# Don't buy a kawasaki mule!!!



## hemiweasel (Nov 13, 2008)

Just a warning guys and gals, DO NOT buy a Kawaski Mule!!! I bought a brand new '08 mule 3010 (4 seater), and the dealer / owner of Millennium Cycle works in Stone Mountain, told me that with the "snorkel intake" system I could go thru water up to the seats. Well I took it down to Rocky Creek atv area and 30 mins. into our ride we got stuck. the engine died where the intake system failed at the floorboards and left us stuck for 2 hours in the heat of early sept.!! The fine staff there pulled us out once they found us. they checked it out and found the oil had water in it. We pulled it back and I drained and cleaned the system. Now the unit won't idle, and is much louder than what it was. It only had 3.5 hours on it!!! The dealer says the motor is knocking, maybe a bent valve, and Kawasaki WON"T fix it. Kawaski told me that they won't do anything becase they did'nt advertise anything and that the book only states up to the axles. What's the point of a snorkel system I asked? Kawaski told me that people should not assume anything, and that the dealer should not be telling people it could be submerged. So I am warning my fellow Gon'ers, Do NOT by a mule!!! In fact, I would not ever buy another Kawasaki prduct ever again!!! Oh, and it had a bad squeak in the steering from the day I drove it off the trailer, when I asked the dealer about fixing this at least, they told me they would have to tear down into it and see what it was, and they did'nt know if the warantee would cover that either!! Nice, huh??


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## hemiweasel (Nov 13, 2008)

you can see the video of the mudhole that the mule could'nt handle on youtube.com.
 Search mudding 3.5 and look for the one posted by whellerbby


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## ALLBEEF (Nov 13, 2008)

I'm not putting you down - but why in the world would you buy a $10K machine and carry it straight to a mud hole to "see what it could take". Sounds to me like you brought that on yourself. IMO


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## QTurn (Nov 13, 2008)

ALLBEEF said:


> I'm not putting you down - but why in the world would you buy a $10K machine and carry it straight to a mud hole to "see what it could take". Sounds to me like you brought that on yourself. IMO



I agree.....


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## Redbow (Nov 13, 2008)

We used to have one at work, it took a lot of abuse and kept on running! 

We never took the thing thru a deep mud hole though!


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## flattop (Nov 13, 2008)

ALLBEEF said:


> I'm not putting you down - but why in the world would you buy a $10K machine and carry it straight to a mud hole to "see what it could take". Sounds to me like you brought that on yourself. IMO


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## germag (Nov 13, 2008)

A Kawasaki Mule is a type of ATV. That means All Terrian Vehicle. All terrain means all types of LAND...terrain (Terra) is LAND. Water is not terrain. Kawasaki makes a vehicle for the purpose you attempted to use your Mule for....it is called a Jet-Ski. Your Mule is not a watercraft. If Kawasaki had intended for it to be used as such, it would have come from the factory equipped with a snorkel and instructions for such use would be included in the owner's manual. You have no complaint against Kawasaki.


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## BPR (Nov 13, 2008)

ALLBEEF said:


> I'm not putting you down - but why in the world would you buy a $10K machine and carry it straight to a mud hole to "see what it could take". Sounds to me like you brought that on yourself. IMO



Yeah, can someone change the title of the thread to 

"Do not submerge a brand new kawasaki mule up the seat."


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## fountain (Nov 13, 2008)

first of all nothing comes with a "snorkel system".  you can call it that if you want, but if it isnt ran up and above all the other components, then it will not keep it all dry.  think about it---you are sitting on the seat and everything that operates is UNDERNEATH you. 

i have had several 4 wheelers --including 2 kawi's and have had all of them in water 4-5 feet at times and never a problem with any and none were snorkled.  we had a mule on our place for several years and never had any problems with it taking on water.  it was ran in the swamp where the river would flood qiute a bit.  now we never tried to see just how deep it would go but it was running through the floor boards several time while ridig the roads getting hunting stuff out when the river flooded


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## Swede (Nov 13, 2008)

You gonna take this beating weasel?


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## fountain (Nov 13, 2008)

he might as well....he did it to the mule.  that is just to be expected.


