Question about purchasing a new ATV / UTV

I'm looking at possibly purchasing a new Polaris Ranger UTV vehicle 540 or the 900. Never purchased one before question is can or is it possible to will and deal with dealers like you do when purchasing a new truck / car? I'm in the Fort Worth area and am looking at purchasing sometime between February and April after I get my credit cards payed off . Any suggestions on dealers to use or not use

I went to Jones Powersports in Durant. For me it was worth the drive across the border. Saved $$$$$$$

If you buy last years model you can get a better deal, but the newest coolest machine and I doubt they'll budge.

Agreed.

I worked at one of the larger motorcycle dealerships in Texas for a couple of years but worked back in the parts department. They sold Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, Polaris, and Honda. You can wheel and deal with them some, and they will have more wiggle room than you might think. The key is finding a good salesman that wants to work with you, just like at a car dealership.

If the dealership has any last years models on the floor and the new models are starting to roll out, they will be willing to really give you a deal on last years model. Don't expect to get 10k off the price, but it will be a pretty good chunk of change. The last dirt bike I purchased was in June 2011 when the 2012 models were just coming out. Sure, the 2012 was a sweet bike and was a completely different machine, but they sold me a 2011 for 4,000 less than a 2012.

http://www.hpolaris.com

Thanks so far everyone . Would y'all recommend the Polaris or go with different company

There can be a big difference in price just between dealers in the same town. Or at least that is how it is here in Abilene.

Polaris is the only manufacturer that I would not recommend.

Why's that

My can am came with 5 year warrant. That at least makes me feel better.

Quality issues. At one time, Polaris didn't offer extended warranties on their products. Dealers hid the fact by offering warranties from third-party sources. While I never buy extended warranties, it's a good sign that expected reliability is not good when the manufacturer doesn't offer them. Polaris is a snowmobile manufacturer that got into the ATV/UTV business after seeing the success of the traditional motorcycle makers. Quality has reportedly improved over time. They also became very popular with the younger crowd when they focused on making more sporty quads while the others were still heavy into utility models.

I would look at the mule pro or kubota

That machindra looks sharp but I believe is real new

Shop around, starting with Atvtrader.com

There's a little wiggle room. I have found that it's easier to get them to add things like a winch or gun boots than it is to come off the price.

I wouldn't take anything, or buy anything from Jones! I do have a Polaris and love it, I had a Kawasaki Mule and loved it, wore it out.

going across to Oklahoma will save the tax money- you should go look at the Can-AM's. I bought a 2015 800 commander last year for $9,9999 in April @ Louis power sports in Greenville. These people carry all the major brands. looking at there webpage the commander are back up close to 12k but the Kawasaki teryx are listed at $9,999. when you change to a SXS you will never go back to a ATV. My commander will go anywhere /up anything /thru mud & water and even pull full size pickups out of the mud (LOL) / lots of power & 20mpg with a 10 gal fuel tank is a lot of playing before refuel. mine is getting to 150 hours and over 1000 miles in 10 months and 0 issues so far. When I did the initial tour of our hunting lease it was in a Polaris Ranger / we spent 6 hrs in that machine and I was so beat up by the end ,all I wanted to do was get out of that machine- that convinced me to never buy a ranger. the can am have great seats & suspension systems and we can ride all day without feeling beat up by the machine. Most sxs have tons of aftermarket accessories. The only option I wish I had gotten on my Can-AM commander was the pwr steering.

http://www.louispowersports.com/

Currently looking at a Polaris Ranger myself.
Some comments here have me a little concerned.

The Rangers are fine, good machines, don't worry about it. They are a cross over between a utility and sport model. They are faster than the Mule, but less nimble than a Terex for example. I bought a 2008 year model new in 2009, and worked the crap out of it. Since that time, oil changes, 2 batteries, one belt, and one cv joint boot has been done to it. I did all of it myself, they are super easy to work on. I have several friends that have them, and they have been fine also. The only one I have experience with that was a POS, was the Arctic Cat. A guy that ran with us had problems getting his to start and it broke axles every trip. The dealer he got it from quit selling them due to poor quality. I have several friends that are happy with their miles, kubotas, and gator as well.

