# Polaris Ranger Diesel or Gas???



## lmholmes11

I am looking to buy a polaris ranger soon but I am having a hard time decide on diesel or gas. I have both here at the farm so fuel availability is not a concern. I notice that the Diesel is only 24HP but it is a 904cc; while the gas version is double the HP. From what ive heard, both gas and diesel top speeds are about the same.

What does everyone think?


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## bowhunter426

Look at torque, not hp or engine size. I love my gas motor on my xp. The yanmar diesel is best suited for farm duty. There is a reason JD uses them. For trail riding go with gas


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## Kubota Joe

Diesel! More low end torque. Also not to mention the longevity factor of a diesel. 
Before you buy Polaris you should really do some research on the Kubota RTV. 
That unit out sells John Deere and every other manufacture in my area. 
Also Kubota actually builds there entire product engine and all in Atlanta, GA. 
JD Gators are built in India!


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## Gonda

The Polaris gas engine (if you mean the 800) is built in Wisconsin and the vehicle is assembled in Iowa. And the company is an American company!

The 800 cc gas is a good engine. It is much faster in acceleration than the diesel and has plenty of torque for towing. If you plan to ride trails, get the gas engine. It also starts really good in cold temperatures.


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## NittanyDoug

I know the Kubota comes with the ability to run hydraulics but I think I heard the new rangers do now too.


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## Swamp Monster

Depends? What are the plans for this rig? Work only? Play? Or a combination of both? Both are good motors. The 800 is not a screamer but it is fast enough to have fun with. The diesel is not going to be quick and while it has plenty of torque and power for work it won't be much fun on the trail. The kubota is a great machine but it is strictly a work machine and is to low and to heavy to have much fun on the trail but you can take it on light trails. There is no one machine that can do it all perfectly, you have to compromise somewhere but only you can decide what your willing to live with and without. Or just buy a diesel Ranger XP and then buy a RZR 900 and have the best of both worlds. Should only set you back about $28,000 or so after taxes. :evil:


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## Kubota Joe

Gonda said:


> The Polaris gas engine (if you mean the 800) is built in Wisconsin and the vehicle is assembled in Iowa. And the company is an American company!
> 
> The 800 cc gas is a good engine. It is much faster in acceleration than the diesel and has plenty of torque for towing. If you plan to ride trails, get the gas engine. It also starts really good in cold temperatures.


That statement is not accurate 

The Polaris gas engines are out sourced from Switzerland and the Diesel engine is a Yanmar which is also Japanese. Their parts are manufactured in Mexico. 



The Polaris runs a centrifugal clutch just like a snow mobile vs a true hydrostatic transmission that the Kubota runs. 

Kubota is the largest supplier and manufacture of compact diesel engines in the world. Many products from boats, generators, lawnmowers, and construction equipment use their engines. 

If you want a work horse for hunting, ranch chores and many other working task this is the best option. 

If you are looking for a trail rider or speed demon look elsewhere. 



_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors._


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## Gonda

Wrong. 

Polaris gets one engine from Germany, used on their 4-stroke snowmobiles. They buy some single cylinder ATV/Ranger engines (including the 500 and 550cc engines) from Fuji and the 550 cc snow engine. I think, although they are Fuji engines, they are built in the US. The really small kid ATVs are Taiwan engines I think.

The 800 cc, 850cc, and 900 cc engines used in ATV/Ranger/RZR are built in Osceola Wisconsin. The Victory Engine is built in Wisconsin. All their 600 and 800 cc two-stroke snow engines are built in Wisconsin. 

I don't know where the diesel is built, but I know it is not built by Polaris.

The purchase no engines from Switzerland although they do some design work there, but it is not outsourced. They own the design company in Switzerland called SwissAuto.

The engine used in the Ranger XP is built in Osceola, Wisconsin.


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## lmholmes11

Thanks for everyones input. I dont want to get a Kubota because the Ranger has a lot more ground clearance and they are a lot heavier. I plan to do hunting chores, pulling blinds in and out of fields, yard work and plowing in the winter, etc. I dont plan on trail riding or hitting the sand dunes. It sounds like Diesel is for me. Does anyone have any experience or know of anyone who has a ranger Crew? I have two small children and a few years from now I can see our family of 4 plus a dog going for rides, and im tempted to go with the Crew version. They don't look very maneuverable though.


