Bigger bucket, Gator, or keep same bucket

[Nuru]

Well I got the news on the taxes last night and it was good so I got the fever now!

I am considering purchasing a 73" bucket or a gator or just keeping my same 61" bucket. The reason for considering:

the gator - kinda want a go to vehicle for mulching and other landscaping maintenance chores that don't require the tractor.

the larger bucket - I have some dirt work I need to do and I kinda want to do it faster than I can with the 61" - but then what do I do with the 61" Drat I knew I should have gotten the larger bucket from the start.

keeping the 61" and living with it - it has work sofar! LOL!

Gator seems to be as bit expensive but my wife wants a go kart and I was looking at them and they tend to be flimsy or just as expensive and are not as good for multipurpose as the deere gators. So it would be better ot get a gator than one of those go karts to me.

just wanted to get a samity check from everyone!

 

[kennyd]

I would not buy another bucket, the one yo have will work fine and you will get more seat time, GO FOR THE GATOR

 

[ddivinia]

Keep the bucket you have.

Look at the Gators and the Polaris Rangers also. JD is kinda behind in the UTV space.

D.

 

[jcmseven]

Nuru,

I went with the Gator and find myself using it far more than any tractor I have owned. It is so convenient and works very well. I agree with D. about the GAS Gator being a bit underpowered, if you are getting a Gator go with the diesel. It really does have more power. They are well-made and solid machines. I am not exactly sure what D. means about "kinda behind" in the UTV space. I have a diesel XUV with aftermarket wheels and tires, the power dump, winch, and power steering. It is a really good machine. Not as fast as a Ranger, but pulls some better and seems to handle a load really well.
Tough to beat the JD warranty also.

John M

 

[jcmseven]

One advantage, which D might have been alluding to, is the really nice crew Ranger. If you have to haul a lot of people, it is definitely the way to go. Had I not bought an XUV, I would have gotten a Ranger.

John M

 

[ddivinia]

Nuru,

I went with the Gator and find myself using it far more than any tractor I have owned. It is so convenient and works very well. I agree with D. about the GAS Gator being a bit underpowered, if you are getting a Gator go with the diesel. It really does have more power. They are well-made and solid machines. I am not exactly sure what D. means about "kinda behind" in the UTV space. I have a diesel XUV with aftermarket wheels and tires, the power dump, winch, and power steering. It is a really good machine. Not as fast as a Ranger, but pulls some better and seems to handle a load really well.
Tough to beat the JD warranty also.

John M

I have more hours on my HPX than my 4720, but my 5525 has way more hours than all the other gear.

A new XUV - hard call between a gas or diesel. The lack of a clutch enclosure on the diesel XUV is a major mistake on JD's part

You added the power steering.

I wish JD would add another row of seating. The Ranger is a serious machine, I still like the green paint on my HPX and the bucket seats. I would have bought another JD, but I need more seating.

I did put the Ranger key on a John Deere key chain in protest.

D.

 

[ddivinia]

One advantage, which D might have been alluding to, is the really nice crew Ranger. If you have to haul a lot of people, it is definitely the way to go. Had I not bought an XUV, I would have gotten a Ranger.

John M

Another HUGE advantage over the JD is storage. Under the front seat is huge, and the glove box in the dash, storage on the left side. Also, the instrumentation is better on the Polaris. Holds 9 gallons of fuel - way more than my HPX.

D.

 

[Nuru]

I would not buy another bucket, the one yo have will work fine and you will get more seat time, GO FOR THE GATOR

yes I have come to the same conclusion! LOL!

 

[Nuru]

Keep the bucket you have.

Look at the Gators and the Polaris Rangers also. JD is kinda behind in the UTV space.

D.

I have been looking at both and the Yamaha. The Polaris units arequite good. I am debating between the XUV diesel, and the Polaris 700 series (6x6 and 700XP). Yeah they both have some tradeoffs:

Polaris has more features and is a bit faster even the 6x6 can outrun the fastest XUV, and can haul more (rated at 1 ton, but I have heard there are some issues but I don't know what those are?).

JD's warranty is better upfront, but then if you spend another $800 you can get a 5 year warranty for the Polaris units, from Nature Coast Motor Sports

Pricing is similar, I was kinda hung-up on the diesel engine but I have been checking around and the gas engines are doing quite well. JD is quieter than the Polaris. If I decide to go diesel, I will get the JD XUV, if I don't, I will probably go for the Polaris 700 (XP or 6 x 6). 6x6 goes up to 44 mph, and it looks kinda wicked to me. The XUV foes up to 30 stock, however with the modified tailpipe one might be able to squeeze a few more mph out of it?

But I dunno what I will do. Gotta drive both, and financing will also figure into this - Polaris financing is 3.99% versus 5.99% for JD - The period is longer too, up to 72 months.

ROPS - well JD wins here, they have a certified ROPS, whereas the standard ROPS on the Polaris is not certified but it can take quite a beating as I have seen video where it survived a multiple roll, rollever incident and did not buckle, but I would get the certified ROPS.

Love that Green, however I could get the paintable body panels for the Polaris and paint it to match my 4310! LOL!

dunno which one i will get at this point.

I really do like diesel, but the Polaris units have more power - might be better at snow pushing and without a diesel engine.

dunno which one i will get at this point.

