OK guys & girls, here is a question for you. The lovely Mrs_B and I have been kicking around some sort of small 4x4 utility vehicle for a few years. Half for fun riding and half for some work around the property.
Puch Haflinger, roughly $10,000
Below are pictures I lifted off the internet. The first is a pretty typical Haflinger, the second is a typical Japanese Mini-Truck (with custom paint); the final is a Kubota RTV (painted orange).
Puch Haflinger, roughly $10,000
Austrian made Swiss Military vehicle that is amazingly capable, small & light, runs about 45mph, 1000# capacity, climbs like a goat, and many are street legal, roughly 30 years old. 4 or 5 speed manual transmission. This is the best off-road choice for capabilities.
Kubota RTV or Similar, $8 to $14,000 depending on options/engines
Slow, not road legal, very refined, nice diesel engine, lots of capacity, local dealer for service & warrenty issues. Certainly could look at a lot of alternate brands like Polaris, Land Pride, Kubota, John Deere, etc. Dealers for all in the area. Some have multi-range HST transmissions which would be easy for my daughter to use.
Japanese Mini-Truck, roughly $4500 (plus $1000 for upgrades)
Fast, not street legal, light, 1000# capacity, heat & AC in a real cab, wheels and tires need to be upgraded for off road use, least capable off road, most comfortable, no dealers, 10 to 30 years old depending. 4 or 5 speed manual transmissions.
Now as I have been looking at these for a couple years, and as my business is buying another company this spring which will keep me busy, and as I already have a "honey-do" list from the lovely Mrs_B that needs to be worked on, this is not the top of my priority list. But it is that time of the year when we are lining up outdoor projects and one of these things would certainly make life easier for hauling building supplies, produce, landscape supplies, etc around the property.
Below are pictures I lifted off the internet. The first is a pretty typical Haflinger, the second is a typical Japanese Mini-Truck (with custom paint); the final is a Kubota RTV (painted orange).