New side x side

[wbvs58]

After another look, I have to ask if the steering is a little awkward being on the other side in the mule. Like jumping in on the wrong side, Taking a turn too fast, etc.

I'm an old hand at your left hand drive vehicles. I did my army truck licence back in the early 70's in one of the old Studebaker 6x6 that you fellows left here after the war. I actually got a medal for being the top driver out of 25 others in that driver training course, I should wear it on Anzac Day.
All the sidexsides we have here are left hand drive, I believe we are a minority country when it comes to rt hand drive so I guess it is not worth their while doing a rt hand for our market when they are not going to be registered on the road. Yes, I do get mixed up though with getting in my vehicles especially when opening gates, sometimes I don't know whether I'm Arthur or Marthur.

Ken

 

[Travlr]

we do NOT trade them in at the dealer anymore because Kansas started taxing the trade as income.

Well THAT's a little crazy. They tax you when you buy it. Probably have some kind of yearly registration? And then they tax you on something you paid for as though you're making money by selling it used and depreciated??? And I'm sure they tax you on the vehicle you are trading it in on.

 

[Lucky]

What is that part he keeps?
Ken

I can't remeber but thinking it's the drive belt since I bought one once. Long story and it self induced failure.

 

[Lucky]

Pretty much every 2 years. And yes, essentially the same but his has a winch, mine has heated seats. He had a radio once. That was enough. Even with his hearing aids, he had it cranked so loud he couldn't hear me - and I have a lot to say. One year he got the doors/semi enclosed and I hated it! I'm in & out so much, it was a huge PITA, plus the dust that accumulated inside was epic. Fully enclosed with heat/air would be pointless for us (aforementioned in/out). And one year he got the Rancher Edition, which was a complete waste because our fences are pretty good and zero need to always carry around rolls of barbed wire, supplies, etc. Plus, it was red. Testosterone, much? And every 2 years because we need a write-off for taxes (especially starting this year when he has to start taking his RMD). BTW we do NOT trade them in at the dealer anymore because Kansas started taxing the trade as income.

Every couple years sounds reasonable, we've got friends that do the same. We've got a couple mules, a Ranger 1000 xp, and a Kubota with cab and air. We keep ours until they give a little trouble.

 

[Little Joe]

It is a Toyota Hilux they are very popular work vehicle here, little brother to the Landcruiser. Yep it is a snorkel. I only bought the truck last year. I bought it sight unseen from a major online auction house, I guess I outbid a dealer, they were mostly ex lease vehicles from big companies it is a 2018 model with 122,000km(75800 miles) and I think it came from a mining company or earth construction, has had upgraded suspension but everything in the front end is still tight, it has been well maintained, 4 cylinder common rail diesel turbo and intercooled with 6 speed automatic, 4x4, hi/low transfer case and rear diff lock. I love it though I don't drive on the highway any more because of my eyes. It is a very capable 4x4.

Ken

Nice, I hear a lot about the Hilux. I wish they were available here. You can't find just a good basic long lasting truck in the US anymore, they all have went to all the bells and whistles and unreliable which is why I still drive a 2002 Chevy. The Toyotas are probably one of the most reliable ones sold in the US today. What's the towing capability of that truck?

 

[cfpinz]

Pretty much every 2 years. And yes, essentially the same but his has a winch, mine has heated seats. He had a radio once. That was enough. Even with his hearing aids, he had it cranked so loud he couldn't hear me - and I have a lot to say. One year he got the doors/semi enclosed and I hated it! I'm in & out so much, it was a huge PITA, plus the dust that accumulated inside was epic. Fully enclosed with heat/air would be pointless for us (aforementioned in/out). And one year he got the Rancher Edition, which was a complete waste because our fences are pretty good and zero need to always carry around rolls of barbed wire, supplies, etc. Plus, it was red. Testosterone, much? And every 2 years because we need a write-off for taxes (especially starting this year when he has to start taking his RMD). BTW we do NOT trade them in at the dealer anymore because Kansas started taxing the trade as income.

I built a set of doors for ours out of some scrap I had laying around, steel frame and diamond plate aluminum skin - actually turned out really nice. They're a game changer in the winter, and more so when it's raining. Literally takes 30 seconds to take them on and off.

Never traded anything in at a dealer that was farm related, but when we sell an item (truck, tractor, farm equipment, etc) that was used as a deduction against farm income - it must be claimed as income. I assumed it was that way everywhere?

