Lambing over 100 ewes annually, Mary Maloney farms on the hills overlooking the village of Tourmakeady in Co Mayo.
In 2015, she and her father Anthony switched to a used John Deere RSX850i Gator having used quads for the previous 25 years.
“As my father got older, he felt the switch from an ATV to a UTV would make life on the farm safer and easier.
The change in vehicle meant we could carry passengers safely, herd the sheep without being exposed to the elements and have an increased cargo carrying capacity.”
Mary Maloney farms in Mayo with her father, Anthony.
Last year, Mary felt it was the right time to upgrade to a new vehicle. After looking at John Deere, Kubota and Polaris, Mary opted to go for the latter, with the decision largely based on price.
“The Polaris has performed very well for me. I work on nearly all tricky terrain, and one issue I had with the Gator was its limited ground clearance.
“This isn’t an issue with the Polaris, which is higher off the ground. It’s very well put together, yet it’s still not too heavy on the ground.
“I’d describe its visibility and comfort as being on par with the John Deere.
“I have it now for over a year and it hasn’t given me any trouble to date,” explained Mary.
Engine and transmission
The Polaris Ranger UTV is powered by an 898cc Kubota three-cylinder diesel engine, churning out a comfortable 24hp.
Mary noted the fuel economy of the machine: “Our previous John Deere Gator was a petrol-powered machine.
“When it had to be filled with fuel, it meant a trip to the local village in the car, transporting the petrol in jerry cans, which was dangerous.
A folding cover was fitted to the rear cargo box to help keep equipment dry.
“Now we use agricultural diesel, which means our fuel costs have been halved and it’s much handier.
“It is fitted with a 43.5l fuel tank and is generally filled once every two weeks.”
The machine is equipped with a two-speed CVT transmission, while it has a rated top speed of 65km/h.
Winch repositioning
Mary purchased the Ranger from JF Hanley in Roscommon and requested that the winch would be repositioned from the front of the machine to the top of the cab at the rear.
Mary requested the winch to be repositioned to the top of the cab at the rear, so she could load items such as mineral buckets without straining her back.
This was so she could load items such as mineral buckets and square bales of hay by tying them to the winch and levering them up to the cargo box without straining her back.
The winch is controlled by an external handheld switch.
The winch is controlled by an external handheld switch.
Mary also got a folding cover fitted for the rear cargo box, something she said is a gift for keeping equipment dry. The cargo box has a carrying capacity of 435kg.
Cab
“The cab layout and controls are very straightforward and easy to use. There’s also great room in the cab.
Mary said that the cab layout and controls are very straightforward and easy to use.
“One thing I like about the Polaris which wasn’t an option in my previous John Deere was the folding passenger seat.
“It neatly folds up and means I can comfortably fit a ewe in the cabin, and put the lambs in the cargo box. It saves pulling a trailer when it’s not necessary,” said Mary.
Mary pointed out that there’s great room in the cab and the folding passenger seat is a great job.
The doors in the Polaris are hinged from the rear cab pillar, opening from the opposite direction to a traditional car door. Mary said this isn’t a problem, but the doors don’t have any restriction strap, which means it can be dangerous in windy conditions, with the doors liable to fly when opening.
She said: “The only other issue I have is that the in-cab heater isn’t as good as I’d like. I had the option to order a better one when buying the machine but I decided to stick with the standard version.”
“I’m absolutely thrilled with the Polaris Ranger. The final decision to opt for the Polaris over the John Deere was based on price, but it’s a decision I haven’t regretted yet anyways. 
“I use the machine everyday of the year. I wouldn’t part with it for anything, I’d let you have my Toyota Rav 4 before I’d give you the Polaris,” laughed Mary.
“I use the UTV for general everyday work such as herding, transporting sheep, drawing feed, pulling the flail mower, fencing and spreading fertiliser.
“It’s the equivalent of my tractor, and it’s well able for all this work. With the exception of the lack of strap on the door and the poor cab heater, I couldn’t fault the machine.
“It’s very sturdy, comfortable and practical. I’d have no problem in buying one again,” she said.
Engine: 898cc, Kubota three-cylinder diesel engine.
Transmission: two-speed CVT transmission.
Top speed: 65km/h.
Weight: 766kg.
Towing capacity: 1,134kg.
Cargo box capacity: 435kg.
Ground Clearance: 33cm (on 27in tyres).
Fuel tank: 43.5 litres.
Starting price: €22,500 plus VAT.
