Kawasaki Mule

[loopyl]

I was wondering if I could get some advice.
I have just started to look for a UTV for my property. I have 200+ hilly acres about a mile long. I need something for hunting, tree work and occassional rides with my family. I don't need fast but prefer 4 seats. From my research I have found 3 options: Polaris Ranger, Kawasaki Mule and Bad Boy (electric). I was leaning towards the Mule and was visiting dealers yesterday. Neither of them had Mules but were Kawasaki dealers with Teryx's. One dealer said that was because Mules are not recommened for off road. My questions are:
1) Are there any other reasonable 4 seat options?
2) Would I be happy with the Mule going up and down trails or would that be a mistake? Was the dealer just trying to steer me away from something he didn't sell?

 

[MMagis]

Maybe his idea of "off road" is different. From what I've seen, they are perfect for putting around on trails and working around the farm. He may mean that many people are wanting faster machines for trail riding with 4 wheelers. The Mule lacks the suspension and speed that many people are looking for. For what you want, the Mule would seem perfect.

 

[Bird]

Mules are not recommened for off road

Sounds as if someone is pulling your leg. My brother had a Mule and we went through mud and water, briars, over brush piles, etc., and hauled many loads of dirt with me loading it with the front end loader on my tractor until it was falling off the sides and back. I had a neighbor who would never buy a new car, pickup, or tractor; always bought older equipment, but after I took him through the woods, through ravines, and over brush piles finding and repairing fence problems, he promptly went and bought a new Mule.

I would assume there are other UTVs as good, but I haven't used any of the others personally.

 

[MPrewitt]

I love my Polaris Ranger.

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

i think the dealer is full of crap and just making excues as to why he doesn't have them...

if you have no need for sport riding, then a mule will do for you....they are pretty much utility....

 

[Old Coot]

I don't have a Mule now but I did have one for a couple of years. Only reason I traded for the RTV 900 was I wanted the more rugged Kubota. Only problem I ever had with the Mule was a stuck valve. I liked it A LOT.

 

[coobie]

I was wondering if I could get some advice.
I have just started to look for a UTV for my property. I have 200+ hilly acres about a mile long. I need something for hunting, tree work and occassional rides with my family. I don't need fast but prefer 4 seats. From my research I have found 3 options: Polaris Ranger, Kawasaki Mule and Bad Boy (electric). I was leaning towards the Mule and was visiting dealers yesterday. Neither of them had Mules but were Kawasaki dealers with Teryx's. One dealer said that was because Mules are not recommened for off road. My questions are:
1) Are there any other reasonable 4 seat options?
2) Would I be happy with the Mule going up and down trails or would that be a mistake? Was the dealer just trying to steer me away from something he didn't sell?

I would also look at the Kubota RTV 900 & 1100 UTV,s I have a 2006 RTV and love it.I also had a 2002 mule 3010 4X4 that was a great machine & problem free.Look and drive them all,see if any of the dealers would be willing to bring one of there machines to your property so you can test it out on your terrain.Good luck.coobie

 

[loopyl]

I got a price for a 2008 4 seater camo mule for $9500. I that a little high?

 

[bigdeer2000]

the new 4010 series mule has power steering.

 

[weldingisfun]

I got a price for a 2008 4 seater camo mule for $9500. I that a little high?

I think you got a good price. That is the same price I paid for my green 3010 Trans 4x4 two years ago. By the way, we love ours and use it all the time. It is a real workhorse.

 

[Bird]

I think my brother paid just under $8,000 for the 3010 in September, 1995, so 13 years later, $9,500 doesn't surprise me at all.

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

9500.00 ain't high at all down here thats about what they going for.

 

[TWO GUNS]

Heck, that is a very fair price !!!!!

 

[loopyl]

Thank you everyone

 

[john_bud]

I would agree to a point on the mule not being an off road machine. It only has 7-8" of clearance and when the mud is 8-9" deep you have an issue. Especially with the stock tires. My mule now has an extra 2" of clearance and larger more aggressive tires. It can go thru stuff easily that would have stuck it hard before.

You do have to match the tires with the terrain. But, that's why there are so many choices of after market tires! Same deal with the Polaris and the RTV.

 

[Bigk56]

Loopy,
I have a 2 wheel drive mule for use on my property. It has oversized tires and works well. Some people have trouble with the gas engines however, it seems to be hit or miss. Have you considered a diesel? They seem to be more trouble free from what others have said. Here is my machine. I'm pretty sure when I buy again it will be diesel.
Good luck, Ken

[/IMG]

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

that ground clearance is ok . my hpx had only about 8" with the bigger tires and i used to go through way more that 12"of mudd. if you got the right type of tires they will get you through alot. i had 27"589's and they got me through alot .i don't ride her in the mudd anymore . i retired her to just a workin utv ever sinse i got my rhino it rides alot smoother mut in 4x4 locked it's rough to steer. other than that i have no complaints it's real easy to steer it when it's in 2x4 or regular 4x4 without lockin the front dif.

 

[jinman]

I would agree to a point on the mule not being an off road machine. It only has 7-8" of clearance and when the mud is 8-9" deep you have an issue. Especially with the stock tires. My mule now has an extra 2" of clearance and larger more aggressive tires. It can go thru stuff easily that would have stuck it hard before.

I agree that I would like to have a couple extra inches of clearance, but I would sure not consider that a severe problem that would limit the Mule. It just means that you have to be a little more careful what you straddle as you drive along. Most of the time, I have to go around large rocks rather than over them. To me, the Mule is certainly not a "mudder" in the sense that people go through mud just for the sake of entertainment. A Trans-Mule is not really vehicle of choice for 8-9" mud even if it had 10" of clearance.

What I find most irritating about the Mule is that the differential lock has to be engaged several yards before you hit a steep incline. You can't stop, engage diff lock, and continue. Both rear tires have to roll several feet before differential lock engages. 4WD engages immediately, but if you have a 2WD Mule, you only have differential lock and always have to plan ahead. Once you start to spin, you have to roll backwards onto flat ground, engage the differential lock, and then go forward again. I'm not sure what the mechanics of getting the diff lock engaged are, but that is my biggest complaint.

We have a little over 400 hours on our 3010 4WD Mule. Our neighbor has a 3000 2WD Mule and he wishes he had bought the 4WD model because of the differential lock issue.

 

[john_bud]

Well, I don't ever ride for pleasure. There is always a load in the machine or it's tak'n me someplace to do something. In the spring the ground here gets soupy as the frost melts out. You can have 2" of mud on top of froze ground or later in the day you can have 2' of mud on froze ground or even bottomless mud. Once the Mule is resting on the belly pan you ain't going anywhere (unless you have paddle wheels for tires!).

I also have to deal with traversing 1 mile of forest company dirt trail to get to my property. Hunters and some dern fool punk kids run trucks thru there when the ground is soft and rut the snit out of it. Again, when you slide off the greasy clay into a 8-10" rut, it's not the way to start your day! Very little progress is made when you are on the belly pan and the tires load up and look like slicks.

The new "swamp lite" tires in 25" diameter (actual measured height is 26") with 1" lugs work about a gazzilion times better than the stock tires.

 

[drollz]

I have a trans 4x4, with 27" tires and a 2" lift. I do alot of off road and trail riding on the ranch. I am super happy with the rig. The 2" lift really made it ride alot smoother.