I bought the mahindra mpact 750 and we took it to the lease the other day and it is pretty cool. Bought it from Blue River tractor in durant. No hassles and was less $ than the Polaris. Saved on taxes, as well. I was going to go with polaris til I started reading the reviews. 2016 is their 2nd year making them, but I figured what the heck, mahindras only the best selling tractor in the world.

if you are set on a Polaris, might give Hoffpauir a shot too ... http://www.hpolaris.com/

I have a Kubota RTV900 that is a true workhorse but it is heavy, limited suspension and slow in comparison to the sportier Polaris/Can Am/Kawasaki. It's a diesel and the engine should be good out to the 4000 hour range before needing any major work or rebuild.

Don't mind me asking what did you pay for it and any specials on financing etc. other question if needs serviced is there any dfw dealers that service them and what type warranty

on the mahindra that is

0% for 36 months, 1year full, 3yr powertrain, there are 4-5 Mahindra dealers in the DFW area that I can think of

Thanks

A fellow member on here is with Four Brothers and in that area I believe

There's a dealer in Hattiesburg, Mississippi that sells ATV and UTV's at prices that most other places won't touch. Little wonder that most of their sales are to out of state buyers. While you may not buy one from them, the price they quote you will be something to keep in mind when dealing locally. They are 100% volume dealer.

If you buy locally, I strongly suggest finding a tractor dealer who sells ATV's more as a side business. I have found they are far more likely to deal than motorcycle shops.

www.hattiesburgcycles.com

The Rangers come with a 3 year warranty now I have been told. I would ask that question. Much better than the 6 month from years past.

I've owned a few Polaris Rangers. There is a reason you see more of these than any others. Think about that.

As far as ride goes, I have a 2012 and nothing I've ridden in compares to how it soaks up terrain. It rides like a dream over rough terrain and will climb anything.

I wouldn't recommend the double seater, as it has a much longer wheel base and is much tougher to steer in tight quarters.

I would go to Oklahoma or Louisiana to save on tax and get a great deal.

yall really go give your money to another state just to save a few $??

i think it would cost me just as much in gas to drive to support Oklahoma

Right

Why I spent my hard earned money in Oklahoma:

1. It's 25 miles from my house.
2. They actually had what I wanted in stock.
3. The guys I dealt with were hard working outdoorsmen, like me.
4. Saved over $800 in taxes.

I looked at the dealers in texas and all who sold mahindras within 200 miles from my house didn't have the 2016 camo 750's in stock.

That is very understandable I was more focusing on ones that are well within Tx and make the trip just to save taxes.

I have never purchased an off-road vehicle out of state but, from what I have read, there is at least some risk that the Texas Comptroller will seek to collect unpaid taxes. According to the Comptroller's February 2015 Sales and Use Tax Bulletin, Texans who purchase ORV's out of state are required to pay a use tax (same rate as sales tax) when the vehicle is brought into Texas. I gather from what I have read on some other forums that most people who have made these sorts of purchases without paying the use tax have never heard from the state. But, I have also read that recently a number of people people have received calls and bills from the state seeking the payment of the unpaid use tax along with a penalty for not having paid it in a timely manner. Maybe someone who is actually in this business can shed some more light on this.

Not for a few dollars but yes for $800 or more I will.

I'm in fort worth, name some dealers that you have bought from in Ok and are satisfied. I want to buy in March.