 

[Nuru]

Another HUGE advantage over the JD is storage. Under the front seat is huge, and the glove box in the dash, storage on the left side. Also, the instrumentation is better on the Polaris. Holds 9 gallons of fuel - way more than my HPX.

D.

Yeah, I was reading that the Polaris has better leg room than the Gators. I need to go and drive one of those around to see how they feel - the XUV's legroom was kinda cramped for me i take a lok and let you sall know my take on it.

 

[Nuru]

Nuru,

I went with the Gator and find myself using it far more than any tractor I have owned. It is so convenient and works very well. I agree with D. about the GAS Gator being a bit underpowered, if you are getting a Gator go with the diesel. It really does have more power. They are well-made and solid machines. I am not exactly sure what D. means about "kinda behind" in the UTV space. I have a diesel XUV with aftermarket wheels and tires, the power dump, winch, and power steering. It is a really good machine. Not as fast as a Ranger, but pulls some better and seems to handle a load really well.
Tough to beat the JD warranty also.

John M

JC are you saying the XUV diesel can pull better than the Polaris Ranger? I thought the Ranger had more capability in the towing department?

I think part of the "behind" is that JD does not offer some of the features that the Polaris has standard.

 

[Nuru]

I have more hours on my HPX than my 4720, but my 5525 has way more hours than all the other gear.

A new XUV - hard call between a gas or diesel. The lack of a clutch enclosure on the diesel XUV is a major mistake on JD's part

You added the power steering.

I wish JD would add another row of seating. The Ranger is a serious machine, I still like the green paint on my HPX and the bucket seats. I would have bought another JD, but I need more seating.

I did put the Ranger key on a John Deere key chain in protest.

D.

Diesel would keep it similar to my other power equipment, but I am not oppossed to gas that much as to spend the bucks just to get diesel in this case.

 

[Nuru]

How much fuel does the XUV gator hold?

 

[ddivinia]

JC are you saying the XUV diesel can pull better than the Polaris Ranger? I thought the Ranger had more capability in the towing department?

I think part of the "behind" is that JD does not offer some of the features that the Polaris has standard.

I know my new Ranger crew is rated for pulling 1 ton. I don't remember what it is on my HPX. I have to say - the HPX has pulled everything I ever hooked to it.

D.

 

[ddivinia]

Diesel would keep it similar to my other power equipment, but I am not oppossed to gas that much as to spend the bucks just to get diesel in this case.

Yeah - I wanted to keep diesel so I could use my farm fuel, etc.

No clutch enclosure on the JD diesel makes no sense to me.

D.

 

[ddivinia]

How much fuel does the XUV gator hold?

XUV = 5.3 G

D.

 

[Nuru]

I know my new Ranger crew is rated for pulling 1 ton. I don't remember what it is on my HPX. I have to say - the HPX has pulled everything I ever hooked to it.

D.

I believe the XUV is rated at 1200 - 1400 pounds, but can pull more.

 

[Nuru]

XUV = 5.3 G

D.

Thanks. At first gander, the JD diesel has the cost advantage with that even though diesel is more expensive per gallon. However it depends how long each will run when working hard?

 

[Bob_Young]

Thanks. At first gander, the JD diesel has the cost advantage with that even though diesel is more expensive per gallon. However it depends how long each will run when working hard?

I've got an older 2WD Classic Gator....10HP Kawasaki I believe. Use it to pull a trailer and haul firewood around. The trailer is good for one ton as I recall, one of those Country Mfg. tandem axle things. Gator pulls it fine though, with firewood, it probably doesn't get over 1000#.

Interesting thing is that the Gator hardly uses any fuel. It'll go all year and part of the next on a tankful (which is 5 gallons at most). I think it's because you really don't ever "work" them. You just load 'em up, run to your unload point, and shut down. The engine rarely runs for any great stretch of time and, when it does pull hard, it doesn't pull hard for long.

I can't imagine wanting to go 40mph on one of those things. You must have huge acreage or needs much different than mine.

Seems like you could save some coin by getting something less than the best. Though I admit the 2WD can become helpless in slushy snow.
Bob

 

[Nuru]

I've got an older 2WD Classic Gator....10HP Kawasaki I believe. Use it to pull a trailer and haul firewood around. The trailer is good for one ton as I recall, one of those Country Mfg. tandem axle things. Gator pulls it fine though, with firewood, it probably doesn't get over 1000#.

Interesting thing is that the Gator hardly uses any fuel. It'll go all year and part of the next on a tankful (which is 5 gallons at most). I think it's because you really don't ever "work" them. You just load 'em up, run to your unload point, and shut down. The engine rarely runs for any great stretch of time and, when it does pull hard, it doesn't pull hard for long.

I can't imagine wanting to go 40mph on one of those things. You must have huge acreage or needs much different than mine.

Seems like you could save some coin by getting something less than the best. Though I admit the 2WD can become helpless in slushy snow.
Bob

That is the trick - the Polaris is very close to the price of the JD diesel versions and the JD financing is higher!

So i just got to llok at the options and see how much i really want to spend and what I want to but. Comfort will be a key

Hey i could pull a trailer up a hill with this

2008 Polaris Ranger RZR
LOL!

RZR looks fun but not much use for me - the kids and wife sure might use it alot - I can't move too many bags of mulch with this!