Right this one has raised its head again, just had one of the steeper fields cut into and need to get something to drag/haul stuff up there as I have a flat spot at the top cut out.
I could hand lug this stuff but there will be 100 plus posts, wire, rails and umpteen things carried up and down. I will likely stone the road and it may well be cut wider, but the below should give you an idea. The digger chap is still cutting it and I specified I wanted Defender width just in case and to cover my options.
So I need to get a QUAD or UTV.... I am umming and ahhing between the 2.
Polaris Ranger Petrol - £7500 Exc Vat
Overall Vehicle Size (L x W x H)
110 x 58 x 73" (279 x 147 x 185 cm)
Front/Rear Rack or Box Capacity
N.A./500 lb (226.8 kg)
Hitch Towing Rating - 1,500 lb (680.4 kg)
PRO - SMALL awesome towing, has box
CON - Reliability/fear if it started to roll you cant get out quickly
Honda Foreman Spec - £7595 Exc Vat
FA6 DCT IRS PS - One of the better models
Width 120 Length 145 Height 124
Towing Capacity 600kg
Rear Rack capacity 85kg
£ 6400
PRO - Smallest width, can jump off in the event of the worst.
CON- only carries 1, potentially less stable than the other 2 ?
Kawasaki Mule 610 4x4 - £6500 Exc Vat
Tow - 500kg
132 cm wide
TOW capacity 410 kg
PRO cheapest, mid width, average load, has box
Defender
177 cm wide
PRO - I own one
CON - Width, weight, unrealistic in anything other than perfect weather, tricky to turn
Help me decide, I still have the field to roll, most work in the steep field once planted will be with my good lady, it seems a tad selfish to ride a quad up on my tod, she could sit on the back but that would de-stabilize it and that's what makes me think the UTV are better choices. However seeing a neighbour with a quad on a field blew my mind what he went over without leaving so much as a mark.
I ruled out a compact tractor as I read about some of them in general just not having the grunt to pull loads on hills. However as that is slower and perhaps safer happy to add a recommendation. B1700 was the version I discussed which didn't have the power, everything north of that is just a fair whack bigger. Would a B2100 haul 800 kg up that hill ? the Centre of gravity seems a lot higher than a UTV/Quad.