 

[TCRanch]

Well THAT's a little crazy. They tax you when you buy it. Probably have some kind of yearly registration? And then they tax you on something you paid for as though you're making money by selling it used and depreciated??? And I'm sure they tax you on the vehicle you are trading it in on.

No sales tax because it's farm exempt. But, for example, the ones we bought in Dec '21 were $38,770. Then, for the first time, we were charged a property tax of $845.49 that was due with the bi-annual real estate, oil & truck taxes. Mr. TC went down to the county appraisers office and, for a $100 registration fee, we could fill out form, requesting exemption, that would be sent to Topeka (state capitol) and they would decide whether we legit use them as "farm". But he's very persuasive and our county office decided to forgo the form (and fee) and noted that ours are strictly farm use in our permanent file. Evidently the state started charging a property tax because of all the "hobby farmers" that have 3 acres, maybe a horse, and buy Razors or some other so-called UTV but is generally for sport, and they were using farm exempt.

 

[TCRanch]

I built a set of doors for ours out of some scrap I had laying around, steel frame and diamond plate aluminum skin - actually turned out really nice. They're a game changer in the winter, and more so when it's raining. Literally takes 30 seconds to take them on and off.

Never traded anything in at a dealer that was farm related, but when we sell an item (truck, tractor, farm equipment, etc) that was used as a deduction against farm income - it must be claimed as income. I assumed it was that way everywhere?

Yes, but if it's private treaty, you have a little wiggle room on what you report.

 

[Lucky]

BTW we do NOT trade them in at the dealer anymore because Kansas started taxing the trade as income.

This got me thinking of the last new pickup we bought in 2019. We live in Tx but bought the truck in Oklahoma which can't collect Tx sales tax. When I went to the DMV to pay taxes and get it registered a lady that worked there came in from lunch and asked who bought the new feed truck, truck has a Deweze bed and feeder on it. I told her it ws mine and she said remember ladys there's no tax on feed trucks. I had just written a check for around $2,500 in taxes and they had to give it back. Well it's getting time to replace another truck we have and I keep looking at trucks with feeders and balebeds even though that's the last thing I need. We were also able to write the 2019 off on our taxes so that helped too.

 

[Travlr]

This got me thinking of the last new pickup we bought in 2019. We live in Tx but bought the truck in Oklahoma which can't collect Tx sales tax. When I went to the DMV to pay taxes and get it registered a lady that worked there came in from lunch and asked who bought the new feed truck, truck has a Deweze bed and feeder on it. I told her it ws mine and she said remember ladys there's no tax on feed trucks. I had just written a check for around $2,500 in taxes and they had to give it back. Well it's getting time to replace another truck we have and I keep looking at trucks with feeders and balebeds even though that's the last thing I need. We were also able to write the 2019 off on our taxes so that helped too.

If it would get me out of a $2500 tax I'd be keeping an old feeder bed around and replace the original when I went down to register the truck... and then swap it back if I needed the original bed.

 

[Brute 23]

This got me thinking of the last new pickup we bought in 2019. We live in Tx but bought the truck in Oklahoma which can't collect Tx sales tax. When I went to the DMV to pay taxes and get it registered a lady that worked there came in from lunch and asked who bought the new feed truck, truck has a Deweze bed and feeder on it. I told her it ws mine and she said remember ladys there's no tax on feed trucks. I had just written a check for around $2,500 in taxes and they had to give it back. Well it's getting time to replace another truck we have and I keep looking at trucks with feeders and balebeds even though that's the last thing I need. We were also able to write the 2019 off on our taxes so that helped too.

Did they consider it a farm truck? Farm plates?

 

[cfpinz]

This got me thinking of the last new pickup we bought in 2019. We live in Tx but bought the truck in Oklahoma which can't collect Tx sales tax. When I went to the DMV to pay taxes and get it registered a lady that worked there came in from lunch and asked who bought the new feed truck, truck has a Deweze bed and feeder on it. I told her it ws mine and she said remember ladys there's no tax on feed trucks. I had just written a check for around $2,500 in taxes and they had to give it back. Well it's getting time to replace another truck we have and I keep looking at trucks with feeders and balebeds even though that's the last thing I need. We were also able to write the 2019 off on our taxes so that helped too.

We have to pay tax on the truck chassis at titling here in Va. Therefor, whenever we buy a new/used truck with a flatbed or any other type of aftermarket beds, I write a check for the truck and another for the bed. Also write out two Bill of Sales and only pay the 4.15% title tax on the chassis.

