I came across a classified ad the other day that said, “UTVs for sale.”
“What’s that?” I thought. Some kind of underground television?
I mean, I’ve heard of an ATV, an all-terrain vehicle, but what exactly is a UTV?
So I decided to do some research. After all, “UTV for sale” may be something I need, right?
UTV, the workhorse
“UTV” stands for “All Terrain Utility Vehicle”. Basically, they are a vehicle designed to be a workhorse that can go just about anywhere.
They look like a big open-air sand buggy with fat tires or even tracks, like you see on a bulldozer. UTVs generally only have two seats, although you can get a modified buggy with a rear passenger seat. Behind the two front seats is a payload area for hauling supplies etc. Some UTVs are also called “Mules”, because they can carry heavy packages. “Gator,” named for a John Deere UTV model, and “Rhino,” after a Yamaha model, are also becoming popular.
So what can you do and where can you go with a UTV?
Anything and anywhere!
Valued By Law Enforcement Everywhere
Many fire and rescue teams are moving to UTVs because they are so versatile.
Parks and Recreation Departments, Fire Departments, and Police Departments have employed these vehicles due to their ability to reach very hard-to-reach places to reach stranded hikers, climbers, and hunters. Tour guide services use mules because they can take disabled visitors to areas they might not otherwise be able to see due to mobility issues.
farm and ranch vehicle
Farmers and ranchers like UTVs because of their usefulness in transporting supplies to remote territories. One rancher said that he loves the versatility of his Mule, as he uses it to transport calves, as well as for feeding and even for farmhands.
The UTV is perfect for working hard and traveling places the normal car or truck can’t go.
Quads are valued by sportsmen and hunters because they can also go anywhere, but their payload is quite limited. The UTV provides the solution to the problems of getting to a hard-to-reach place with equipment or supplies.
Extra traction for snow and sand
To make a UTV even more versatile, one of the available options is to replace the fat tires with tracks. Tracks are rubber belts that allow the vehicle to roll over snow, sand, or other terrain that the typical wheel would traverse. Tracks allow the Mule to scoot over loose soil, like a bulldozer, providing increased traction and rolling ability.
This option is available for most models. If you can’t get tracks for your chosen UTV model, you can easily find them available as an aftermarket add-on.
My experience
So what did I do? I answered the “UTV For Sale” ad and bought it!
Since I have a small ranch with acres and animals, I found the UTV to be perfect for me. I can transport fencing supplies to where I need to fence. I can transport sheep, chickens and calves in the payload area with no problem. When I need to travel to the farthest reaches of my surface, there’s room for both cargo and my sheepdog.
I’ve found Mule to be excellent at climbing rocky hills and outcroppings, and it manages through the prickly prickly pears of my rural Wyoming pasture with no problem. My wife uses the UTV to transport flowers and plants around the garden conveniently, and she handles grape, cucumber, tomato, sweet corn, and squash crops with ease.
He has even used the Mule to transport items for a garage sale (including an old water heater and treadmill) to a neighbor’s house!
In short, if you’re lucky enough to come across a “UTV for sale” ad, take advantage of it. You will not regret.
You can find a UTV for sale anywhere that sells lawn tractors, some motorcycle shops, and even some home improvement stores.