Ranger, Rhino, Mule or?

I have a 2005 Yamaha Grizzly 660. It has had to pull Hondas and Polaris 4 wheelers that couldnt follow it. I've hunted from it and worked from it pulling a 5' x 8' trailer, built barb wire fence from it and a long list of other things. Wife is wanting a side by side so everyone can ride together on the new place in Wolfe City. I will probably keep the Grizzly since its much narrower than a side by side so we're considering a used side by side. Will I end up working off the side by side? I'm leaning toward Ranger but is that the right way to go? What about the other brands?

From reliability stand point, my vote goes to Rhino or Mule.

I've got a mule 610. It's a good inbetween.

Just purchased a new Ranger Crew 800 and love the ride. Also on the ranch are a Kubota 1140 and Polaris 570. Been in the mules and the ride is far better in the ranger

i just bought a ranger 800 about 2 months ago. really like it.

hunt with a couple guys that have a 800 and 900 which what helped me decide on the ranger.

the ranger is an all purpose vehicle. the bench seat is an added plus, 3 grown folks can ride.

the 900 is quieter of the 2, but was more $$$ when i shopped around, so couldn't justify it.

wished I had gotten one last season now.


Dave

I have the 900 crew and had the 800XP, go with the ranger you won't regret it. The 900 is more vibration free and quieter but the 800 is a good machine also. Never had problems with any of mine and I have kids that ride them pretty hard

Stopped in the Kawasaki dealership Saturday. Owner said they are releasing a new Mule on the 14th- faster, independent suspension and 3 year warranty. It'll be interesting to see how they work out.

All of the later model side by sides are pretty close to being the same, just need to pick one that will work best for what you'll be using it for. Polaris has to most accessories, Honda will be to lesser in performance, Canam is very powerful but more on the sport side not as useful if you will be using it to work, Kawasaki is pretty close to Polaris your splitting hairs when you compare those two, and Kubota will be the heaviest it will be only good for one thing using it on the farm

Thanks for the replies everyone. Looks like me leaning toward the Polaris is the right thing to do.

If you want a two seater go with the Rhino. Its a much better machine. If your looking for a crew I prefer Ranger. They are two different rides built for different things. Race car vs Cadillac

I have had two different Mules over the years. They have been extremely reliable but they are slow and cold natured. The fuel injected models are better but still slow. I look forward to the new model.

Mules are the dodge diesel of the utv world....rides like hell and isn't too comfy but it gets the job done! There's one at the ranch that's a diesel and has about 12 different redneck fixes on it but it just won't quit.

(Get a ranger)

Received.

Riding around is what it'll do more than anything. For heavy duty work I have two trucks. I don't want a crew cab, they're too long. I'll build a removable back seat for the bed the kids can sit in.

The newer model Rangers have had some issues. I have used both Rangers and Mules over the last 10 years putting over a 1000 hrs per year on one or the other for ranch use. I have a 2007 Ranger now for my own use. The Mule will be less likely to need repairs than the Ranger over the long term. The Ranger has more load capabilities, power, faster and much smoother ride than the Mule. I am now looking at the Cub Cadet SXS now and like what I have seen from them.

I have had 3 mules over the last 20 years. 2 used and one new. I have abused the heck out of them and the just keep on ticking. I way overload and put lift kits and oversize tire on them so that cut power and they will run a lot faster then the country will allow me to drive. My opinion for quail hunting and guiding quail hunting they cannot be beat. I have no experience with the new polaris but the old ones were very fast, very loud, and very rough. I hear the new ones are very fast, quite and smooth. I know they will carry a bigger payload faster.

I have owned 3 Rangers over the past ten or so years. They are fast and great suspension but overall quality has decreased in recent years. I had a Polaris service manager tell me they they are outsourcing many of their parts now and that they are crap.

