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Choosing a new Gator
I'm trying to help our family decide on a Gator which will be a present for my father. He will be using the Gator for odd jobs on a small piece of mountain property where he wants to build a house: small scale hauling and generally getting around the property.
I'd appreciate any and all general input, but my specific question is about the 4x2 vs the 4x4 models. We don't feel that we can afford the 4x4, and I'm wondering if we would be likely to regret not buying it.
I heard that the 4x2 is a surprisingly capable vehicle.
Thanks in advance for any input. Sorry if I didn't give enough specific information about how this vehicle will be used... unfortunately it's one of those things where we probably won't know until we get to work.
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Choosing a new Gator
I've owned every series Gator except the tircycle and the electric model. My current one is a XUV four wheel drive. The ride is considerbaly better on the XUV with the independent suspension, and yes, your father will apreciate the four wheel drive, the two wheel drive models can be kind of helpless. The XUV series also has fuel injection that makes starting just as easy as your car, with no choke to mess with.
I'm sure you will get some negative comments about Gators, but as many of them as there are there are bound to be problems with a few. I've had nothing but good results with them, each one has been better than the last one, and they earn their keep here, I use them daily around the farm but try not to abuse them.
I don't think you will do your father a favor by skipping the four wheel drive.
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Choosing a new Gator
@hardwood: Thanks for the input! Considering the mountain terrain, I'm thinking that it just wouldn't be worth the expense unless we got the 4x4... That's been my gut feeling since we started thinking about this.
Any advice on saving money buying one? Is the John Deere dealership the way to go? Will they work with the customer to find a common price? We live in SC, but the mountain is in NC. We're happy to haul it up there or buy it up there.
Also, my mother wants to purchase a new one because it is meant to be a big gift for Dad.
Anyway, thanks again for the help.
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Only other advice I would offer is yes go to a regular John Deere dealership. I haven't had any luck dealing with a lawn and garden dealeship they seem not to be very negotiable. If you don't have anything to trade in I'd try a couple local dealerships, just tell them you are going to buy a Gator, give me your best price. Then go to another dealer and ask for the same on an identical model.
Deere has a whole list of options for the Gator, depending on how Dad is going to use it. The high dollar wheels and throaty muffler, etc. are neat but really won't make the Gator any more usefull or pleasant for Dad to drive.
My preferred options are of course the four wheel drive, brush guards for the front, a guard package for the front CV joints, the front and rear hitch recievers, and the power lift for the bed. I did get a really usefull crossbed tool box like you see in pickup trucks and it wasn't a real costly thing. I don't know if they still offer the heavy duty tire optoin, but they are a heavier tire for more puncture resistance out in the woods etc. Tat's about all I can think of at the moment. Frank.
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Thanks, Frank. That's a lot of good information!
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I have the Polaris 6 x 6 and use it regularly. I would not want one of those, or any machine, without four wheel drive unless the terrain is fairly flat. In retrospect, an old Jeep would have been a heck of a lot less money but I HAD to have another toy.
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Choosing a new Gator
We looked at alot of utility vehicles and decided on the Bobcat 2100 with an electric dump bed. I has a Kawasaki engine which is fine but the deciding factor for us, beside the lower price, was the all aluminum frame.
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We have a two wheel drive Gator that is about 5 years old. We live on flat land and would say buy 4 wheel drive. Throw a glass of water on the dirt and it will bog. Well maybe not that easy but about. We had the larger off road tires install rather than the truf tires that came on it at that time. Glad we did. No idea if they have improved the ground clearance but on our model the rear end is very low. My wife wanted Green when we bought it but for my nickel rather had some others in their suspension and clearance. We do use it a good bit but nothing real heavy. Our model has a fixed rear axle and it can be trickey driving over say ruts.
At that time we priced two dealerships and the one on 378 in Lexington was less than (name escapes me right now but in Myrtle Beach) but only by about $100. Think the JD Garden Dealership here also (M&M in Conway) has them but did not when we bought.
My wife (who wanted the Green) used it this afternoon for spraying and said you know it is hard to steer. It is rather hard when not moving but not any real issue. I did ask if she wanted us to look at new one to which NO, this one is paid for. Now is there a clunker program for these?
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Pappy;
I'm not putting the Bobcat down, but just wondered why an all aluminum frame is better than a steel frame?
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Easier to clean and less to scrape and paint is mostly the reason. We raise horses and there is cattle here from time to time and manure and muck combined with Florida rains is rusts best friend. Don't get me wrong if it was a heavy duty, big power and strenght issue then steel is the wat to go. That not being the case I went for easy.
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