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## Swede (Nov 13, 2008)

fountain said:


> he might as well....he did it to the mule.  that is just to be expected.



I guess a fella with more money than sense deserves it


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## fountain (Nov 13, 2008)

that is usuall y how it happens.  trust me i know.  stuff like that costs too much now to play too much.  warranty also is useless, cause it is usually the owner's fault


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## Greene728 (Nov 13, 2008)

ALLBEEF said:


> I'm not putting you down - but why in the world would you buy a $10K machine and carry it straight to a mud hole to "see what it could take". Sounds to me like you brought that on yourself. IMO




Im agree completely! I had a mule 610 and miss it everyday cause it was a very good machine. Also know people who have had several and never heard any serious complaints. Maybe a jet ski or small boat would have been a better purchase for you.


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## dawg2 (Nov 13, 2008)

hemiweasel screwed up


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## dgr416 (Nov 13, 2008)

*dont buy a mule*

I hunted out of a 8 wheel argo in Alaska this fall.It kicked butt.I like a a zillion times etter than a 4 wheeler.A friend of mine bought a mule and the front end broke.It wouldnt cross a small creek and bogged on a smasll hill.The argo went up a mountain I was afraid to go up in a 4 wheeler.It floats and goes anywhere.


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## fountain (Nov 13, 2008)

get in some ruts with the argo!  the are like only 6" off the ground.  had that too!  they are awesome for crossing water and hard roads, but the slightest rut will hang it and if you can work it good, you can get off, or if you can put 1 side in the ruts you are good.  they are loud though


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## centerc (Nov 13, 2008)

it should have not broke just cause it got wet  Should have got a Rhino mules seem like they use lawnmower motors


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## germag (Nov 13, 2008)

centerc said:


> it should have not broke just cause it got wet  Should have got a Rhino mules seem like they use lawnmower motors




It didn't "break" just because it got wet. It "broke" because it got submarined. I don't care who makes it.... if it gets water in the crankcase or aspirates water into the combustion chamber, it's gonna "break".


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## tuffdawg (Nov 13, 2008)

What brand are you going to go out and buy tomorrow?


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## JustUs4All (Nov 13, 2008)

Need to change the vehicle description to 




Some Terrain Vehicle


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## LJay (Nov 13, 2008)

Good grief guys. It was only up to the floorboards. It should have went through that without a snorkel. Something was wrong with that vehicle.


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## hemiweasel (Nov 14, 2008)

Thanks LJay, in my defense, if you did'nt see the video, please don't judge. It was NOT submerged. Nor was it up to the seats. As I stated, the owner of the shop told me on the walkthrough " you can go into water up to the bench". And I traded in a Kawaski jetski on it, FYI, it ran fine, but I could'nt afford the gas it sucked down. I am not looking for pity in posting this, I was only  trying to warn others in a "buyer beware" posting. Being that neither Kawaski nor the dealer wants to stand behind their sub-par performing utv.


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## shaggybill (Nov 14, 2008)

Don't mind them, hemiweasel. I doubt any of them even watched the video. That mule should have been able to handle a puddle that barely covered half the wheel. Getting stuck might have been expected, but not killing the engine.


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## fd123 (Nov 14, 2008)

hate to hear that brother weasel!!
Best of luck 2  ya!!


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## georgia357 (Nov 14, 2008)

It sounds to me like the air intake sucked in water, maybe through a leak.  My guess would be the pre-pickup service might not have caught something.  I have a diesel Mule and would not have been worried about taking it through the mud puddle you was in, at least before seeing your video.


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## Branchminnow (Nov 14, 2008)

LJay said:


> Good grief guys. It was only up to the floorboards. It should have went through that without a snorkel. Something was wrong with that vehicle.



Im with you ljay.....if a machine wont go through a creek, over the tires or not then I would not own one.....and FYI I had one of the original mules one of the first ones that came out I went through creeks any number of times when water was in the floorbaords never had a problem .....at all. hte newer ones must not be as well made, one more thing I had a JD HPX gator 4x4 that would go through water nearly up to the seats.


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## PWalls (Nov 14, 2008)

Branchminnow said:


> one more thing I had a JD HPX gator 4x4 that would go through water nearly up to the seats.



