• Please be sure to read the rules and adhere to them. Some banned members have complained that they are not spammers. But they spammed us. Some even tried to redirect our members to other forums. Duh. Be smart. Read the rules and adhere to them and we will all get along just fine. Cheers. :beer: Link to the rules: https://www.forumsforums.com/threads/forum-rules-info.2974/

Haflinger -or- Mini Truck -or- RTV ???

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
OK guys & girls, here is a question for you. The lovely Mrs_B and I have been kicking around some sort of small 4x4 utility vehicle for a few years. Half for fun riding and half for some work around the property.

Puch Haflinger, roughly $10,000
Austrian made Swiss Military vehicle that is amazingly capable, small & light, runs about 45mph, 1000# capacity, climbs like a goat, and many are street legal, roughly 30 years old. 4 or 5 speed manual transmission. This is the best off-road choice for capabilities.
Kubota RTV or Similar, $8 to $14,000 depending on options/engines
Slow, not road legal, very refined, nice diesel engine, lots of capacity, local dealer for service & warrenty issues. Certainly could look at a lot of alternate brands like Polaris, Land Pride, Kubota, John Deere, etc. Dealers for all in the area. Some have multi-range HST transmissions which would be easy for my daughter to use.
Japanese Mini-Truck, roughly $4500 (plus $1000 for upgrades)
Fast, not street legal, light, 1000# capacity, heat & AC in a real cab, wheels and tires need to be upgraded for off road use, least capable off road, most comfortable, no dealers, 10 to 30 years old depending. 4 or 5 speed manual transmissions.
Now as I have been looking at these for a couple years, and as my business is buying another company this spring which will keep me busy, and as I already have a "honey-do" list from the lovely Mrs_B that needs to be worked on, this is not the top of my priority list. But it is that time of the year when we are lining up outdoor projects and one of these things would certainly make life easier for hauling building supplies, produce, landscape supplies, etc around the property.


Below are pictures I lifted off the internet. The first is a pretty typical Haflinger, the second is a typical Japanese Mini-Truck (with custom paint); the final is a Kubota RTV (painted orange).
 

Attachments

  • 0haflinger.jpg
    0haflinger.jpg
    25.9 KB · Views: 507
  • 0mini.JPG
    0mini.JPG
    31.1 KB · Views: 477
  • 0RTV.JPG
    0RTV.JPG
    34.8 KB · Views: 503

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I think you already know my preference... :thumb:

I don't recall how old your daughter is but I would say that anyone that can reach the pedals could drive the RTV. My daughter is 8 and she can (and does) drive the RTV. Not sure about the other machines.

New vs. 10-30 years old...:whistle:

RTV has seating for 3. The others "appear" to be for 2. Not sure about the mini-truck.

If your to-do list is full, I would consider something that doesn't require maintenance or modifications and can be driven/used by anyone in your family from the day you buy it.
 

mtntopper

Back On Track
SUPER Site Supporter
The Puch Haflinger, roughly $10,000 would look much better in front of your Snotrac pulling it into the shop when the Snotrac breaks down in the corn field. I like the looks of it. Really looks like it could go where the others would not even consider going. And again you would be in very unique position with this small military truck. The neighbors will be sure to start questioning your motives.
 

Junkman

Extra Super Moderator
Buy the Kubota, but get the hard cab also. Get it fully decked out with all options, because you know Mrs_B will want all the luxuries. It is only money, and we know how cheap you are and how much we like to see you cringe every time you stick your hand into your empty pocket..... :yum: :yum:
 

BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
SUPER Site Supporter
Bob,
I can tell you from experience ,do not buy the little Japanese style truck . I watched one in Panama city on a concrete driveway get stuck!!! There was a small dip in the driveway and he crossed it at a angle . That little truck balanced on the two opposite wheels and the driver could not get traction . This was on level ground! The driver acted like it happened every day and the passenger jumped out and pushed it on through the dip . I guess they just do not flex enough .
How about something like this . I know where it is and have a offer in to buy it .
Al
 

Attachments

  • KWT #1.jpg
    KWT #1.jpg
    15.6 KB · Views: 463

Spiffy1

Huh?
SUPER Site Supporter
B_Skurka said:
Half for fun riding and half for some work around the property.

From the title and that sentance, I was sure the Haflinger option had four legs instead four wheels! :eek:

I'd vote for the Haflinger either way, but I know nothing of the "4 wheel" variety other then occasionally stumbling across some info on the web; even at that, I'd say it's most capable option on or off the road. I'd have to defer to the wife on the "4 legged" variety; she keeps talking about someday having a team of them, or some other variety of well mannered medium sized riding/driving horse.

As far as gear vs. HST, both the parents of my wife and I insisted we learn to operate gears before driving anything with an automatic.
 

Junkman

Extra Super Moderator
Spiffy1 said:
.......As far as gear vs. HST, both the parents of my wife and I insisted we learn to operate gears before driving anything with an automatic.