I did extensive reseach last year on all brands. I know Mules and Rangers are the popular models but take a look at the Kubota diesels. The 1100 with the cab is what I got and I love it. Fast enough, good ride, and tough as nails. The cab is unmatched by anything else out there - it is like riding in your truck cab. Powerful AC/heater/defroster/wipers/radio/etc. Worth considering IMO - good luck

http://www.cubcadet.com/equipment/cubcadet/utility-vehicles/volunteer/4x4-efi-red-utility-vehicle

I sure like my ranger 700. It's an 09 and has almost 10000 miles on it. Have had to replace a few parts on it but for the most part nothing major. You know my country so it hasn't had an easy life either. They ride the best and have 3 seats up front which is a plus for me

Yeah. I cab't believe my Dodge has held up to 5 years of driving that country.

tlk,

MAN THAT'S NICE! Fancier than what I'm looking for. I've got a 70 acre place so not huge. Don't think I'm getting a cab. And really don't care diesel or gas just want it to be quiet.

If you are wanting quiet I would get electric UTV with your size place. All the SXS I have road on are loud so just settle on any of them being loud (especially if you put a roof on it). You could still keep your ATV for the dirty work. I test drove an electric UTV back in 2004 around a ranch I managed to test it. I made 2 trips around the fencelines so that was 25 miles. Drove around other roads and it was still going. They are made a lot better and nicer these days. I am sure with a hefty price tag to go with the improvements.

4 wheel drive?

Was all that driving on one charge?

Yes and Yes

I'm going to take back the quiet statement. If I'm hunting that place I'm walking. But I'll look into them anyways. That's impressive.

I agree with STX - if it is only 70 acres electric would be a good fit. We hunt 9000 acres and it is over 7 miles from camp to back part of ranch so I need something sturdy and enclosed -

My Kubota RTV900 will do 26 mph on flat ground. Is that fast enough for a hunting/working ranch UTV? In rough country, even that speed is pretty scary. But then, I'm not really into NASCAR....

Will an electric pull the weight a gas engine will? Does an electric have the power to get through blackland mud. Wil an electric hold up a spray tank with a 30' boom?

I do know that the more load you add the shorter the battery run time. The fear I always had was being out a ways from home base and battery going dead. I know they have improved them quite a bit - my suggestion is to go see one and ask the dealer the questions.

a guy I hunt with had a badboy buggy (electric), it was GREAT for hunting.

not so good for riding around doing work, hauling corn, checking camera etc....

he now has a ranger 900.

tlk - that kubota looks nice, how does price compare to the ranger?

I purpose-built an electric last year just for work and hunting at the ranch. It started life as a golf cart, but is now a different machine. Invested quite a bit in upgrading the electrical infrastructure and suspension. Our place is 425 acres. Since no one ever drives it outside of hunters the game are very sensitive to motor traffic. We are also mostly rock and not much mud so I can't speak to how it would do in the black gumbo.

Electrics by nature have terrific torque. The also tend to have low center of gravity due to batteries but good ground clearance since there is no running gear other than the motor and axles. Narrow track width and tight turning radius also means you can get in alot places. Being able to haul it in the back of a truck if need be is a bonus as well.

Fireman, to answer your questions: They can go alot of places and haul quite a load. The compromise is in run time. Mine will haul 4 big men or 2 men and 400 lbs of feed no problem. It climbs hills and crosses rough terrain well. I haven't tested the full range, but it should go close to 30 miles on one charge. And, it does it all quietly. We always see more game from the cart than we do from the truck, and you can have a conversation if you want to. It's nice for riding around.

I'm very pleased with the result, especially for what I have in it vs. a comparable side-by-side. The only thing I would do differently is invest in a true ATV-style front suspension. It rides a little rough as is. In my opinion, none of the major manufacturers have the electrics fully refined just yet. The electric Rangers are interesting but it seems like they still have some bugs to work out. Down the road, I'd love it if Kawasaki developed an electric Mule. That would be the near-perfect machine for my purposes. It's hard to beat an electric for a small place.

