Nephew got a sand buggy for Christmas.... disappointing.

[ultrarunner]

Not a single bad thing to say about my Samurai... it hauls fuel, firewood, brings the trailer up from the lower pasture and I can drive it to the filling station... friends thought I was crazy when I brought it home.

My neighbor has a gas Gator... the base model... it is used several times during the week and his grand-kids have a ball with it... it's drawbacks are 2 wd and no 4 wheel brakes... going down my trail in the summer is like Mr. Toads wild ride... just kind of a controlled slide until the trail levels off just before the creek.

When ever the grand kids visit they line up to drive my Craftsman mower that I keep at my brother's place... never seen 10 year olds have so much fun.

What is the consensus on the x series Kubota with independent suspension?

 

[alchemysa]

Not a single bad thing to say about my Samurai... .. friends thought I was crazy when I brought it home.

No one in Australia would think you are crazy. They are highly prized and hold their value. When they are no longer roadworthy many will go on to serve another couple of decades on a farm or at the beach shack. I have 2. (Early F100 rims bolt straight on and make them completely unboggable in sand). Parts are cheap, repairs are easy and they can take a beating.

 

[alchemysa]

deleted repeat post

 

[ultrarunner]

I really like the size... perfect for the trials on my property... also light enough for me to winch be hand a few times... don't ask.

Had one of the combo tops for awhile... it covered the front and left the back open which was great since I use it as a make shift truck.

 

[strum456]

When I was growing up, a friend of my dad's gave him a 3 wheeled mechanic's special go cart for me. It was definitely a 2 hours of work = 15 minutes of fun type of deal. My dad always helped me when he could, but with the farm and work, that wasn't nearly fast enough for a boy that wanted to ride. Needless to say, I learned a lot about mechanics at a very young age. Looking back, it was a death trap on three wheels, but I lived to tell about it and I learned a lot. One of my fondest memories is when I adjusted the governor too far, started the engine and it took off up the driveway. I was still chasing it up and it had already turned and was headed back down through the yard. The 3 wheeler was so light in the front that it literally climbed a rhododendron tree. The back tires were off the ground and still spinning when I finally caught up to it.

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^ It could be a learning experience for sure... just not sure my brother is thinking this way...

He hauled to a mechanic last time...

 

[strum456]

I am with you. If your brother wanted to buy a learning experience he would have bought a beat up used go cart, or just built his own. The standard of quality on home owner grade equipment these days is sickening.

 

[ovrszd]

When I was growing up, a friend of my dad's gave him a 3 wheeled mechanic's special go cart for me. It was definitely a 2 hours of work = 15 minutes of fun type of deal. My dad always helped me when he could, but with the farm and work, that wasn't nearly fast enough for a boy that wanted to ride. Needless to say, I learned a lot about mechanics at a very young age. Looking back, it was a death trap on three wheels, but I lived to tell about it and I learned a lot. One of my fondest memories is when I adjusted the governor too far, started the engine and it took off up the driveway. I was still chasing it up and it had already turned and was headed back down through the yard. The 3 wheeler was so light in the front that it literally climbed a rhododendron tree. The back tires were off the ground and still spinning when I finally caught up to it.

Great story. My Brother and I learned mechanics the same way. Took a foot pedal start engine off a Maytag Washer and put it on a go-cart. You had to push start it cause it didn't have a clutch. Man we had a lot of fun on that thing!!!! Dad had an elevated gas barrel for tractor gas. It gave us an endless supply of gasoline so life was good.

 

[EddieWalker]

No one asked me or I would have ventured my opinion...

When I needed a little buggy around the ranch I bought a Samurai for $1,000. I needed a clutch and a transmission bearing... $125 in parts and I have not spend a nickel on it in 10 years...

My only experience with them was when I was in the Marines and living in Indonesia. I went to Bali for a long weekend with some friends and one of them rented a Suzuki Samaria without any doors or roof on it. I think there where five of us in it and we where driving around on the beach when he turned too sharp, too fast, and it flipped over. I don't remember where I was sitting when it happened, I just remember feeling it happen and then flying through the air and landing on the sand. Nobody was hurt, and we where able to get it back on it's wheels pretty easily. I think some people came and helped who where on the beach. My memory is kind of vague on the details. After that, he returned it to the rental place, paid whatever they said he owed and we road around in taxis after that. It was fun, but not a good idea to take it out on the beach

Eddie

 

[ultrarunner]

Here's a picture of my $1000 Suzuki earning it's keep with my 1938 Bantam 60 Roadster in tow...