Thanks for all the advise guys . This will be my first utv purchase and it's a big sum of $ ! Not that I am a name brand guy but I am wanting something that will last with very few problems . Wether it be Polaris , Honda , Can Am or whatever . I know each has their pros and cons . Like Chevy vs ford and so on. I do see lots of issues on Polaris now after research so may steer me towards one the others mentioned by y'all. And I to would be interested in some of the dealerships y'all have purchased from across the border

and on another point ... I have a hard time justifying $15000-25000 for a UTV ... why not put that money into a Jeep or something like an Isuzu Trooper that can also be road worthy with heat and a/c ... just the path my BIL took instead of going with a side by side.

I use my Kubota RTV a lot around the house hauling dirt, rocks, brush, etc. with the hydraulic dump bed, moving trailers, etc.. I initially bought it cheap to turn it for a nice profit, until we saw how much it gets used around the house, we decided to keep it.

Whats your cost for getting there and back?

Would only cost me one tank of gas also have property there so it would save me lots $ if possible. I live in Fort Worth area

With gas prices now, about $75. Just a couple hour drive to Shreveport.

I don't have much loyalty to the ATV dealerships. They have always tried to screw me on parts and service where ever I've tried.

So I just go with the best price I can get with no taxes if possible.

polaris is the yeti of utv, may pay a bit more but that's because they have a superior product. I wouldn't buy anything else.

If I wanted an indestructible UTV, I'd go Kubota. For that quality in an ATV, it would be Honda or Yamaha. Personally, I don't want a Polaris anything. Many people defend Polaris, and in my opinion Polaris needs defending. But...it's your money.

So true. When I need a part, I order it from a supplier via the Internet.

I have a good friend who has one and it will throw you through the windshield due to the automatic braking that occurs once you take your foot off the gas.

Not sure if all UTV's are designed this way.

I just take big long turns Marc

IMO that's too much money for a vehicle that won't see the highway and will spend 90% of its life sitting in a garage or on a trailer. If you use it a lot that is probably a different story but for most that isn't the case. Use your truck or buy a road-able vehicle.

Polaris' quality may be better these days but my cousin has a 500 ATV and an older Ranger and they both spend a lot of time in the shop. That may also say something about the care they're given by my cousin but they aren't abused even if somewhat neglected.

I suppose I should mention that the reason I'm a fan of the Kubota UTV900 is that my wife and I use it constantly. Hauling this or pulling that. It's our ranch work vehicle, not just a fun UTV for the deer lease. If I just wanted something to use for deer hunting, I'd probably buy something less expensive and more fun. The Kubota is a serious commercial vehicle, but I never have thought of it as a fun vehicle. And it is not a mud eater.

And, after all these years, I actually had to take it to the dealer to have something fixed. The accelerator cable got dusty or rusty and was hanging up.

Just an FYI: You are supposed to be paying a Use tax on those out of state purchases.

Tell him to go spend the money on a coast valve. I want to say it was close to $150? but is worth every penny of it. We did it to my dad's rtv and we no longer get thrown through the windshield.

Super easy to install. Pull one big allen wrench plug, use a telescopic magnet to pull the old one out, put coast valve in, and put the plug back. done.

Are you tax evaders ignoring the posts on use tax?

I've owned two Mules and a Kubota RTV. I've had my Ranger since 2009 and have never done anything but maintenance. I wouldn't own the others again for various reasons, but I had no real problems with them either. Some people could tear up an anvil with a rubber hammer.

Statement of the Year...
Take care of things and do regular maintenance and no problems

Had a little trecker 4wd with a tiny Honda engine go over 1,000 hours and then sold it..

talk about a cheapy too lol it would hardly crawl a loading ramp

I'm a big fan of the Polaris 900.

That is on the old models - I have now owned two and neither one of them does that - they are awesome machines IMO -

I have owned three Polaris Rangers - first one was awesome and then the next two went downhill. Lots of repairs, issues, heat, and on and on. I switched to a Kubota 1100 - the new ones have a suspension very close to Polaris quality. Not as fast as a Ranger but fast enough (25 mph). Otherwise, no comparison IMO. The cab on Kubota is like your truck cab - airtight, dust proof, air conditioner (will freeze you out), heater, stereo, defroster, wipers, etc. The 1100 only comes with the full cab - if you put the same package of windshield, doors, cab, etc. on a Polaris the total cost comes out close to the Kubota 1100 cost. I use it on our lease and would not trade it.

