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Need a new utility vehicle Gator vs Club Car Carryall - Diesel vs Gas

15K views 25 replies 11 participants last post by  bcarp  
#1 ·
I'm looking for some suggestions and thoughts on choosing a new utility vehicle for working around the property. I have a 2005 Carryall from club car and it is time to replace it.
I have looked at Gators and the new Carryall and all the options just have me left wondering which way to go.

Some things that I think are important:
4 wheel drive
Reliability
Power dump bed
Winch
Steel dump box
ease of maintenance
Roof

I prefer
bucket seats
not having to wear ear protection to use
below 25k

Things that aren't that important
Being fast
Trail riding



Also if anybody has any experience with club car Carryalls I'm questioning the noise difference between the diesel vs. gas versions and whether you can use the Diesel vs without muffs.

I should be able to get a carryall in October but I haven't had luck getting a time frame on a gator. If anyone has any advice or ideas I would really appreciate the input.
 
#4 ·
The reason for the noise question, is I had brain surgery and am deaf in one ear, so I only have the one that still works, so on the 1025 and the zero turn I always make sure to wear decent quality ear protection. But it is a pain to always have to have muffs on when you just want to get to the other side of the property or down the driveway.
 
#2 ·
I can't speak of the Carryalls, but my wife has the Gator XUV590M. 4 wheel drive, power dump bed, removable windshield and roof. She uses it all the time. I'm amazed at how that thing climbs hills and flies through the woods. It's gas powered and is quiet.
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#10 ·
It's gas powered and is quiet.
I have the same machine (590M) and I find it very quiet. I will wear ear protection when mowing or even just loader work with my tractor but never even think about it with the Gator.

and I have a storage tank for diesel.
I am in the same boat - have at least 1000 gallons of diesel on hand at all times. It was really tough to buy a gas Gator but now am very happy with my decision. I use it every day back and forth to the barn and an occasional ride out to the end of our property and only have to fill it up once every 3 months (around 5 gallons).

—————-

On mine the bed is a composite material and glad to have it compared to a steel bed. I load rocks into with my loader and never even a mark.

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#3 ·
I use my Diesel Gators all the time without any ear protection.
I think that might be a bit subjective.

I say that because some people are simply more sensitive to loud noises than others.
My diesel Gators are both open station and I would say they are a little louder than I would like at a cold start up, but they quiet down pretty quickly, say less then minute after a cold start they pretty decent in my opinion. I personally like the sound of a diesel engine. I even like the smell of diesel in mornings. lol
I think I even have a bumper stick on my big tool chest out in my shop that says something like that. LOL

I would say the only way to truly answer this for any individuals own satisfaction, would be to go find one on a dealer's lot with the gas and one with the diesel and test drive them for 5-10 minutes around their parking lot or test area.

I have recently sat in and checked out a lot of different work oriented UTVs, including a couple golfcart based machines, I would say I still find 865M/R my favorites of all the machines in this class, If I had to pic a second favorite it would be the Kawaski DTX for their diesel or the FTX for their gas Mules.

A found lot of these machines have awkward entry/exit ergonomics, uncomfortable seats poor interior ergonomics, that make them tight or a just a bit cumbersome to work out of.
Some are just cramped or make it tough to jump in and out quickly, due to odd half doors, or limited leg room.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I would say for something like UTV for property type work, Diesel or an Electric model would be my top pics.

I am not an electric car or truck person at all, but there is applications like a work UTV in this case that might makes perfect sense.

Even without solar power, I personally hate storing gasoline, it is a bit dangerous and it gets old quickly and when using in small engines, you sometimes have to hunt for stations that have pure gas/ no ethanol.

Diesel stores much safer then gas on multiple levels. Electric you don't have store either.

I already have to store a lot of Diesel for my tractors, so for me Diesel UTVs have always made perfect sense for around my place. I also have 3 Diesel pickups too.
 
#9 ·
Some things that I think are important:
4 wheel drive
Reliability
Power dump bed
Winch
Steel dump box
ease of maintenance
Roof

I prefer
bucket seats
not having to wear ear protection to use
below 25k
Well, with that list, looks like the Gator might be my choice, and I am a HUGE Club Car fan. JD has a MUCH better support network, IMO.

