Ranger VS Gator XUV

[darkday]

but found out that putting a cab on the gator takes away the 3 pt restraint (and the passenger handholds) anyway.

I just read in another thread that it is the same for the ranger as well though...

The dump bed on the gator is awful, very awkward to dump and extremely heavy (empty). Once that bed was full of rock or topsoil, I 'm not sure I would be able to manually dump it. I would say that the electric lift option for me would be mandatory.

When they are new they are NOT heavy, they are TIGHT. You need to feel one that has been broken in and loosened up a little. I don't think you will ever find a UTV that you will be able to dump a full load of dirt by hand with, I've never tried it with mine but can't imagine it working out to well.

 

[Tractors4u]

The dump bed on the gator is awful, very awkward to dump and extremely heavy (empty). Once that bed was full of rock or topsoil, I 'm not sure I would be able to manually dump it. I would say that the electric lift option for me would be mandatory.

Congrats on the new Ranger. You will love it. As for the dump on the Ranger, even with the hydraulic assists, I don't think you will be able to dump a bed load of anything with just those. I went ahead and got the electric dump for mine when I bought it. When you get ready to buy accesories for your Ranger look up Nature Coast Motor Sports on the web. They offer free shipping on anything over $200 and if put in PRC as a coupon code you get a certain percent off the order. I think it is 20% but it has been 8 months since I ordered anything from them, so I may be off a little or they may have stopped the discount. Also they are the cheapest place to buy the Polaris Extended warranty through.

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

so what kinda warranty do you get with the polaris and what kinda extended warranty do they offer??

 

[Tractors4u]

so what kinda warranty do you get with the polaris and what kinda extended warranty do they offer??

The basic warranty is kind of weak, only 6 months. I bought the 5 year warranty for $800. The good thing about the extended warranty is that it is just as thorough as the initial 6 month warranty. It covers everything, engine, transmission, suspension, and electrical. I have had it over a year and haven't had a warranty claim yet. You could get a 2 year warranty but for the money the 5 year was a better deal. I probably wouldn't have gotten the extended warranty, but knowing that I wouldn't be home for around 15 months, I didn't want anything going wrong with it and my wife having to deal with the dealership and the $$$$$ to get it fixed.

 

[Weekendwarrior]

look up Nature Coast Motor Sports on the web. Also they are the cheapest place to buy the Polaris Extended warranty through. I bought the 5 year warranty for $800.

Thanks for the info. My dealer quoted me $800 on a 2 year extended warranty. I decided to hold off, because he said I could buy it up to until 5 months into the 6 month basic warranty. I'll definitely check Nature Coast out.

Put another 7 hours on my Ranger since my last post. Hauling loads of cinder block down to my back acre to build garden beds.

 

[red2]

I think u made a bad decison. And there actully is a contest every year for the best UTV an the Gator came in first an Ranger came in third. The Arctic Cat prowler came in second. The XUV has better suspension an a smoother drive. The XUV has the best 4 wheel drive. An has the most comfort in its class. It also has the best handling. Im not say that polaris is bad but the XUV will bea it in almost all fights. The only thing it will lose to is speed and Horse power. But it goes 30 mph and 25 hp. I say u made a realy bad decision. And john deere has a 1 full year warrenty that comes with it. U didnt need to pay $800 more dollars for warrenty if u had bought a gator. I have an XUV an no problem yet an i got it 2 years ago. an my cousin has a ranger an had 10 problems already an he had it for 2 or 3 years. I would of went with the John Deere Gator XUV 850d

 

[WH401]

I would choose the Gator over the Ranger, just because of personal preference. I think the Ranger is a good vehicle, but the only real upside it has going for it is more horsepower and a higher top speed. Personally I don't think you really need more than the 30 mph top speed that the Gator has unless you want to get stupid with a machine that really isn't even safe enough to go over that speed in the first place. To me, the Gator has a better color scheme, design, and over all just the fact that it's a John Deere is a reason that it appeals to me. Plus the Gator was really one of the first all around utility vehicles to come on the market other than a Golf cart.

I have a Gator 6x4 and the only thing that bothers me is that you notice every single bump in the ground with there being no suspension on the rear end. I also have a Polaris Sportsman 700, which is a nice ATV. It has lots of power, and a smooth ride. But recently, I have thought of selling both the Gator and the ATV out right, and then taking the money I get from that and putting it into one smooth riding and hard working vehicle, namely the XUV. Who knows, we'll see what the future holds.

 

[2fast2]

Gator XUV warranty is two years. At least it was when I bought our 850D last September.

68 hours later, still no problems. Everybody in my family likes it and uses it, and being a Deere, I'm not worried about it. Its like my JD 5210, well built and I just use it without worry.

 

[LBrown59]

Hi guys,


Ranger - Quite loud, with lots of vibration noise from the
Bottom line - after much debate - I bought the Ranger ('07 700XP). Paid for it Thursday night, the dealer dropped it off (free delivery) Friday afternoon. i've already racked up 2 hours in the thing!

