When you purchase a John Deere Gator, you’ll spend a good deal of money not only for the name but for something that you expect to last for a long time. You don’t drop that kind of dough on something that will be in a mechanic’s shop a week or two down the road, after all, so how long does a John Deere Gator last?
It isn’t easy to ascertain the longevity of a Gator because not everyone treats theirs the same way. According to John Deere’s warranty information, most Gators come with a 12-month, 1,000-hour warranty, while the Turf Gator, ProGator, and E-Gator come with a 24-month, 1,500-hour warranty.
Based on the warranty information for John Deere Gators, you should expect a minimum of 1,000 hours of longevity on any Gator you purchase.
However, if you don’t maintain your Gator, it may not last 1,000 hours. So, depending on what you’re doing with it daily, maintenance needs are critical in terms of how long it will last.
Gator Prices Versus Longevity
At a minimum, you will pay nearly $12,000 for the most basic and lowest tier Gator model in John Deere’s lineup, which is the HPX615E. So now, unless we are talking about the above-listed Gators that come with a 12-month warranty, you’re looking at 1,000 hours of use under warranty.
With 24 hours in a day, that means you can run a Gator non-stop for nearly 42 days before you exceed the operational timeframe of the warranty.
No one will run their Gator that much each day, so you can expand that time frame for quite a while.
With the ProGator, E-Gator, and Turf Gator, you get an additional 500 hours before the warranty lapses. Of course, the warranty has nothing to do with how long a John Deere lasts. However, John Deere is not in the business of losing money.
So, you can safely assume that your Gator will at least last beyond 1,000 hours because if they weren’t designed to last that long, you would never see that level of warranty from John Deere.
How to Make Sure Your Gator Really Lasts
Maintenance and preventative maintenance are the keys to longevity in your John Deere Gator. It doesn’t matter what the warranty is. If you don’t take care of your John Deere Gator, it’s not going to take care of you because it simply won’t last very long.
It’s no different than getting an oil change routinely for your vehicle. So why should things be any different for a Gator? John Deere manufactures Gators that are fueled by three different methods: Diesel, gasoline, and electric.
Regardless of which fuel powers the Gator, they all have similar warranties, so they’re meant to last 1,000 hours or more.
Maintaining a Gas-Powered John Deere Gator
Maintenance on any Gator should be set on a 50-hour schedule. That means for every 50 hours of active use that a Gator goes through, you should conduct a routine maintenance procedure that includes the following:
- Lubricate your drive line
- Check over your CV boots
- Check your parking brake
- Check your brake fluid level
- Change the engine oil
- Change the oil filter
- Grease your tailgate strikers
- Check the differential oil level on 4WD Gators
- Check your coolant and top it off if need be
- Check your transaxle oil level
That sounds like a lot, but you don’t have to do it all in one day. Once you hit your 50 hours, you can make it a point to do all of the above over the weekend, half Saturday and half Sunday.
Of course, you don’t have to do it precisely that way, but it’s perfectly fine to break it up however you like.
Fluid levels and changing the oil are the most important aspects of maintenance. Think of the Gator as you would something biological. It may be a machine, but the proper fluids are imperative to keep it going.
It needs fuel, lubrication, and coolants to maintain it optimally.
Maintaining an Electric John Deere Gator
Maintaining an electric John Deere Gator, such as the TE 4×2, is a bit different than diesel and gas Gators, but most of the concepts remain the same, and you should schedule maintenance every 50 hours.
- Grease the axle bearings with John Deere Grease TY6341
- Check your brake fluid levels
- Check your battery and all connections
- Check for corrosion
Outside of that, the most important thing you need to do with an electric Gator is to keep the moving parts greased appropriately. When it comes to electric Gators, the level of maintenance is significantly reduced.
However, you still want to check over all of your connections, components, and the battery itself every so often.
Maintaining a Diesel John Deere Gator
Almost all of the same maintenance procedures that you would conduct with a gasoline engine are the same here. The only difference is the fuel type, and in terms of maintaining your fluid levels, changing your oil, and greasing your axles, nothing much changes.
During the cold months, diesel is a little more finicky than its gasoline cousin. So when it gets cold outside, you should keep the diesel in your Gator fresh, or you should pour in an additive that will protect the diesel from gelling up during freezing weather.
You should also consider using an engine block heater to keep the engine in a warm enough shape for easy cranking in the mornings.
PowerGard Extended Warranty
Buying an extended warranty is a good idea if you want to get the max amount of use out of a John Deere Gator. The warranty covers 2, 3, 4, or 5 extra years starting from the end of the standard warranty that comes with the John Deere Gator when you purchase it.
No matter how well you take care of your John Deere Gator, there is always the potential that components will fail after a given amount of time. However, under warranty, it will be far less costly to get those components replaced and give your Gator a little more life.
If you’re staying on top of the maintenance every 50 hours of use, you may never have to use the warranty until you decide to get a new Gator. The fact is most Gator owners who routinely maintain their Gators are still using them well beyond the 1,000 hours covered under the original warranty.
However, the additional warranty coverage will help to minimize the cost of any major repairs and keep your John Deere Gator on the road longer. So, it’s up to you whether you think it’s worth the purchase, as it can get expensive when you increase the number of additional years.
Final Word
John Deere Gators are built to last, and you can expect a minimum of 1,000 hours out of any model you decide to purchase. However, it’s also important to realize that without proper maintenance, your Gator isn’t likely to last as long as it has the potential to last.
Related Article
- Is A John Deere Gator Considered An ATV?
- Why Does My John Deere Gator Backfire?
- Do John Deere Gators Have VIN Numbers?
- Can You Negotiate With John Deere Dealer?
- How Do You Start A John Deere Tractor In The Cold Weather?
- Can You Jumpstart A John Deere Gator?
- John Deere Gator Snow Plow Options
- Why Won’t My John Deere Gator Start?
- How Do You Charge A John Deere Gator?
- Can I Trade In My John Deere Mower?