Thread: 4wd vs ATV vs SXS

Beware you will get raped on polaris parts brethren are the agents and us companies wont ship gen parts to nz when they will ship honda and yamaha here .

Originally Posted by m101a1

Beware you will get raped on polaris parts brethren are the agents and us companies wont ship gen parts to nz when they will ship honda and yamaha here .

Hard case. Would it be different if they were catholics?

Originally Posted by BRADS

We had one of those as well was a great farm ute 2004?

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Had one for 12 years as a work Ute, super reliable, only had to change the usual, brakes, bushes, radiator, water pump, glow plugs

By gosh it ate glow plugs

Nearly had to change everything when I got it up on two wheels near the kawekas, mate and I calmed down a bit after that

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

Had one for 12 years as a work Ute, super reliable, only had to change the usual, brakes, bushes, radiator, water pump, glow plugs

By gosh it ate glow plugs

Nearly had to change everything when I got it up on two wheels near the kawekas, mate and I calmed down a bit after that

Regularly had the work one up on two wheels on the rutted farm tracks - it had sufficient ground clearance under the middle of the ute, good front ramp angle and passable rear ramp angle with the ali tray but the wheel travel was not flash. Often you would be sitting on one front wheel and opposite rear tipping between the other two... 4wd with a push button saved a lot of trips outside to put hubs in with that vehicle. The same era Hilux still had manual hubs, sooooooo old fashioned...

I'd go with an older 4wd or ute. Having to buy a trailer will eat into your budget and then be something you need to store, take for a wof etc.

Towing a trailer is a pain in the ass IMO, and you are then limited to the types of trip you can do.
If your daily isn't a 4wd then you'll have to park on the road somewhere, and are limited by needing to return to your vehicle, so no round trips.
If you were in the North island needing to navigate narrow, mud/clay trails then an ATV would be a good idea, but in Canterbury I'd consider an ATV a big disadvantage.

If you could find a used 4wd ute then you have the option of adding a quad later, which would probably be the best of both worlds.

I can't comment on what models to buy, or how far your budget will go.
Used 4x4s seem to be stupid money these days.

I am running a 5 door vitara (olser one so the right size for me...) The Jimney and early 2000 vitara range fit well with the role. They will go almost anywhere an ATV will but with a bit more comfort. Not as flash as a newer one but if you compare what 10k will buy in a Ute and a ATV /sxs then look at what 10k will buy you in a jimney or vitara , you get a lot more vehicle for you $$$.....

And the ATV or sxs mean you always have to get back to your car / trailer to get home and if they are gone........Where a 4wd will mean you dont leave it at the road end and you dont have to go out the way you came in.....

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

Had one for 12 years as a work Ute, super reliable, only had to change the usual, brakes, bushes, radiator, water pump, glow plugs

By gosh it ate glow plugs

Nearly had to change everything when I got it up on two wheels near the kawekas, mate and I calmed down a bit after that

I remember your one from the early shoots here.

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Originally Posted by Beetroot

I'd go with an older 4wd or ute. Having to buy a trailer will eat into your budget and then be something you need to store, take for a wof etc.

Towing a trailer is a pain in the ass IMO, and you are then limited to the types of trip you can do.
If your daily isn't a 4wd then you'll have to park on the road somewhere, and are limited by needing to return to your vehicle, so no round trips.
If you were in the North island needing to navigate narrow, mud/clay trails then an ATV would be a good idea, but in Canterbury I'd consider an ATV a big disadvantage.

If you could find a used 4wd ute then you have the option of adding a quad later, which would probably be the best of both worlds.

I can't comment on what models to buy, or how far your budget will go.
Used 4x4s seem to be stupid money these days.

