Gator versus quad

[Wood field]

Good trade off between a quad and a heavy full size diesel UTV.

I really liked the pioneer, the dealer had an ex demo 700 with full cab and all the extras but it was out on demo, before we could try it it was sold
The 520 had enough grunt to pull a snacker, I put a logic type sheep trailer on it with four straining posts in and it pulled up some steep banks no bother
Same dealer has just started to sell Corvus , we had a demo for a week then took the plunge
It’s an unknown quantity to be honest , but there’s 2 yr warranty and a very good dealer
All these machines are hellish expensive, I’ve never spent this sort of money on a car let alone a buggy , but … it’s used every day and is safer ( in my opinion) on the roads
I am 57 have had motorcycles all my working life, and am at a stage where I want things to make life easier, be that buggies or handling systems

 

[DaveGrohl]

W*nkers from the shoot have been on with a couple of gators today, despite being asked to keep off now it’s wet. This is the mess they made:

View attachment 1007752

But aside from that, all those machines are massively under-engineered for the job they are being asked to do, hence the common, expensive breakdowns.

If I was wanting to keep dry and carry more stuff, then I wouldn’t entertain one. I’d much sooner a light 4x4 suitably equipped with balloon tyres.

That’s not a mess!!

 

[neilo]

Have you driven to where you've taken photo from with quad? The tyre marks and the width of them look more like quad size than gatorView attachment 1007770

No, that’s as I found it! Several buggies back and forth, to save the lazy feckers from walking the length of that field.

That used to be a flat pp field and the patches where the water sits are down to damage done by them in previous years. At one point they thought it ok to take a convoy of 4x4’s down there every week.
Had enough now.

 

[DaveGrohl]

Quads and Gators are different machines, as are Jimnys. We have quad and Gator, but neither do a lot of work so they are lasting well. Quad is nearly 20 years old, Gator over 10. Using our timescale and careful treatment it works for us. If one had to go it would be the Gator as quad simply can’t be replaced for moving stock. We’re on level ground though so neither has a hard life. Gator prices are monumentally mental though. At least the choice is there…..

 

[neilo]

That’s not a mess!!

It’s a bloody mess in my book. After they did the same last year, I couldn’t get a lightweight SP sprayer on flotations over it in the Spring!
Do you think they’ll keep off it now they’ve cut it up?

I should perhaps add that they don’t have any rights of vehicle access over it and it is a footpath on Offah’s Dyke, a scheduled ancient monument.

 

[farenheit]

Sorry? I couldn’t hear OP’s question over the noise of this gator engine

 

[BrianV]

Bought a petrol gator in late 2013 with glass doors, now done 30,000 miles with little real trouble except tyres, ideal for field & moor, with glass doors you can quickly whip off drivers door & as good as quad but a damm sight dryer & warmer but don’t smash that door as £900 plus if broken. Buy a diesel model not as fast but obviously far cheaper to run, not so keen on the newer 3 seat models as more bulky when on the moor, worth having the protection bars around all sides.

 

[DaveGrohl]

It’s a bloody mess in my book. After they did the same last year, I couldn’t get a lightweight SP sprayer on flotations over it in the Spring!
Do you think they’ll keep off it now they’ve cut it up?

I should perhaps add that they don’t have any rights of vehicle access over it and it is a footpath on Offah’s Dyke, a scheduled ancient monument.

Soz, a bit flippant of me. Mind I’ve bellied ours out several times. They’re not really designed for a proper quagmire. I don’t understand why they don’t put taller wheels on them, it work do wonders for their footprint. There’s no reason for them to be so close to the ground.

 

[Pilatus]

W*nkers from the shoot have been on with a couple of gators today, despite being asked to keep off now it’s wet. This is the mess they made:

View attachment 1007752

. I’d much sooner a light 4x4 suitably equipped with balloon tyres.

Off topic.
Balloon Tyres vs Narrow Mud terrain tyres , best for muddy conditions could be a thread in itself.
My thoughts are extreme mud , balloon tyres , but for wet grass growing on soil that is very wet (as per a lot of Permanent Pasture)use narrow mud terrain as large a diameter as your vehicle can take.

