Barebones Mule or your Suggestions

[EddieWalker]

For the past several months, I've been looking to buy a Mule or gas golf cart with a bed in the back for hauling stuff around. I like the small size of the golf carts and how low they are to the ground. I've seen quite a few sell for just under $3,000 to almost $4,000 with a thousand or more hours on them. I've also looked at Kawasaki Mules that are 7 to ten years old for that amout up to $6,000 depending on featurs and hours.

After looking at so many used and abused vehicles, I've reached the conclusion that I should look at brand new and maybe finance part of it.

Kawasaki has a basic, two wheel drive Mule 600 for $6,400. It's a sinlge cylinder, 400cc motor with auto transmission and manual lock rear differenctial, manual tilt metal dump bed and a bench seat. I test drove it today and really liked it. Nice enough ride, fast enough and it felt very solid. It's everything I want and then some.

My question is this. Does anybody have a recomendation for something else in this price range or less?

I don't need or want 4wheel drive. I have no reason or desire to go off roding. I don't want to pull anything or work it. I just want to be able to put around my place, and for my Mom to be able to use it to get the mail and maybe drive around on the roads too. She never goes down to the lake, and she will be 70 in a couple of months, so I realy want something that she can drive around easily. Which is why being low to the ground is a big plus.

Thank you,
Eddie

 

[DIXIEDOG]

Sounds like the Mule will fit the bill, I don't think you can find anything better at less than that price point, the Mules are nice machines and a good value.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks. That's sort of what I was thinking too. They've been doing it awhile and sort of have it all figured out. At least, that's my assumption. LOL

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

The Club Car Carryall looks interesting too.

Commercial 4x2 Utility Vehicles - Club Car

I need to find a price for one and see who sells them.

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

Looks like the Club Car Carryall is over a grand more then the Kawasaki 600 Mule.


Eddie

 

[jinman]

Eddie, I'm going to strongly suggest you don't go with just 2wd. My neighbor has only 2wd in his Mule and has wished for 4wd constantly after only owning the Mule for 6 months. I have used 4wd on our 3010 Mule twice in the last two weeks for simple things you normally wouldn't think it was needed for. Once was when I was on the slightest slope and the ground was wet. I had just enough clay in the soil that one rear tire spun like it was sitting on a banana peel. One shift to 4wd and drove the Mule 10 feet and shifted back to 2wd. If I hadn't had that, I might have had to push the Mule to get it out. The diff lock doesn't engage instantly like 4wd. You have to drive about 20 feet for the diff lock to engage and by then you may not need it.

Just last week I was pointed down a small slope to our garden and went to back up. The right-rear tire spun and I dropped it into 4wd for just long enough to get back up the hill. The rear end of the Mule is so light that you REALLY REALLY need 4wd just for those short little runs that keep you from getting into trouble. Sure, you can put the Mule into 4wd and climb hills, but the utility of having it just long enough to get out of small irregular terrain is its biggest benefit in my opinion.

I did a quick scan of the Dallas craigslist and found two Mules right away. One was a Mule 4000 2wd with 5 hours for $6900 and another was an '03 3010 4wd with roof, windshield, bedliner, and high grip tires for $6500 asking price. Here are a couple of links.

Mule 4000 2WD

Mule 3010 4WD (the area code is screwed up in this ad, it's 940 instead of 9440)

Here's a Trans model with 4 seats and 4wd. Mule 4010 Trans

Oh yes. . . Here's a 610 4wd model for $6500

I think you will find lots of Mules in the metroplex, but you'll have to drive a little for the best deals.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks Jim. You have me rethinking my views on 2wheel drive versus 4wheel drive. I'm going to check the price difference and take another look.

I had my brothers electric golf cart here for awhile while he was looking for a place to buy, and never had any problems with its ability to go anywhere I wanted. I just hated charging the batteries or dealing with them when they ran low and having to wait for them to charge up again.

I've been searching all over Texas, Oklahoma and Lousiana with StateWideList - Search Craigslist by state and also search craigslist by Canada province It allows you to search Craigslist by keyword in the entire state.

Eddie

 

[gwjd]

John Deere products for homeowners: Features for Gator™ TS 4x2


we have one at work it will get stuck if you push it to far but good for non mud situation. would fit the bill 6400 new maybe less if you haggle and they are tough machines so used would be OK ours at the park has like 2500 hours and that might be a new hour meter simple easy to drive fairly easy on fuel to not sure

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks gwjd.

The Gator has a smaller engine then the Mule and I'm not sure about the rear suspension. The Mule has a coils spring rear suspension that felt pretty stiff, but went over all the bumps and stuff that I could find in the demo area without any issues. It doesn't have a roll cage or a bench seat. Both are on the Mule for a little less money.

