Opinions on Make/Model Truck/4 Wheeler

[jodywy]

360,000 on my 2002 duramax , it got a new flat bed a couple weeks ago and is now in the body shop getting a new spray job.....

[LCP]

'04 Ford F250 with a V10 is my trailer-puller - cheaper than a diesel, just as bad on gas as my V8 Dodge was but with a little more power. Supposed to be good for 300,000 mi, I'm only a third of the way there.
'92 Toyota pickup is my side-by-side - and it has a heater & radio and I can drive it to town. Could own about 4 of them for what a new SxS costs.
'14 Honda Rancher AT is the atv. We've had Ranchers, Rubicons, and Foremans. I like this one the best I think. Just getting broke in though, about 6000 mi

The thing I've found is no matter the reputation of a certain engine/transmission/make/model there are no guarantees. I've had problems with all three that I didn't expect, but as was noted earlier, still much cheaper than buying a new one. Be patient and wait for a good deal - then you can afford to replace the head gasket 6 weeks later...

[Faster horses]

I have a 2001 Honda rancher electric shift with 21000 miles on it. I bought it new and it has paid for itself 20 times over. Those 21 thousand miles have been tough miles fencing, checking water, hunting, ect. The only repair I have made was to replace the electric thumb shift module and new wheel bearings in the front end. I love that 4 wheeler!
My 2001 Dodge 2500 has 308000 miles on it and I just lost the injector pump. Other than front end work, which Dodge is famous for, its been an amazing truck. I stopped at a truck dealer last weekend and about dropped when the sticker in the window on an F250 Ford read $68,000!!! That $1200 injector pump looks pretty good to me. Good luck to ya in whatever direction you decide to go. My only advice would be to not buy more truck and trailer than your budget will let ya. As fickle as the cow market has been, a 10 year truck payment plan is asking for trouble to me.

10 year truck payment??? I didn't even know that was an option. Holy cow, that will get some people in trouble!!!

[Denny]

'04 Ford F250 with a V10 is my trailer-puller - cheaper than a diesel, just as bad on gas as my V8 Dodge was but with a little more power. Supposed to be good for 300,000 mi, I'm only a third of the way there.
'92 Toyota pickup is my side-by-side - and it has a heater & radio and I can drive it to town. Could own about 4 of them for what a new SxS costs.
'14 Honda Rancher AT is the atv. We've had Ranchers, Rubicons, and Foremans. I like this one the best I think. Just getting broke in though, about 6000 mi

The thing I've found is no matter the reputation of a certain engine/transmission/make/model there are no guarantees. I've had problems with all three that I didn't expect, but as was noted earlier, still much cheaper than buying a new one. Be patient and wait for a good deal - then you can afford to replace the head gasket 6 weeks later...

I'd run fast from a v-10 cam broke in mine at 136,000. For my 09 they wanted over $6000 for a used motor. We are nearly done with a Cummins conversion . My v-10 would average 7 mpg but it was quite. I've got an 03 with a 5.4 3/4 ton gets about 12 average pulls a 20 trailer with ease.

[AC Diesel]

Like others have said they all have their quirks and everybody has an opinion. I bought a 99 F250 V10 in October, with 150,000 miles and I absolutely love it, gave 6500 for it and built a flatbed with hydraulic spikes and feed cow's with it all winter. It saved a lot of wear and tear on a tractor. I also have 3 Honda's they are darn hard to beat.

[jodywy]

25 mpg in a truck REALLY??? Must have been a unicorn. I'll go with others, Honda rancher manual shift hard to beat. As far as trucks they all have their downfalls, front ends aren't made for ranch abuse.

get it on my 02 durmax when going east , never heading west

[Traveler]

We've had, and still have, most every make of pickup ever made. They all break down and have their weak points. Get something comfortable that your Misses likes that's been maintained well.

Same way with ATVs. I personally don't like to spend hour after hour on a Honda, don't want one that shifts manually, or any "Shetland Pony" four wheeler. We've traded in some mechanically sound ATVs, that just looked a bit rough, and I know the dealer sold them to a salvage business. You might want to talk to some dealers and see if they have any "scratch and dent" specials. Personally, I like to ride a Polaris Sportsman. We've got one '15 850 with 12,000 miles on it that runs like new. Several with lower mileage, and a CanAm and Suzuki that have been good. Just got a Sportsman 1000 when calving started. Smile every time it fires up and it's a cattle sorting machine, but by the time you get to be a Grandpa you can be a little excessive.

[mytfarms]

My goodness! I love it when a post takes off. Makes my query feel less dumb.

Interesting stuff on the 4-wheeler side of things. Time being, that old Toyota might be the ticket for being the fence runner and snow day work vehicle.

I have been gone a minute because I just started a new "real" job with an excavation outfit that works south of Denver. Not much time to kill when you're running, and that is likewise a good way to make the income happen. Thanks all.

[Big Muddy rancher]

My son picked up a older TJ Jeep. Did most of the work himself right up to changing the motor. Still cheaper then a Side by side. and Road legal up here.

[LCP]

My goodness! I love it when a post takes off. Makes my query feel less dumb.

Interesting stuff on the 4-wheeler side of things. Time being, that old Toyota might be the ticket for being the fence runner and snow day work vehicle.

I have been gone a minute because I just started a new "real" job with an excavation outfit that works south of Denver. Not much time to kill when you're running, and that is likewise a good way to make the income happen. Thanks all.

You have an old Toyota? If you don't have one, I wouldn't get hung up on having to get a Toyota. I thought I had to get one because of their reputation...turns out their head gaskets, wheel bearings, power steering pumps, heater cores, radiators, and shocks all go bad as well. And they even get flat tires! Who would have thought.

[Faster horses]

BMR recommended a Nissan Xterra some time back. We got one, we loved it. It replaced an old Scout (hey! there's an idea for you myt, find an old Scout)! They'll climb a tree!

And get a second one for parts........

[George]

Here on the home place most of the time I use my 48Volt Club Car - - - the grand daughter put a GPS on it and I can tell you it traveled 15.2 MPH before I put bigger tires on the back - - - I have not checked but I know it is faster now. Quiet and will run several days on a charge. I got it at auction for $500.00 with so-so batteries - - - I put 4 12V used group 29 batteries as I keep them on hand for the dump trucks and Semis in the cart and felt they did a great job for about 4 years then I put 6 new 8 volt golf cart batteries in. I think it did just as good on the truck batteries. The new batteries are about 4 years old now. I try to check thhe distilled water once a month and keep grease on the terminals to stop corrosion - - - pretty much a trouble free unit for 8 years of hard use, crossing creeks, up hill and down - - - seems to handle mud well with the tractor type tires I put on it.



Tires are muddy after moving cows this morning, fence repair equipment in the buckets.



On the south farm my son loves his gator - - - not as fast as the Ranger but my grand kids can reach the petals with seat-belts on.



When the snow is blowing I still love my 1996 S10 ZR2 with positive track rear differential and 4 X 4 with 357,000 miles - - - warm and street legal and goes places the gator or ranger will not go except between narrow trees!



Many of you might remember it was Red /White / Blue but I loaned it out to a guy who needed transportation to work and he used spray cans to make it white and removed the lettering and running bars - - - I blew a gasket and took it back! I felt it a little rude! Although my wife likes all white better- - - go figure.