Pioneer 500 or Pioneer 700 base?

[Bcraig]

I was thinking about which one would be the most reliable trouble free Machine.
I will be buying new for a machine to use on the Farm to use in a lot of Gumbo fields and in flooded rice fields .

Although there is a locker available for the 500 it comes standard for the 700.

And it comes standard with power steering

But the main thing is reliability and toughness
IF there are Known issues for the 700 as compared to the 500 then I will go 500 all day long and like wise for Issues with the 500

Thanks

 

[DG Rider]

I was thinking about which one would be the most reliable trouble free Machine.
I will be buying new for a machine to use on the Farm to use in a lot of Gumbo fields and in flooded rice fields .

Although there is a locker available for the 500 it comes standard for the 700.

And it comes standard with power steering

But the main thing is reliability and toughness
IF there are Known issues for the 700 as compared to the 500 then I will go 500 all day long and like wise for Issues with the 500

Thanks

Power steering does NOT come standard with the base 700. Only the deluxe.

Both machines are super tough. The 500 has an occasional shift motor/shifting related issues, while the 700 counters by occasionally eating a camshaft. No definitive reason for the cam issues have ever been given, but it seems short trip machines seem to be more prone to it.

I would say the 500 is tougher by a hair, but the 700 with it's dump bed and bigger size will be more suited to work.

 

[Bcraig]

Power steering does NOT come standard with the base 700. Only the deluxe.

Both machines are super tough. The 500 has an occasional shift motor/shifting related issues, while the 700 counters by occasionally eating a camshaft. No definitive reason for the cam issues have ever been given, but it seems short trip machines seem to be more prone to it.

I would say the 500 is tougher by a hair, but the 700 with it's dump bed and bigger size will be more suited to work.

I don't know ,I believe I would rather have the occasional shift related issues than have to replace the camshaft and whatever it tore up .
Thanks for your information

 

[sporttrac4x4]

I would get to 700 due to the rice fields that you mentioned because it has diff lock and more ground clearance.

 

[DG Rider]

I don't know ,I believe I would rather have the occasional shift related issues than have to replace the camshaft and whatever it tore up .
Thanks for your information

My 1st 700 had around 9000 miles when I sold it with no issues. @hondabob had one that, last I heard, was closing in on 20,000 miles (he sold it to a friend before that). Several around with well over 10,000. It's not THAT common (the cam thing), but it does happen. It's not something that worries me at all.
Go drive both If you can. The 500...there's no way to sugar coat it...it just rides badly. You can do spacers and tires and get it better, but it's still a small machine with limited travel (not that the 700 has a ton). Then there's the "rack" instead of a dump box. Yes, you can make something to make it a box, but it's kinda like using a spoon instead of a shovel. It's not that the 500 isn't a good worker, cause it is...but the 700 is much better suited to what you've described for your use.

 

[KevP700-4]

Got a 700-4 here, love it. 300+ miles so far, one oil change, runs strong. It makes a great middle of the road machine.

 

[Bmurray]

@DG Rider has a lot of seat time on both machines. His experience is golden.

 

[Russ989]

I was thinking about which one would be the most reliable trouble free Machine.
I will be buying new for a machine to use on the Farm to use in a lot of Gumbo fields and in flooded rice fields .

Although there is a locker available for the 500 it comes standard for the 700.

And it comes standard with power steering

But the main thing is reliability and toughness
IF there are Known issues for the 700 as compared to the 500 then I will go 500 all day long and like wise for Issues with the 500

Thanks

700 all day long, keep up with the oil changes and air filter and you’ll be fine.

 

[Bcraig]

My 1st 700 had around 9000 miles when I sold it with no issues. @hondabob had one that, last I heard, was closing in on 20,000 miles (he sold it to a friend before that). Several around with well over 10,000. It's not THAT common (the cam thing), but it does happen. It's not something that worries me at all.
Go drive both If you can. The 500...there's no way to sugar coat it...it just rides badly. You can do spacers and tires and get it better, but it's still a small machine with limited travel (not that the 700 has a ton). Then there's the "rack" instead of a dump box. Yes, you can make something to make it a box, but it's kinda like using a spoon instead of a shovel. It's not that the 500 isn't a good worker, cause it is...but the 700 is much better suited to what you've described for your use.