2 men and 400 pounds of corn, off road, aint for a whimpy machine. I like how stealthy it is, just don't want to regret not getting a gas engine later. Damn yall with all your first hand experience!

price is pretty similar if you outfit the Ranger with good doors, windshield, etc. - difference is even the best Ranger cabs don't compare. The doors on the Kubota are heavy duty and air tight so I get zero dust inside the cab. The Kubota 1100 pictured only comes with the full cab - it is standard equipment on the 1100

We hunt south texas so the AC during hot months is hard to beat and of course the heater during deer season is great. The no dust though is big to me

yeah, you right about the dust part

Gas golf cart?

Have you seen the Intimidator yet? Wicked machine. They even have an electric model.

www.intimidatorutv.com

Or how about the Odes? These are fast. Search youtube.

[url=http://www.odesutvs.com/][/url]

This has been discussed at length on here many times. Ranger 900 has agreat cab system but $$$$. If you want a side by side tractor get a Kubota. Otherwise get a ranger.

Sorry to disagree but I have had the top end Ranger cab system and now the Kubota cab - absolutely no comparison - the Kubota is hands down better

I have a Kubota, though it's the old style non-A/C and Heat version. I think the decision on a side by side comes down to what you want it to do or what you want to do with it. If you want a fun and fast vehicle with a smooth ride, there are quite a few choices. But if you want something that will really work, a Kubota is really your only choice. And if you are somewhat sissified (kidding tlk), that top of the line Kubota with doors and A/C and heat and glass windows and 4 wheel drive can't be matched by anyone else. It rides kind of hard and it only goes 25 mph. And...the cupholders will each hold a wine bottle.

And I kept my Yamaha Big Bear 400 for when I want to go fast and get bugs in my teeth. And the wife has her little yellow Suzuki Ozark 250, and she does love to go fast (on occasion).

No cab.

No frills.

Dont need a tractor, have a 4430 and a Skid steer.

Need something to ride around the place, with wife and two kids. If I ask it to do a little work it needs to do it. If it gets in the mud it needs to get out of it. It should be able to pull a 16' trailer and haul a few bags of feed or a few rolls of barb wire and t-posts. Pretty simple.

LOL - if staying cool in 110 degrees and warm in the teens then I am guilty!

Have you seen this one in Decatur? It's on ebay at $6.8K. Looks like a nice machine for the price and it'll carry the kids.




TLC
2601 South Hwy. 287
Decatur, TX 76234
940-627-4979
tlcmylawn.com


http://www.ebay.com/itm/XY-Max-Torque-50...=US_Motors_UTVs

then I'd say the ranger.

The Ranger 900 is way quieter and easier to service than earlier models. I bought a crew in late November 2013 and already have 255 hours on it.

Just upgraded to the 2015 900 crew last night. I haven't had any issues with my Ranger's in the past. But I don't work them real hard either. Haul some feed, check cows, fencing material, and cruise to the back to fish or hunt. Like I stated earlier the crew model is like a Cadillac.

Dont want a crew cab. I want the short wheel base of a single cab. I'll make a seat that sits on or in the bed.

Looks like Ranger is the pervailing wind in this thread.

Do you keep a diesel tank on your place? Truck a diesel?

I'm about to (today) figure out what I'm going to do about a mobile fuel tank. Dodge Cummins, Deere 4430, and a Deere 260 skid steer. I'm in bad need of being able to haul more diesel than a few 5 gallon fuel cans is providing. Bet I know where you're going with this.

Wait until the 2015 Mule comes out... later this month.
812 cc fuel injected, power steering, front and rear independent suspension, 45 mph top speed, seating for 3 or 6.
2000# towing with 1000# bed capacity..
12999-15999 price tag.. All with a 3 year warranty.

tlk, I do enjoy kidding you about the sissified Kubota, but I have to admit that I brought up the subject of maybe upgrading to that enclosed version like you have. The wife keeps saying no, and she says the present Kubota is hers. It's going to be real hot real soon, and A/C would be nice, but if I want one I'll have to buy it and hide it behind the barn.

I don't how how yall get any outside work done with A/C. Going fron 70 degrees to 100, back and forth is not for me. If I start outside in the morning and will be out all day, I get no A/C until the work is done, which means dark thirty.

