08 vs 09 610 mule ,upgrades,differences ?

[unit5alive]

Hi guys I'm looking to buy a 08 or 09 610 mule , I read that there was a upgraded LR wheel well shield,on the 09, better at keeping the motor clean ? , any other changes between the 08 and the 09 model? , thanks in advance , Craig.

[unit5alive]

Are their any dealers on this board that might know ?

[unit5alive]

Anyone ?

[RCW]

Your best bet is to chat with your dealer. Near as I can tell there is no significant mechanical difference between the two. They also seem to be the same price.

[unit5alive]

My local dealer is very bad to deal with , wont even deal $1 on price , its their way or the highway , full boat retail ,plus $500 freight, over $8100 with tax for a 610 mule! , most other PA dealers are around $7350 out the door , found a Ohio dealer that has them for $6600,+95 dock fee and 12uuc fee, for a 09 model , but they don't have any in stock , Craig

[RCW]

If you have a farm or mining supply store in your area, go in and pick up a farm or mining oriented weekly newspaper. They generally have ads from the Kawasaki dealers that sell Mules to the farming and mining industry, and most of those guys are well versed in how to make a deal.

I would expect a price on a plain green or red one that is back of manufacturer's retail list by about $300-450, plus add in the UCC filing fee for your state, and then expect no set-up or prep charges. But, they are a hot seller right now and you may have to wait until after the fall hunting seasons to get a buy.

Around here the small hobby farmers and the hunters are buying the 610 in droves, so really good discounts are hard to find. The camo units are going at full bore list to the hunters, even though the green and red ones work just as well. There are a couple of dealers that are chunking in set-up fees, but they mostly sell sand maggots and crotch rockets then end up having a big sale a couple times a year to clear their Mule inventory where they charge the same as everyone else. Go figure!

[unit5alive]

Thanks RCW for the help , my wife wants the red one to use around the yard for gardening etc , I hope there as dependable as my Kubota backhoe has been ! , Craig.

[RCW]

You will find the Mule to be completely dependable. However, keep in mind that gasoline is not as good as it used to be and tends to go bad and begin to separate and form varnish in as little as two weeks. It is pretty much necessary to use a fuel stabilizer to keep the varnish from forming as you will burn so little that it will be months old before she ever finishes a tank.

[unit5alive]

Hey guys I found a left over 2007 in the camo , is $6500 plus tax a good price? , the same place told me $6800 plus tax on a red 2009

[ldand]

Hello,
For the $300.00 I would go with the 2 year newer one. The 2007 will freeze up the impulse fuel pump in really cold weather and someone told me they changed that in 09. I paid $6480 for my 2007 in Jan 08. I absolutely love mine, it is amazing what it will do and my wife really likes it around the yard and garden.

[unit5alive]

IDAND, I looked at the 07 in the crate,it looks great , it doesn't look like you would see scratches that would show on the others, the pump thing could be a fluke? or upgraded ,the impulse pump if I looked up the right part has 3 fuel hoses , is $23.00, not bad. I made an offer around 6k , I'll see if they will bite , another question does the 07/08 model start in gear ,or only neutral , thanks Craig.

[ldand]

Yes, it will start in gear with the brake applied.
Good luck!

[unit5alive]

Well I got the 07 mule in the camo , $6200.00+ tax and misc.fee's&plate,
came to $6767.30 out the door, had just enough time on lunch to pick it up and put it in the garage , I couldn't get it started, you have to push the brake pretty hard to get it to get the starter to kick ,it seems like a nice ride ! , Craig.

[unit5alive]

AS per the book I adjusted the brake switch for 10mm travel , now the brake lights work right , and it starts normal!, Craig.

[RCW]

I saw the fuel pump comment.

The issue with the fuel pump is water vapor freezing in the pulse line or in the oil separator that keeps engine oil from pulsing up the line to the pump. The pulse line is the line that connects directly to the engine, and you will see a large plastic container with an inlet and an outlet. If you use the machine in very cold temperatures and do not allow the engine to fully get hot or do not change the oil frequently enough, the water vapor from combustion condenses in engine and blows up to that plastic separator and freezes and plugs the pulse line.

All that is necessary to fix the problem, if it happens, is to use a hair dryer or bottle of hot water on the plastic separator and thaw it out. Or, just pop it off and tip out any water when you park it in very cold weather.

If you keep your oil serviced and allow the engine to fully warm up when you use it, it is doubtful you will ever have a problem. I had it happen once many years ago when I was using one to run about 100 yards twice a day in 30 below weather, and it never really warmed up and the condensation from the engine built up in the oil then puked white junk into the pulse line and it froze Not fun at the time because I had to pull the line and container off in a blizzard and then thaw it all out. I made sure I never had that problem again, I allowed the rig to run while I did my chores so it would get hot enough to evaporate the condensation from the engine oil. Also, if there is ever any white foam starting to form on the inside of the oil filler cap, I warm it up and change the oil.

[unit5alive]

Good info RCW , thank you !

[unit5alive]

Originally Posted by ldand

Hello,
For the $300.00 I would go with the 2 year newer one. The 2007 will freeze up the impulse fuel pump in really cold weather and someone told me they changed that in 09. I paid $6480 for my 2007 in Jan 08. I absolutely love mine, it is amazing what it will do and my wife really likes it around the yard and garden.

ldand ,I checked at the dealers parts counter, the same #49040-7001 fuel pump is used on the 2007 and the 2009 model year 610 mules, I'm not sure if that makes me feel better or worse , lol ,I think if I let it run more without shutting it off like RCW said ,it will be ok , Craig.