UTV side-by-side



all4eyes

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Alot would depend on maintenance, I've seen some machines with over 10000 miles. Me I'd try and stay under 5000 miles. My rhino has 2300 and it's a 2009. It's been babied its whole life with regular maintenance a d no issues to speak of. What are you looking for, that rhino may be for sale.
 

martinslanding

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just starting to look around, just seen such a big difference in mileage from 1000 up to 10,000 obviously maintenance and year of vehicle play into as well...and of course previous owner, was the shit beat out of it or not...but since I am new to this just curious as to what's considered "alot" of miles?
 

BrokenBackJack

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5,000 and up things start breaking down. Might not be big things but of course it depends on who drove it and how well they maintained it. Wouldn't buy anything that was used on a ranch. Ranchers buy things to use not play with.
Many SxS's are just used to putz around in (mine included). We do some trails but mostly road driving in town and in the country.
Usually old geezers like me take care of their things and service them and fix what is needed. Young person might not service and tear the heck out of it.
I know of some Rangers with 10,000-16,000 miles on them and still going.
 

guywhofishes

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yep - I'd buy from an old guy who only drove it to church on Sundays

low miles - had it serviced regular

no way I'd buy it from a punk who's cycling through toys like Ahab cycles through Keystones

- - - Updated - - -

also - what the hell are you going to do with a sxs?
 
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3Roosters

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Don't discount taking a look at the number of hours on it as well as there are plenty of situations where the thing may have been running but not necessarily putting on many miles doing the work/play/etc.
 

BrokenBackJack

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Good point Rooster. I know guys that ice fish with their rangers and have full cabs with heat in them. They sit there with it running and the heater going with the door open, jigging for fish. Lots of hours can add up fast.
First decide what make and model you want and then look and ask around. Lots of newer machines with low miles on that bought them and then decided SxS ing wasn't for them. Like everything don't be in a rush and you can find some good deals out there.
 

roosterfish

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i bought a 2014 570 ranger with 9000 miles on it. It was used by a small railroad to run there crew out to end of train and back it's whole life. Had it 3 years now cruising neighborhood and ice fishing and still runs good. i did put a clutch in last year, other than that maintenance it every summer is all. enclosed cab and heat i payed 3300. personally i would not own an artic cat but that is just me.
 

NDbowman

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I've got a 2014 polaris ranger 900xp that has 20k miles on it. Original engine and transmission. Replaced the clutch with a Duraclutch. I would say once you get to 10k miles that is high miles. That is also when you need to start replacing stuff. Stock polaris shocks and bushings suck. You'll be changing those every 4k miles if you use it even lightly. Go after market for parts as much as you can as you'll find alot of it is better quality and lasts longer. I bought aftermarket bushings and wheel bearings from Allballsracing.com. So far the bushings have lasted twice as long as the OEM ones. The wheel bearings weren't much better but I did buy a tool to grease those sealed bearings and now they seem to last way longer. I went with Elka shocks after my 3rd set of OEm ones. The Elkas I had set a little firmer to carry a load better and I sure like them.
Mine gets used almost daily for ranch work. It gets used, not abused. I also use it ice fishing and snaring with tracks, cab, and heater. Mine gets idled quite a bit while snaring when its below zero and also idled a lot if someone watches gates for me while I feed cows. I'm sure idling isn't good for it with lower oil pressure and such, but mine has lasted a long time even so. With tracks on it takes higher rpms to get speed as they are geared down. I putz around with mine but I'd be concerned with someone that had tracks and was a speed demon as that machine would have had the engine reved up alot.

Places that sell reman polaris ranger engines say that the engine should last between 8k and 12k miles. Longer or lower depending how it was taken care of and how it was run.

Keep the air filter clean and check often. Also change oil regularly. I used the expensive polaris oil and filters on my ranger for most of its 20k miles. I recently switched to a Wix filter and Cenex atv synthetic oil mainly for the convience of being able to buy it locally.

The ranger is the only utv brand I've had. Overall its been a good machine but rather high maintance and repairs, not sure if I'd buy another polaris or not. I plan to keep the one I have and I'd probably put a reman engine in it if it goes as I doubt anyone would give me much for it with the miles it has on it. I've got an older artic cat 500 atv with 16k miles on it and I haven't had to replace near as much stuff on it as the ranger.
 


BrokenBackJack

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On the Rangers we have had in the past and our current 17 General when we figure the hours and the miles out we are always averaging under 10 mph and usually around 5-7. So when i say we putz with ours you know what i mean. We are not fast drivers by any means!
Every make and model have their good points and bad points. There are lemons in every make also.
Best thing is ask around about them and drive as many different ones as you can to decide what you may like. For on the farm/ranch the Ranger is a great machine. It works for trail riding too but it doesn't have the ride or comfort of the Generals or RZR's.
 

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