...... that is all that they had when you and your sister were born.. automatics hadn't been invented yet. :yum: :yum: You give "sticking it to your sister" new meaning...
 

Spiffy1

Huh?
SUPER Site Supporter
Junkman said:
...... that is all that they had when you and your sister were born...
:D

But at least we didn't have "Flintstone drive"; wife does talk about her college car having "Flintstone brakes" though. :eek:

Actually, I think my sister squirmed her way out of learning a manual transmission; her loss!
 

Snowcat Operations

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
Well you asked fo this opinion. First the Halflinger is an amazing vehicle! Off road there is nothing that will touch it with about the same size tires. The down side is the initial cost and then trying to get ANY part. Parts are very expensive and are getting harder and harder to find.

My advice is to get a modern 4x4 ATV vehicle. Polaris makes about the best one out there Yahmaha makes another great unit. Polaris also makes a 6x6 version which is what I would get if I were hauling 1000 lbs. plus loads. Parts are available and cheap compared to the Halflinger.

Good luck and let us know what you get.
http://www.polarispowersports.com/all-terrain-vehicles/6x6.shtml

I would also go and drive a;; of the little vehciles. Try Yamaha Polaris ect ect. Dont let them pressure you into buying right there. (They will try for sure) Not all these litle ranch style ATVs are the same. Some are built for flat dirt roads others are design to create there own if needed. The Yamahas and Polaris are pretty much your two most capable in this regards.
 

Attachments

  • 6x6-header.jpg
    6x6-header.jpg
    11.3 KB · Views: 446
Last edited:

Snowcat Operations

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
Also Bob If you really want a small 4x4 and have to have something exotic then I would suggest the Pinzgauer. It is also small but is very popular now. You can get one for about 6K as well.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
The Pinzgauers are totally awesome but way too big for puttering around on the property. Heck you can probably carry a Haflinger in the back of a Pinzgauer with some room left over.

As for the age thing, I'm not overly worried about an old vehicle, heck I like to restore old tractors and own a 34 year old Snow Trac and my summer car is an Avanti Convertible (but I am thinking of sellin that toy). So from the age standpoint I'm not afraid of either the Haflinger or the Mini-Truck.

But BigAl does bring up a good point about the capabilities of the little Mini-Trucks . . . I guess I've never seen one get stuck but I do like the size/cab. Getting stuck would be a problem, so I guess I will rule the Mini-Trucks out at this point. Nothing worse than getting a call from the lovely Mrs_B saying she had to walk back home and the Mini is stuck axle deep somewere far away.

So I guess we are down to 2 choices. Modern (Kubota, etc) or Vintage.
 

DaveNay

Klaatu barada nikto
SUPER Site Supporter
B_Skurka said:
TAs for the age thing, I'm not overly worried about an old vehicle, heck I like to restore old tractors and own a 34 year old Snow Trac and my summer car is an Avanti Convertible (but I am thinking of sellin that toy).

Uhhh Bob, the Avanti was a fixer-upper the day it left the show room floor. Age has nuttin' to do with that one.
 

pixie

Well-known member
SUPER Site Supporter
You'll probably get more yard work done with the Kubota (or like). Unless your wife also likes to tinker on obscure vehicles rather than use them, I'd get the R/UTV.
 

Snowcat Operations

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
You can put a Halflinger into the bed of a full size truck but not in a Pinzy. I still think the best way is a Polaris or Yamaha
 

Ricochet

New member
B_Skurka said:
OK guys & girls, here is a question for you. The lovely Mrs_B and I have been kicking around some sort of small 4x4 utility vehicle for a few years. Half for fun riding and half for some work around the property.

Puch Haflinger, roughly $10,000

Austrian made Swiss Military vehicle that is amazingly capable, small & light, runs about 45mph, 1000# capacity, climbs like a goat, and many are street legal, roughly 30 years old. 4 or 5 speed manual transmission. This is the best off-road choice for capabilities.


Kubota RTV or Similar, $8 to $14,000 depending on options/engines
Slow, not road legal, very refined, nice diesel engine, lots of capacity, local dealer for service & warrenty issues. Certainly could look at a lot of alternate brands like Polaris, Land Pride, Kubota, John Deere, etc. Dealers for all in the area. Some have multi-range HST transmissions which would be easy for my daughter to use.


Japanese Mini-Truck, roughly $4500 (plus $1000 for upgrades)

Fast, not street legal, light, 1000# capacity, heat & AC in a real cab, wheels and tires need to be upgraded for off road use, least capable off road, most comfortable, no dealers, 10 to 30 years old depending. 4 or 5 speed manual transmissions.


Now as I have been looking at these for a couple years, and as my business is buying another company this spring which will keep me busy, and as I already have a "honey-do" list from the lovely Mrs_B that needs to be worked on, this is not the top of my priority list. But it is that time of the year when we are lining up outdoor projects and one of these things would certainly make life easier for hauling building supplies, produce, landscape supplies, etc around the property.