That redesigned Mule should really give the Ranger a run for its money. Looks like they've greatly improved power, payload, and suspension. If they keep the durability it'll be a real contender.

Ive worked at cement plant on new braunfels for 10 years now, they give us "buggies" to drive around the 200 acre plant and rock 5,000 acre rock quarry. We've had rhino, ranger, gator, club car xrt, land pride, bobcat just about every UTV that has been made we've had them out there. By far the most dependable one has been the gator. Started everytime, freezing cold or hot, dust, mud rain it had done its job. For a plant that is open 24/7/365 we use the hell of out the buggies, and gator has handled it. That turned me to get a gator myself. Of course bobcat was cool, you could put a bucket or forks on the front and use it like a little machine. After all we put those things through, I got a gator.

What model did you buy?

820i the biggest they make before diesel..550 is too small can't put a high rack seat in the bed..diesel..just rattles your brain with sound of the engine.

820i the biggest they make before diesel..550 is too small can't put a high rack seat in the bed..diesel..just rattles your brain with sound of the engine.

Good to know. Yesterday I thought about a Gator. Since I already have three John Deeres I figured I'd give them a look. Are their prices in line with the other side by sides?

Ordering one of these next week. Did my research and this is the one for me.

I put in the wrong model * 825i is the one I have. I think its awesome. Top speed about 37, I'm not looking to haul [censored] while in the pasture..to me it is a smoother ride then ranger and not as noise..its pretty quite. It does me well, tilt bed, gun rack I mean most UTV you can do the same stuff with them.I tried to put a pic up of it but some reason I click "browse" and nothing pops up..so I might be doing something wrong there. Even with a ranger, you have to put a high rack seat all the way to the back of the bed, I got mine in the middle cause its good size bed.

My Bad Boy Buggie is 72volt 4x4 and we have pulled my trailer with a 300 gallon water tote full of water with no problem. I think it is like 60 to 70hp rated. We see way more game since getting the ATV's off my place. We ride around with 4 adults and trailer hooked up with up to 10 to 20 bags of corn to fill feeders without a problem. My drawback is that I don't get but about 10 miles on it when working it (heavy loads/trailer hooked up). I have never tested it with just me on it to see how many miles it goes.

That's pretty dang impressive. How long does it take to charge up if you get it really drained down?

I've got the ranger 800 crew. About 4000 miles on it now. Been very reliable, comfortable and smooth riding. I would imagine the non crew would be the same. My one complaint is it's a noisy machine. Lots of squeeks and creeks. I've learned to live with the noise - already spent the money afterall.

My brother has the new kubota diesel. Looks to be an awsime machine. I like how the back seat can fold down and the bed lengthens into the space. Since 75% of the time my ranger is used for solitary work i could see the use of the long bed of the kubota. When guests show up, the back seat would then be available for tours and fun riding. Ride is a little stiffer but the diesel sure has it's good points. If I was buying again, i think i'd prolly go with the kubota. he paid less than i did for the ranger new.

Im in the market myself and still on the fence. Mostly because of price. I have a 4x4 Polaris Sportsman 4 wheeler that is a tank but want a SxS of some type.
My neighbor is a GM of large John Deere business. He brought another neighbor a JD Gator for us to use as a demo over the weekend. It is a 2 seat rig and very long. I had serious doubts. I use in the pasture and fishing/hunting, hauling kids and beer cooler. I was concerned about the length crossing gullies and low spots. Climbing hills.
We put it thru most everything we saw and it never was challenged. I purposely left it in 2wd and locked the differential to see if it would climb out of a steep pond bank. Came right out without 4x4. I was impressed, but not to the tune of $17,000.

Just up graded my Yamaha Rhino to the new 2014 Yamaha Viking. It's bigger, and can run up to 50 miles an hour with three people. What Yamaha did is make it a three seater across.The size portion is a closer match' to the Ranger They have a lot of good options to choose from. The EPS cost $1000 more (retail) but everyone on my forum says it's best to have the option The Non-EPS, which I have, is also very easy to steer. You will not be happy with the Mule. Suggest you look at the Website and check the video's out. You will not be sorry