Buying Advice Replacing golf cart with bed - RTV 400 or rtv 500 ?

[Thomasre]

Been looking for 2 months, ready to purchase, wife says just bring home the one she will use. Only have 4 acres, but some relatively steep areas where cart slips and I end up getting the tractor to tug the cart. My wife will not go in steep areas due to traction loss of golf cart. I want to use for spraying and wife will use for planting, gardening and moving items around the property. My wife will use 3/4 time so ease of use is very important. Total use 50-80 hrs / yr. So.. suggestions RTV 400 or 500. Can get Kawasaki 4010 diesel with Power Steering for $1500 more.. is that overkill? maybe - too large and or loud? I love the hydro on the tractor, but have not yet driven 400 or 500 other Kubota RTVs are definitely too big and heavy. She's not interested to test driving, speed is very secondary, turf tires only. Thoughts before I make a 10K mistake.

 

[ultrarunner]

Still trying to decide myself... was going to get a Mule 610 and which is the same size as the RTV 400 and 500.

I drove a 4010 and believe it is also gas... liked the way it drove and I did like the power steering.

Kubota Dealer says he sell few RTV500 as most go to the RTV900... he also sells some RTV400 which has more features to compete with the Mules...

The Mule 610 is the simplest all around... one cylinder and carb.

I did find all the Fuel Injected Engines started better and all the others with 2 cylinders smoother...

This is typical of what I am finding.

Nearly new Kubota

 

[jeff9366]

If you will be using the RTV with two passengers or any kind of load, definitely the RTV 500 with HST transmission. I have the so-called turf tires on mine and have never experienced traction problems, even under full load. In my experience the RTV500 is very reliable. I use mine pretty hard.

You are forecasting limited use. I would fuel with non-ethanol, marine gas if only forecasting one to 1-1/2 hours of use per week. Marine gas is what I use.

The RTV500, which is gas, I find a little loud. I always wear ear muffs. However, the RTV500 is much quieter than the larger diesels.

The RTV400 has not been in the market long enough to have established its own reputation. I am sure you know the RTV400 is single cylinder, belt drive. I have never been happy with any belt drive equipment.

 

[s219]

Can you go test drive the Kubotas? When I was looking, the newer RTV-X900 and RTV-X1120 "X" models quickly became the best options out of all the brands and models. Was worth the extra couple thousand over the older 400/500 models, and I didn't see anything from any other brands that matched the tractor-like construction of the Kubotas. If you're looking at this as a long term purchase and need to keep a wife happy, take your time and shop around with test drives.

Mentally, I had to adjust my thinking to step up to the RTV-X1120D and the extra cost, but in retrospect it was a very good decision. That little machine has exceeded my expectations -- and handles stuff I never even thought of when shopping. It's become like a second small nimble pickup truck for use on my property and adjoining land. It instantly became a regular part of my workflow and we've never skipped a beat. Here it is yesterday acting as my workbench and tool carrier while putting an addition on my barn:



BTW, I find that the HD worksite tires are plenty gentle on my lawn while giving good traction off road and in the snow.

Be sure to budget another $300-700 if you want windshield, roof, mirrors, etc...

 

[tractorworks]

bought the rtv 500 for same reasons your looking at. replaced golf cart. had a mule 3010 trans 4x4 but found it too large. main difference between 400 and 500 is hydrostatic trans and fuel injection for about 1000 more. very happy with it.

 

[aczlan]

We went with the RTV500 and have been happy with it. It does really well with engine braking and it pulls anything that we have hooked to it.
Fuel injection, a 2 cylinder water cooled engine and a hydrostatic transmission vs a single cylinder aircooled carbureted engine with a belt transmission

Aaron Z

 

[Gary Fowler]

If I were buying any gasoline engine piece of equipment it would have to be fuel injected especially if using it sparingly. Carbs are junk when it comes to old gas. Personally I would go for diesel engine like in the RTV 900 that I have. We use it for transport and hauling. At first wife kept using her golf cart claiming the RTV was too "big and obnoxious" but after a few trips with it, the golf cart now sits in the garage unless I have the RTV in use. It has gotten about the same amount of use as my B26 TLB with both having around 470 hours on the clock and both being 2009 models.
The RTV 900 has really gotten expensive (MORE EXPENSIVE) since I got mine. They were around $11K equipped like mine with winch, glass windshield and plastic roof but I bought it used with 60 hours, 1 year old for $8K. Just like my TLB, I got a good price on it and it had not had the 50 hours service done yet. Never any problems and only oil and filter changes needed to date. I really like the hydraulic dump bed on it too and the power steering.

 

[Thomasre]

Wish I was closer to the Nearly new Kubota.

 

[Thomasre]

Agree - not considering any gas engines without fuel injection - thus - rules out mule 610

 

[Thomasre]

Thanks - rtv 400 Subaru engine - I have no experience with this engine. Appears to be going in Club Car carts also.