Mini-truck vs UTV

Looking hard at getting something to use around my property. Transporting myself to different buildings, transporting tools, firewood, mulch, brush, etc. I have 21 acres, with about an acre of lawn. It would be used mostly on grass, sometimes to go to off site locations to get firewood, mulch, hay, etc. Occasionally in woods on well maintained hard packed 9-10' wide trails. Leaning towards the mini, for the road legal aspect, and they have cabs with heat and sometimes a/c. Comparable UTV's with cabs a/c and heat are very costly.

I see decent used minis for 5-6k usually.

Looking for input from those who have used either. I also debated regular golf carts.

 

I'd guess a cheap old pickup is the most cost effective option. Especially if heat and a/c are a must have.

 

I had thought of something like a Ranger or an S-10, I really want a dumping bed though.

 

I think a Ranger or S-10 sounds like the ticket. Find one with rotted quarter panels, toss the bed altogether and put a dump body on it. Build it to suit your needs.

 

I seriously considered a mini years ago when I first saw one. 4wd dump of course. At the time I didnt have decent trails tho. I liked the heated cab idea.
A UTV on the other hand can be used for play if you so desire. Not sure if Mass has trails but New Hampshire’s just a hop and a skip.

 

I have and had a few different items. My property is 25 acres in size.....all up hill and quite steep. I bought a Deere 855d, which is the diesel gator with a powered dump. Aside from cleaning the clutch, it has been 100%. I load the box right up and it squats, but it pulls fully loaded with the splitter behind it without issue. It has racks and a front receiver so it carries everything. I also had a half track which was far more powerful and nimble on the hills. It held 3-4x more that the gator, but it was old and tired. The one idler bearing was $500 alone. I sold the half track and kept the gator. I find the tractor, gator combo to be my personal win. I also have a mini excavator, but aside from stacking logs and using it as a sawbuck it’s slow. I did not buy this for the firewood, but use it as neeeded of course. If your property is flat, I highly suggest finding a gator with a cab. One point of caution, aftermarket cabs are expensive....and in my case almost impossible to find so getting it upfront Is ideal. Hope this helps.

 

Yes, the property is mostly flat. There is one hill in the woods that is fairly substantial. A cab is a must as I plan to use it year round and may likely put a snowplow on it. I've done the open station snow removal for many years. Would like the luxury of a cab. Plus heat, humidity and bugs in the summer can be brutal.

 

I have a Kawasaki 360 prairie ATV on the farm and wish I had something more all the time. I have used a Kawasaki Mule, a Kubota diesel UTV and an old Datsun truck that had a homemade dump bed. Of them all, the Datsun worked the best, and it was highway legal. When I can replace my ATV, I will be looking for a ranger or S-10, and I will put a homemade dump bed on with toolboxes to haul all the tools around.

 

You can’t ride UTV there on roads? Farm orange triangle I am good for 50 miles

 

We can drive on gravel with ATV/UTV, and some city/county blacktop roads. It’s highway that you can’t take any untagged vehicle on.

 

ive seen the mini trucks with dump beds, ive always wanted one

they will go darn near anywhere it seems

 

My concern would be parts, are they available for those mini trucks?
Our VFD had one set up as a small brush/utility unit and I've been told that they are very under powered and if you're much over 5' tall, you're not going to be very comfortable. Now they may not have selected one with a low range transfer case for trail use (I don't know) but they sure are interesting.

 

Much over 5' tall. lol.

I'm 5'10", about 220. My son is about 1.5-2" taller and 180, but he's only 15. There's a place in CT that sells them. Id want to test drive one before even considering buying it.

 

Hey I don't want to discourage anyone, I have not sat in one, but there is a difference in stature between the intended markets.
I've been doing some research and the kaw. mule keeps turning up with good reviews for those looking for a good work machine at a good price that also is capable for off road recreation. I - er my wife has an old mule that seems to be bullet proof for the yard and gardens but the suspension is equivalent to an old straight axle 3/4 ton (little articulation but you can load t chit out of it). The current models are much better in that respect.

 

I have zero experience with a proper UTV, but I know side by side's tend to not last very long, and parts are ridiculously expensive

UTV's do seem build better tho

the old 6x6 gators seem great from everything ive heard and seen

 

oh, my dad bought a suzuki samurai a few years ago
it was awesome, propane conversion, upgraded 1.6L engine pushing about 20hp (60 ish new, but it was old, running on propane, with a bunch of holes drilled into the number 4 piston and the exhaust valve jammed shut)
6.5:1 transfer case, 29" tires


maybe you can look into getting a samurai?

 

If I got a UTV, I'd want a "work" model, not a "play" model. The Kubota RTV's look nice, but they also command huge prices. The used market for UTV's is still higher in prices around here than the mini trucks and many of the UTV's I see are either well maintained and priced like new, or "cheaper" and beat to snots. The mini's are more capable, bigger beds, better cabs, most have heat and A/C, and can be road legal. I want something nimble yet capable, and reliable. I considered the 1/4 ton pickup suggestions. I don't really want another project though. By the time I get one set up with a custom dumping bed, I don't see any cost savings, just a lot more work. Most of the older 1/4 tons are only rated at 700-800 lbs. in the bed tops. Once you add a dumping bed, it may now be more like 400-500. I see minis that can handle double that amount.

I went to Disney one year and my resort had 2 or 3 of the big Toro UTV's. They had huge beds, and looked really nice. Looking at specs when I got back home, they had much higher capacities in hauling and towing than most UTV's.

 

Yeah, a 4'x4' (at most) bed hardly earns the title. But there is the convenience of no doors.

 

Take a look at this..
Awesomely weird Alibaba EV of the week: $4,000 electric pickup truck

 

We have this one at work. I’m sure the bed is bigger than most utv I’ve seen, but doesn’t dump. Sides fold down for oversized items. It is an older one no idea what year. Suspension is quite stiff = rough riding but didn’t squat enough to tell about with this load of 2 year old ash.
It feels very delicate and lightly built but with only one continuous owner/operator it might last. The guy that would have been using it at work would have had it trashed in a month (very hard on anything he touched) but he is gone now. I haven’t used it to much yet so the jury is still out. ( mostly just moving wood from the stacks to inside the shop). One full load will fill a ICBS tote.
Just gotta train yourself to get into the passenger side