Just not through sweet gum trees.


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## dgr416 (Nov 14, 2008)

*Dont buy a kawasaki mule!*

I grew up in Ga using a CJ5 willis jeep its tougher than any 4 wheeler made.I did like the argo in Alaska.You dont see many golf cart 4 wheelers in the mountains they flip easy .The argo crawled right up the mountain.You just cant get it sideways.I still think the old jeeps beat the new 4x4 side by sides hands down.We had a tow bar on ours.It would pull a full size plow and with the steel top could ride up to 6 people.It kills me how lazy people are getting if they cant ride up to their stand they wont hunt.In Alaska I have friends that ride out 150 miles of 4 wheelers.The argo with a steel top reminded me of our old jeep.


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## fishbait (Nov 15, 2008)

Dude after reviewing the vid. Looks to me that machine was run hard for 3.5 hours. 2 many things could have went wrong. you state the motor now knocks; but fail to say if it smokes or not,did it lose coolant? Then the final straw and death wish was when you jump in it after its pulled from the hole an try to start it. First major rule of bogging or mudding is to never try and start a flooded or submerged engine until checking it first for water!!!     Sorry but not Kawaskis fault for owner abuse.


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## hemiweasel (Nov 15, 2008)

Fishbait, How you can judge that it was "ran hard for 3.5 hours" is pretty amazing. I was with my wife and 2 of my daughters on it the entire time. I was riding an area I've never been in before, so I was not by any means riding it hard. No, the engine does not smoke. It does'nt want to idle well, and it just sounds louder almost as if the mulfler cracked an internal baffell.  A mule is by no means a "speed demon", but as far as power it feels about the same as it was for the first 3.5 hours. Thanks for the info on the rule of mudding. It was checked, after the video was cut off. As I stated in my first post, it was then pulled back to the trailer. I have had other atvs in the past, and I enjoy just riding trails, mud bogging just does'nt appeal to me, but when the trail takes you thrugh one, you try to navigate as best as you can. But when the engine dies, what can you do?


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## BirdDawg (Nov 15, 2008)

Good luck with it weasel. Sorry to hear Kawasaki is giving ya hard time.


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## watashot89 (Nov 15, 2008)

polaris ranger is where its at!


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## fishbait (Nov 15, 2008)

Sorry if you took my info wrongway my bad.  On the info u supplied I would check the muffler mounts; thier bad about breaking so are heatshield. Also does it rattle all the time at all speeds or just when engine idles or when powering down?  Just trying to help.


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## hemiweasel (Nov 15, 2008)

Thanks fishbait, just a little rattled about it. It does'nt rattle, it just sounds like a bad muffler, louder of course when going, Iwas thinking it might have cracked when it shut off and was hot in the water. It always was hard to idle when cold, in fact the dealer told me "they are very cold natured", but now it hardly ever stays idling. The service dept. told me the carbs. where needing cleaning. I can do that myself, but I'll have to figure out the rest.


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## merc123 (Nov 15, 2008)

I didn't watch the vid, nor am I going to pass judgement because I'd have probably done the same thing you did... 

Does it miss?  Could have got the distributor system wet and it's causing a miss and rough idle...just an idea.  Not sure how those engines work...


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## Throwback (Nov 16, 2008)

You REALLY need to add "I'M MAD" at the beginning of the thread title, in keeping with GON tradition. 

Oh, and I wish I had $10,000.00 to throw in a mudhole to see if it worked. 


T


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## CAL (Nov 16, 2008)

i have had a 3010 Mule that performed flawlessly the whole time I had it.Traded it for a Kabuto because it road so rough!Me,I never put any of my equiptment in water as I learned long ago that it is detrimental to the workings of anything.Just my philosiphy,don't expect anyone to agree and don't expect anyone to help pay the bills either!

My children received a new 4-wheeler for Christmas several years ago.Tried to tell them to keep it out of the water!!!!They rode it in water anyway.In 2 weeks cost $265.00 to replace the rear bearings and the brakes.Sooner or later the water will win in anything except a boat!


