.e. diesel UTV) versus the other less efficient but cheaper or paid for vehicle (i.e. gas model).
Besides fuel consumption and possible differences in hours to rebuild / replacement, there is also the difference in performance. Typically diesel engines have more torque and make their useful power at a lower RPM. That might be another consideration for you, the most practical one of all.
Good luck, you probably will be very happy with whichever model you choose. You almost never see a poster here saying they regret their purchase of model X, so buyer's remorse doesn't seem to be a big issue. More commonly, it is "mine's the best, anything else isn't as good." Human nature, I guess. :laughing:

Thanks for the insight, I appreciate it.

 

[Martian]

When I got the HPX a couple years ago I thought about the same thing. But consider that a diesel will last much longer and is much better under strain. You don't see any gas engines in Peterbilt trucks for a reason. They just don't hold up to the same work. Of course that is a exaggerated example, but if your really going to work that machine, the diesel will last longer and be more powerful. And also be nice to have one can for the tractor and the UTV. Just my $.02

 

[Kioti guy]

I have been looking at Atv's and Utv's for the last 8 months or so. I coudn't decide which model I wanted so I spent a lot of time traveling around and going to different dealers. Once I had decided that I was going to buy a Polaris I concentrated on the 5 or 6 dealers that are located within an hour of my house.
Now it may be different in your location, but in central Ontario where I live every single ranger stocking dealer still has a 2011 diesel ranger in stock. These dealers are all making interest payments on these units, and I can almost guarantee that they all would be willing to sell them pretty close to actual dealer cost just to move them. I don't no why these don't sell that well around here maybe just the difference in top speed between the gas and diesel.
I did ask a dealer about the diesel when I was looking at other rangers and said it was a great work only machine but not as great for trail riding...........Craig

 

[timswi]

I have been looking at Atv's and Utv's for the last 8 months or so. I coudn't decide which model I wanted so I spent a lot of time traveling around and going to different dealers. Once I had decided that I was going to buy a Polaris I concentrated on the 5 or 6 dealers that are located within an hour of my house.
Now it may be different in your location, but in central Ontario where I live every single ranger stocking dealer still has a 2011 diesel ranger in stock. These dealers are all making interest payments on these units, and I can almost guarantee that they all would be willing to sell them pretty close to actual dealer cost just to move them. I don't no why these don't sell that well around here maybe just the difference in top speed between the gas and diesel.
I did ask a dealer about the diesel when I was looking at other rangers and said it was a great work only machine but not as great for trail riding...........Craig

Diesels are fine trail riders, just not trail pounders..

 

[amirm]

When I got the HPX a couple years ago I thought about the same thing. But consider that a diesel will last much longer and is much better under strain. You don't see any gas engines in Peterbilt trucks for a reason. They just don't hold up to the same work. Of course that is a exaggerated example, but if your really going to work that machine, the diesel will last longer and be more powerful. And also be nice to have one can for the tractor and the UTV. Just my $.02

Do they really last longer in this application? My understanding is that Diesels like to run warm and should be operated at ~80% RPM. In a side-by-side where you may keep getting on and off the thing and not running it to full temp, it may not last that long. Truckers go hours and hours at the proper load/temp. I guess if you are trail riding then it will get a work out for but for chores, I am not sure.

I am not a mechanic of course. But that is what I have learned from having diesel engines for a while now .

 

[2fast2]

amirm, those are thoughts I've had, too. UTVs used around the property tend to get lots of stop and go, short trips, etc. When I use our XUV in that way, I don't mind letting it idle if I'm going to get back on again in a minute or few. They use so little fuel it isn't a big deal, and I figure it might be better. As for the 80% throttle statement, I've never heard that before, but the design of the XUV and others with CVT might have taken that into consideration, as the engine RPM band holds more steady while the speed / power adjusts based on conditions and some use of throttle. Maybe there is something to that. I know my JD5210 is made to run full load at 2450 RPM, yet I almost never see a farmer running his tractor like that. My Duramax pickup truck almost never sees more than halfway to redline in my daily driving, and it is an automatic so it "decides" when to shift to keep everything happy.
When I use my XUV, I don't worry at all about hurting it. It is a machine, and I am confident Deere designed it to work. When I had a golf cart, I always felt I was beating the snot out of it (which I probably was, and it shows) but I have no worries now. I use it for anything, anytime. That's the only way to justify the expense of purchasing a $10,000 plus machine. Use it as much as you possibly can.
Plus, they're fun!

 

[2fast2]

I will add, I've switched to Rotella T-6 synthetic engine oil to make cold starts a little easier in the winter, and provide a little faster cold lubrication. And I do agree that diesel engines should be warmed up before put under heavy load, but then again, my gas engine zero radius mower (Kawasaki 25 hp) says exactly the same thing. But I don't really warm up my XUV if I'm going down the driveway to get the paper or mail. I just drive with a light throttle until it warms up. That doesn't take long, it is warmed up before I get back (0.4 miles) so this whole concept may be more theoretical than real for diesel UTVs.

 

[NYBOB]

Went back for another test drive with the wife. Drove the diesel, EFI with and without EPS.

Ruled the diesel out, the EFI was just a more fun to drive.

Now the big decision, EPS or not? I normally like power steering, I have it on my JD 3720 compact tractor along with my JD X540 mower. Although when driving the Ranger, the only time I truly noticed the EPS was when going very slow. The non EPS model seemed to steer like it had power steering. Am I missing something here? I hate to spend $900 on something that does not appear to be a huge improvement. But, I hate to get it home and realize after a couple of weeks EPS is needed.

Also, what Warn winch do you guys recommend? I don't need anything fancy.

Thanks,

 

[foreman Etexas]

Went back for another test drive with the wife. Drove the diesel, EFI with and without EPS.

Ruled the diesel out, the EFI was just a more fun to drive.

Now the big decision, EPS or not? I normally like power steering, I have it on my JD 3720 compact tractor along with my JD X540 mower. Although when driving the Ranger, the only time I truly noticed the EPS was when going very slow. The non EPS model seemed to steer like it had power steering. Am I missing something here? I hate to spend $900 on something that does not appear to be a huge improvement. But, I hate to get it home and realize after a couple of weeks EPS is needed.

Also, what Warn winch do you guys recommend? I don't need anything fancy.

Thanks,

I ride the in-laws ranger crew and I wouldnt see any need for EPS,unless riding really tight trails all day.
What ever brand winch go with atleast a 3500lb and have a snatch block,going up to a 4500lb would be good(get the rope,not wirer cable). I have a 8,000lb fitted on a reciever hitch that I can use on Prowler(front or back) and Bronco(Milemarker good winch for money).

 

[trailbuilder]

It sounds like the CVT on the Polaris geared down with springs, weights or sheave diameter. We could never use the Gas model because of slipping/ burning belts so we went with the new 825i JD Gator. We use them for ski trail grooming (hard work at 5-10 mph) and for summer use. We used the Kubotas RTV's in the past but prefer the gas JD Gator with 50 HP.