If I did get a say a used 700 base and it did eat the camshaft ABOUt how much would the replacement cost to get it fixed be for parts and labor?
I am not a mechanic
And If I bought new would the factory warranty cover the the total cost ?

 

[DG Rider]

If I did get a say a used 700 base and it did eat the camshaft ABOUt how much would the replacement cost to get it fixed be for parts and labor?
I am not a mechanic
And If I bought new would the factory warranty cover the the total cost ?

No ideal. Yes the factory warranty would cover if it was still under it.
@Farmer might know about price.

 

[Farmer]

If I did get a say a used 700 base and it did eat the camshaft ABOUt how much would the replacement cost to get it fixed be for parts and labor?
I am not a mechanic
And If I bought new would the factory warranty cover the the total cost ?

The cam replacement was around $800 a couple years ago. Current extreme inflation will have that higher now. We were able to finally negotiate that the dealer covered the labor, and like most things in life, parts were about the same as the labor. Honda knows/knew about the cam issue and I was eventually able to get my dealer (not the same dealer that did my repair) to admit it. All that being said......if you buy an older used machine with 2k or more miles you should be clear. Mine happened right around 700 miles and like DG said, farm use with a lot of starts and stops. Honestly I think that's a myth though because it's evident that the cams were likely victim of improper hardening/manufacturing. I was told that my 2014 received a cam with a 2015 part number. I've only put a few hundred miles on mine since... so it's hard for me to say it's in the clear but I don't think the issue has come up here on the forum in a long time. Unless you buy an older model with very low miles I think you'd be safe.

The 500 is a budget and trail size friendly machine. The 700 is better in almost all aspects just like the 1000 is vs the 700. Go with what you can afford and what fits your needs. The rest of it is all just luck. As DG said many, many 700's have 10's of thousands of miles on them.

 

[Bcraig]

The cam replacement was around $800 a couple years ago. Current extreme inflation will have that higher now. We were able to finally negotiate that the dealer covered the labor, and like most things in life, parts were about the same as the labor. Honda knows/knew about the cam issue and I was eventually able to get my dealer (not the same dealer that did my repair) to admit it. All that being said......if you buy an older used machine with 2k or more miles you should be clear. Mine happened right around 700 miles and like DG said, farm use with a lot of starts and stops. Honestly I think that's a myth though because it's evident that the cams were likely victim of improper hardening/manufacturing. I was told that my 2014 received a cam with a 2015 part number. I've only put a few hundred miles on mine since... so it's hard for me to say it's in the clear but I don't think the issue has come up here on the forum in a long time. Unless you buy an older model with very low miles I think you'd be safe.

The 500 is a budget and trail size friendly machine. The 700 is better in almost all aspects just like the 1000 is vs the 700. Go with what you can afford and what fits your needs. The rest of it is all just luck. As DG said many, many 700's have 10's of thousands of miles on them.

I would be looking at buying a 2020 or 2021 if I bought used.
Looking at a 2021 with less than 50 hours and 500 miles,if Honda had a hardening issue way back when surely it would be fixed by now ??

 

[Farmer]

I would be looking at buying a 2020 or 2021 if I bought used.
Looking at a 2021 with less than 50 hours and 500 miles,if Honda had a hardening issue way back when surely it would be fixed by now ??

Yeah, I'd assume so. Like I said....I don't remember any recent complaints on here. And, it seems whenever Honda farts in a crowded room, folks seek out forums to b**** about it. LOL!

 

[Bmurray]

these guys still have one in stock

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[Remington]

these guys still have one in stock

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Dam that's too bad! He already put a deposit down on a P5. I would think of that P7 tho for the space he needs. That's a good deal

 

[Bcraig]

Well I decided that the P5 would probably do everything that I need it to and if not well there is always next year and I can move up in Power if I feel like I need it.
While Power steering would be nice I am sure that I can get along without it.
Especially for the out the door price of $8,500 .
I am going to put some gumbo mud tires on it and some type of inexpensive top on it for if it starts raining and for shade .
I am going to Learn How the Machine and I work together and and just go from there.
It may be all I need or I may decide I want a P7 of a P1k
Time will tell.

 

[Bmurray]

I'm like you, the smaller 520 machine will do everything that I need