Here is the inside of the cab

I've often we've come full circle with the evolution of hunting vehicles. When four-wheelers first came out, we loved them because they were so much smaller and easier to handle than the Ford Broncos, Jeeps, and 4WD trucks we "buried" in mud holes miles from the nearest paved road. Now it seems the UTV's are getting just as big and heavy as what we moved away from in the beginning.

I have use both Mules and Rangers on ranches for work. I have owned 2 Rangers. The older Mules were built like a tank and road like one. Really were great vehicles with minor repairs on one of them. I hunted out of a new Mule Pro-FXT for two weeks and can say they are day and night better to ride in. The ranch bought one to test about 2 yrs ago and then bought 4 more last year. One has 300-400 hrs on it and the others 150-200 hrs on them. None have needed any repairs at all in that time. They had the newer Polaris Rangers and said they had issues with all of them over their time owning them. I have owned one used 2008 Ranger for 2 yrs and bought a new 800 midsize single seat in Aug 2014. I have not had any major issues with either one and do my maintenance on schedule. The 2008 had a minor leak on a seal on the rear gear box. It has 800 or so hours on it.
If I had to buy over again, I would get the new Mule in a single seat. Tons more room and very smooth ride. Speed is fine what I need.

I hear you. But the older I get the less I want to freeze on a 4 wheeler. I have had just about every kind of hunting vehicle you can name including the jeeps, trucks, etc. For my use at the lease though the RTV approach is perfect - smaller, takes bumps better than jeeps and trucks, and I can get down senderos much easier. At any rate it is the the old Ford or Chevy discussion - different vehicles fit different folks

If he has a 900/1100/1140, he needs to get one of these.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kubota-RTV-900-1100-1140-Coast-Valve-/182003695104?hash=item2a6043fe00:m:mGrFleFQzCY5nA5My5Is4vA

My 900 did the same thing when I first got it and it would actually lock up the wheels it braked so hard. Supposedly you can adjust the factory coast valve to make it less severe, but IMO, this $139 replacement is a whole lot easier. Completely gets rid of that auto-break that happens when you take your foot off the gas. This was the first and best upgrade I did to mine. Off the top of my head, I think I needed a 10mm allen wrench to open the cover and then I used a magnet to pull the old one out. The 10mm cover was on really tight, so I had to use a piece of pipe to get better leverage when I popped it open.

The 500's had the auto-break as well. However, it was nowhere as bad as the 900's.

Id keep away from adjusting the stock valve it can cause cavitation through the transmission.

Also the engine stops itself like this for a reason. just depends on what your using it for but being a utility vehicle most have some type of back pressure to help with controlled hauling... meaning its a 1500-1700lb machine and your towing in some up to 2k.. even on flat ground your going to run through brakes and in hilly situations or steep downhills etc this can get hairy without some extra help to stop.. say your going down hill with a big load and pop your breakline goes or lose pressure somehow.. nothing left to stop the machine other than actually hitting the gas... that's a bit extreme but just sayin.

now in the means of running around hardly ever towing and just wanting a nice ride yes the coast valve can be a good thing.

I just upgraded and got a new ranger. My last one was perfect and the only issue I had was replacing the cv joint on the back axel. I added a lift kit and knew it would eventually happen. Went 3 years before it wore out.

From my experience, most dealerships have very little profits to work with on the msrp and delivery costs. I researched many different places and went ahead and bought from the local dealership. They were only about $250 above Houffpair(sp) and still cheaper than most other places. Even the OK dealerships. The dealerships make their money in the extended warranties and add-ons. Bought a 3yr - 100% Maintenace warranty. It will cover all of the service and any technical issues. Well worth the price of $1500.

