Gator or a Polaris?

[Robin Redbreast]

Just had an unhappy experience with a 2021 Gator bought from a tractor dealer (not John Deere). Several problems (including a bent door they would not fix) so I have returned it. I lost £1700 as the dealer would not pay for service work or the two TractorMats I bought for it, Mats available if your interested for a knock down price!

Anyway, the next decision is whether to go for a brand new XUV865M or a new Polaris Ranger 1000 with a full cab, Google searches of reviews have not helped much. We have 70 acres used as turn out for horses that we breed or are liveries. Work would not be hard and mainly in Winter when I cannot face being on the Grizzly! Thoughts welcome,

 

[michael N123]

We had a gator 6 month now run a Polaris

Just make sure whatever you get gets replaced the moment the warranty runs out and be prepared to service it a lot

 

[Robin Redbreast]

Thank you, Michael

 

[Pistonbroke]

I don't have either so I suppose I'm independent, one neighbour one side has a Gator and it's always got something wrong. Neighbour the other side has a three yr old Polaris and it has never had anything go wrong and it's working a lot harder

 

[Welderloon]

Kubota

 

[Robin Redbreast]

I don't have either so I suppose I'm independent, one neighbour one side has a Gator and it's always got something wrong. Neighbour the other side has a three yr old Polaris and it has never had anything go wrong and it's working a lot harder

Very interesting. Thanks

 

[Robin Redbreast]

Kubota

Better than both, you reckon?

 

[Pistonbroke]

Better than both, you reckon?

Our Polaris neighbour had one previously and it was very slow and clumsy with more trouble than the Polaris has had. A lot of long uphill driving for him and it was pitiful

 

[Welderloon]

I'd suggest demoing a few - the newer Kubota is more nimble/quicker than earlier versions, Certainly a more hardy machine than the JD or Polaris but will depend on what work it is doing & what you want to do with it, local estate had various - gator, polaris, kawasaki mules, some sort of honda, Kioti all gone replaced with 4x Kubota's but these are quite hard working machines towing snackers, feeders, small water bowsers, fuel bowsers, trailers,trailering horse jumps, moving horseboxes, slug pelleting, spraying, carting shooters about some of it on quite steep terrain & use from a range of quite un-sympathetic operators - I used to weld & strengthen lots of suspension parts on their previous machines but had very little on the newer Kubota's - they are built stronger & the engines are pretty much bombproof if serviced regularly.
All are far too expensive for what they are, if you want to zoom about at speed buy a lightweight bike derivative, if you want something that will last a bit longer buy something heavier & hardier, remember you can by an amenity tractor & loader or a decent 2nd hand pick up for the price of one of these things

 

[Lazy Eric]

We have had 3 gators. Won’t be a 4th . Money pits. Gone back to Honda Quads.

 

[its yourself]

18 months old Polaris with the Kubota engine here.
It's worked hard on livestock and arable. Sowing cover crops and moving ewes and lambs about.
1000 engine hours so far.
It's had all its oil changes on time etc.
Parts list so far either replaced or needing done.
Front right drive shaft. Made 950 hours.
Front prop shaft has a rattle and will be done soon.
Ignition switch.
Horn button. (Sheep related)
Gearshift cable.
Suspension bushes, full set despite being greased regularly.
All in all a good machine in my opinion especially considering the high workload.
On lighter use it should be excellent if oils etc are done right.

 

[Magnus Oyke]

Are the Gator competitors as eye wateringly expensive? Looks to me like you get 9 grands worth of product for about 30

 

[Bald Rick]

Corvus … well spec’d and cheaper than other better known brands

On test: Corvus Terrain DX4 UTV - Farmers Weekly

Corvus is the new kid on the block, launching its first utility vehicle in 2018 and dispatching it to the UK in 2019 via importer Boss ORV. The Spanish

www.fwi.co.uk

 

[michael N123]

Corvus … well spec’d and cheaper than other better known brands

On test: Corvus Terrain DX4 UTV - Farmers Weekly

Corvus is the new kid on the block, launching its first utility vehicle in 2018 and dispatching it to the UK in 2019 via importer Boss ORV. The Spanish

www.fwi.co.uk

Local dealer took on Corvus a few year ago and I’ve never seen one it’s just Polaris and canams in the area now.. less and less jds

 

[Bald Rick]

Local dealer took on Corvus a few year ago and I’ve never seen one it’s just Polaris and canams in the area now.. less and less jds

Not trying very hard then

Like all UTVs it has niggles but our staff rag it and it’s standing up ok which is as good a compliment as I can give it.
Gators were not as robust

 

[michael N123]

Not trying very hard then

Like all UTVs it has niggles but our staff rag it and it’s standing up ok which is as good a compliment as I can give it.
Gators were not as robust

The 865 we had just fell to bits for fun think there just made for golf courses around the world not hill farming

 

[BrianV]

Bought a new 815 petrol gator in 2013, petrol because our farms are a bit scattered & include moorland a few miles away, at the time a petrol gator was 10 mph faster than the diesel & still is I believe, now done 33,000 miles & other than tyres, a starter & brake pads no other troubles, I like the old style gator as it's a step up from a quad with glass doors easily removed in hot weather, brothers got a diesel Polaris which is just as fast & he loves it, I think the newer Gators are similar in shape & size to a Polaris so if you want something that size a Polaris is probably more common for a good reason.

 

[michael N123]

Bought a new 815 petrol gator in 2013, petrol because our farms are a bit scattered & include moorland a few miles away, at the time a petrol gator was 10 mph faster than the diesel & still is I believe, now done 33,000 miles & other than tyres, a starter & brake pads no other troubles, I like the old style gator as it's a step up from a quad with glass doors easily removed in hot weather, brothers got a diesel Polaris which is just as fast & he loves it, I think the newer Gators are similar in shape & size to a Polaris so if you want something that size a Polaris is probably more common for a good reason.

A petrol Polaris is terrifying was in one with my mate who had it on demo and I’m sure it hit 70mph

 

[BrianV]

A petrol Polaris is terrifying was in one with my mate who had it on demo and I’m sure it hit 70mph

Yea that's the newer ones a petrol Gator is probably just as scary & fast, mine from 2013 is restricted to 45 mph but still nice & punchy.

 

[warksfarmer]

Just had an unhappy experience with a 2021 Gator bought from a tractor dealer (not John Deere). Several problems (including a bent door they would not fix) so I have returned it. I lost £1700 as the dealer would not pay for service work or the two TractorMats I bought for it, Mats available if your interested for a knock down price!

Anyway, the next decision is whether to go for a brand new XUV865M or a new Polaris Ranger 1000 with a full cab, Google searches of reviews have not helped much. We have 70 acres used as turn out for horses that we breed or are liveries. Work would not be hard and mainly in Winter when I cannot face being on the Grizzly! Thoughts welcome,

Polaris here since 2011. Only ever had one issue which was the clutch. They are a lot less money than the gators as well.