new guy

[lexion750]

Scheduled delivery is the 16th of this month for my 825i. I order it less a windshield and roof because thankfully I found many posts on the forum leading me to believe I could save some $. The rig is a budget build with the idea of adding as I go, and my first step is a half windshield and roof. I like the look of those diamondback aluminum ones but can't find pricing and being 6'9" I'm afraid I would regret a half windshield. Any thoughts?

Thanks, HBF

[CaptDan]

Welcome to the Forum HBF !

I know it is exciting to get the Gator. One piece of advice, take a deep breadth and enjoy it a little and then decide what additions or modifications you want to make. There are many very nice and experienced Gator owners on here that will share their knowledge and experiences with you. The caution to take a deep breadth is only because people are finding thru experience, and expense, that certain options do not work with other options. A certain top might not work with certain doors or rear window that you might want to add later.

So my $.02 is take a little while, enjoy it as it comes, develop a plan of what you want to do, make sure an addition or modification today will not interfere with or can't be used with a future modification you want to make.

Dan


ps ....what part of the world are you in ?

[plateauman57]

welcome and i hope you get to enjoy your gator soon.

[lexion750]

Thanks for the welcome, I'm between I-94 and Lansing MI. I hope to enjoy it soon as well but I may be in Louisville for the farm show when it gets delivered. So we'll see how the guys treat her in my absence.

[tex_diesel]

Welcome to the Forum!

[Gator Hunter]

Welcome aboard!

[Regulator]

Wow...6'9"...you might have to get a roof with a clear bubble on top so you can see out of that!!!...hehehe...I'm only 5'10" and I fit comfortably in my 825i with the Poly roof, with the real glass windshield....I would imagine that my windshield might be too small because of the framework around the top keeping you from seeing straight ahead, so going with one of the other windshields like you mentioned might be your hot ticket...

Welcome to the Forum...it's a really cool place to hang out and see what others have done to their Gators...post up some pics when you get it...

Larry in MD :Jestr:

[Deputy347k9]

Welcome to the Forum! We look forward to giving our 2 cents. Not sure about a roof though?

Larry from Me

[lexion750]

Well I'm sure I want a roof just not sure which one yet? I talked with someone at Diamondback and he said $359 delivery included. Deere wants $404 for a plastic one, so I figure save $40 and get a line-x aluminum one. But like CaptDan said I'll likely cruise it around for awhile to get a feel for what I want.

[Regulator]

Well I'm sure I want a roof just not sure which one yet? I talked with someone at Diamondback and he said $359 delivery included. Deere wants $404 for a plastic one, so I figure save $40 and get a line-x aluminum one. But like CaptDan said I'll likely cruise it around for awhile to get a feel for what I want.

Before you buy anything for your Gator, always keep in mind your long range "wants" or plans for it...for example, if you think you might want an enclosed cab at some point, buy a roof that will be compatible with cab enclosures...same way with windshields...I know a few people that bought Poly windshields that now wish they had bought the all glass windshield instead...I just don't want to see you make some of the mistakes that a few of us have made by buying stuff too fast without thinking ahead....

Browse the catalogs and check out the online resourses for parts and accessories for these Gators...there's getting to be a bunch of stuff out there...some good and some not so good...I rushed to buy a set of big ole Halogen "Spot" lights for the top of my cab and now I realize that they aren't really what I wanted...I would have rather put some HID or LED "Driving" lights on the roof to go with my headlights and the LED "Fog" lights that I mounted in my front brush guard...then I would be set up real nice in the front end...I also bought a set of work lights to mount on the roof facing the rear that I haven't mounted yet, but I'm not sure that I will now because I recently installed a back-up camera system that has lights built into the camera that make it look like daytime when it dark out...I might still mount those rear lights to use as cargo lights to see stuff in the bed, but I don't really need them for the intended use that I bought them for....

So, like I said....think about what you want a bit down the road when making purchases now...I've spent an assload of money adding stuff to my Gator, and I totally enjoy what I have now...I could have saved a few bucks by not rushing to buy a few of those things I mentioned...

Have fun with it :Wlys:...do your research and ask questions whenever you aren't sure about something...we'll be glad to help out any way that we can....

Larry in MD :Jestr:

[Deputy347k9]

lexion750, the best advise posted here is by "CaptDan" & "Regulator". I so much wish I had thier advise when I first purchased my 825i, or at least had thier vision! I would have done things differently considering my long term goals. However, like a little boy in the candy store I have to have it and have it NOW! COSTLY MISTAKE I have made! I am happy with what I have done but times I install a fully enclosed cab I will have to sell off the factory roof and plastic windshield, of course at a major loss. Take the advise of these two wise men and really think of what you would really like in the long run. If your dreaming of someday having a fully enclosed cab, radio, heater, wipers, lights and so on, start building that dream one piece at a time.

Larry from ME

[lexion750]

Well thanks for the tips, but still no sign of the gator. I got busier than expected last week with trucking and soil sampling conundrums, so didn?t have time to visit or pester my dealer. Didn?t even go to the farm show, but hopefully this week it?ll show up.

Happy trails, HBF

[WOEII]

http://i53.tinypic.com/34g4ljl.gif

[purplewg]

Welcome lexion. You may need to wear a helmet to keep your head from banging the roll bar or lid if you get one.:BG: