Compact Utility Vehicles for property use?

Melensdad · Jun 18, 2007

I'm thinking (again) about buying a little UTV for around the property. Mostly for transportation purposes and not really for heavy duty hauling. Literally it would be to drive out to the shooting range on the property, for running pool supplies over to the pool, tools/parts out to the remote garage, etc.

Given my uses, I would not consider any of the machines like the Kubota UTV or the heavy duty Gators. What I would be interested in is one of the "compact" JD Gators or any other of the smaller light duty (and much cheaper) utility vehicles.

Will a 2 wheel drive utility vehicle climb a modestly steep hill or do I need 4x4 drive.

Who makes a reliable brand that I can get parts/service for, but still offers a small/economy model for light use? Any thoughts about the Yamaha Pro Hauler 700?

bczoom · Jun 18, 2007

Oh boy...

Well, I'd probably start by saying to look at the Kawasaki 610.

From there, you can go up or down based on your needs, budget...

I would honestly recommend a 4x4 model since as soon as you get it, you're going to want to do more with the machine. A 4x4 also helps get you down the hills by using engine braking.

You may also want to look at an EZ-Go Workhorse. Some of their models look more like a golf cart but they're pretty darn rugged.

There's a lot on the market right now. Arctic Cat, Polaris, Kubota, JD, Toro, Yamaha, Koyker, Pioneer (Ingersoll), Toro... Some are small but are primarily play machines for racing or running around (The Yamaha Rhino and Polaris RZR are 2 prime examples). A Rhino 450 may work nicely for you but the RZR's are very new and demanding top dollar.

DaveNay · Jun 18, 2007

A Cushman Commander?

bczoom · Jun 18, 2007

Bob,
Just saw your question about the Yamaha Pro Hauler. Don't know much about them other than the fact they quit making them last year.

Dave,
It looks like the Cushman Commander and EZ-Go Workhorse are about the same thing. If so, that's probably a fine selection as well.

Melensdad · Jun 18, 2007

bczoom said:
Bob,
Just saw your question about the Yamaha Pro Hauler. Don't know much about them other than the fact they quit making them last year.

I wonder it they suck, or if they just didn't appeal to a lot of people because of their small size. In my case the small size is a benefit. But that is only a 2wd unit so it may not be suitable for going down the hill?

I know it only took me 1 time to go down the hill on a tractor without the 4wd engaged to teach me NEVER to do that again :pat:

BoneheadNW · Jun 18, 2007

B_Skurka said:
In my case the small size is a benefit.

Sorry Bob, I couldn't resist. Seriously, how is the foot?
Bonehead

Melensdad · Jun 18, 2007

BoneheadNW said:
Seriously, how is the foot?
Bonehead

Still hurts. I hobble around with a cane but am very happy to be off the crutches. My left foot is in pretty good shape, the scar tissue is still sensitive but not in a pressure point. My right foot had most of the surgery and both the heel and ball of that foot had most of the skin removed. In the mornings I can walk pretty normally, as the day progresses my foot becomes very tender and sore. I am down to 1 pain pill a day, most days. I take it late in the evening. On the weekends if I try to do too much I tend to need 2 or even 3 pain pills per 24 hours, which still is not too bad.

But its making a lot of progress! I saw the surgeon about 3 weeks ago, he told me it would not heal as fast as I hoped, then he gave me prescriptions for 4 months worth of pain pills :smileywac

, I seem him again in about 45 days.

BoneheadNW · Jun 18, 2007

B_Skurka said:
Still hurts. I hobble around with a cane but am very happy to be off the crutches. My left foot is in pretty good shape, the scar tissue is still sensitive but not in a pressure point. My right foot had most of the surgery and both the heel and ball of that foot had most of the skin removed. In the mornings I can walk pretty normally, as the day progresses my foot becomes very tender and sore. I am down to 1 pain pill a day, most days. I take it late in the evening. On the weekends if I try to do too much I tend to need 2 or even 3 pain pills per 24 hours, which still is not too bad.

But its making a lot of progress! I saw the surgeon about 3 weeks ago, he told me it would not heal as fast as I hoped, then he gave me prescriptions for 4 months worth of pain pills , I seem him again in about 45 days.

Which brings us back to your compact utility vehicle. Seems to me that with your feet in such bad shape, you could use something like a CUV to get around inside the house too.
Bone

DaveNay · Jun 18, 2007

BoneheadNW said:
Which brings us back to your compact utility vehicle. Seems to me that with your feet in such bad shape, you could use something like a CUV to get around inside the house too.
Bone

Bob needs a Segway for that.