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## one_shot (Nov 16, 2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8dBfFYdhqA


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## GA DAWG (Nov 16, 2008)

How much you take for this lemon??


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## fountain (Nov 16, 2008)

well the video does sum it up, and you had your skill level listed.  may want to check into a lift and some 26" mud lites if you plan to ride like that a lot.  just remember that everything is low on it with the 22" stock tires--putting it in all the water/mud and dirt.


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## hemiweasel (Nov 17, 2008)

[QUOTEJust my philosiphy,don't expect anyone to agree and don't expect anyone to help pay the bills either!

 That's some nice philosiphin', here's another I like. "If I tell you 'that dog 'll hunt', you expect it to. If it don't, I'll do my best to fix it to keep my word good. A man's word is only as good as his actions.
     The difference between your situation and mine is, you TOLD your kids not to ride in the water, and I was TOLD I could.


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## Branchminnow (Nov 17, 2008)

PWalls said:


> Just not through sweet gum trees.


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## westcobbdog (Nov 17, 2008)

hemi chalk this up as a life lesson and go find you a mechanic to get that thing running again. You could try to drag the owner into small claims court but could also easily lose the case. Better read your materials and manuals closely before attempting a small claim.


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## JustUs4All (Nov 17, 2008)

Hemiweasel, your point is well taken.  I may not have put that thing where you did, but the dealer told you it would go there.  Either the dealer, the manufacturer, both should stand behind this.  

That said, I still believe my first post:  It should be reclassified as a some terrain vehicle.


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## discounthunter (Nov 17, 2008)

first mules arent really known as muddin machine especially 4-door platforms

second the guy in the blue t-shirt screwed the engine by starting a water drowned motor he sucted it down into the inurds(ask merc 123 about water -vs-motor)


 third those guys that pulled you out scare me as to how unsafe that whole situation was.


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## merc123 (Nov 17, 2008)

discounthunter said:


> first mules arent really known as muddin machine especially 4-door platforms
> 
> second the guy in the blue t-shirt screwed the engine by starting a water drowned motor he sucted it down into the inurds(ask merc 123 about water -vs-motor)
> 
> ...


 
Leave me outta this!   It wasn't water, it was a dropped valve....which caused the water to come into it


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## Branchminnow (Nov 18, 2008)

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I just learned how to embed!


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## hemiweasel (Nov 18, 2008)

yeah, I know they ain't gonna stand behind their claims, but like I said, buyer beware. They'll ell you anything to sell a unit. Discounthunter, it was even scarier to watch them in person!!! I'm with you all the wat on the safety issue!! But the staff at Rocky Creek atv park are  great folks. Maybe I'll drop a Hemi in it!!! Seein' how I got "more money than sense"!!!


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## firewalker (Nov 19, 2008)

Man, everyone knows everything about safety and Mule stuckery.  

First thing Mr. Weasel, if your going to get your Mule stuck there should be some budlight cans laying around the scene.  

I know your sick about it.  Especially since it was new.  I bent an A arm on my XUV Gator when I first got it and it made me sick.  Just a hidden rut in the middle of a field, a little speed,  with a lot of wieght in the vehicle was enough to bend it.  

I wanted to sell it after I took it to a dealer and left it for two weeks.  They said I bent the frame and would need to buy one or take it to a frame shop and try and square it.  Turns out they were idiots and don't know crap about working on what they sell.  I got it back home and took the front end apart and measured everything myself.   It just needed a 96.00 dollar A arm which I ordered from another dealer.  Now shes right as rain.  

A dealer like the one you had can make or break a brands reputation.  I've been through the same crap with tractors.  Sometimes stuff happens and when you seek assistance you want it to be a least as knowledgeable as you are.  

Go over it yourself and if needed take it to another Kawasaki dealer.  Resale stinks so go ahead and get it right so you can enjoy it.  If not, I'll trade you a range rover for it.


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## hemiweasel (Nov 20, 2008)

I hear ya Firewalker!! i'll fix it myself, that's fer shure! As far as another dealer... they've already contacted Kawasuki, so the ID number's already in the system. Of course the owner who gave me the false info to make the sell, has'nt been around to talk to. But I'm not wasting my time.


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