Have owned one for over six years now. Would buy another in a heartbeat.
They are NOT fast, they ARE heavy. Lots of torque. Ground clearance is not very high, but then I'm not rock climbing in mine. Approach & departure angles are great.
They ride a bit better than the Mule and will certainly tow and/or haul most everything I need to around our ranch. I have filled the bed with oak firewood and towed an 8' trailer full of firewood without a problem at the same time.
Having external hydraulic connections is also a plus if you want to run a log-splitter or other hydraulic device.
Service IS expensive, but you can do it yourself and save money.
The Service Manager at the dealership I got mine from told me that the hydraulic fluid and filter doesn't need to be changed everytime you change the engine oil, so that can save money right there.
They sip fuel and we have never had an issue with cold starting.
I just saw your post about the shifting. I also have some pretty steep spots on our place and have had NO issues with shifting. I have had to use the differential lock a couple of times to crawl out of mud holes at a steep angle of attack, but nothing that got me concerned or made me go get my L5030!
Hope it helps!
Ed