That is a good point

Never had a issue with CVT belts crossing rivers in the South Island since first ownership of Polaris. That includes the Rangitata/Rakaia/Wilberforce etc. The real issue remains with general maintenance or lack of. Never gone through a belt though carry a spare for piece of mind. Polaris parts are a piece of piss through D&E in Canterbury or through Amazon au (general free shipping). Polaris are used alot in racing here in NZ and US - suited as a recreational vehicle not farm. Owned a Suzuki king quad way back - i overloaded it with 2 stags/2 persons on board - broke one rear axle/stuffed the hub/brakes. I prefer disc brakes all around not silly rear drum brakes in the 21st century that some still provide. Overall my 4wd Pajero is my tow wagon though at times goes well off road when carrying a load where the SXS isn't required. All depends on how you want to use your vehicles/maintenance savvy and how much coin you want to spend. Farmers are busy people and just want their ATV to work, work, work. Maintenance is down the list further and their ATV turnover more often than not. Just food for thought.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Hard case. Would it be different if they were catholics?

Don't get me started!

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I have tried and own a few options. I have a Suzuki Samurai with air lockers, I have a hilux, a couple of farm style two wheelers, and just bought my first SxS. I like the idea of getting onto smaller tracks, you are in the environment more like a motor bike, but safer. And you can carry some gear and game out.
So time will tell how I like it. I went Honda as they are all shaft drive. I liked that option. Selectable manual or auto and selectable 2wd or 4wd.

im in ashburton and regularly use my Suzuki kingquad for river hunting, it has its pros and cons but id prefer it over a 4x4 or sxs.
Quad Pros, light, cheaper, able to recover easily, manuvable, faster off road, cheaper running cost. Cons: water crossings, gear carrying(not my issue), have to trailer to location, only 1-2 people per vehicle.

my quad is set up with a small trailer so i can carry usually 40kg coal, heap of wood, 50ltr chilly bin, sleeping bag, hunting bag etc and all urgent gear like tow rope is in the bike box.
im using the same size rims and tyres on the trailer as the bike with 2 spares so if i get a flat it can be easier to replace it and fix later, also on outside of trailer not in pics are 2x20ltr fuel type holders for longer weekends.
i like this style as it means when i get to the hut or camp i can drop the trailer and carry on to hunting area without unpacking a 4x4 and the trailer follows the quad footprint
for shorter/summer trips ive got a large box that latches to my rear carrier.

Originally Posted by timattalon

I am running a 5 door vitara (olser one so the right size for me...) The Jimney and early 2000 vitara range fit well with the role. They will go almost anywhere an ATV will but with a bit more comfort. Not as flash as a newer one but if you compare what 10k will buy in a Ute and a ATV /sxs then look at what 10k will buy you in a jimney or vitara , you get a lot more vehicle for you $$$.....

And the ATV or sxs mean you always have to get back to your car / trailer to get home and if they are gone........Where a 4wd will mean you dont leave it at the road end and you dont have to go out the way you came in.....

With the vitara's etc you get parts ex Repco and Supercheap (or BNT or Napa etc etc) which is much cheaper than dealer parts for the sxs as some bits you either have to get in from overseas or buy from the stealer... Also, generally much simpler to work on the car type 4x4's over sxs as less odd tools required (not based off motorbikes). Seems a bit weird that last one, but generally car type 4x4's don't have very much at all that requires specialist tools until you start ripping engines or transmissions apart.

Originally Posted by No.3

With the vitara's etc you get parts ex Repco and Supercheap (or BNT or Napa etc etc) which is much cheaper than dealer parts for the sxs as some bits you either have to get in from overseas or buy from the stealer... Also, generally much simpler to work on the car type 4x4's over sxs as less odd tools required (not based off motorbikes). Seems a bit weird that last one, but generally car type 4x4's don't have very much at all that requires specialist tools until you start ripping engines or transmissions apart.

Sounds right, isn't that the reason dairy farmers and the like started buying up the old Rav4 etc instead of the SXS?

Yup. Also why they went to the Farmworkers etc, servicing costs less than 1/3rd of the comparible sxs and can be had for between 1/2 and 2/3rd the price. About the same footprint and height for races and underpasses, but the farmworkers also have a sealed cab with a heater and more load capacity.