UTV Help

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Nice looking RTV John, I dig the camo! Thought they only came in orange

Thanks.:thumbsup: All my other Kubotas were/are Orange and my Grands know Orange is "Our" color but the Camo was in stock. Barlow told me he'd get me an Orange one and it would be the same price. I didn't want to wait so i took the Camo. Guess some dealers will go for a "little" extra if they can get it but Barlows are pretty fair in their pricing. He may have said the Camo is usually a bit more but he let me have it for the same price as the Orange one.

 

[Martian]

Thanks.:thumbsup: All my other Kubotas were/are Orange and my Grands know Orange is "Our" color but the Camo was in stock. Barlow told me he'd get me an Orange one and it would be the same price. I didn't want to wait so i took the Camo. Guess some dealers will go for a "little" extra if they can get it but Barlows are pretty fair in their pricing. He may have said the Camo is usually a bit more but he let me have it for the same price as the Orange one.

Really, you like Kubota's? Had you picked as a Deere guy:laughing:

 

[Martian]

Ok, so I think the thread is kind of dying, so I am going to hijack it.

John,

I look at your avatar, and like all the machines, I was just wondering why you don't go with a a single, larger compact tlb instead of both of your compacts. Such as an L35 or L45. Much more capable machines and then you have one less machine to do maintenance on.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Ok, so I think the thread is kind of dying, so I am going to hijack it.

John,

I look at your avatar, and like all the machines, I was just wondering why you don't go with a a single, larger compact tlb instead of both of your compacts. Such as an L35 or L45. Much more capable machines and then you have one less machine to do maintenance on.

Your August 2011 join date tells it all.:laughing: I've bought 13 Kubotas over the past 9 years and each one or two of them were the LAST one as the older members have observed over the past few years. That's why I have so many posts and most of them have been addressing answers to my purchases and trades and why and specific machines that I have owned and used and some congratulations on someones new purchase. I also never visit any site other than Kubota since that's all I've owned but I have owned several of them and I don't have time to do other than Kubota forum.
I have residential hillside acreage with trees, rocks and gullies and I also have a few acres of rental property with 21 rental units on the other side of town just past Barlows. I have a 16' dual axle trailer but I don't like trailering tractors 9 miles back and 9 miles back unless I have to. I especially didn't like trailering the L3240 Grand HST when I owned it.
I started with a BX2200 FEL MMM, traded it to a BX1500 MMM (mowing only machine at home) and a B7800 FEL (better ground clearance than the BX was needed). Paid the BX1500 and B7800 RFM (3 years) off so moved up to a L3240 Grand HST FEL and a BX2350 and both were mistakes. The BX2350 had the abrupt stop in reverse and the L3240 was to big for my property and needs and scary on my hillside property soooooo traded them to a B3200 FEL and a BX2660 FEL MMM and had bought a gas Kubota mower for the rental property and later sold it and bought the F2680 60" front deck mower which I just paid off last month.
I had reached completion on alot of big landscaping projects at home and decided I also needed a F mower at home but had to have 4wd which made it have to be the F3080 with a 72" front deck and a BX25 FEL/BH for home (more finishing landscaping/plant moving/tree planting/rock moving, etc) and rental property that has 6 septic tanks. A year later (last year 2011) I bought a B2320 geared (first and last geared tractor purchase) for tilling, plowing, boxblading, overseeding/trailer moving for my home and for the rental property (1/2 business deductable as is the BX25). I don't want to take the BH off and put it back on between uses of 3ph implements. Back injury or possible back injury and aggravation isn't worth the afforable cost of having two tractors for different purposes.
Obviously I've tried different size machines and I'm not hesitant to trade when I believe needs warrant a different machine than what I have. I think now I have the perfect combination of machines for my current needs (I do admit I have said this before then a week or two later I tell about a trade and give all the good reasons I did it) except I wish my B2320 was HST and not geared, hate geared after having HSTs. If I plowed fields I'd have an L tractor and maybe be OK with geared but I don't so I don't want or need a bigger than what I now have tractor.
Twin Grands are now 7 years old and will spend time with me on a RTV and that will end to soon so I bought the RTV now or last year to spend time with them while they will ride gladly with their Papaw. That day will pass soon enough so I'm a enjoy life today while I can kind of guy but haven't always done it or been that way. Have always worked and never bought beyond what I can afford and still doing that but don't hesitate to buy now if I can afford it and feel today is the day to buy it instead of waiting till I have cash.:laughing:
Long story to catch you up on a several years story that has unfolded on this forum.

