2017 Cub Cadet Challenger 550

I bought it brand new in 2017 for $10k. I've been using it on a horse farm for pasture clean up, Love the dump feature of the bed for easy manure drop. It handles great in the snow. Last winter, we used it to pull a pickup truck stuck in the snow, pull manure spreader. I've used it to drive around ... on the property just for fun. It's a very useful piece of equipment.

I bought this brand new in 2017 for the main purpose to trap out of.I couldnt justify spending 2 to 5 grand more for another brand machine with the same options. I took it to southern Arkansas in February of 2018 and put it thru a work out. It rain the whole time we were there. It went thru mud, ... water for 2 weeks, some over the floor and ran perfect and never got stuck. I did have a issue with the seat cracking and cub cadet stood behind it. The fuel gauge quit working now but that is it. It is also a little loud. I am very pleased with this machine. I would love to talk to a cub cadet engineer on how to make it better. I would recommend this to anybody.

I bought my Challenger brand new for right around $10,000.00 in 2017. I had looked at the Polaris Ranger and a couple of others. The Cub just had more included options at a lower price. I knew going in that I needed a farm/work machine that would generally see pretty light use. It hasn't been a perfect ... experience, but overall I have been quite satisfied.

Early issues: The shift lever was pretty wonky at first. You had to push quite hard on the brake pedal and insure the handbrake was completely disengaged before it would come out of park. I also performed the first oil change myself and the filter is next to impossible to remove. It is surrounded on all sides. Don't even attempt to use a strap style oil wrench. Invest in the 3 prong rotating wrench that gets tighter the harder you turn. You're welcome. It takes 2 quarts.

After the break in: Now the Cub goes into gear effortlessly. As a hunter I expect it to crank up in sub freezing temps and I have not been disappointed. I have to remove the windshield as it gets frosted over but that makes the ride quieter anyway. It handles logging roads well, it tows my 10' utility trailer well, carries deer in the dump bed well and the included winch has gotten me out of binds on more than one occasion. The Cub is loud in the passenger compartment but you get used to it pretty quickly. I keep it in "L" as instructed around the farm. If I ever go faster than about 25 I put it in "H". I've had it up to 38 mph. around the neighborhood. I have had it in deep understory, overgrown pastures, briars, mud it handled all without complaint. Not the most powerful engine but it does pretty good, not great, but OK. You are better off going around a log or moving it than you usually are going over it. I have been told the Polaris will churn any log into mulch, bag it and toss it in the bed for you.

I am quite happy with my purchase. I bought a cover from Amazon for it for $50.00. A cover is absolutely essential if you want to protect it. In Tennessee I can license it for road use I just haven't gotten around to it. If you are older like me and want a great running, reliable workhorse that is more than capable of some fun trail rides, the Cub is for you. It has tons of included features that others lack.