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West Central Minnesota | We are considering a Polaris Ranger for the farm. What are the good and bad about them? A new one is not an option. What are some others that may be good ones in that 2010 and older? While doing some research on these, I see that some list hours and not miles. What is considered high hours or high miles? Thank you. |
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SW MN | We have a JD Gator and a Bobcat 2600 on our farm. The Bobcat is a Polaris Ranger with a different hood and stickers. The Bobcat uses less gas than the JD, plenty of power, and runs good. It's a 2009 model. I just got it about a year ago. Used it to pick rocks, and work around the farm yard. I haven't had to do any service work on it yet (it's on my to do list) before the next wave of rock picking. Depending on what it is planning on being used for, the hours matter maybe as much or more than miles. Mine is in hours. I put on just over a 100 in a year, but my kids don't drive it a ton, and it only gets used sporadically in the yard. Sorry I don't have more useful information, but so far I like my "ranger" just as well as or better than the Gator. |
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| We have a 2010 800 4x4, and I have a 2012 800 6x6.
The 2010 runs great and is a great farm go getter. It is used for scouting, general farm run around and light rock picking. We really haven't had any troubles with it. The drive belt got a flat spot and caused a hiccup when driving slowly, but one was available through NAPA and was easy to change thanks to YouTube. It was purchased with about 2500 miles and was used to check irrigation equipment. Lots of light use miles.
My 2012 being the 6x6 is the work horse, the used and abused one. I bought it in 2013 after a tiler had used it for ayear and traded it. Its a tough little bugger. But it has had its problems. It gets a lot of heavy use. Rock picking, and spraying with a 60 gallon sprayer most of the summer. We use it to pull wagons and such around the farm too.
A wire frame nylon cab with nylon doors and power steering were the two best things I got for mine. The 6x6 is a pig to steer without it. I purchased mine through an online company.
Somewhere between 2010 and 2012, they had some problems with fuel overheating, and vapor locking. Mine did it. The 2010 never has, I think it is too early for the issue. They re routed the fuel line on the newer ones I believe and that caused some of the issues. To fix mine, I needed a new fuel pump from a 2014 plus an ECM flash. This raised the fuel pressure, and tweaked some settings. It ran better, but still too hot for comfort. My wife does a lot of slow spraying in the summer, and it just smells hot. Since then I have added a new larger radiator and fan, as well as a remote oil filter and cooler. It runs much cooler when used spraying.
My wife decided to try and see exactly how capable it was after a 2" gulley washer and buried it last year. Trying to back out, the ring and pinion grenaded. I put all new bearings and a new ring and pinion in. I sourced the r&p through partzilla and the bearings through Amazon. A fraction of the cost from Polaris.
The 6x6 has a different transmission than the 800 4x4's. Mine is a separate case. Being as it is the same one used in 570's I believe, I think it's a little too light for a 6x6 application.
My wheel bearings also have needed replacing. That happened around 5k miles.
The fuel issue and bearings wearing out are known complaints with Ranger 800's. I learned a lot on Ranger forums.
I'd buy one of either again.
The 900's are supposed to be even better, I don't have any experience with them. |
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Ontario | In my experience with Polaris anything above 0 hours/miles is junk. I know plenty of people that love their machines but they have always been horrible for me.
As for the Rangers a friend bought a 2014 new and had issues getting it into gear and now it won't start. I suspect their issues are mostly due to abuse though. If you do buy one look for something with real doors, the mesh doors they have are junk. |
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Mid Michigan | I thought the Bobcats were Husqvarna made like the lawm mower and chainsaw company? Never heard of Polaris making atv's for Bobcat. The Bobcats I looked at a few years ago looked better made than a Polaris. Frame was aluminum and they had a diesel kubota engine. |
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Southeast Ohio | I'm on my third ranger now. Great vehicles, but lots of maintenance. ALL THREE have been this way. Electrical probs, front ends wear out quick. But the belts ppl complain about.... never an issue. I'm just comparing it to my honda rubicon which has never seen the shop. Much more reliable
Always bought them cuz a bench seat is a must for me.
If it tells you anything .... I'll look at a Honda or Kawasaki for my next UTV. |
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| Bought a 2012 800 new. Have had numerous problems. High maintenance. Been told the redesigned 900 were a better machine. I have such a poor opinion after owning this one that I would switch brands |
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east central wi | Between my dad and I we are on our 6th Rangers, 2 500s, 800, I now got a 900 with 4000 miles used for farm use, and he had a 400 and now has a new 570. We have never had any much for problems as some people state. I have also had prolly 12 atvs since 91 without many problems. I don't really understand how some people can hate Polaris so bad when they all do have problems at some point and consider that Polaris has I think like 60% of the UTV market of all UTV's out there. Yes they build the Bobcat and now also the Gravely. |
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SD | may b this
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 280px-Suzuki_Carry_005[1].jpg (23KB - 116 downloads)
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Central ohio | In my opinion their engineering and build quality is poor. The first two Polaris we owned had good engines but poorly designed electrical wiring and poor CV axle boot design. The 800 would tear intake boots every 2000 miles which is every nine months. All of the wiring going to the handle bars had to be extended as it was to short from the factory and pulled itself apart.The switches didn't have water tight connections so they ended up corroding and needing replaced. Our 2014 Ranger had the oil pressure relief valve stick shut at somewhere between 0-20 hours scoring the cylinders. We now have a Yamaha Viking. |
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| Have an older one with solid rear axle. Bought out at 500? Hours and have over 1000 now. It has been bulletproof. Shift cable, New tires, and the round bars on the cab have been welded up a couple times. That's it besides oil changes.