 

[Martian]

Wow, that is a long story. All makes sense indeed though. I own two tractors for maintaining two property's as well - mine are closer to 100 miles apart though:thumbsup:

 

[sunnyside360]

Polaris still has the best ergonomics in such a machine. Though I enjoy my John Deere XUV 825i more day to day, it falls far short of my previous Polaris in comfort behind the wheel.

John M

Exactly my feelings as well. I came within a whisker of getting a Deere XUV 825i to replace my '08 Ranger 700 XP/LE but went with the '11 Ranger 800 XP/LE with EPS instead. There is a ton of after market stuff available for the Polaris Ranger also.
Iirc, Polaris now offers a Ranger with a diesel engine ......... Yanmar diesel engine which John Deere uses in the compact and subcompact tractors.

 

[NYBOB]

Do any manufacturers make a UTV with adjustable seats and tilt steering?

I forgot to mention, my wife is 5-3 and wants to drive it.

 

[Martian]

Do any manufacturers make a UTV with adjustable seats and tilt steering?

I forgot to mention, my wife is 5-3 and wants to drive it.

My gator HPX has an adjustable seat but not steering. I've had a 5 year old in it that could handle both the steering and could reach the gas, but he has a lead foot so I operated the gas with my left foot:thumbsup:

I do think an adjustable seat is standard in any utv, not as sure about the steering though.

 

[ohio farmer04]

new holland ruster 125 gas buckseat move seat wheel or 120 kubuta

 

[ohio farmer04]

new holland rustler 125 or 120 adjustable seats and tilt steeri

 

[sunnyside360]

The Ranger 800 XP has adjustable steering. Did not have adjustable seat on 2011 models....... not sure about the 2012's.

Best advice is for you to go look at and test drive the machines of interest. I was set on getting a Yamaha Rhino until I test drove it along with several others and wound up with a Polaris Ranger 800 XP/LE with electronic power steering.

 

[TRR]

Is there any reason to get a diesel over gas in a UTV? I can see it if all you use on your property is diesel, but gas (in this area) is cheaper than off-road diesel. Have to have gas for cars anyway, and the diesel costs more to buy and maintain.

 

[sunnyside360]

Is there any reason to get a diesel over gas in a UTV? I can see it if all you use on your property is diesel, but gas (in this area) is cheaper than off-road diesel. Have to have gas for cars anyway, and the diesel costs more to buy and maintain.

Diesel engines typically use a little less fuel than gasoline but you'd have to run the diesel a long long time to offset the additional $$'s on the purchase price of a diesel powered UTV. Also, diesel powered UTV's typically have way less HP than gas powered UTV's (50% ??) which may or may not be a factor.

 

[texasjohn]

TRR I don't think you should look at the power plant first.......unless you have a need to pull heavy trailers with your vehicle. That said, diesel is the rifgt choice for me....call or come by to discuss my RTV 1140 experience if you wish. It's been all positive.:thumbsup:

 

[NYBOB]

I went out to see some machines today. As you know I am looking for more of a work machine then trail machine. Speed is not a factor. I mainly wanted to see which ones I could fit into.

Kubota RTV 900 - Rugged looking but poor leg room.
JD Gator 855D - Poor legroom and very low steering wheel.
Arctic Cat Prowler - Nice leg room and tilt wheel, more sporty then work.
Honda Big Red - tiny leg room
Bobcat - medium leg room
Kawasaki Mule 4010 - Decent leg room, would be a contender if it had a tilt wheel.
Polaris Ranger 800 - Great leg room and tilt wheel, more sporty then work from what I read and looking at the machine. Diesel version is very pricy.
Kioti Mechron - I actually drove this one, nice machine, no tilt but fair leg room.

I still want to look at the New Holland Rustler with the adjustable seat and tilt wheel, the new JD XUV 550 and a second look at the Kawasaki Mule.

It appears the more sporty trail models seems to have better ergonomics and room. I could drive the Kioti and Kawasaki but do I want to. The Ranger is by far the most comfortable but seems more built for trail riding then what I need to do. But I could be wrong. I also hear good and bad things about Polaris machines and dependability.

I have a great relationship with my Deere dealer but I can't find a suitable Gator.

So I know which ones I can't drive, but not much closer to finding one the works.

