Side by Side vs Compact Pickup

[mml373]

Well after four years of using a side by side for farm chores I finally had a lapse in judgment a couple weeks ago and had a (minor) accident. Never get in a hurry...as that's usually when bad things happen... No big damage to the side by side that I can see, and I wasn't hurt, but I got lucky... It took me 2 hours to undig the vehicle from the woodpile and fence.

This in mind, I was thinking about it a couple years ago and am thinking again about it now...the costs of having a side by side, along with the hazards of operation, are seeming to make it less attractive to own one. In my case, the dealer's an hour away, I don't own a trailer, and annual maintenance results in a $1000 expense, minimum, due to transit and maintenance on the machine. I could buy a 30 year old Ford Ranger that has a radio, heat, A/C, and is enclosed and only have to worry about oil changes. I'm not sure the hassle, cost, and effort of having this kind of vehicle are worthwhile and am starting to consider options.

We actually have people killed every now and again on the national forest due to side by side accidents.

Interested in other people's thoughts. There are a very limited number of instances when a side by side is really necessary here AS LONG AS a compact pickup wouldn't tear up my pasture. Not sure if there are tires that would help protect turf. I'm out there every day feeding and watering livestock, so there'd be daily driving on the pasture in all kinds of weather from rain/standing water to snow.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Well after four years of using a side by side for farm chores I finally had a lapse in judgment a couple weeks ago and had a (minor) accident. Never get in a hurry...as that's usually when bad things happen... No big damage to the side by side that I can see, and I wasn't hurt, but I got lucky... It took me 2 hours to undig the vehicle from the woodpile and fence.

This in mind, I was thinking about it a couple years ago and am thinking again about it now...the costs of having a side by side, along with the hazards of operation, are seeming to make it less attractive to own one. In my case, the dealer's an hour away, I don't own a trailer, and annual maintenance results in a $1000 expense, minimum, due to transit and maintenance on the machine. I could buy a 30 year old Ford Ranger that has a radio, heat, A/C, and is enclosed and only have to worry about oil changes. I'm not sure the hassle, cost, and effort of having this kind of vehicle are worthwhile and am starting to consider options.

Interested in other people's thoughts. There are a very limited number of instances when a side by side is really necessary AS LONG AS a compact pickup wouldn't tear up my pasture. Not sure if there are tires that would help protect turf. I'm out there every day feeding and watering livestock, so there'd be daily driving on the pasture.

What maintenance can cost you $1000 a year on your side by side? When I change oil on my CanAm Defender twice a year it cost me about $50 each time. I've only taken it to the dealer once to replace one of the power window switchs. While it was there I had them change the oil too. There was no charge because they used my side by side to rescue someone that was stuck in the snow out in the woods, and needed tracks to reach him.
For the cost of my CanAm I could have bought a fairly new pickup, but it would never get to the places my CanAm will. My SXS has power windows, heater/defrost, and AC. I wish it had the radio and GPS. I may add that later. I have tracks for winter time and it's set up for a 60" snow blower.

 

[Peanut]

The way I see them used around here… side by side owners just want a small tractor with a suspension system. Do away with the suspension and you do away with high maintenance costs and about $20k in up front money.

For $20K I can get a small used utility tractor and an old farm truck thrown into the deal! Either leave a side by side in the dust for its design capabilities and have small maintenance costs.

You couldn’t give me a side by side!!! Or if someone did I’d only have it long enough to trade it for a real tractor. Around here a side x side can’t be licensed to use on the highway so it fails as a versatile high speed vehicle. And it most definitely fails as a tractor. A poor excuse for either role it tries to fill. Imop

 

[Mountain trapper]

A side by side is just another tool here on our place. The same as our 2 ATV's, the truck and our tractor is. Much of our land is way too steep for the tractor. The ATV's can get in to places the side by side can't, but they aren't very comfortable in the winter. I occasionally take the ATV's and the side by side out on the road when necessary, and have never bothered to license one yet. The side by side outfitted with tracks and the snow blower is much more comfortable clearing the road than the tractor is, and faster too.

 

[d_marsh]

When I had an acreage I just had a small pickup and a little off road scooter. Worked well for me. I have driven the side by sides and never had any interest. If I needed something like that I would go for a Roxor.

 

[UserNameTaken]

Here in the Wastelands of AZ they are street legal and everyone uses them for errand cars. Loud, obnoxious, hot or cold, dusty, bugs in your face. Suspension always breaking. $65,000 for my neighbor's CanAm. Dangerous on and off road. I'm surprised more people haven't been killed. Every time I have to ride in one I need a shower after to get the dirt off. Good for excessive speed on sandy roads and easy trails. They've destroyed most of our dirt roads with their narrow tracks and spinning tires. Scourge on the earth.

In case you can't tell, I'm a JEEPER...