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## ENCORE

lmholmes11 said:


> Thanks for everyones input. I dont want to get a Kubota because the Ranger has a lot more ground clearance and they are a lot heavier. I plan to do hunting chores, pulling blinds in and out of fields, yard work and plowing in the winter, etc. I dont plan on trail riding or hitting the sand dunes. It sounds like Diesel is for me. Does anyone have any experience or know of anyone who has a ranger Crew? I have two small children and a few years from now I can see our family of 4 plus a dog going for rides, and im tempted to go with the Crew version. They don't look very maneuverable though.


On the farm, I'm sure you probably use "off road" diesel. However, you might want to check with Polaris on what fuel they burn first. If it is low-sulfer diesel, it could present another issue of another tank or, more fuel cans with trips to the station.


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## lmholmes11

good point, I will look into it. Yeah we do use dyed farm fuel


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## ENCORE

It may not matter that much for you but, another thing that I'd check would be maintainance costs, diesel vs gas. My DuraMax costs about 3 times what the wife's Blazer costs for regular maintainance. Most diesels take more oil than gas engines and filters are usually twice as much. Also, any possible engine repair costs compaired to gas.

That 800efi is a brute. I have it with my 2011 Sportsman and its got more power than necessary for me. I heard but don't know for a fact, that Polaris puts the HO cam in all the 800efi's now. I do like the EFI engine though. Extremely responsive and when the wife and I ride, I actually get better fuel mileage with my 800efi than she does with her Sportsman 400, which is carburated.


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## MOTOMAN91

What about the kawasaki mule deisel??? They make a two seater, if that's what you want, and the floors aren't made of plastic like the ranger. I don't know how many rangers i've had at work with holes busted in the floor from running over stuff. The kawi may be slower and heavier, but for a workhorse, it will out live a ranger anyday. Just my opinion, but i have to work on these damn things so i know which one i'd buy.


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## ausable riverboat

ENCORE said:


> It may not matter that much for you but, another thing that I'd check would be maintainance costs, diesel vs gas. My DuraMax costs about 3 times what the wife's Blazer costs for regular maintainance. Most diesels take more oil than gas engines and filters are usually twice as much. Also, any possible engine repair costs compaired to gas.
> 
> That 800efi is a brute. I have it with my 2011 Sportsman and its got more power than necessary for me. I heard but don't know for a fact, that Polaris puts the HO cam in all the 800efi's now. I do like the EFI engine though. Extremely responsive and when the wife and I ride, I actually get better fuel mileage with my 800efi than she does with her Sportsman 400, which is carburated.


I have diesel trucks and you are right about the maintenance cost . Also a lot more trouble starting in cold weather.


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## Polarisrangerdiesel

lmholmes11 said:


> I am looking to buy a polaris ranger soon but I am having a hard time decide on diesel or gas. I have both here at the farm so fuel availability is not a concern. I notice that the Diesel is only 24HP but it is a 904cc; while the gas version is double the HP. From what ive heard, both gas and diesel top speeds are about the same.
> 
> What does everyone think?


I have the diesel and I use it on trails check out my youtube profile Adam brydonhttp://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?ns=1&video_id=P5XYkeh2xA8:lol:


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## glockman55

My brother has the Kubota, some yard work, snow plows the County, and Hunts..a real deal, lots of Hydraulic accessories..If your going Diesel go with the Kubota..


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## Polarisrangerdiesel

If you want something that go fairly quick for a 
Diesel go ranger wich goes 40 I have one


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## glockman55

Or get a Teryx and go 55...


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## Red Ark

I have a 09 ranger xp which is a 700cc gas. The thing is a tank. I don't think I would ever sell it. 

Top speed is 53 and that's using my Gps. 

I use it for snow plowing which works awesome. The crew maybe to long to plow if you have a lot of areas near the house or barns. 

I use mine to move my boat around the garage. It's rated to pull 2000 pounds but that's based on what the brakes are rated to stop. My boat is around 2700 pounds and the ranger has no issues. 

When I purchased mine , ranger was also one of the leaders in the amount of cargo weight you could carry. 

If you drive yours down the roads with the family you should get the crew. 

Good luck.








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## elkmeister

I own a 2013 Ranger Crew Diesel and live in Alaska. So far I have no difficulty starting in the winter. I love the ride it is much better that the Kubota that my friend owns. I am thinking about camoplast 4s tracks I wonder what my speed will be after the change. I have plenty of pulling power and can haul my 20 ft Wooldridge boat up killer hill in the snow and park it no problems except for turning radius as you might expect with that long boat trailer and a crew. Amazing the amount of slush I can chop through if I load up with some extra weight. Looking forward to trying tracks.


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