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ATV vs UTV vs 4Runner/Samuri/Etc

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I bought a utv to save my truck. The cost of the utv was much cheaper vs a new truck.

 

Truck pulls my utv and now sits at camp or at main FS road. Figure I just saved a ton of wear and tear on my truck and since my truck is paid for, I feel my utv has extended the life of my truck.

 

I'm really enjoying my utv and so far, no regrets.

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Interesting topic. I to have been through the gambit of options.

 

Started out with a dirt bike. That lasted until a rock pushed the front tire weird and I ended up flying over the handlebars!

 

Then we got a quad. had a blast. it would fit in the bed of the truck and we would pull the camper. Wife would ride on the back, we saw a ton of country. They the FS started cracking down on riding double so we picked up a 2nd quad. This caused us to "need" a toy hauler. The boys got old enough to ride so we needed to add a couple more quads. Sold the toy hauler for a bigger toy hauler. Then needed a bigger truck! Got a bigger truck and things were fine for a few years. But now it was a production to get going. big truck, 38ft trailer, extra fuel, etc. Got tired of maintaining 4 machines and tired of all the dust and weather. As far as hunting goes, everything was dirty, pack guns, bows, everything. That got old quick. So sold the quads and got a rhino. Liked it better then the quads but still had the dust and weather issues. Then I had the bright idea to build a samurai. Enclosed cab, heater, street legal at normal speeds, thought it would be perfect. once the samurai was done it was tipping the scales loaded with gear at 3000 lbs. It would fit fine in the toy hauler but, and I know people haul this size vehicle in them, but it isn't safe. So we started looking for cargo haulers with living quarters. $$$. About this time I came to my senses. This whole thing got out of control and expensive. Quads are gone, sxs is gone, samurai will be gone, toyhauler is gone (keeping the truck :) ). Boys are in their own vehicles.

 

Picked up a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a v8, 4in lift, 32 inch tires and the selectable xfer case. Love it. Incredible off road. long arm coil suspension floats over washboard (with aired down tires). Will be picking up a light (3500 lb or less) camper to tow behind it. I can sleep in the back for short hunting/scouting trips. AC, Heat, heated seats! Quiet. Won't go as far as my samurai or quads (dam close though) but I like to hike into hunting spots anyhow. Toyota LC or the Lexus version of it would work nice also but the money people want for those is stupid. I'm sold on this setup so far.

 

I like the samurai alot but it just isn't as nice. If your samurai beats you up off road then you don't have it setup right. Mine is smooth as butter.

 

Here is a pic of my jeep.

 

 

post-621-0-00477500-1521922137_thumb.jpg

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I have ridden in them all. Full king setup on a samurai and jeeps and its still nowhere near as comfortable as a side by side. If you mostly hunt in the southern units Im sure its not too bad. If you Plan on spending a lot of time in 22 or 23 you are going to spill your beer!

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I have had them all as well except for a samurai. Unfortunately it depends where you hunt. UTV is the best overall but it can suck when it is hot, really cold, or wet. My next toy will be a samurai or geo but I can get extra use out of it at the cabin.

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Full size nice trucks should stay on good roads. Why beat up a 40-70k truck? If your truck is that nice then buy a side by side. I use a Tacoma and love it! Yes it goes anywhere a side by side goes but no its not as fast, smooth, or convenient! Id love to have a side by side but itll cost what I paid for the Tacoma so I stick with the truck.

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I have ridden in them all. Full king setup on a samurai and jeeps and its still nowhere near as comfortable as a side by side. If you mostly hunt in the southern units Im sure its not too bad. If you Plan on spending a lot of time in 22 or 23 you are going to spill your beer!

gotta get some beer shocks old school style , even then it’s flat if you don’t drink it fast enough.....
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Ive never ridden in a Jeep or samurai that didnt beat the sh!t out of you. If you want the smoothest fastest ride get a side by side.

without a doubt.

 

thats forsure ride sucks in everything on bumpy roads. UTVS and quads are bad

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I am convinced there is no perfect hunting ride because the roads, weather and hunts change from one to the another.

 

I have had a quad, UTV and two trucks (one for hunting the other is a mall crawler). My truck is the go to for 70% of the hunts and my UTV 30%.

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I have said it before and I will say it again, you need a big yard and no homowners asso. So, you can have one or more of each. No one perfect all purpose vehicle or boat.

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Great off season topic. I have the atv... 2000 model thats been to heck and back. Runs good and covers country fast.

I hunt solo so theres no need sor extra seats but still somtimes wish i had the side x side just for the ability to carry a little more gear or a bigger ice chest.

A shortbed Toyota would be a great way to go too... I understand the dilemma.

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90% of my hunting is done alone. But the last 3 years I've done quite a bit of hunting with first time or disabled hunters. On the youth hunts, there has been a parent there too. Not too concerned with getting out with the whole family, as they don't make one big enough. I am thinking that if I continue to take out newbie hunters (two for elk this year, plus a youth turkey tag next month, who knows deer wise), that a 3 seat UTV may make for the best use.

 

Has anyone ran into issues with 50" width restrictions here in AZ?

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