If the budget can be stretched up, you can gain a lot of cargo capability with the Toro Workman HD series. ( Workman® HD Series Golf Utility Vehicle | Toro | Toro ) Easy to work on, turn incredibly tight, and GREAT operator visibility. We got a few of them for heavier use, and I am VERY impressed by them. The really dont have the cool look of the SxS UTV, however. Ours were 2WD, but with the diffy lock they were about unstoppable, especially loaded. But roofed up and 4wd, I bet you are at $30K pretty quick. But with capabilities that are impressive for the package size. If you have a Toro dealer near, be worth checking out their options.

It will be a big change either way from the Carryall 2 (probably) you have now. The 'direct replacement' for that now is a 502. Which I am a fanboy for. BUT... does not meet your want list. At all.

Keep in mind you will be moving up to a wider, MUCH heavier rig with the Carryall UTV. Same payload as your old carryall, but roughly twice the weight. :oops: SO consider your 'want' list's importance if treading lightly is a factor on your property.

You will be losing visibility also. If you have many tight areas on your property, this may be something to consider. No more seeing what is immediately in front of you.

Likewise with 'sh*t carrying' in the drivers area. That old bench seat is the most versatile for carrying anything. Mine usually has towels, gloves, and many other things on it I need during my workday. Bucket seats do look cooler, and are more comfortable for long rides, but make it harder to have many things 'right at hand' IMO.

Reliability? Well, not sure you are gonna match the reliability of the old carryall2. Or the cheap parts. Not too much that goes wrong with them that is major, starter/generator probably is the costliest. ($170) Carbs are now $35 on Amazon.

If your climate or use rusts out steel frames, the Club Car UTV does have that aluminum frame going for it. I have had to weld many of the EZ Go/Cushman front frames from rustout, especially when fertilizer gets in the game (Greenskeepers...).

I am getting $5k for for the carryall 2's 'refreshed' with new bushings and other parts as needed. So dont give your 2005 away!! Even beat up ones are going for $2500 around here if gas powered.

Hope that added a couple different points of view to help you with your purchase. Have fun!!!
 
#11 ·
I am getting $5k for for the carryall 2's 'refreshed' with new bushings and other parts as needed. So dont give your 2005 away!! Even beat up ones are going for $2500 around here if gas powered.
Thanks for the info,

The Carryall has a Husqvarna engine I believe it is a HUV4420 but branded as a Club Car Carryall from 2005 since it is 4 wheel drive. I have had trouble finding parts for it. I actually didn't want to get a new one originally, but the difficulty finding parts made working on it a pain and contantly spending time trying to figure out how to get it running eats up the time I have to get other stuff done.

I may end up stretching the budget a bit, I have them sending me a quote on a cab version of the Carryall.

All the different options, choices and tradeoffs are a bit daunting. And I definitely am trying to avoid ending up with regrets.
 
#20 ·
We just got an 835M (open with roof/windshield/rear window) about three months ago. We ordered it in OCT of '21, was told 10months, arrived in 8. In short- Love it! Wanted the diesel, but didn't want >50% less HP, so went with Gas. Financing when we ordered was 0% 48, now (well June, it was 0%/36 or 1.9%/48).

I'm working on making it street legal (exploiting loopholes in PA) which will add to its value to us, but... It is used weekly, if not more, and even if the use is to just to drive around the yard and "catch up with the wife" with a beverage. The not so great Dane - thinks it's hers, and loves riding around on it!

Price was upper 19s + lights, soft doors, tax/paperwork put it at 22k (2021 order pricing), currently priced out at 24k+tax.. (i.e. 25k+) We considered the cab/HVAC "M" at 26k in 10/2021, now that's over 30k. 😔

Love it!!

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#5 ·
We’re certainly in the minority, but if you have solar panels there is nuthin’ like free fuel. Don’t even need additives. More and more options these days including 4x4’s.
 
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#7 ·
I think for my application I'll need to stick with Gas or Diesel. Currently, everything except the old Carryall is diesel and I have a storage tank for diesel. So there is an added convenience of diesel. I also worry for electric how the battery situation will be as far as replacements and disposing of old batteries. Also when I need to get something done is the time I would find I was low on charge.
 
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#8 ·
I think for my application I'll need to stick with Gas or Diesel. Currently, everything except the old Carryall is diesel and I have a storage take for diesel. So there is an added convenience of diesel. I also worry for electric how the battery situation will be as far as replacements and disposing of old batteries. Also when I need to get something done is the time I would find I was low on charge.
All excellent points. I’d suggest for anyone reading this thread, fuel type depends as well on hours of use. I wouldn’t go electric for using a side by side 3-4 hours a day, which might be your use. If we still had a big ranch I’d go diesel.

