UTV: Diesel or Gasoline?

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I've never had a UTV before, and I've decided it's time for a side-by-side. It would be strictly for work (not joy riding) on my small farm. I am strongly leaning towards a Kubota RTV, but I'm wondering whether a diesel is a wise choice for me.

I live on 16 acres and my uses will likely be short runs down to the pasture and back, checking on cattle, driving the fence lines or driving down to the woods to get firewood, etc. I.e., uses where the motor may not have a chance to get fully up to operating temperature. I'm not sure if a gasoline UTV would be better for that type of use.

I have to assume that a lot of people use their diesel UTVs this way, but I've always tried to avoid starting and stopping my diesel tractors without giving them a chance to get up to operating temperature and run for a while.

Any feedback on this would be appreciated.

 

[arlen4720]

I like diesel side by sides mainly because I feel like you get a higher quality engine...like a Kubota or Yanmar.
I will probably change the oil a little more often if it turns out that I’m making allot of short runs. So far that hasn’t been the case.
An electric unit would be king for short runs...no heat or AC though:cool2:

 

[4570Man]

The diesel units are loud, heavy, and slow. The Kubota RTVs are definitely built for work if that’s what you want. I vote that this isn’t a good application for diesel. That doesn’t seem like very hard work either. That’s probably similar to what I do with my Mule 600. It’s convenient to ride around in but for anything that resembles real work I’m going to use my dump truck, tractor, or backhoe. The hardest thing mine does is pull my wood splitter.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I own a RTV1140 diesel which I've owned for 8 years. I let it idle for two or three minutes before taking off and tell my Grands and wife to do the same. Grand has been driving it since he was 6 and his brother is now 6 and drives it. It is a workhorse when needed. Grand decided he needed a dirt bike or 4 wheeler and I fear for his safety with either since he has the "Need for speed" gene. I also find pieces of wood around made into ramps for his pedal bikes. I chose a new RTV500 gas engine, roll bars and seat belts machine. Yep, two Kubota RTVs. A working diesel (RTV1140 Has two rows of seating or larger dump bed)and a smaller sport about that still isn't fast. They both require short warm up since both have hydro transmissions. Grands (Also a 13 year old twin granddaughter) love both Kubota RTVs and still drive them both. The new one stays in the garage and doesn't work, the RTV1140 lives outside and works and has since I bought it. Have never used either for extended running. Short runs to pick up grands a bus stop, pick up mail, across the road garden, burn trash to burn pile.
If your going to go for serious heavy work hauling, pulling, dragging (RTV500 has 440lbs bed weight capacity) then go for RTV900 or up. I've hauled 1000lbs of gravel and dirt in RTV1140, pulled my L3901 out of a ditch and pulled a 16' dual axle trailer with a few hundred lbs of wood on it around and up and down my property yesterday. Diesel work and gas play or light pulling/hauling/towing.:2cents:

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have had my RTV900 since 2009. When I bought it, it had 68 hours on it and now over 650. It has been used mostly for short runs, never more than 5 minutes to anywhere on the farm. I use it mostly for taxi service from my house to the shop, around the house hauling limbs, rocks etc. It is stop and go all the time and never has it had a problem other than the original Optima battery failed at around 2 years old. I replaced it with a NAPA battery that is now 6+ years old and still going strong. I would never trade it for a gasoline engine UTV.

My diesel never gets stale like gasoline will which is the main reason for a diesel in todays world of gasohol, that and I think a diesel engine will last much longer.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

. . . That doesn’t seem like very hard work either. . . .

It's probably not. The hardest work a UTV would do on my property is hauling brush and logs to the burn pile, hauling fencing materials, mulch and dirt, moving rocks to the rock pile, and hauling various trash to be disposed of (I find rocks, bricks, rebar, t-posts, pipes wire, old plastic jugs, etc. every time I drive around in the pasture).

