What to buy? ATV or RTV 4x4?

[Grunt L]

OK, the time has come for me to buy a 4x4. To bad I am older now or the decision would be easy and I would just buy a really fast ATV 4x4. Well, anyway here is what I want to use this for:

1) Snow Plow

2) Carry wood to the house

3) Pull logs out of the forest

4) Pull implements over the yard like a sprayer, plugger, roller etc.

5) Go get the deer I just shot

6) 4x4 a little for fun in the woods (winter and summer).

Now, I have ridden a 4x4 ATV but never really worked with an RTV 4x4. Any of you had both and if so which one were you more happy with as a work horse? I know the RTVs come with a "truck" bed but I can always buy a pull behind wagon for the ATV too. Let me know the good/bad for both if you can. I grew up with three wheelers and never owned either (ATV or RTV).

Thanks,

James

[jltimm]

ATV's are more maneuverable in the woods, but will not haul as much as a RTV. The ATV will do most anything, and is easier to haul around in back of a pickup.The RTV will handle a 72" snow blade and the atv a 60". Althoug I'd give the snow pushing nod to the bigger machine as it has more weight and blade to push more snow. I've never had much seat time in a RTV so I don't know of the fun factor for them?

[Dave S]

jltimm, pretty much covered it.

The RTV (UTV) will be the ultimate workhorse for your applications with the ATV being the easiest to maneuver around and into the box of a truck.

I would also consider the aftermarket cabs that are availble for the UTVs these days. You can really deck out either machine. Somethingfishy has an excellent example of how well you can outfit machines such as the Polaris XP 850 (ATV) for about the same cost as a stock UTV.

An ATV will obviously have a tighter turning radius and will afford you the ability to get through tighter areas in the woods whereas the UTV will require you to have a more defined path to travel on.

When it comes to the safety aspect, I would opt for the UTV. You're more enclosed and have a cage around you. Although I wouldn't want to rely too heavily on it as a roll cage.

You mentioned you're older now. Depending how much older and how mobile you are would be the determining factor in this case. Look to the long term when making you're decision and what will cater to your needs in the long run.

Good luck on your decision. Now is a great time to purchase a new machine with the options available to us.

[63ihharvester4x4]

I have driven both a polaris fourwheeler and currently own a 2005 honda foreman 500, which i have found to be plenty useful around the house for pulling small trees, and with a 60" plow with a 2500# warn whinch polwing snow is no problem. like LEP7MM was mentioning the age factor is a big key. if your a older gentlemen that would rather not have to climb on like a person would with a atv, they could simply slide onto the seat of a UTV(for example) a polaris ranger, with the windshield and doors in the winter would be a nice accesory if plowing. thoe they arent as easy to manuever and or if you get a UTV stuck.. it usually take a bit more to get em out V.S. a atv. thats my idea on things. sorry bout the long post

[merkman]

If you are older and won't be going mudding down narrow trails (not sure how your hunting grounds are?) and can afford it, Get the UTV.

The bench seating is night and day over straddling the ATV.

It is also more comfortable if a friend wants to go on a ride.

Plus you may be able to legally drive the UTV on the roads to the coffee shop in the summer or the ice fishing spot in the winter.

For my uses which are close to yours it came to a choice between the mule or a ranger.

The mule vs the ranger for me was 6 of one and a half dozen of the other.

I ended up with the mule, but I didn't care about top speed. (Mule max is 25 mph)

The polaris ranger came in a close second, it is bigger (good and bad), faster (good and bad), and more costly (bad).

I’m not disappointed in my choice.

If you have a trailer get the big mule (4010) or the Ranger.

If you don't want to get a trailer get the smaller mule (610) it will fit in a full-sized pickup box and is still a side by side.

And if you can afford it get the cab and a heater…. Might as well go in style!!

[Dock Boy]

Polaris 6x6 the best of both worlds. The new 6 bys have shaft drive no more chains.