Bruts are nice quads quads and run like a raped ape I even ride with tree of them in my group/buddies but honest to GOD himself all tree have had tranny issues of some sort and IMO the 4x4 system Kawi uses just plain sucks! if you dont mid wrenchen on your quad the brute is your machine.

 

My thinking is the X2s I mentioned. They'd be able to run down the 400 you mentioned without a problem. The other thought is get the fastest utes out there. Your pick. Can-Am Outlander 800, Arctic Cat Thundercat 1000 or Polaris XP 850. If it were me I'd go with the XP. I'm not fond of the Can-Am frame after doing a modification on my son's Renegade. It should have a better frame than that from the factory. Polaris tends to have the most comfortable ride too. I'd like to be there when you have your "talk".

 

x2 heck yeah if you want to haul posts and cement the 800 X2 or 550 X2 is the atv for you.