Bob

 

[texasjohn]

Wish you could have seen a Kubota RTV 1140......perhaps specs re leg room are similar to 900 don't know.

 

[farmboy12]

I think you should look again at the Ranger.

I think they are very tough machines, yes they are sporty, but i give them at least a 50/50 work/play. The farm I work and hang out at has an older Ranger 500, but it is a full size, like the 800s now. We beat the snot out of this thing.

We haul split wood, piled nearlyto the top of the roll cage. Haul many deer. Use it as the main tool and person transport. Stack 100lb deer corn bags, as many as 8 or 9 some loads, and drive a few miles distributing them around the property. Unsafely, we have had many people on it at once. We've dragged bundles of over 10 large Christmas trees to the fire. Any kind of work.

And on top of all the work it does, it puts up with a group of about 8 teen boys ages 15-19, including me, and their girlfriends for weekends doing whatever we have to do work wise, to earn out play time with it.

We also have 2 Polaris Sportsman 500s at the farm, no major problems with anything that we didn't cause ourselves.

Give it a look, especially if you're comfortable in it. If you can avoid turns on nice grass, give the 6x6 Ranger a look, factory toolbox mounted on it, longer wheelbase, and a 6" longer bed, verycapable machine.


Kyle

 

[NYBOB]

I think you should look again at the Ranger.

I think they are very tough machines, yes they are sporty, but i give them at least a 50/50 work/play. The farm I work and hang out at has an older Ranger 500, but it is a full size, like the 800s now. We beat the snot out of this thing.

We haul split wood, piled nearlyto the top of the roll cage. Haul many deer. Use it as the main tool and person transport. Stack 100lb deer corn bags, as many as 8 or 9 some loads, and drive a few miles distributing them around the property. Unsafely, we have had many people on it at once. We've dragged bundles of over 10 large Christmas trees to the fire. Any kind of work.

And on top of all the work it does, it puts up with a group of about 8 teen boys ages 15-19, including me, and their girlfriends for weekends doing whatever we have to do work wise, to earn out play time with it.

We also have 2 Polaris Sportsman 500s at the farm, no major problems with anything that we didn't cause ourselves.

Give it a look, especially if you're comfortable in it. If you can avoid turns on nice grass, give the 6x6 Ranger a look, factory toolbox mounted on it, longer wheelbase, and a 6" longer bed, verycapable machine.


Kyle

Kyle,

I plan on looking at the Ranger again, I was going to look at the diesel model too but it is almost 13K.

Do you know what normally you would get off of MSRP? When I bought my tractor and mower from Deere, I got 15% off.

Thanks
Bob

 

[farmboy12]

Can't answer the question on price. The local Polaris dealer here is also a Deere dealer, and we are very close, So we tend to get better deals than most. So not sure, but I can only guess something like that 10-15% range that seems to be typical among purchases like these.


Kyle

 

[sunnyside360]

The Ranger is by far the most comfortable but seems more built for trail riding then what I need to do. But I could be wrong. I also hear good and bad things about Polaris machines and dependability.

Bob

About 4 yrs ago, I went thru what you are going thru now in looking and buying a UTV........ looked at them all and then test drove 4 or 5 prior to buying. I really liked the Ranger 700 XP/LE but other than snow mobiles never owned Polaris equipment before. Over the past 45 years, I've owned many Honda ATV's, dirt bikes and motorcycles (~25) and always had good luck so was reluctant to go to a Polaris Ranger. Honda just came out with the Big Red SxS when I was buying but my wife and I didn't like it nearly as well as the Ranger. We wound up getting the Ranger 700 XP/LE along with the extended 5 yr warranty. I had the Ranger 3 yrs until I bought a 2011 Ranger 800 XP/LE with EPS. I never had a single problem with the 2008 Ranger but moved to the new 2011 as someone wanted to buy my older machine and I got a super good deal on the 2011 which had a little more power, power steering and better economy. Iirc, 25% better economy according to Polaris. After more than a year the 2011 Ranger has been problem free. I think the stigma associated with Polaris comes from several years ago when they had issues with some models of their ATV's. I use the Ranger more for work than play here on this old 300 acre farm I'm in process of restoring ....... mainly hauling stuff, fixing fence, checking wild game food plots, transporting hay and straw, filling corn feeders, cutting brush and etc. Hardly a day goes by that the Ranger doesn't get used. Also, my grand kids love to jump in the front and back to ride on the trails.
I'm not trying to sell you on a Ranger....... just telling you my experience with them.