Polaris RZR

[Ucsdryder]

I think I want a utv. I grew up on quads and at first thought an atv would be the way to go, but with a family that loves the outdoors I think I might get more use out of a smaller utv like a Polaris rzr. I’m just starting to do some research and wrap my head around pricing. Ultimately I’ll want a used one for 10k or less (prefer less).

I’d love to hear about anything to watch out for, which years have issues, the 800 vs 900, etc etc. I’m looking at a 2 seater. It’ll be used for hunting, maybe a trip to moab yearly and then some back roads with the kids and wife. I don’t have a plan or need for hot rodding anything.

Thanks in advance!

 

[svivian]

I would look at a Yamaha Wolverine.... I think you are paying more for the fact that is a polaris Razor and its a bit of a FAD utv. not too mention they do not have the space for things like packs, elk quarters etc... Just my .02

 

[AKBC]

Sorry to not have any useful info about RZRs but I watch my girlfriend and her kids break out in huge smiles when they get to drive one of my quads. It seems that the two and four seaters take that joy away from the passengers. It is also good to have two vehicles when one breaks down. Maybe it is because I have not had a RZR or any of the other side by side type vehicles, but for me right now I love taking multiple rigs and letting more people get to drive.

 

[WeiserBucks]

maybe a trip to moab yearly

This is the best way to destroy the machine and your wallet.

 

[WTFJohn]

I have a fairly extensive background both in the sport UTVs and the more utilitarian models as well (used to have an off-road racing shop, currently own a few UTVs, and work for another ranch that has ~20). My straight opinion is that Polaris has nickle and dimed their lineup into being the cheap and easy option. Lots of issues with machines right off the showroom floor (look up Polaris Stop-Ride announcements). Older machines suffer from some of the same issues, but there are a lot of aftermarket fixes out there.

If you're looking at Polaris, I'd stick to the full-size machines (not the Ranger 500/570) and try to get one with as few miles/hours as possible. Motors are good usually to ~5k miles, less if it's a dusty environment or maintenance was deferred/skipped. The General is a cross between a RZR and a Ranger, and may be worth looking for if you can find one in your price range. RZRs have small bed storage areas and you'll be seated lower to the ground than a Ranger or General.

Can Am has a similar lineup to Polaris, with their sport vehicles being a little more sport oriented (lack of storage). The Commander is the competitor to the General, and the Defender to the Ranger. Can Am drug their feet on updating the Commander lineup for a few years, and the previous generations have some frustrating design features. Their newest generation of vehicles is the best on the market currently in my opinion.

Honda has the Pioneer, and in my limited experience it's a good machine. I've also been around a few Kawasaki UTVs and the owners have been happy with them.

The biggest suggestion I have is to go over any machine with a fine tooth comb before purchase. Take a floor jack, raise the front and rear wheels off the ground and look for worn suspension bushings, loose wheel bearings, & sloppy tie rod ends and ball joints. Pull the air filter and see how dirty it is. Ask for any maintenance records/receipts from parts purchased.

Stay on top of preventative maintenance, replacing parts before they fail/take out other parts is of huge importance with these machines. They are easy to work on, and definitely worth having in the stable as a recreational & utility vehicle.

 

[ReddingArcher]

My whole family has RZR 4 seater turbos. We love them, the kids have a blast as passengers or getting to drive them a little bit up and down the beach, we go to the Oregon dunes a couple times a year. A few guys have posted about bed storage, yeah there’s not a ton of space but I don’t see it being a problem to strap a couple quarters onto the roll cage. I’m sure I could strap a whole blacktail into the bed of mine as well. The 4 seater is nice if you have a wife and kids.

 

[D S 319]

Polaris general is the route I would go. Something like this about worth ponying up a little extra to get new in my opinion. These things are drove hard and put away wet.

 

[CCooper]

I have a 17' 4 seat Commander and it has been bombproof, enough so that when I was in the market recently for a four wheeler I didn't even stop by the Polaris shop- just went straight to the can am dealer and picked up an outlander.
Agree with the above- you wouldn't want to buy a unit from me, they live a hard life.

 

[tdhanses]

I have a 5 seat honda but for 10k your looking at well used to almost done or small two seaters in this market.

 

[Mojave]

If you live near a Bass Pro shops or Cabelas you can order a UTV double cab from them for retail.

Every place else around here is full retail plus $5000-10,000 depending on what you want.

You can get a 5 seater UTV from Bass Pro for $15,000.

 

[AZxp]

Have owned sport and utility sxs for years. My favorite is the general xp. Still functional and quiet enough to hunt out of but rides night and day better than a ranger or defender.

 

[Ucsdryder]

If you live near a Bass Pro shops or Cabelas you can order a UTV double cab from them for retail.

Every place else around here is full retail plus $5000-10,000 depending on what you want.

You can get a 5 seater UTV from Bass Pro for $15,000.

Which manufacturer do they carry? Being in the auto industry I know what you mean about dealer markup and I’m not playing that game. I’m in no hurry, might wait to see what happens with the big “r word”. In 2010 people were giving that stuff away.

 

[Mojave]

Which manufacturer do they carry? Being in the auto industry I know what you mean about dealer markup and I’m not playing that game. I’m in no hurry, might wait to see what happens with the big “r word”. In 2010 people were giving that stuff away.

