XRC-8 vs. M8000, synthetic

I am winch shopping and I am looking for peoples' thoughts regarding the following two winches, I put the specs from Amazon.com below:

--Smittybilt XRC-8 Comp Series, $449
Winch motor is 5.5 horsepower series wound motor
3-stage planetary gear reduction ratio is 172:1
It has 11/32 inches x 100 feet (8.2 millimeter x 28.5 meter) long synthetic rope
It includes 12 feet remote control
It includes 4 way steel roller fairlead (<-WRONG)

--Warn M8000-s, $995
Equipped with 100 feet of Warn Spydura synthetic rope
Includes a ballistic nylon sliding sleeve that provides extra rope protection against abrasion and wear
8,000 pounds of pulling capacity
Rubberized ergonomic pistol-grip remote control handle is weather and mud resistant
Series-wound high speed motor provides fast line speed and strong pulls

I know that people really like the Warn reputation and domestic production. However, at twice the price, for what seems to be a comparable product, Smittybilt seems to make a very competitive product.

If you have personal experience with either product, or a steel cabled M8000, please throw your 2 cents in. Also, if there are substantive differences between the two, the real technical details, please share that as well. Thanks

 

If you can spend that much money...

Get yourself a superwinch and some synthetic rope to go on it. Sell off the steel cable or buy one with syn rope already.


OR get yourself the XRC8. Buy some amsteel blue or a more expensive rope, then spend the rest on shackles snatch block straps etc...


Superwinch Talon 9.5, X9, EP9 or possible LP series

Check around for better prices. Amazon is usually pretty good but... 1000$ for an m8000 with syn rope and you're doing it wrong.

That's about 200 too much IMO.

Having never owned a superwinch or a warn my opinion may not be worth much but I can say definitively that if it were ME buying it, I'd go superwinch, and I will for my next winch. I currently have an XRC8.

 

Pick up the M8000 with steel cable at Amazon for $540, then buy synthetic seperatly...will save money that way:

$856 WARN 26502 M8000 Series Electric 12V Winch with Steel Cable Wire Rope: 5/16" Diameter x 100' Length, 4 Ton (8000 lb) Pulling Capacity

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000182DYM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8

I run the XRC-8 and it has been great, but for that price, you can't go wrong getting the warn

 

I've had the XRC8 Comp for a little over a year. I used it 4 or 5 times last season. If you'd asked me this question before the last use, I would have raved about the winch. It really is a very nice winch for the money. I paid $430 with free shipping at Amazon.

Unfortunately, the last time I went to use it I could not get it to free spool. I was still able to use it but I had to power out first. No matter what I try, the lever is stuck in the engaged position.

I did speak with smittybilt customer service about this. They were sympathetic and said it was most likely jammed and they will replace the parts under warrenty if that is what it needs but I have to take it apart to find out. This means unmounting the bumper (elite) then removing the winch. That is a major event.

If I had to do it over again I'd probably go another route knowing what I know now about the XRC series. The winch is fast and when it works it is great but I need it to be dependable too.

My $.02.

 

Super Winch.

But out of your choices, Warn.