All UTV's Whats the most reliable

mosslager

STEEEEEEEEKERZ - UTVUnderground Approved
Nov 4, 2009
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So I have owned several SXSs and through my years in this sport I have my opinion on the most reliable, best sport out of the box and best utility as of whats offered today. Heres my list..whats yours

Most reliable if I needed to get across the desert - Yamaha Rhino 660
Best sport out of the box (reliability not counted)- Wildcat X
Best utility - Polaris Ranger 900

Yet strangely enough... I feel the best mix of all is not any of those, but the RZR XP. Decent cargo, arguably as reliable as my old Rhino, and the sport factor is well known.

I left out Best family SXS because I have no experience in the 4 seaters
 

Spicoli

Member
Feb 26, 2011
448
1
18
So Cal
Fun = xp
Reliable = Teryx 09 and up.

I haven't ridden in maverick or wildcat x so not sure about them.

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mosslager

STEEEEEEEEKERZ - UTVUnderground Approved
Nov 4, 2009
1,345
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I thought about the Teryx as best for utility, but the Ranger sits three and the bed is much bigger...hell the tailgate will even hold two full grown men without buckling or breaking the cables. I think if I had to do work and haul the Ranger would do it better...keep in mind... this is based only on utility, not reliability, sportiness...I guess my thought on this thread is there are machines that are the best in one category, but they fail in others, and there are machines that are pretty good at all but not the best at any one thing. So as a new buyer to the industry, how would you direct someone to a specific machine? You can't always pick the most reliable because that may not fit their needs at all.... for instance a Rhino for reliability...you wouldn't recommend this to someone who wants to start racing. And a Ranger is not one I would recommend as the best duner. As many of us know...you often take the closest thing to your needs and build it to suit your needs. It seems this could all be mapped out so someone knew to the industry could simply log onto a sight, pull down some dropdown menus and out it spits the best SXS for them.
 

LukeEdmondson7x

New Member
May 21, 2013
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Well when I built my teryx, I needed something that would last through 4 hours and THOUGH endurance racing. The teryx has a world of long travel kits available, and a v twin that when built right, can produce and amazing amount if power. And I've beat the hell out of my machine and it has never failed me (knock on wood) unlike my rzr s we owned. Plus being I had to foot the bill, the teryx was cheap. I paid 8500 for a machine that was nearly new.
 

mosslager

STEEEEEEEEKERZ - UTVUnderground Approved
Nov 4, 2009
1,345
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I hear ya Luke, but I am intending this to be directed at box stock...no modifying...best off the showroom floor for a particular category.

I get asked all the time..."what should I buy".. followed with "I don't want to have to put a bunch of money into it after I pay 10-20K for a toy"... and I always ask...whats your intended use and try to narrow it down. Unfortunately too many people are directed to what the newest, fastest SXS out is, and that may not fit their needs at all. This seems to be one of the top questions asked next to "which doors do I buy"... I see on forums. Seems like this can be filtered out pretty easily to narrow it down to one or two machines and from there an unexperienced buyer can make a pretty solid purchase. Something similar to the KBB menu for car shopping.
 

dezerteryx

Active Member
Jun 13, 2010
891
28
28
san marcos
This is exactly were im at. Sold my teryx what to get now.
Loved my teryx. I ran it stock for the first year i had it other than a cage and harnesses and it performed great from glamis dune to jawbone trails. But 30k later and it was even more capable but still had a stock engine and it sold for 12k. Thats a 18 k loss. The problem i have now is weather to get a two or four seater and canam, arctic cat, and polaris all have some pretty signifcant issues. Which leads me back to the t4 which is a great all around rig but will take some $$$ to get it were in want it.
 

mosslager

STEEEEEEEEKERZ - UTVUnderground Approved
Nov 4, 2009
1,345
11
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It used to be easy...you bought a Rhino and dumped 15K into it and enjoyed it. Now there are so many SXSs and options that the buyer can save a ton if he/she buys the right machine to start with. I think for most sport enthusiast, they can go buy a showroom stock Maverick, Wildcat, or XP and not put any money in performance mods into it and be perfectly happy with it. Thats a huge step from where we were in 2005. Same goes for family buyers...boom, now you have a T4, RZR4, RZR XP4, Wildcat 4, the strange Honda and soon Maverick 4. You want a utility...Polaris has a handful of Rangers, then theres the Commander, Teryx, Rhino and Honda. You need a 50" ride...you have 1 option now but theres about to be a 50" Wildcat to give you another option. Does anyone know currently how many SXS' are available now days from the big manufatures in total when you factor in all the different option packages a buyer can choose from? I lost count.
 