It is theit own brand made by Arctic Cat

 

[wyosteve]

A couple thoughts. I had a 2014 Can Am Commander which I sold a year ago with 4000 miles in your price range. Nice machine, but it was loud and hot inside. In 2021, Can Am re-designed the Commander by lengthening the wheelbase and moving the motor further back. I now have one of those and it is night and day as far as comfort and quietness. As someone above mentioned, Polaris has cheapened their more recent models it seems, although I never considered it. We have a Polaris ATV and Can Am Outlander and both have been trouble free. Another to consider as someone above mentioned is a Kawasaki. The outfitter where we hunt pigs in Texas has a 4-seater Mule and it gets used hard, but is a very capable machine and has been trouble free. I'd say you won't go wrong with any of the major brands so long as you do your due diligence before purchase.

 

[fmyth]

It is theit own brand made by Arctic Cat

The biggest challenge owning an Arctic Cat utv is finding someone to service, repair or buy parts from. If there are Artic Cat dealers near you it may not be an issue. Where I live most dealers dropped the line when it sold to Textron and Bass Pro began offering the same machines for less money and no requirement to service them.

"Arctic Cat became a part of Textron in 2017. Our vehicles are now designed and built by Textron Specialized Vehicles, a division of Textron that also manufactures Cushman commercial and industrial utility vehicles, E-Z-GO golf cars, Jacobsen turf equipment and Textron Ground Support Equipment ."

 

[fmyth]

I had a 2008 RZR 800 and it was an ok machine. I replaced it in 2013 w a XP900. I have 10,700 off road miles on my RZR with only fluid, filters, 3 sets of tires, 2 batteries, brake pads, and 1 valve adjustment. I live in AZ and ride in very rocky dusty terrain. I do replace the belt every time I replace the tires but all of the old belts still measure within spec. I will be buying a new machine next year and it will likely be a Honda Pioneer 1000 because it is quiet, reliable and can seat 4 with the rear seats when needed or they can be folded down for more cargo capacity.

 

[TSAMP]

I have been around these for awhile. Mostly kawasaki mules which are not sporty but dependable. Polaris have been remarkably unreliable from cv joints to belts. I provided the machinery to weld much of the Honda pioneer in Illinois so im partial to them but never even rode one. I'd give the nod to anyone besides Polaris. Lean toward can am or Honda though.

 

[Blockcaver]

Bought a used 2012 RZR 800 in 2014. Had 10 engine hrs and 100 miles on it….One moose hunt. It’s now a decade old. No issues with it at 3,000 miles. Not high mileage and I take care of it.

I’ve packed out quite a few black bears in it. Gone on a couple of caribou/moose way back in up in N BC. Goes where my Grizzly ATV goes. Makes a good solo hunting rig, not bad for two but you have to strap the bow down in back.

I did add a second muffler….Kolpin Silent Rider or whatever they call their add on. Reduced the noise level about 7db. Can now talk to a passenger. They are fairly loud in stock form.

The other issue with a RZR is they always run in the peak power band of the engine….3500 to 5,000 rpm. Really no idling around. I would rather have a Honda I could idle around when I want to.

They are pretty dusty with the half window on. Less so with the window off. We built side curtains (doors) out of cordura. Helps on the dust. I also expanding foamed the wheel well cracks. Quieted it down and cuts the dust too.

The 800 was noted for cratering the rear diff when the pinion nut backs off. I did the replacement nut with super hi temp loctite fix pre-emptively. Easy full day fix for a non-mechanic with $60 worth of parts. Google it.

Today I wouldn’t buy a RZR…would get a Honda.

 

[snipe10]

I have a fairly extensive background both in the sport UTVs and the more utilitarian models as well (used to have an off-road racing shop, currently own a few UTVs, and work for another ranch that has ~20). My straight opinion is that Polaris has nickle and dimed their lineup into being the cheap and easy option. Lots of issues with machines right off the showroom floor (look up Polaris Stop-Ride announcements). Older machines suffer from some of the same issues, but there are a lot of aftermarket fixes out there.

If you're looking at Polaris, I'd stick to the full-size machines (not the Ranger 500/570) and try to get one with as few miles/hours as possible. Motors are good usually to ~5k miles, less if it's a dusty environment or maintenance was deferred/skipped. The General is a cross between a RZR and a Ranger, and may be worth looking for if you can find one in your price range. RZRs have small bed storage areas and you'll be seated lower to the ground than a Ranger or General.

Can Am has a similar lineup to Polaris, with their sport vehicles being a little more sport oriented (lack of storage). The Commander is the competitor to the General, and the Defender to the Ranger. Can Am drug their feet on updating the Commander lineup for a few years, and the previous generations have some frustrating design features. Their newest generation of vehicles is the best on the market currently in my opinion.

Honda has the Pioneer, and in my limited experience it's a good machine. I've also been around a few Kawasaki UTVs and the owners have been happy with them.

The biggest suggestion I have is to go over any machine with a fine tooth comb before purchase. Take a floor jack, raise the front and rear wheels off the ground and look for worn suspension bushings, loose wheel bearings, & sloppy tie rod ends and ball joints. Pull the air filter and see how dirty it is. Ask for any maintenance records/receipts from parts purchased.

Stay on top of preventative maintenance, replacing parts before they fail/take out other parts is of huge importance with these machines. They are easy to work on, and definitely worth having in the stable as a recreational & utility vehicle.

Just used the new Can Am in Idaho, I agree the news ones are better than the Polaris and I used those for the past 10 years or so.

 

[Super tag]

Stick with the four wheeler for all around hunting, if you plan on hunting in deep snow or steep tight places. The UTV is fine for 2 track roads and moderate trail riding. For serious rough terrain hunting I find my four wheeler much better and more useful than my UTV. But, you need horsepower too, so go big.

For a great time, not wanting to be real serious, the UTV will do great. They’re also very dangerous and you should be aware of that. If you get in trouble you can bail off a four wheeler, you’ll ride it out in the UTV.

if You do go the UTV route, I prefer the Can Am Maverick.