Home Forums Gear Horses and ATV's Polaris Ace or other ATV's, and experience?

I need to invest in an ATV this year - intended for use in the Hill Country, also in West Texas. The Polaris Ace is interesting. Still fits in a full size pickup bed, but you sit in it, not on it like a regular ATV. More comfort and you are surrounded by a roll cage. Some downsides are, I'm uncertain about Polaris quality, and it's somewhat longer than an ATV.

The biggest downside of course, is they cost more than a street legal Jeep But the Jeep would have to be trailered where I'm going, and an Ace/ATV will go places that a Jeep can't fit.

I looked at the Honda Pioneer 500, and the Arctic Cat Wildcat Trail. The larger UTV's need a trailer to go anywhere, and like I say, cost as much as a street legal CJ5

Experience to share?

I test drove one of the new Ace models the other day at Hoffpauir's Polaris dealer over in Goldwaite, TX.
They have a huge track that you can drive on and put any of their Polaris ATV's through their paces. They also have the best prices of any other Polaris Dealer in TX. We buy all our Rangers from them for the hill country Ranch I manage. http://www.hpolaris.com

I was impressed with the Ace I test drove. The seat and steering wheel were much easier than a regular 4-wheeler on my old and decrepit bad back. Also like the fact that they have a roof and a roll cage. I'll probably end up buying one for the Ranch for getting around the Ranch for the places I can't get to in the Ranger.

Haven't tried an Ace, but had a '96 and still have a 2003 and a 2009 Polaris ATV. They've all been good machines. Routine maintenance only on the '96 and 2009. Two unscheduled repairs on the 2003 in 12 yrs. Was able to drive/limp home both times on own power.
Standby, Polaris haters will show up soon to provide alternate opinions.
In the big picture, I really think the quality of/your comfort level with your dealer is more important than any real differences between the major brands.

Yes, the Polaris haters will show up because they got irriitated with $600 repair bills.

Owned a Sportsman 800 for nearly 10 years and never had a problem with it. Two buddies bought the same machine at the same time, the only problem was a bad fuel pump (after 8 years).

The Ace is interesting, but I wonder if it has more legroom than the RZR I checked out (and rejected).