But there will be times I just want to drive down to the lower pasture and check on the cows, or drive through the woods and pick up fallen branches or gather firewood - easy work for a vehicle.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I own a RTV1140 diesel which I've owned for 8 years. . . .

I chose a new RTV500 gas engine, roll bars and seat belts machine. Yep, two Kubota RTVs. . . .

John, you bought two UTV and chose Kubotas both times?!?! I'm shocked!

Thanks for your thoughts, and I think I agree with your conclusion. My typical use would be work, but probably light work most of the time. But I'd rather buy more than I need than vice versa . . . for those times when I do really need some power.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I have had my RTV900 since 2009. When I bought it, it had 68 hours on it and now over 650. It has been used mostly for short runs, never more than 5 minutes to anywhere on the farm. I use it mostly for taxi service from my house to the shop, around the house hauling limbs, rocks etc. It is stop and go all the time and never has it had a problem other than the original Optima battery failed at around 2 years old. I replaced it with a NAPA battery that is now 6+ years old and still going strong. I would never trade it for a gasoline engine UTV.

My diesel never gets stale like gasoline will which is the main reason for a diesel in todays world of gasohol, that and I think a diesel engine will last much longer.

Gary, thanks for your thoughts. Your use sounds similar to what I would use one for, and I'm glad to hear that you haven't had any problems resulting from it.

I'm a big believer in Kubota diesels - I've got two of them now. And I really want a diesel UTV just for the durability and reliability - oh, and to avoid using the crap gasoline we have today. I don't give a hoot about speed. My place is too rough to go very fast anyway.

 

[GSVette]

I bought a used Bobcat 3400D a couple of years ago- wanted diesel mostly for fuel commonality with my other equipment. Don’t load it up a bunch so the engine really doesn’t get worked very hard-as a result I change oil every year ( probably put no more than 25 running hours per year on it).

When I buy again it will likely be the Kubota as I really don’t like the CVT (particularly the crappy clutch Polaris sourced in these).

 

[Beltzington]

Look at the specs, the diesel engine option could reduce carrying capacities. I bought a used 4x4 gasoline carryall, I was looking for a diesel but I got such a great price I couldn't pass this one up. Power wise it has easily handled everything I wanted to do so purchasing a diesel should be based on other reasons than performance. The difference in cost could easily buy another gas engine if you ever wear it out.

I agree with GSVette about the CVT, sometimes it works great and other times it is real jerky when starting out. Probably tear it apart one day to see how these things work.

 

[buickanddeere]

Gasoline is superior in cold weather and in stop-start golf cart type of duty . Diesel has it痴 place in HD applications , not in light duty applications .
Just waiting now for someone without a clue to claim that diesel is superior in a 2018 ATV because their 1960痴 diesel farm tractor was cheaper to run ploughing 500 acres vs the same tractor with the gasoline engine .

 

[nybirdman]

I have gas SXS's,Yamaha to be specific.My machines are "work" machines used in my business.My first Rhino went 4,0000 miles in ten years with no problems;my current Viking(2016) has 700 miles and trouble free also.Machines are used year-round.
Lighter,better off-road,cheaper to run and cost less than a diesel off-road machine.Like my Kubota diesel tractors but prefer gas in side by sides.

 

[flynlow8740]

In my experience, some of the ratings are skewed for utv’s. My dad has a Polaris ranger 800 that is rated to tow 2000 pounds and there is no way that machine would handle that kind of work day in and out. I have a Kubota Rtv-x1100 and it is only rated to tow 1300 pounds but is 3 times the machine the Polaris is. After using both of those extensively in a use similar to yours it’s a no brainer for me. In fact, my dad is shopping for an RTV-x1100 now, since he likes mine so much. Polaris is VERY optimistic in what they say their machine is capable of and Kubota is VERY conservative.

 

[timswi]

I have an RTV1100 bought new in 2009. I use mine pretty much as the OP stated + a lot of snow plowing. The diesel motor sips fuel compared to the gas ones I'd had before and it has more pull/hull capability than I'll ever use. No regrets even though it was pretty spendy.

 

[Bigfoot62]

I bought the Kubota RTV-X900 this past spring. For me, diesel was the only way to go. I have a 300 gallon skid tank on my farm. One less thing to carry gasoline to. And, it's about the same price as a similarly equipped gas burner.
The Kubota uses very little fuel. It pulls a 2000# trailer without a problem. No belt to slip. (it's got a real Hydro-static transmission, the same as the little Kubota tractors) Because it's hydro, it comes with a hydraulic dump bed and power steering standard.

The down side to the diesels are:
Slow. Top speed is about 24 mph. That's not a problem for me. My farm is 1/2 mile long and 1/2 mile wide. I have about 25 hours and 150 miles on mine. That's an average of about 6mph. I didn't buy it to play with, I bought it to work on my farm.
Heavy. Mine weighs nearly 2000# Again, that's not an issue for me. In fact, I like it. It rides better than a lighter machine.
Big. Just over 10' long and 5' wide. If you have a need for a smaller machine, it may not fit your application.
A little more expensive to service. (additional cost for fuel filters and hydraulic fluid and filter)

Oh, and I wouldn't be concerned about just running it for a short time, and then shutting it off. This is a 3-cylinder, natural aspirated diesel. The only thing that restarting it might hurt would be the starter. And that would be the same for a gas burner.

 

[Beltzington]

And, it's about the same price as a similarly equipped gas burner.

Sorry Sasquatch calling you on this. Used diesels are about 2,000 to 4,000 higher, my guess is a new diesel would be closer to $5K out the door. I would love a full hydro UTV but lets try to keep the apples and oranges separated.

 

[flynlow8740]

When I was shopping I looked at a Polaris Ranger 900 with a roof, windshield, and rear glass panel. I found that there wasn’t a significant price difference in that and my X1100, at least in my area. That made my choice for me really. The X1100 is WAY more machine than a Ranger.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

With Paul Bunyan State Forest in my backyard, I bought a 2017 RZR 1000S with a 195 miles which is 60" wide and 79" short at an insurance auction. Its like a go cart with long travel suspension and a 100hp--oversteer, understeer, oversteer, understeer on every corner what fun! Carrying a pole saw and chain saw and hoofing around my 6x12 aluminum trailer is really all I need it do for utility--which is good because it lacks a turf mode and totally tears stuff up on every slow turn. Sorting out the minor problems will make good YouTube fodder for my channel and build in an instant $3,000 of equity if I want to turn around and sell it next spring.

 

[Bigfoot62]

Sorry Sasquatch calling you on this. Used diesels are about 2,000 to 4,000 higher, my guess is a new diesel would be closer to $5K out the door. I would love a full hydro UTV but lets try to keep the apples and oranges separated.

I bought new. Wasn't really interested in buying someone else's problems. But, I would agree, the used diesel is going to cost a little more. I'll give you that. Used diesels hold their value better. BTW, I don't think the OP ever mentioned that he was looking at used anyway.
The local Polaris dealer was running a "special" on the Ranger XP900 EPS (power steering) for $13K. That's what I paid for the Kubota RTV-X900 diesel. And, Kubota was offering 0% financing for 48 months. (I just checked their website, and they still are)

 

[Beltzington]

With Paul Bunyan State Forest in my backyard, I bought a 2017 RZR 1000S with a 195 miles which is 60" wide and 79" short at an insurance auction. Its like a go cart with long travel suspension and a 100hp--oversteer, understeer, oversteer, understeer on every corner what fun! Carrying a pole saw and chain saw and hoofing around my 6x12 aluminum trailer is really all I need it do for utility--which is good because it lacks a turf mode and totally tears stuff up on every slow turn. Sorting out the minor problems will make good YouTube fodder for my channel and build in an instant $3,000 of equity if I want to turn around and sell it next spring.

SO how did the garage door rebuild go, pull out the rotten post and replace?