Is there anyplace to find the value of used ATV's? Over the weekend I had the opportunity to drive a number of UTV's and now thinking that is the way we should go. Our ATV has served well over the years, but now I can see the value of trading it in for an UTV, but don't know what it would be worth.

Thanks in advance.

Yes, nada.com, kbb.com.  My better half works for a motorcycle parts company and they get kbb's on bike and stuff.

You will enjoy a UTV around your horses. We haul manure by driving the machine right down the isle to the stalls while mucking out. Using the hydraulic dump while not leaving the seat, the whole lot is easily left in the fields. No more wheel barrows. We pull hay wagons, loaded and empty, carry over a half a ton of weight at a time, and haul anything that fits into the bed. With 4 WD we can clean our hilly trails, crawl through the mud, and go anywhere that's reasonable.

It's our small half ton pick up, and definitely one of our better purchases. I believe you too will find, that it will soon become as indispensable for you as it is for us.

Please note that there are serious warnings about the dangers of improper usage.

Gard

Both my father-in-law and brother-in-law have JD Gators. Our ATV has served our purpose well over the years. We use it as a vehicle between farms, checking crops, checking horses in the pasture, pulling trailers around, etc.

What got me kind of thinking was my wife and I wanted to ride one evening, bit the horses were in a pasture a mile away. Fifteen acres with a creek going down the middle. Needed to get the saddles over there, so threw them in the pick-up. ATV had to go so we could go find the horses and bring them up. With a UTV we could have done one vehicle.

I did security at the fair last week as part of the Sheriff's Mounted Posse and we had use of two different makes, Kubota and Husqvarna. Was pretty much impressed with the Husqvarna for the price. Our captain liked it so much he is going in tomorrow to close the deal on the one we used.

http://www.atvtraderonline.com/find/browse/type/work--utility/husqvarna

We wasted time and money on a EZGo Workhorse. It only lasted a year before it needed  engine work. Just didn't handle the mud very well. I traded it off for a Artic Cat 650HT 4x4. Wow what a different! I can even pull the big 45hp 4x4 tractor out of the mud with it! The down side is that it is much bigger and will not fit inside my 3H with managers but can be hauled with no problem in my 4H without mangers. My hubby drives a big thing called a PUG. It has 6 ballon tires and is super wide and much more stable. The PUG has a cargo area twice the size of the one on the Artic Cat. He uses it alot to cut the side of the pond levy by pulling a Swisher mower behind it. he can carry 10 bales of hay at a time on his, mine carries only a couple.

If I had it to do all over again, I would really consider the Bobcat CATV line. They have cool attachments. Front end mowers, buckets, diggers, etc. Who would even need a tractor with one of those babies!

If your interests are for a work horse instead of a toy, consider the Kubota RTV 900. When I bought mine, I first looked at and compared seven different brands of UTVs. My needs were durability, performance, convenience, and "workability".

Drive train: This machine has a three cyl water cooled diesel. It also has a three range, infinitely variable, hydrostatic tractor transmission. There are no belt drives and single speed transmissions, which often disengage when going downhill, and the machine then depends solely on the brakes for stopping. The hydrostatic transmission retards the machine using engine braking, and full control is maintained without needing the brakes. The engine and transmission are located between the frame rails. This results in a lower center of gravity, good stability, and with a wet weight of a ton, it affords a solid and secure ride.

It has enough power to easily pull two empty hay wagons, or one fully loaded (150 bales) through the fields. I recently used it to relocate a loaded wagon to the roadside, when a 2WD dually truck couldn't manage in the field.

If you do need brakes, there are four wet discs, not just one mounted on the driven pulley as found on some brands. It has an independent rear suspension with half shafts and a locking differential, leaf springs on each wheel and shock absorbers. This is more durable than the coil over struts, and solid axles  commonly used on other machines. It also articulates enough that driving over a large log is not an issue. It also supports a carrying capacity of about 1600 pounds.

The tires are 6 ply instead of 2 and the wheels are a five bolt design instead of four. The "RV" tires easily pull the machine through mud and snow as high as the tires themselves.

The large, hydraulically actuated steel dump bed is standard equipment, and is operated by a simple lever beside the driver. Compare this to manually operated beds, some made of plastic. Most manual beds are almost impossible to dump when heavily loaded. Full loads of gravel, sand, manure and concrete blocks are some of the items we've commonly carried.

Yes, we like out Kubota, and after three trouble free years, could not now get along without it. It is well worth considering if you plan on a UTV purchase. Compare apples and see for yourself.

gard