Below are pictures I lifted off the internet. The first is a pretty typical Haflinger, the second is a typical Japanese Mini-Truck (with custom paint); the final is a Kubota RTV (painted orange).

Wait...there is a new RTV coming out early next year which will give you the best of all the vehicles you listed. ;) Lastly, I doubt the Haflinger is that much better off-road than the RTV900.
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Ricochet said:
Wait...there is a new RTV coming out early next year which will give you the best of all the vehicles you listed.
And when will we find out more about this new RTV?
 

Ricochet

New member
bczoom said:
And when will we find out more about this new RTV?

I could tell you more, but I would have to kill you afterwards. :gun2_smi: hehe ;)

October is usually when new product info is released (leaked).
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Ricochet said:
Wait...there is a new RTV coming out early next year which will give you the best of all the vehicles you listed. ;) Lastly, I doubt the Haflinger is that much better off-road than the RTV900.
Well if I decide to buy one, I won't wait until next year, I'll do it soon so I can use it this year.

As for the capabilities of the Haflinger, first the big advantage is it is street legal. But here is a link to a Haflinger Sales Brochure in my Gallery so you can get the idea of what these can do. In real life I doubt I would push either unit to its full potential.

I am actually attracted to the concept of buying an old unit and fixing it up. So emotionally I would sort of lean toward the Haflinger. There is a practical side of me that says if it is broken and the lovely Mrs_B can't use it then I will hear some unpleasant yacking in my ear and that leads me more toward the Kubota. Then again I just got back from the Kubota/Cub/Case store a little while ago and they have a nice Cub sitting out front for $6999.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Yup the Cub is a toy, but the lovely Mrs_B says it is cute.
 

Dargo

Like a bad penny...
GOLD Site Supporter
Here is what Bob needs for his yard. One for personal use, and the other to take some of his closest friends for a ride.
 

Attachments

  • bobmobile.jpg
    bobmobile.jpg
    83.9 KB · Views: 258
  • bobsothermobile.jpg
    bobsothermobile.jpg
    29.7 KB · Views: 261

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Brent, last time I checked, you had the 200 acre back yard and I had a 9+ acre yard with 32 acres of corn/soybeans.

Somehow I don't think that you quite understand my needs. I'm looking for a
small 4x4 unit that would be good for hauling produce up to the house, hauling supplies down to the garden, and for hauling ass around the fields. I actually like the JD compact series Gators, but they are not 4x4 drive. I need 4x4 to climb up the ridge without spinning the tires.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Snowcat Operations said:
Also Bob If you really want a small 4x4 and have to have something exotic then I would suggest the Pinzgauer. It is also small but is very popular now. You can get one for about 6K as well.

I'm finding Pinzgauers all over the internet for $9000 to $15000 in 'good' condition (dents in the body on the lower priced ones). Some go over $20,000. Nothing close to $6000. But I think it would be too big. 6' wide, 7' tall, almost 14' long. Although from what I am reading, they blow away a Unimog in offroad capabilities (but the Unimog has more capacity for heavy hauling offroad and on).

I think it would be pretty cool to take a Pinzgauer radio van and convert it to a party wagon. Would be a blast on the beach, and if the van area was stripped and rebuilt it could a luxury hauler. A soft top version would make a nice hauler that could carry a ton of landscape mulch. Hmmm.

But still seems to big for my needs.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Some information (in German) on the capabilities of the Haflinger. I must admit to being very attracted to these little things. If I can find one, I would be very tempted to buy it. They appear to be simple, tough, capable machines. They are small, so fitting it into the garage would not be an issue, they are road capable, so it could actually be driven to town and loaded up with garden plants, supplies, etc.

The major downside is the manual transmission which would mean my daughter would have a hard time driving it, but it would make a nice vehicle to teach her how to drive a manual transmission vehicle when she is ready for that. Other downside issues would include parts costs and availablity.
 

Attachments

  • 0HaflingerCapabilities.jpg
    0HaflingerCapabilities.jpg
    188 KB · Views: 255

BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
SUPER Site Supporter
Bob ,
Have you ever considered a "Coot" ? They go about anywhere ,even through water . They swivel and are 4x4 . They were made in the 70's and early 80's I believe . Ranch neighbor had one ,that thing would go anywhere . Price should be a lot less than what your looking at and parts are avalible .
 

Attachments

  • coot.jpg
    coot.jpg
    19.4 KB · Views: 256

Spiffy1

Huh?
SUPER Site Supporter
Cool machine BigAl! Is it actually amphibious, or do the wheels need to touch the bottom for crossing water?
 

Spiffy1

Huh?
SUPER Site Supporter
That Haflinger be a perfect machine for learning to drive! When she drives you off the road, it's already suited for the terrain.:D
 
Top