LarryRB · Jun 18, 2007

I'm surprised your doctor hasn't told you to keep your leg(s), 8" above the heart when laying down. Especially at night while sleeping. I've had some serious leg damage and years ago was told to do this. I've done it so long now, that if I'm in a motel or visiting elsewhere, I have to build up withpillows or seat cushions or something in order to sleep. It makes all the difference in the world the next day. In other words, about four more hours of no pain or swelling.

Melensdad · Jun 18, 2007

LarryRB said:
I'm surprised your doctor hasn't told you to keep your leg(s), 8" above the heart when laying down. Especially at night while sleeping.

Actually for the first 2 months that is exactly what he had me do.

BoneheadNW said:
Which brings us back to your compact utility vehicle. Seems to me that with your feet in such bad shape, you could use something like a CUV to get around inside the house too.
Bone

DaveNay said:

Bob needs a Segway for that.

Click to expand...

STAIRS

Junkman · Jun 18, 2007

Stay away from the EZ-Go golf kart type machines...... My neighbor has one, and it has been nothing but trouble. It gets stuck easily and it really isn't much of a work horse. It is great on the golf course, but don't think of taking it anywhere that there is a steep hill. It will just sit there and dig a hole with the tires. He just spent $2000 on a new engine, and it is only 4 years old..... he uses it from May to October every day. Did all the maintenance, but they just don't hold up....

Deerlope · Jun 19, 2007

The best advice that I can give you Bob is to research them all on the internet. Then find a reveiw on them and make your decesion. I have the Kubota RTV900, by winter it will have a heated cab and Mattarcks in place of all 4 tires. Who was it that said they wanted a snowcat that was under 15K, diesel and would set 2 or 4?

Av8r3400 · Jun 19, 2007

Junkman said:
Stay away from the EZ-Go golf kart type machines...... My neighbor has one, and it has been nothing but trouble. It gets stuck easily and it really isn't much of a work horse. It is great on the golf course, but don't think of taking it anywhere that there is a steep hill. It will just sit there and dig a hole with the tires. He just spent $2000 on a new engine, and it is only 4 years old..... he uses it from May to October every day. Did all the maintenance, but they just don't hold up....

Junk I will wholeheartedly disagree with you on this one. I have an EZGo Workhorse 800 that I bought used from a local dealer. It has been absolutely great in what it can do. I've hauled 500# of wood through the mud and snow with it. I've owned mine for 3 years now, change the oil every spring, grease the zerks when ever I do the tractor and it has never let me down.

I do use mine in the winter and summer. To make it handle a little better I changed the "rib" tires on it to some small knobbies on the rear and have never gotten it stuck since.

No it's not a 4x4. Don't expect it to be. I don't go through the woods, off the paths, with it or try and go through deep mud or snow (4-6" max snow). It's not fast or powerful, but it was reasonably priced ($2000), simple and works great for what I need.

(Since the picture, I added the knobbie tires in the back and the hard top.)

Doc · Jun 19, 2007

I like the Yamaha Rhino. It's a nice size UTV, and it comes in 4 wheel drive. It was a few thousand less than the Kubota UTV offerings the last time I checked.

bczoom · Jun 19, 2007

Av8r3400 said:
Junk I will wholeheartedly disagree with you on this one.

Not speaking for my father but my guess is that he would also disagree. His has been bulletproof (he has the Workhorse ST350). His neighbor also bought one and it gets pretty abused. That one has had no issues either.

Glenn9643 · Jun 19, 2007

Tires/wheels are available also with tractor-lugs.
I bought a pair for the golf cart we use around the place and haven't had a traction issue since. Ours is an older electric and we don't have hills, but I believe you can solve the traction problem easily. I'm not familiar with the gas engine carts but really enjoy the quiet of the electric cart and would recommend it if it would work on your hills.

http://www.buggiesunlimited.com/cgi-bin/sgsh0101.exe?SKW=TIRE_BASIC&UID=5480061908371543&PAGLEN=10

elsmitro · Jun 19, 2007

You should buy one off my buddy! He has taught me a lot about trapping and seems like a good guy.
http://www.stutleratvs.com/view/?pageID=333745

rlk · Jun 19, 2007

Junkman said:
Stay away from the EZ-Go golf kart type machines...... My neighbor has one, and it has been nothing but trouble. It gets stuck easily and it really isn't much of a work horse. It is great on the golf course, but don't think of taking it anywhere that there is a steep hill. It will just sit there and dig a hole with the tires. He just spent $2000 on a new engine, and it is only 4 years old..... he uses it from May to October every day. Did all the maintenance, but they just don't hold up....