Last edited:

Spicoli

Member
Feb 26, 2011
448
1
18
So Cal
This is exactly were im at. Sold my teryx what to get now.
Loved my teryx. I ran it stock for the first year i had it other than a cage and harnesses and it performed great from glamis dune to jawbone trails. But 30k later and it was even more capable but still had a stock engine and it sold for 12k. Thats a 18 k loss. The problem i have now is weather to get a two or four seater and canam, arctic cat, and polaris all have some pretty signifcant issues. Which leads me back to the t4 which is a great all around rig but will take some $$$ to get it were in want it.
In the same boat except I still have my highly modified RZR. I like the idea of a teryx4 but wonder how much $$$ is needed to suit my riding style.

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mosslager

STEEEEEEEEKERZ - UTVUnderground Approved
Nov 4, 2009
1,345
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In the same boat except I still have my highly modified RZR. I like the idea of a teryx4 but wonder how much $$$ is needed to suit my riding style.

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Jon, unless you want new, I think for you a low mileage low hour XP4 is the ticket for about the same price. The cost of an LT kit on the T4 will offset the price and you still won't have the XP power I know you crave. If you did more technical, Jeep style, Ocotillo trails, I would say T4 all the way. But I know you're a duner.
 

calstyl2

Hammer Rescue Pilot
Dec 22, 2011
178
2
18
Cherry Valley, CA
Rescue 3 has a Honda Big Red in our stable, that thing has been beat to crap for 5 years, oil changes and air filter changes only. Honda said test it out and we have run it all over Johnson Valley with not a single issue. Nothing added and still ready to roll, We have a fleet of Ranger Crews and each one needs new bushings, CVs and such each season. I will put the Honda quality way above the Polaris quality, My Teryx4 is pretty damn well built but some issues are popping up that concern me.
 

sand shark

Well-Known Member
Mar 30, 2009
1,867
256
83
West Hills, CA
For just the dunes/desert I do not think you can go wrong with the XP, Wildcat or Maverick. I will say the Wildcat will need the least money into it after purchase as the stock suspension is far better than the other two. The XP and Maverick need some tweaking of the supension But for most the above will only need harness and you are good to go.



It is great to have so many options and I am sure more options will be coming .
 

Kalop

XP900
May 3, 2013
393
56
28
Rescue 3 has a Honda Big Red in our stable, that thing has been beat to crap for 5 years, oil changes and air filter changes only. Honda said test it out and we have run it all over Johnson Valley with not a single issue. Nothing added and still ready to roll, We have a fleet of Ranger Crews and each one needs new bushings, CVs and such each season. I will put the Honda quality way above the Polaris quality, My Teryx4 is pretty damn well built but some issues are popping up that concern me.


I agree on Honda quality. I just wish they (or even Yamaha) would come out with a true sport SxS. If they did it correctly it'd be a game changer IMO.
 

Spicoli

Member
Feb 26, 2011
448
1
18
So Cal
Jon, unless you want new, I think for you a low mileage low hour XP4 is the ticket for about the same price. The cost of an LT kit on the T4 will offset the price and you still won't have the XP power I know you crave. If you did more technical, Jeep style, Ocotillo trails, I would say T4 all the way. But I know you're a duner.
I was hoping to find a nice used xp4 but I never see them for less than 18k. I'm hoping Kawasaki ups the power on T4 for next year. Most of my riding is no longer dunes and more hard pack trails or open desert. I never see used T4 either. Must be because they are such a great overall vehicle.

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LukeEdmondson7x

New Member
May 21, 2013
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The t4 has way more power than the t2. The clutch set up is awesome on those things also. I guess it's an east coast thing, but I ride with a lot of t4 and xp4 and I've seen the teryx go many more places the xps couldn't, and i know first hand that the t4 is a more reliable selection, on the last ride we went on 2 xp4s ate belts. Like I said we ride different terrain than y'all boys, to each his own I guess.
 

mosslager

STEEEEEEEEKERZ - UTVUnderground Approved
Nov 4, 2009
1,345
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I was hoping to find a nice used xp4 but I never see them for less than 18k. I'm hoping Kawasaki ups the power on T4 for next year. Most of my riding is no longer dunes and more hard pack trails or open desert. I never see used T4 either. Must be because they are such a great overall vehicle.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2
If thats the case, a T4 with a Benchmark reflash may be perfect. You are right though...those things never come up for sale.
 

dezerteryx

Active Member
Jun 13, 2010
891
28
28
san marcos
I got to drive benchmarks t4 in glamis and it did great with three big guys in it. Definitly alot better clutch and power than the t2. I have heard that a 900 t4 or new t2 is in the works for release this year. Guess we will have to wait and see. I like the xp4 and wildcat 4 but would have to change way to much on top of the 20k price tags.
 

98GP

Member
Apr 25, 2012
53
1
8
...30k later and it was even more capable but still had a stock engine and it sold for 12k. Thats a 18 k loss.
Holy crap!! All that invested and you still couldn't take it to town to get a case of beer, bread and milk. (unless the 30k included makin' it street legal and you lived in an area where SXS are street legal) ...just saying, no disrespect intended...
 

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