DirtHammer Is a New Online UTV Marketplace That Promises Not to Suck

There’s a wave of go-fast drivers flocking to side-by-sides as sports cars lose their soul. A few bad apples give the good ones a bad rap, but I assure you, there are good UTV fans out there. And in more ways than you might know, UTVs now are like performance cars were 15, 20, 30 years ago: raw, noisy, and a blast to drive.

Too bad the buying experience sucks.

That’s the problem that DirtHammer, a new online marketplace specifically for side-by-sides, plans to fix. The folks who founded it are professional critics and reviewers who know a thing or two about the way these rigs work: Zach Bowman, Sam Smith, and Colin Comer. If you know their work like we do, then you’ll understand that their involvement alone is reason enough to be optimistic. If you’re unfamiliar with these fellas, well, here’s what Bowman told The Drive on why they decided to start DirtHammer in the first place:

“A few years back, I left Road & Track to join the Cycle World family running UTVDriver.com. My marching orders were pretty simple: make a Car and Driver for side-by-sides. At the time, the machines were barely more than elevated golf carts, but I got in just in time to see an explosion in development and maturity. We’re talking machines with 240 horsepower, seven-speed dual-clutch gearboxes, anti-lag, all-wheel drive, adaptive suspension. Cutting-edge tech. But while capability and cost skyrocketed, the solutions for buying and selling these things didn’t keep pace. We bought a few machines for project vehicles at UTVDriver, and the process was miserable every time. You wind up on Facebook Marketplace dealing with listings with two blurry photos and no information, or calling dealers who sold machines they’re actively advertising months ago. I saw a chance to make the buying and selling process better for everyone.”

The first iteration of DirtHammer was live for the last several months, posting random UTV listings found online with a genuinely comprehensive list of buyers’ guides. The latter will remain a core part of the site’s model, as it employs actual experts with actual experience to write them. However, the listings going forward will be user-generated, with premium photography and professionally written descriptions. In that way, it’s akin to Bring a Trailer, but for side-by-sides.

Here’s how it works: Users who list their vehicles in the first 90 days pay $49 to DirtHammer, with the option for a full media package that includes pro photography as well as videography. Once the hammer drops, the buyer and seller split the site’s commission with each paying 4.5% of the final price. Anybody who buys in the first 30 days will also get $1,000+ worth of prizes and discounts from DirtHammer’s partners, with a certificate for a free Optima Orange Top lithium powersports battery, two Rugged Radios GRM2 handheld radios, a vehicle-specific Multifunction Tailgate Light from Ravek, and an Adam’s Off Road Kit from Adam’s Polishes.

That all sounds pretty nifty, but is it enough to list your ride with a new and as-of-yet unproven site? We asked Bowman why anybody would do such a thing instead of going the usual route of listing on Facebook Marketplace or, erm, Craigslist. He replied, “How much time do you have? Our biggest advantage is that we want to help in a way that other options out there aren’t interested in. We have verified, registered buyers and sellers. That means no tire kickers, no ‘Is this available?’ and less chance of fraud.”

“Crucially, we have tools to make buying and selling side-by-sides as straightforward and transparent as possible,” Bowman continued. “Sellers can set a reserve price and a ‘Drop the Hammer’ buy it now price. Buyers can use our escrow partner, KeySavvy, to make sure they’re protected against fraud and all of the paperwork gets handled correctly. We also have a shipping partner to make it easy to get your new machine home without having to deal with your own truck and trailer. And we’re working on a financing partner. Finally, we have a massive Buyer’s Guide library written by staff who have actually spent time behind the wheel.”

Aside from the standard motivations for starting a new business, Bowman said that his decision was driven just as much by passion.

“I spent nearly 20 years writing about cars, and I happened to do it during one of the bright spots of automotive engineering. But the writing was on the wall when I left,” he explained. “Buyers are more interested in how well their vehicle connects to their phone than how it drives, and manufacturers are responding in kind with disposable, unlovable machines that are always more interested in removing you from the driving experience. Meanwhile, buyers are flocking to side-by-sides because they offer the exact opposite experience. You’re lucky to get a roof on most of these things, much less a stereo. But what they lack in creature comforts, they make up for in wild and impressive performance. The UTV market today feels like what sports cars must have felt like in the ’50s. Every manufacturer trying exciting and different solutions to the same interesting question: How do I make this more fun?”

Having tested some of the industry’s top side-by-sides myself, I have to agree. They’re sick. And from the looks of it, DirtHammer will be a better way to get behind the wheel of one than meeting Joe Blow at your local Costco with a 30-brick of Busch Latte as a bargaining chip.

Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com

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