Junk, I have to disagree as well. I have an EZ-Go WorkHorse 480 that has been trouble free since day one (4 years ago), other than having to charge the battery this spring, and this is the original battery.

I highly recommend the EZ-Go products.

Bob

Doc · Jun 20, 2007

It took me two looks at the link elsmitro provided to see the UTV below. A chinese model with a really low price (5k). Has anyone seen one of these close up ....they are half the price of most other UTV's. Interesting.

BoneheadNW · Jun 20, 2007

Doc said:
It took me two looks at the link elsmitro provided to see the UTV below. A chinese model with a really low price (5k). Has anyone seen one of these close up ....they are half the price of most other UTV's. Interesting.

Just don't use them as toothpaste or feed them to the dog. They are poison.
Bonehead

Av8r3400 · Jun 20, 2007

I'd like to have a closer look at one of these too.

I would love to have a Rhino, but at $7000 for the 450cc version, that's just WAY too much money for what it is. Add in tax etc. and I could have bought 4 EZGos for one Rhino. Now $5000 for a chino-knockoff, that *might* be worth a look.

Melensdad · Jun 21, 2007

bczoom said:
Bob,
Just saw your question about the Yamaha Pro Hauler. Don't know much about them other than the fact they quit making them last year.

Well I found out today why the Pro Hauler line is no longer produced. The unit didn't sell well at the ATV/Motorcycle dealerships so they now sell it under the U-MAX name through their golf cart division. The U-MAX is even lower priced, I can get the U-MAX version of the Pro Hauler 700 for $4400.00 locally. I think I may go take a look at one today if I can get a way from work for a little while.

The tires are less aggressive on the U-Max line than on the Pro-Hauler line. But the engine and frame and mechanicals are the same.

Pro Hauler 700 is blue, U-MAX is green.

bczoom · Jun 21, 2007

I see they make 3 versions of the U-Max.
http://www.yamahagolfcar.com/products/categories/2/umx/u-max.aspx
They're listed as light-duty and medium-duty. Not sure which one you get for $4400.

I do see they have a roof and windshield available but don't see any option to switch from manual dump. If the lovely Mrs. Bob loads up the box, will she be able to dump it manually?

If you do get out to check one out, do you have an EZ-Go or Cushman dealer nearby to do a comparison?

Av8r3400 · Jun 21, 2007

The box on the Yama-hammer seems to be very small. On my EZGo the box extends past the pivot point of the dump mechanism to ease the dumping action.

Melensdad · Jun 21, 2007

$4400 is for the light duty model, which is the same as Pro-Hauler 700. When I was talking to the guy, he said the next model up gives a bigger cargo box but the same engine, brakes, etc. He strongly recommended against it because the price goes up disproportionately.

The box on the Yamaha is very small. Basically it is a people hauler that allows for some light cargo.

Melensdad · Jun 21, 2007

Well I went to the John Deere/Yamaha dealership. Looked at the compact John Deere Gator and the Yamaha U-MAX. Thought the mini-John Deere was "cute" but also felt the U-MAX was the better deal.

It gets delivered tomorrow. Guess I have to talk to the lovely Mrs-Bob tonight and let her know that I bought her a present?

bczoom · Jun 21, 2007

Sounds good Bob.

Did you get a roof/windshield?

Junkman · Jun 21, 2007

B_Skurka said:
Well I went to the John Deere/Yamaha dealership. Looked at the compact John Deere Gator and the Yamaha U-MAX. Thought the mini-John Deere was "cute" but also felt the U-MAX was the better deal.

It gets delivered tomorrow. Guess I have to talk to the lovely Mrs-Bob tonight and let her know that I bought her a present?

I did the same thing last month by buying the lovely Mrs-Junkman a 1965 Red Mustang convertible, however she refuses to drive it. Some women are just never satisfied....

Melensdad · Jun 21, 2007

Junkman said:
I did the same thing last month by buying the lovely Mrs-Junkman a 1965 Red Mustang convertible, however she refuses to drive it. Some women are just never satisfied....

Wow that is pretty cool!

bczoom said:
Did you get a roof/windshield?

NOPE. I have so many low trees that I just figured I tear it off. But I did look at it. Its something that can easily be added if I later decide that I want the top and/or the windshield.

Compact Utility Vehicles for property use?

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