Lambing over 100 ewes annually, Mary Maloney farms on the hills overlooking the village of Tourmakeady in Co Mayo.
In 2015, she and her father Anthony switched to a used John Deere RSX850i Gator having used quads for the previous 25 years.
“As my father got older, he felt the switch from an ATV to a UTV would make life on the farm safer and easier.
The change in vehicle meant we could carry passengers safely, herd the sheep without being exposed to the elements and have an increased cargo carrying capacity.”
Mary Maloney farms in Mayo with her father, Anthony.
Last year, Mary felt it was the right time to upgrade to a new vehicle. After looking at John Deere, Kubota and Polaris, Mary opted to go for the latter, with the decision largely based on price.
“The Polaris has performed very well for me. I work on nearly all tricky terrain, and one issue I had with the Gator was its limited ground clearance.
“This isn’t an issue with the Polaris, which is higher off the ground. It’s very well put together, yet it’s still not too heavy on the ground.
“I’d describe its visibility and comfort as being on par with the John Deere.
“I have it now for over a year and it hasn’t given me any trouble to date,” explained Mary.
Engine and transmission
The Polaris Ranger UTV is powered by an 898cc Kubota three-cylinder diesel engine, churning out a comfortable 24hp.
Mary noted the fuel economy of the machine: “Our previous John Deere Gator was a petrol-powered machine.
“When it had to be filled with fuel, it meant a trip to the local village in the car, transporting the petrol in jerry cans, which was dangerous.
A folding cover was fitted to the rear cargo box to help keep equipment dry.
“Now we use agricultural diesel, which means our fuel costs have been halved and it’s much handier.
“It is fitted with a 43.5l fuel tank and is generally filled once every two weeks.”
The machine is equipped with a two-speed CVT transmission, while it has a rated top speed of 65km/h.
Winch repositioning
Mary purchased the Ranger from JF Hanley in Roscommon and requested that the winch would be repositioned from the front of the machine to the top of the cab at the rear.
Mary requested the winch to be repositioned to the top of the cab at the rear, so she could load items such as mineral buckets without straining her back.
This was so she could load items such as mineral buckets and square bales of hay by tying them to the winch and levering them up to the cargo box without straining her back.
The winch is controlled by an external handheld switch.
The winch is controlled by an external handheld switch.
Mary also got a folding cover fitted for the rear cargo box, something she said is a gift for keeping equipment dry. The cargo box has a carrying capacity of 435kg.
Cab
“The cab layout and controls are very straightforward and easy to use. There’s also great room in the cab.
Mary said that the cab layout and controls are very straightforward and easy to use.
“One thing I like about the Polaris which wasn’t an option in my previous John Deere was the folding passenger seat.
“It neatly folds up and means I can comfortably fit a ewe in the cabin, and put the lambs in the cargo box. It saves pulling a trailer when it’s not necessary,” said Mary.
Mary pointed out that there’s great room in the cab and the folding passenger seat is a great job.
The doors in the Polaris are hinged from the rear cab pillar, opening from the opposite direction to a traditional car door. Mary said this isn’t a problem, but the doors don’t have any restriction strap, which means it can be dangerous in windy conditions, with the doors liable to fly when opening.
She said: “The only other issue I have is that the in-cab heater isn’t as good as I’d like. I had the option to order a better one when buying the machine but I decided to stick with the standard version.”
“I’m absolutely thrilled with the Polaris Ranger. The final decision to opt for the Polaris over the John Deere was based on price, but it’s a decision I haven’t regretted yet anyways.
“I use the machine everyday of the year. I wouldn’t part with it for anything, I’d let you have my Toyota Rav 4 before I’d give you the Polaris,” laughed Mary.
“I use the UTV for general everyday work such as herding, transporting sheep, drawing feed, pulling the flail mower, fencing and spreading fertiliser.
“It’s the equivalent of my tractor, and it’s well able for all this work. With the exception of the lack of strap on the door and the poor cab heater, I couldn’t fault the machine.
“It’s very sturdy, comfortable and practical. I’d have no problem in buying one again,” she said.
Engine: 898cc, Kubota three-cylinder diesel engine.
Transmission: two-speed CVT transmission.
Top speed: 65km/h.
Weight: 766kg.
Towing capacity: 1,134kg.
Cargo box capacity: 435kg.
Ground Clearance: 33cm (on 27in tyres).
Fuel tank: 43.5 litres.
Starting price: €22,500 plus VAT.
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