Been very happy with the Rangers and would highly recommend them.

The reason the Polaris and Can Ams are more prevalent is due to flashy, eye catching, design elements and products that are focused more on performance/appearance than durability/utility. Analogous to the market segmentation found in motorcycles, I.e. youngsters preferring crotch rockets vs old school Harley riders.

Products are designed and pitched to a specific demographic. Don't confuse effective potential market share with desirability due to perceived value. Old school riders wouldn't buy a Hayabusa for the same reasons a young man wouldn't necessarily buy a Kaw Mule when they can get a Can Am or Polaris.

There are a lot of Polaris and Can Am motor swaps and rebuilds on machines 4 or 5 years old. There are quite a few mules still going strong years after they were purchased. Flash at the expense of durability is nothing more than a matter of personal choice.

If we could only buy a new UTV for what those old "huntin" vehicles cost us.

Whatever you say...Big V.

That's funny.. If you think the mule pro won't have the same type of issues the ranger has... your blind.. Good machine yes but so is a ranger.. I don't sell them they are my competition in some aspects so why lie.. Between the pro and the ranger it's personal preference.. It's about you dealer support and how well you take care of the machine... If your talking bout an old style mule good luck getting it fired up under 30 degrees... it's all about what you need and how well you take care of equipment.... Lots of other good UTVS On the market today each have a special twist and ride to meet your needs.. Pic what fits your budget and feel best

Nothing like opening weekend watching all the hoods open ...been there done that, I have a Properly maintained UTV for a reason..

I have a couple of buddies with hunting trucks they usually keep at the ranch most of the year. We always have to make a trip out there to work on them before hunting season and sometimes haul them back so they can be worked on more. It's a lot easier hauling an ATV/UTV.

I agree on most of what you said. But you completely missed my point concerning utility vs performance.

I have a 2011 Sportsman 550 EFI in my garage and it's scary fast (for an old man). A neighbor's son, he's 15 and races quads. He has one with a 600cc engine that pulls my 800hp Hennessey Viper off the line (I catch him in 3-6 car lengths though, and he can't do 200mph :))...I've seen him catch insane air on his quad and run it in a manner that would get someone killed were they to try doing the same on my Sportsman. On the other hand, I can ride terrain he can't without getting stuck, the caveat being I won't do 100mph to catch 40 feet of air to cross a creek. I'll be doing low and slow through the creek and up the other side.

All other things being equal (year model, displacement, size, rider weight and ability, etc), which one puts the rider at a greater risk of injury and which one is more predisposed to sustaining significant component failure or damage?

I've known a lot of folks with mules, most used as farm or ranch vehicles. Not once have I seen someone in a Mule attempt a 50 foot jump at high speed. Last summer at Breckinridge, I saw several instances of guys driving Rangers doing something stupid and the result was they hurt themselves, their passengers, and their Ranger.

As many times as I've been to Breckinridge, not once have I seen someone in a mule total their ride. The propensity for damage or component failure being more a matter of function than design or build quality. (Though IMHO, the mule is sturdier, much beefier and the ranger, not as solidly built, flimsy with a lot of cheap plastic...... again, my opinion. That was my point. And yes, I wear glasses and am blind at times.

.....gotta get back to work

I did miss your point and apologize for the rude statement... yes the faster ones always have that tempting urge for speed in most drivers and can lead to trouble..

Bought a new 2008 Bushmaster UTV when I first bought out here (company since folded) couldn't get that thing stuck with Honda power. Had Detroit Lockers in axles. Rode like a cadillac. Didn't have power steering and a bear to turn. Traded it for a new 2010 Trans Mule 4010 use it everyday but no where near the Bushmaster for toughness or clearance. Have a Polaris Limited ATV with power steering and it's double tough. , Checked Hoffpauir (Goldwaithe) and Tommy Vaughn (Columbus area on I 10) Blew them out of the water on price on scooters.