We had a great Kubota gas 4x4 side by side, lots of great features, but in practice we only used it 2 hours a week or less. Even though we have some hills on our 20 acres, our used 2WD Cushman Hauler Pro works just fine. It uses 9 8-volt lead acid batteries, very easy to dispose and buy new ones every 5+ years. Regular core charge situation like lead acid car batteries. We are thinking about upgrading to lithium ion batteries, 1/3 the weight (so more carrying & tow capacity), more charging convenience. And of course there is the free fuel aspect.

We still use diesel for the tractor and mower. As you say, very convenient for fuel storage & availability.

Steve
 
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#12 ·
I'm looking for some suggestions and thoughts on choosing a new utility vehicle for working around the property. I have a 2005 Carryall from club car and it is time to replace it.
I have looked at Gators and the new Carryall and all the options just have me left wondering which way to go.

Some things that I think are important:
4 wheel drive
Reliability
Power dump bed
Winch
Steel dump box
ease of maintenance
Roof

I prefer
bucket seats
not having to wear ear protection to use
below 25k

Things that aren't that important
Being fast
Trail riding



Also if anybody has any experience with club car Carryalls I'm questioning the noise difference between the diesel vs. gas versions and whether you can use the Diesel vs without muffs.

I should be able to get a carryall in October but I haven't had luck getting a time frame on a gator. If anyone has any advice or ideas I would really appreciate the input.
Allow me to propose another solution. I also have a 1025r and recently bought a Big Tool Rack for it. I know it isn't a gator but it does allow the back of my tractor to be used like a gator. The bed isn't a dump bed, but I have the bucket if I need to dump material. It also allows me to safely carry all my tools and acts as rear ballast. Plus it is a fraction of the cost of a gator.
 
#13 ·
Those are cool, but the Carryall I'm referring to is
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for getting stuff done around the property, and going where the 1025 can't go safely.
 
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#18 ·
Yeah club car is 3 weeks for delivery. rates have definitely gone up for the financing.
 
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#19 ·
The Workman by Toro is a great utility with a huge dump bed. I got one well used from a golf course and did a bit of refurb -- parts are not cheap, but I only paid $450 for it. Really liked the all wheel hydraulic brakes compared to my older Electric Gator...but the wife was not fond of the manual transmission on our hilly property. Here are images of both machines. As you can tell this was several years ago when we lived in Oregon on small acreage -- I do not have any current experiences with UTVs, so can't offer much more useful information.
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The trailer makes the Gator + trailer payload near that of the Toro...

Chuck
 
#14 ·
decided to get a quote on a full cab version of the ClubCar. just a bit over 30K, that stings a little
 
#17 ·
Mine was only 5-6 months, it has an ETA January-February time frame.
I ordered it mid-August.
I sure hope it has not been pushed out to year.
 
#16 · (Edited)
You should try and take a look at the Signature 865R Diesel gator. LOL
At 42-45K Makes that Club car deal sound like bargain. LOL
 
#22 · (Edited)
Sorry I didn't type that right. So the Model plate shows Husqavarna, when you look up the ID number it says it's a clubcar. (Confusing) I was able to get the manual below and the most of the diagrams match up. I believe it does have a Honda engine in it, a gx620.

The manual I was able to get from club car and they called it a Carryall but info is still not clear. Alll the parts I find are Husqvarna parts but not in stock, such as the gas tank, or throttle cable.

I have used a different manual to try and work on the engine. But that manual says it's for the Turf 272, Carryall 272, Carryall 472, XRT 1200 and KRT 1200SE. That particular manual has some helpful diagrams but doesn't always match 100%

I definitely want to get it running well again. Right now it is lacking power, and the gas cap deteriorated into the tank, so I have to try and get that cleaned out. Tricky if I can't get the parts but I have an idea that I just haven't had time to try out yet. I can still get it running it just likes to die and struggles going up hills. It also needs a new clutch. I really just need to take it in and see if a mechanic can get it up and running properly.

Hopefully I can get it running well and then I'll have 2 once I decide what the new one will be. The old one ran pretty decent for about a year and a half before I started running into issues. I am just hoping there are parts out there somewhere.
 

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