Originally Posted by
BillT
I must respectively disagree. I am 46 years old & primarily use the 2014 825i Gator for trail riding & maintenance of our wood lot & logging / wood hauling in the Fall. Yes, I go out w/ friends to ride, grill & relax too, during summer there's a folding chair & cooler in the back. We aren't allowed to ride on public land or drive these on road in New York State.
Power Steering - try pulling a felled log uphill w/out it, or just driving around all day, this is awfully nice to have. It has not failed me yet. Gators don't mind crawling through the woods at 2 mph all day, but diving without p/s it can take a lot out of a person. Being fatigued can be dangerous in the woods or by yourself anywhere.
Heat-- you ever get caught without the proper clothes while working or hunting, when the sun goes down, it can get cold. Maybe you started work at noon in a tee-shirt & stayed out until 8 or 9 without a jacket to slip on? Even been caught in the rain? Having a cab & heater makes it a much nicer trip back to camp or home. Avoid getting sick, have a cab & heater.
Air-conditioning-- Even with the temperature in the 80s & 90s & high humidity in New York lately, I tend to agree with you about that, A/C in a Gator, can you say Oxymoron? Apparently its useful in other parts of the Country / World, where farmers, ranchers & others use it. But if your purchase these to work you want to be comfortable all day, humidity &/or heat can be as dangerous as the cold. If you are joined by young children or dogs A/C can help them out. By the way, the Gator dealer told me this year A/C was a $1500.00 option! Well Can Am, Kabota & others added it first!
Glass windshield w/ wiper --Ever try & drive your F-250 while it's raining w/out wipers? I did twice with my Gator, it was a long, slow trip back to camp & a wiper would've been appreciated both times. I couldn't see very well, but after the upgrade it's a much more pleasant ride in the rain.
LED Lights -- what can I say, but these are much better than the stock lights ANY O.E. manufacturer puts on their machines. So much more useful / stable than a flashlight or lantern too.
As you say... to each their own.