 

[Drillman]

Buy a quad and a Jimny.

best of both worlds then and overall much cheaper than a noddy buggy.

more reliable too.

 

[Fendt516profi]

Soz, a bit flippant of me. Mind I’ve bellied ours out several times. They’re not really designed for a proper quagmire. I don’t understand why they don’t put taller wheels on them, it work do wonders for their footprint. There’s no reason for them to be so close to the ground.

I know what you meant. When I'm next near I'll take a picture of a proper mess. I think the problem there is the previous damage they've done causing the puddles

 

[jd6420s]

It’s a bloody mess in my book. After they did the same last year, I couldn’t get a lightweight SP sprayer on flotations over it in the Spring!
Do you think they’ll keep off it now they’ve cut it up?

I should perhaps add that they don’t have any rights of vehicle access over it and it is a footpath on Offah’s Dyke, a scheduled ancient monument.

I get the same from my local shoot. They only have rights to stand guns but go all over with the gator causing a mess. If you ask them not to go on they shouldn't. It's not up to them to decide what is damage to the land and what isn't.

 

[tr250]

I get the same from my local shoot. They only have rights to stand guns but go all over with the gator causing a mess. If you ask them not to go on they shouldn't. It's not up to them to decide what is damage to the land and what isn't.

Is it your land or tenanted?

 

[Longlowdog]

@neilo , I think your problem is the people not the Gator. If they had any savvy, knew the capabilities of the machine and driven along the adjacent slope you'd never have known they were there, they wouldn't have to walk next time and the factor wouldn't get his ear bent. That is not to dismiss the fact they disobeyed a request, just a sideways look at a solution. My father-in-law was frequently dropped off by Gator on shoots when his knees got too far gone to tramp about the shoot and the shoot was one of the last passions. This was done with the permission of the 'keeper who is often the point of contact for the guns with the estate especially on let days. If travel by Gator was forbidden he would never have known and taken the 'keeper at his word.

 

[Fendt516profi]

@neilo , I think your problem is the people not the Gator. If they had any savvy, knew the capabilities of the machine and driven along the adjacent slope you'd never have known they were there, they wouldn't have to walk next time and the factor wouldn't get his ear bent. That is not to dismiss the fact they disobeyed a request, just a sideways look at a solution. My father-in-law was frequently dropped off by Gator on shoots when his knees got too far gone to tramp about the shoot and the shoot was one of the last passions. This was done with the permission of the 'keeper who is often the point of contact for the guns with the estate especially on let days. If travel by Gator was forbidden he would never have known and taken the 'keeper at his word.

I don't think they'd of driven far if they'd driven across the adjacent bank

 

[jd6420s]

Is it your land or tenanted?

It's my land but the previous owner kept the shooting rights. He has sublet the rights to the local shoot.

 

[Ben B]

From my experience, UTV's are a good job for older people and to be honest on paper I don't mind them. I really like the Honda 1) brand rep 2) direct drive no belts to break like on the JD gators downside their price. Our JD gator (2014) is slow (it's diesel so kinda expected) and it's unreliable and expensive to fix when it breaks down from sitting in the shed doing its once-weekly outing by my Nanna

 

[NFI]

We've had three Honda quads over the last 15 years and wondered why we didn't get one sooner. I rolled the first one once but have since worked how to ride it properly. If the lambs sell well this year I'll try to upgrade to another quad. Our average field size is 10 acres so that's the biggest factor in choosing what to go for.
£900 for a door. Ouch.

 

[beardface]

It’s a bloody mess in my book. After they did the same last year, I couldn’t get a lightweight SP sprayer on flotations over it in the Spring!
Do you think they’ll keep off it now they’ve cut it up?

I should perhaps add that they don’t have any rights of vehicle access over it and it is a footpath on Offah’s Dyke, a scheduled ancient monument.

Report them to council if it's a designated footpath.

 

[NFI]

It's my land but the previous owner kept the shooting rights. He has sublet the rights to the local shoot.

Lock the main gate. Put in a hunting gate beside it.
Make em walk.