Chris
PA

The One I rode in had a lot of bad vibration

 

[Paystar]

Never tried a John Deere utv but I've been happy with all my Polaris products. Held up well for both play and commercial work (firewood hauling with trailers and plowing all winter). Had a recall once for an engine ecm (drained the battery) and that's it (other than recalls from Warn winches for contractors). I would never hesitate to buy a Polaris product. One complaint I have with the ranger though, is the seat does not slide and my wife is short so she can't drive it. She can only reach the pedals sitting on the front edge of the seat. Don't know if there is an aftermarket fix for this? She is more suited to my friends Cub Cadet Volunteer as it has sliding seats.

 

[4jd318]

Red 2 what you been smoking. Ranger beats gator in every cat. especially suspension and 4x4. My 04 and 07 havenot had one penny expense. jLocdkand ride bed alone is reason enough to choose ranger. Oh Gator is prettier, but seat is a killer. I savedmuy mones to but gator 4x4 and when I sat in it I didn't even drive seat is so poor.
gp

 

[SCDolphin]

I have a 2000 Polaris Sportsman 500. It is carburated. It sits in a storage container more than a month at a time. It always starts. I have never had any problem with the belt drive and the beauty of it is the simplicity and ease of repair. The ranger does not have the beef of the Kubota but you can trash a tank with enough abuse. I have had the magnetic activating plates in the front axles hang up but that is a $10 item.

Now that I am older I would have bought a polaris or gator style atv because they are much more versitile. I recently had a chance to drive a 5 year old gator. It seemed well built but like a hardtail without any suspension it would shake out your fillings.

lol

 

[Donegal TDI]

I vote for the Gator 850D as well.
Been using mine less than a year, have 300 hrs on it and it's as tough as old boots. Still looks like new and has been working very hard.
Any problems have been minor and easily sorted without dealer so far.
It has simply revolutionised the way I do things on the farm.
Uses are endless, right now, I'd be lost without it.

 

[nuumauka]

I would have to go with the gator too. We've had a few utv's over the years on the ranch including 2 6x4 diesels and if the new 850d is built as well it should last years.
We also have the Kaw mule 3110 diesel which is reliable but cant handle the extremely rough terrain we have to work in.
The Kubota is built well but is like driving a block of lead.
We also have an 07 6x6 700 efi Ranger which is the worst machine we have ever owned.
From day one only problems. It is a good concept and can carry a large payload but other than that the build seems to be kind of half assed. Many simple parts have broken (way to much plastic for a work vehicle) and the driveline and suspension is always needing work and not very reliable.
When its running the ride is very smooth but it also cant handle rough rocky terrain as well as JD and we dont buy these work machines for nice comfortable riding.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[gerard]

Can't speak for the gator but I have a horror story on the ranger. We have a 6 wheeler that gets used just about dailey year around. Two years ago, wife seizes engine. Turns out the remote oil sump got water in it, froze solid overnight and when she used it the engine was oil starved and seized up. Polaris offered no help despite us being original owner. They said we must have submerged it in a pond. We did not. Only thing I could think of was a lot of start/stops without letting engine come to temp created condensation which built up over the winter but I'm not sure that explains the quantity of water they said was in the oil. Anyway, $3500 and a new engine later here we are. Other than that it runs well but I think a remote oil sump feeding the oil through a rubber line is a sucky design unless you live in florida and I was NOT impressed with polaris's support.

 

[nuumauka]

Does anybody know what the bolt pattern/spacing is on the 2010 850d rims?

 

[nuumauka]

Well, just answered my own question. 5 bolts not 4 so that rules out putting the 12" rims with 26" MT ITP's on it that came off the ranger.
Our dealer has the 620i with the slip on exhaust. Sounds like a Harley. Very nice.
Any thoughts on the 620 compared to the 850d?? Our 4x6 is diesel and is rock solid so I'm inclined to stay with D.

 

[jcmseven]

Stay with the diesel in the Gator. It has much more power than does the gasoline one.

John

 

[Campyman]

Never tried a John Deere utv but I've been happy with all my Polaris products. Held up well for both play and commercial work (firewood hauling with trailers and plowing all winter). Had a recall once for an engine ecm (drained the battery) and that's it (other than recalls from Warn winches for contractors). I would never hesitate to buy a Polaris product. One complaint I have with the ranger though, is the seat does not slide and my wife is short so she can't drive it. She can only reach the pedals sitting on the front edge of the seat. Don't know if there is an aftermarket fix for this? She is more suited to my friends Cub Cadet Volunteer as it has sliding seats.

Hey I bought both the cub cadet volunteer and the Polaris 800 xp ranger trying to compare them is like comparing apples to oranges. The Polaris is way FAST! In my opinion too fast, unsafely so. The volunteer has truck like A-arms and drive shafts and is built like a TANK, but only 32mph which is fast as u should go safely.