In our ranch business meeting yesterday I brought up the topic of replacing our Polaris 900 with a new enclosed cab Can-Am with hvac approx cost of $35k.

The question was brought up would we be better off getting a small low mileage 4x4 pickup instead for that kind of money?

Other than ride quality and turning radius I was hard-pressed to make a case for the SxS.

What say yall?

been saying this is the smart move for years.

Tacoma, dedicated ranch hunting truck. Ride same if not better. I have a Polaris Ranger, XP 1000, 2021 model, paid 17k. No doors, no AC. If I were thinking of spending 35k on any S X S, I'd give a hard look at a Tacoma or similar.

I bought this earlier this year. I have a 2021 mule pro-fxt at the ranch. I haven’t drove it since getting the Toyota.

Need to figure out how often you use a truck right now vs UTV. UTV is a lot easier on roads than a truck when it’s muddy. I might use my truck 2x a year in my lease, the rest of the time it’s a UTV.

You could also buy that SxS slightly used and save a ton

Depends strictly on the terrain of the property.


Some areas it’s much better to drive a truck others a SxS is much more capable and comfortable to get around in.

I like having both.

SxS is way more fun and I like it for hunting.

Truck gets all the hard work.

Truck

For me it is the winters. Call me a pansy if you want but before sunrise when it is 15 degrees outside I don’t want to ride two miles in a cabless UTV and be so frozen by the time I get to my blind that all I think about is thawing out. I specifically bought my Tacoma to have heat and I have found it hauls way more than the SXS, so far it has gone everywhere the SXS does and there really are no down sides. My original plan was to buy it and leave it at the ranch but I like it so much that I have kept it at home and it is my daily driver and I drive it back and forth to the ranch despite having three newer crew cab diesels at my disposal

I have a Tacoma, Mule Pro Fxt and a Honda 4 wheeler. I use the Tacoma 90% of the time, but I have excellent roads.

Weight is the only factor. UTV will go more places and will tear up less than a small 4x4

guy I lease from has cattle on 10k arces has 2 JD cab utv with HVAC. Three years he put 10k miles on one. He Gathers, Doctors, etc in it. Less wear on roads, him and vehicles. You dont realize how much 12” of suspension travel not only protects you but also vehicles. Covers twice the amount of country in same time.

two of my farms have also switched to Cab’ed UTVs. More nibble, fuel efficient, less footprint and better durability

My SxS will go many more places than my truck will and in much more comfort. It will also take me places that I wouldn’t walk .

get the right cab on a SXS and it is as good as a truck - and as others have said does not tear up your roads nearly as bad

The ranch has some high-angle contours dropping into the ravines and valleys as well as lots of flat areas.

https://youtu.be/DKP7GsBc49o
https://youtu.be/nNIhiwQgbME

Your roads look pretty good. If you stay on those most of the time, the truck will be great. On our place, our roads aren't great, and we spend a lot of time off of them on back trails where a truck will beat you to death.

I was gonna say truck, but after looking at your video Ill go with horse......

I would just stick with the helicopter!!

Crossed that bridge years ago. SXS's are neat but impractical for me. Had guys on my old lease paying 20k for a SxS. They would make 10 trips to fill feeders then abandon them when it got cold. I bought a 79 k30 for 1200.00 years ago. Have painted it in driveway and put a 4" lift and tires on it. Will haul a pallet of feed and
go anywhere, and it has heat and wipers

Don't be so calculated and practical. Little WOW! factor in your boring selection of such an appropriate piece of equipment so suited to fill your needs.

My BIL has used the older Toyota pickups with 10 ply gunk filled tires that I have been amazed at places I have seen him go. He later moved to a small SUV Isuzu trooper with a foldable hitch platform to carry game out. These have heat/ac and will go just about anywhere the more modern SxS will go, at least for most hunting applications. They aren't pretty or sexy by any means but shockingly amazing on getting places that a mountain goat can go. He does all the maintenance and repairs and can get parts pretty easily online or wrecking yards.

Not my cup of tea as I am to the age of not wanting to work on stuff all the time although I do most of the general types of things.

I know my Kubota RTV900 is very heavy, slow and not so nimble on going to a lot of steep and off camber locations, but gets the job done well enough for what I need.

Well… I need(or want) all three. I’ll tear any Toyota to shreds in a New York minute chasing cows or running the pasture. You absolutely cannot go to tight spaces. But, it is a four wheeler. The side by side can also go to much tighter places and is more nimble. Plus, going up a rocky hill with tight clearance on the sides, it beats the Toyota. But, it is a side by side. If you are in a cleared area; even fairly rough country, Toyota is great. So get all three.

"What do you mean by the word or? used as a function word to indicate an alternative"

Me? Explain..

We have several guys at our lease who have mules/rangers and a P?U. I am not one of them. I took this (the OP) as if I could only get one, which is best.