Would sell for 4k or 3500 without front and rear glass if interested. In not that far from you. |
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Culbertson, MT | Steel cab, real doors and a heater. I pop the doors off when it gets nice. Bought it used 2 springs back at a dealer auction, 6700 miles. Have put 2000 miles or so on it. They take upkeep but it does get run hard. Handy as a pair of pliers! Always claimed I'd have a Jeep CJ first, but I sure like ours. |
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SW MN | Maybe they have switched or were prior. My frame and components are all stamped Polaris. I looked at a Polaris, and it is nearly identical except for the color and stickers. I don't have many complaints, but I have only had it a year. I also am not good about minor maintenance, and my kids are too young to do it on their own, so I feel it's held up so far. We use it a one of 2 primary UTV's for rock picking. Kids are willing to come work if they get to tool around on a UTV. |
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north-central Indiana west of Fulton | The two closest dealers to us, 20 to 30 miles, both sell Polaris and Yamaha, one also sells CanAm, the other also Honda . They both sell mostly Polaris ....by a large margin. The one I bought my 900 from, has 2 Hondas left from 2016 no 2017s, and they don't even carry a Viking anymore....had trouble selling them.....very noisy. |
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Southern Nevada desert | "Here" they are considered a 5000 mile rig, after that nothing but trouble..... |
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southern il. | Yep that's where we try to trade them. I have a 1000xp now. |
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near dyersville iowa | those were all the rage a couple years ago. cant hardly find a local dealer for them now. |
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Louise, TX | I have a 2014 800 diesel with 10,000 miles on it. It's been in the shop twice. First time we broke a brake caliper off one rear wheel. The second time for front suspension bushings. |
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Alabama | the polaris runs 45 mph the kubota runs 25 mph that is the only reason i got a polaris . |
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Fayette Co, Iowa | I bought a 2011, Polaris ranger 800 new. I currently have 10,000 miles on it, scouting crops, corn, soybeans, and cattle fence repair and scouting. Ive had 3 fuel pumps. front end bushings, and tie rod ends replaced. 3 drive belts. and it now is vapor locking after run for more than 20 mins... IN ALL..... It hasn't been bad. I'm not "hard" on it but I do use it to its potential. I priced a new 900 last week and a new bare bone 900 with no "extras" was 12,600.00 out the door. no trade... I was told mine that is in very good condition is worth very little because of the miles... He claimed it was like buying a chevy truck that looked good but had 150,000 miles on it. So I kept on walking.. Not going to give over 6,000 to trade. |
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SE MT | Mnjosh - 4/13/2017 11:03
We are considering a Polaris Ranger for the farm. What are the good and bad about them? A new one is not an option. What are some others that may be good ones in that 2010 and older? While doing some research on these, I see that some list hours and not miles. What is considered high hours or high miles? Thank you.
We've been running polaris rangers on our ranch since about 2008.
We started with a pair of used 700s, ran them to about 2500 hours, then traded because the frames were cracking out a bit on the back, which I could have fixed, but we were ready to trade.
We now have 4 polaris ranger 800s. two 2011s, a 2012, and a 2013. The first 3 have over 20,000 miles and around or over 3000 hours on the clocks.
The 800s have a few chronic ailments, but if you know what they are it's not too big of deal and you can be ready for them/see them coming.
I know these 800s inside out after having them about 6 years now, and having worked on every part of them, I now do repair work for the neighbors and outfitters as well.
I can go through the 800s problems for you, but it'd be fairly in depth. The 900s are improved in places, but not enough in my mind to warrant the hype of trading. If you have an 800 with a steel cab, you can still buy the Ranger Full Size 570 which is the old 800 chassis with the new 570 engine, moved back in the chassis... a bare bones, but still nice machine.
For what these machines are put through, they hold up as you would expect. I remember when we were using horses and pickups for ranch use, and our repair bills were much higher, not to mention needing to trade ever few years.
Anyone who'd like to discuss more, I spend quite a little time over on sxsnation.com, under the same username. I do some "how to's" and post stuff up that's relevent to the Rangers, and others post things for other brands as well.
Those who simply say "polaris is bad" would be unhappy no matter what they had. Some people simply don't do well with machinery ownership, either from a maintenance, use, or lack of knowledge on how to repair side of things. |
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| Ranger for performance.
Honda for build quality, strength, reliability and durability.
Edited by Bigshot 4/14/2017 04:12
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North of Iowa | Must of been lucky over the years, have had Rangers for a long time, oil changes, grease. Never had any issues. Did wear out a electric lift from all the rocks we pick with it. Currently have a 800 and 900. |
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What are the good and bad of Polaris Rangers?