It's not a big price difference, and the dealer may be cheaper then the list price, so it might be worth my time to take a look and see what they have to say.

Thank you,
Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

This is the one that I looked at. Same color too.

The link lists it for $300 more then what the dealer quoted me he'd sell it to me for.

Kawasaki Mule 600

Eddie

 

[BleedGreen]

Eddie,
As long as you are ok with 2WD, check out the TS and TX Gators - absolute workhorses - the basic design has been around almost 20 years now.

Gator T Model Utility Vehicles - John Deere

We can sell a base TS with Knobby tires for $6,400.00, while a base TX with All-Terrain tires will set you back $1,000.00 more.

Good Luck on your search!

 

[KentT]

Eddie,

I'd second Jim's recommendation to go 4WD versus 2WD for the few extra $$. Though you may use it in 2WD 95% of the time or more, it's that other 5% that can prevent you from having to walk all the way from the "back 40" to get another vehicle to pull you out. Plus, if you're by yourself, then pulling another vehicle out is a PITA at times.

These things are so light that they do not get a whole lot of traction with standard tires on wet grass, slippery wet clay, etc. 4WD becomes invaluable there. The 4WD mule is still low enough that your Mom or anyone else can easily enter and exit it.

I'd also recommend the Mule over the Club Car. For what you're looking for, the Mule is the known brand name and proven commodity. There's also much, much more aftermarket support for it. In fact, other than wheels and tires, aftermarket support for the Club Car would be very limited.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

I'd pay the extra $800 and get the 610. I have one that my MIL uses to putter around in, but will also haul around a lot of stuff in its decent sized bed. The 4x4 has high-low range, not sure if the 600 does(?) If not, another good reason to get 4x4. Yeah, its no speed demon, but it runs well and has been trouble free since new, two years ago

 

[yankeerider]

Eddie-
When I read your initial post, I was thinking "used gas golf cart." Here's why:
We got our late 80's model EZ-Go for $300 a little over 10 years ago. All I've ever done to it is air up the tires, replace the starting battery every 3-4 years, and put gas in it.

For just moving myself and a few tools around the civilized portions of our property, it works every bit as good as our 4x4 Gator. I actually prefer it in some ways, because I don't ever have to decide whether to leave it running or shut it off. Press on the gas, it starts up and you go. Take your foot off the gas, it shuts off. Ours was used as a grounds maintenance cart, so it has a small sheetmetal bed on it.

I would think you could still find one of these for under $1K, which could leave open the possibility for a heavier duty UTV in the future.

 

[old8nguy]

Definitely look at 4wd mules. I had a 2wd model before my 3010 and I would never own another 2 wd model. I really thought the 2wd model would be ok. As posted above these things lose traction really easy. The diff lock and 4wd are life savers.

 

[/pine]

...I had my brothers electric golf cart here for awhile while he was looking for a place to buy, and never had any problems with its ability to go anywhere I wanted...

So why spend thousands more for something you don't need?

electric carts have a lot more (initial) torque than the gas models...and other than adding water to the batteries every now and then..they can be charged overnight and run for days on a charge...

 

[Bird]

I, too, would agree with jinman. My brother bought the bigger 4WD Mule, like Jim's. in September, 1995, and at the same time bought a Kawasaki 50 gallon spray rig to pull behind it (12 volt pump). He later had the hard top added; made it handy to stand on when working on rain gutters or other high stuff. And he had an electric screw type dump added, instead of the hydraulic dump. After I took a neighbor for a ride in that Mule, doing fence repairs in some rough terrain, he went and bought one just like it.

 

[blueriver]

Eddie ... I got a mule for sale!! 4 wheel drive, all terrain, and ya never change the oil or grease her!!

Also she has five speeds ... including reverse!!

 

[Cat_Driver]

When I went through this a few years ago I wanted 4WD and a nice size bed and nothing in the mule size fit my needs plus they were over 10K.
I went with the mini trucks from Japan a 4WD unit with a nice size bed for 3K. Since I purchased it I have abused that thing every way I can and she still starts up and runs like a Swiss watch.

Best money I ever spent.

This is what I mean when I say MINI truck:
All Terrain Mini Trucks - Japanese Kei Mini Trucks - Mini Truck Direct Importers

 

[JESSE1]

I have an '04 4x4 diesel Gator. I wouldn't trade for the four wheel drive. I almost had to keep it in 4x4 mode all last winter due to the rain. Not the case now. The diesel sips fuel, holds 2 qts oil that I change every 50 hours. Also have the hydraulic dump which really is a necessity if you ever intend to dump anything from the bed. It's a handy tool that anyone with land should have. I'm also looking to trade soon. Hope to have a new Gator by years end.