Old truck or "Mule" type vehicle

[Lowdown3]

So I'm in a toss up.

Been thinking for years that I'll eventually get an old diesel CUCV or the truck bed version of it.

Pros- have a good bit of diesel, EMP issues, road capable

Cons- old technology, parts harder to find, prices have gone up on these. I'm not an overly mechanical type, would a local auto mechanic "get" the workings of a diesel like this?

Or

Something like a Kawasaki "Mule"

Cons- expensive, wow, just looked at these, paid almost that much for my last new car... They are proud of these darn things huh?

http://www.kawasaki.com/Products/product-specifications.aspx?scid=15&id=690

Maybe a used one?

Street legal? Long distance BO? (not in the plans but who knows?)

Pros- have a metal building small enough to park it in for EMP protection.

Your thoughts on this?

[protus]

Mechanics wouldn't have any issue on the diesel.
The mule /Ute deal I'd pass...for the cost of a new one a better capable truck could be had. For example. Late 80 maybe early 90s yota 4*4...3_6k$ ....get the bed off flat bed it...good tires and keep it running..
The ATV /mule deals are cool but they can't do what a truck can...
There is some mini trucks out there by Mitsubishi that are 4x4 and street legal..think mule but bigger but not truck size

[Grand58742]

Used both. They both have their uses, but the Mule/Gator/UTV is not going to be a bug out vehicle I'm afraid unless you are only going a couple of miles. Fast enough to get you into trouble, but certainly not fast enough to get you out.

Having said that, for general utility work the UTV is exceptional in that role and small enough to get into places where trucks cannot get into. While you can load a truck with far more stuff, the UTV has a good hauling capacity in its own right. Add an ATV trailer onto it and you would be surprised at what you can haul around. And in generally tighter spaces as well.

It almost comes down to what you use it for. We used our Rangers in Iraq like a politician looking for a campaign contribution while I was working the construction team. And surprisingly fuel efficient for how much we used it. It almost comes down to capacity versus utility. The truck has it beat hands down on cargo capacity, but I felt the Ranger was quicker and easier to use for smaller jobs and "gettin from here to there with minor doodads and stuff"

Almost comes down to personal choice. I don't think you can go wrong with either and believe you would end up using the UTV more than you think.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Grands on target.

CUCVs and other similar models are gutless wonders that had serious torque issues under loads or offroad as well as outdated. It was a converted gas engine not a true diesel and therein lies all it's mechanical issues. Also I don't know bout where you are from but it screams look at me where a plain ole camo or base color PU doesn't.

The gator the same in speed and outdated. There are better options for BOV though it's great for work. I used them in the Army and on the farm and I have not used the mule.
The newer models are faster and more adaptable

For a BOV I'd stay with common PU for parts availability and real capability, fuel mileage, ground clearance and towing capacity. Lets face it if someone like you does bug then it will probably be the mog mile somewhere along the route and it will probably be loaded to the gills, drove like a stolen rental with a teen behind the wheel and somethings gonna give or get shot! That means parts or a trade.

[tech]

The 5.7 diesel was the converted engine not the 6.2 liter, but for its supposed lack of torque I used mine to push or pull several HMMWVs out of where they got stuck in the desert. Simple to work on as long as you ran clean fuel. The earlier 6.5L turbo versions were better and are near bolt-in replacements for the 6.2 (some exhaust mods). Parts are still easy to find...don't know where the idea of "hard to find parts" came from, but it is incorrect, at least in the US. There is also a cap from a different Stanadyne pump with a manual fuel cut that can replace the CUCV cap with the electric solenoind and eliminate that issue (failure or EMP)...don't recall the pump model right off-hand though.

However, for a diesel powerplant, IMHO the Cummins (pre-common rail injection) provides much better performance and durability, the bad is the vehicle they originally came in, but I guess you can't have it all :)

[protus]

this with a winch...come along..maybe a small lift...run some decent tires..

oh they sell them in diesel as well. ;)


that is a Toyota mini truck all the import companies make them.

[Grand58742]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1815[/ATTACH]


this with a winch...come along..maybe a small lift...run some decent tires..

oh they sell them in diesel as well. ;)


that is a Toyota mini truck all the import companies make them.

Yeah, we called those bongos overseas. Did some things that were probably illegal in most States with them lol. New tires would be mandatory at a minimum. But very easy to get un stuck in deep sand...don't ask me how I know lol

And one point to ponder...don't ever transport an open gas can in the bed.

[SeldomSeenSlim]

Check www.steelsoldiers.com for all the info you could possibly want on CUCV or any other military truck. Very helpful folks over there. Got me straightened out fixing the transmission in my m109a3. I'm not sure where' you're getting the fact parts are hard to find or that they're expensive. $2500-$5000 seems to be the going rate depending on model, condition, accessories. Hell, they're cheap enough just buy two and have all the parts right there.

I've never owned one, but I drove a m1008 a bit. Wasn't fast or pretty, but it hauled wood just fine.

[rockriver]

don't forget to check with your insurance agent on these...
a few insurance companies used to insure them automatically on a farm or homeowner policy, BUT you had to properly answer some questions...
----
if your insurance company says "yes, it is covered under you home insurance.
confirm if they mean in case it burns up or in case you pull out in front of another vehicle and the 2 folks in the back are killed.
if you get any kind of YES, that is great. in a nice friendly manner,
tell the insurance person that you are trying to do a better job keeping up with your insurance and could they please mail or email you a letter stating that your mule is covered for liability claims with the same liability coverage as on your homeowner policy when you are off premises or on premises.

i think that very few companies will cover these vehicles for free any more.
therefore, make sure you buy liability insurance on your mule or atv or utv etc..
most folks could some how climb out of the financial disaster of a tree falling on their mule, or it burning to the ground, but most folks are looking at bankruptcy if they hurt/kill someone while you are uninsured.
if you do have a big amount of money in the machine, then do get "full coverage" which would mean liability and fire/theft/collision/comprehensive coverage.

brought to you by your local insurance agency gecko, flo, good hands, person!

[rockriver]

an associate was bragging on his club car golf cart.
it is gas and has a small kawasaki engine.

fuel econ is great... he reports..
this would have nowhere near the torque of the mule or mini truck
but he does use a small trailer behind it for firewood, gardening, etc..

i'm not a golfer, so i'm not familiar with this vehicle.. when he stops, even momentarily the engine cuts off. then restarts when the gas pedal is pressed.
this is probably part of the good efficiency. i talked with the dealer, and a salesman i knew had several stories of folks "never" doing maintenance on them and the machines just kept on running.