 

[Lucky]

@Brute 23 Yes. I was getting farm tags for it when the lady walked in. Guess the other ladies didn't know.

 

[Lucky]

We have to pay tax on the truck chassis at titling here in Va. Therefor, whenever we buy a new/used truck with a flatbed or any other type of aftermarket beds, I write a check for the truck and another for the bed. Also write out two Bill of Sales and only pay the 4.15% title tax on the chassis.

I bought the truck set up like it is now...bale bed, feeder, front bumper, and tinted windows. The dealership is a Deweze and Ranch Hand dealer. I can't remember how our tax person wrote the truck off, but the dealer did give me separate reciepts for the chasis and the equipment.

 

[Lucky]

If it would get me out of a $2500 tax I'd be keeping an old feeder bed around and replace the original when I went down to register the truck... and then swap it back if I needed the original bed.

Could be that any time you buy a truck and register it with farm tags you aren't supposed to pay any taxes. It'd be worth looking into. Then again I might have gotten away with something I shouldn't have.

 

[wbvs58]

Nice, I hear a lot about the Hilux. I wish they were available here. You can't find just a good basic long lasting truck in the US anymore, they all have went to all the bells and whistles and unreliable which is why I still drive a 2002 Chevy. The Toyotas are probably one of the most reliable ones sold in the US today. What's the towing capability of that truck?

Mine is 3 tonne I think, most of this type are 3.5 tonne, mine being just the single cab is a bit lighter in the body so is a bit less, I only tow a small trailer with mine. This style of vehicle is used a lot to tow horse floats and caravans which they do fairly comfortably however the gross combined weight has to be watched carefully as when people are travelling they tend to load up a bit. The Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Triton have been known to break their backs with the pitching on some outback roads.
Ken

 

[Travlr]

Mine is 3 tonne I think, most of this type are 3.5 tonne, mine being just the single cab is a bit lighter in the body so is a bit less, I only tow a small trailer with mine. This style of vehicle is used a lot to tow horse floats and caravans which they do fairly comfortably however the gross combined weight has to be watched carefully as when people are travelling they tend to load up a bit. The Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi Triton have been known to break their backs with the pitching on some outback roads.
Ken

You must rate your vehicles differently down there... or gravity isn't as strong.

Up here a 1/2 ton truck is the lightest commonly available truck and a one ton is the heavier work horse. A half ton will usually pull five thousand pounds easily enough and the one ton will tow twice that... and more if the truck is a diesel.

 

[wbvs58]

You must rate your vehicles differently down there... or gravity isn't as strong.

Up here a 1/2 ton truck is the lightest commonly available truck and a one ton is the heavier work horse. A half ton will usually pull five thousand pounds easily enough and the one ton will tow twice that... and more if the truck is a diesel.

This is what the manufactures certify them at and what the Dept of Transport accept as being the legal capacity and of course insurance companies accept as being legal. The manufacturers tend to be fairly conservative especially Toyota as they have to honour the warranties. A couple of your big manufacturers are represented in this class of vehicle here being Ford with the Ranger and GM with the Holden Colorado. We have a Colorado dual cab 2.8 litre Diesel 6 speed auto that Pam drives and I used to tow a 22' caravan with a loaded weight of 2.4 tonne with it and it towed it very comfortably and not just flat country.

Ken

 

[Caustic Burno]

I went to Toowoomba last week for a doctors appointment, turned out to be an expensive appointment as I went browsing at side x sides. I placed an order for a Kawasaki Mule, I'll pick it up on the 13th April when I go back for another appointment.
I have had a bit of interest in a new one for a while now as the conditions in my scrub block have just destroyed my current UTV, the floor is destroyed by sticks coming through and is very dangerous, rear CV drive shafts have been destroyed from tight turning and not having a true differential on the rear, radiator and oil cooler are vulnerable mud gets in everywhere and plants start growing, engine accessability is difficult without removing a lot of plastic. I decided to go for simplicity and toughness and the very basic 4x4 Mule fits the bill for me, it has flat steel floor pan, simple 400cc air cooled motor, true rear differential with straight through axles, mechanical operated diff locks front and rear and great access to the motor plus a great reputation for toughness. The only negative I found with it is that it has a carburetor not fuel injected but they assured me they were a trouble free engine, I think I can live with that.

Ken

I owned two great vehicles.
Rat shorted the wiring on my last one burnt up everything electrical on the vehicle.
The fuse system sucks on the Mule.
I spent thousands repairing it to sell to recoup cost.