Going To Buy A Skid Steer

user20594

I came to your site to find out what you guys think is the best. Bobcat John Deere Cat Mustang or any other. I will make the purchase before '10. I want an all around skid steer for the best price.

SLSTech

New or used?

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tgeb

I am personally very fond of the New Holland skid steers.

Do a search, we have had this discussion a few times.

I would recommend getting a dealer to let you demo the one you are thinking of buying.

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IHI

The biggest thing no matter what the brand- DEALER SUPPORT!!! Having what other's consider the best wont do ya a bit of good if the machine does happen to go down and nobody locally stocks parts or is not as fluent with repairs on that particular brand o machine. I've been looking or a skidder for the past few years and am just being too wishey washey/back and forth to pull the trigger yet LOL!! I grew up operating Case skidders and love the hand controls and fine them to be alot better, for me anyhow, in rough terrain since i tend to use my feet to brace when things get bumpy....not a good idea with a bucket full of whatever and foot controls LOL!! PLUS our nearest Case dealer is 40 minutes away...not real convenient.

Most of my contractor buddies all run Bobcat, they all seem to be very bulletproof, easy to service/maintain, we have a local dealer 10 minutes from me. The good is i've borrowed them so much over the past 5 years i'm now very effiecent in them, the bad, is they all seem WAAAY underpowered when compared to similar sized Case units...I've never stalled a Case, but i'm constantly killing the bobcats when working them hard. and for the record, these are older machines, all 743's, so i'm sure the newer 185's and larger are much better off with the addition of the turbo's.

my concrete buddy just picked up a brand new New Holland last year after running his bobcat for the past decade, which he still owns, and he says it's day and night better overall in lifting capacity, power/HP for heavy usage, servicablity...but there's no dealers anywhere close and he's dreading the day it goes down since it'll be a wait to order in parts...hence them keeping the Bobcat for a back up.

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user20594

I grew up on a farm with cases an mustangs I see the bobcats at every work site. I also see the taukashui machines the name is wrong they are white with red decals. Do you see or know these. I am leaning tword a bobcat now but I have a deere dealeship close how do the two wiegh out.

user20594

What should I pay. I have a range in mind. This is a machine I want but dont need. I am going to buy one but I would rather have two at half of new.

IHI

I've got no first hand experience in a Deere, but another builder bought one and sold it the same year saying he just did'nt like it and visiblity was terrible...but that was just his opinion and the only person i know of that has ever owned one...kinda sad to since JD plant is located in town and the whole area is PRO john deere, many accounts cannot be awarded unless people are using JD tractors LOL!! I would think the fact the bucket lifts straight up and down would be a huge benefit when loading trucks since you can pull right upto it and not have to worry about bucket arch, plus they say the way the arms are designed you dont need a jack to change tires since you can just drop the bucket and it lifts the machine high enough to change any of the four no problem...but again, jsut what i was told, not personal experience.

Seems from alot of the heavy equiment forums most guys are real partial to Cat's too since they're almost indestructible, but the downfall is having to relearn controls since one joystick operates machine direction and the other operates the bucket...much like a front end loader joystick, but the other stick controls direction...and with the cost of these machines it's hard to justify the relearning curve since it HAS to make money the second the hour meter starts ticking.

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user20594

I have 25,000 to spend. I want a good rig for that, this is set in stone.

rino1494

We bought a Case 1845C with 4,000 hrs on it and she runs like a champ. Ask anybody that knows anything and they will tell you that it is the best Case skid steer ever made.

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IHI

Close to home investigations, talk to your buddies in the area and ask what they're running and why...and keep dealer support right there at the top of your head.

Do some investigation online, google some heavy equipment forums since that is their bread and butter, what they work with everyday....it'd be like one of the heavy equipment operators asking on their site, what's the best table saw to buy...the experiences are going to be limited since the audience is'nt quite as diverse as if they'd come on here and ask the same question...

Here's one that i joined when i was looking into mini skidders when we had a pleather of decks to build and hundreds of sonotubes to bore in the ground, they're a very knowledgable bunch when it comes to equipment, nothing agaisnt the boyz on here that operate, but there's just not many to draw experience from vs that site above i just linked for ya.

Do yourself a big favor, if you have that sort of budget, dont completely rule out an older machine...not antique old, but there's ALOT of used equipment out there right now due to failing businesses that are in perfectly good shape and low hours, but by allowing yourself to buy a used machine you opened up your budget for accessories, and accessories is where the money's at....because let's be honest, every tom, dick, and harry has a skidder and a bucket, nothing special about them since there's dozens of guys that can move dirt...but you get yourself into using the machine as a tool with accessories THAT'S when you really get your eye's opened to how easy it is to make these tings pay for themselves....my plumber bought a brand new bobcat 205 and now has 8 attachements for it and has since more/less hung up his tool belts and is doing nothing but subbing himself and machine out and making more money running that than he ever did plumbing...less work/headache and more money...seems kinda smart to me.

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user20594

The budget of 25,000 is that to cheap. How would you pay for it cash up front or payments. I have 25,000 in my account for equiment. I want the best for the least

user20594

Called and confirmed a new Bob Cat T250. I spent more than I had bugeted. Done. Bob Cat of Rochester. This thread is over. Thank you for your input

IHI

LOL, that was quick!! You'll love the tracks....until it comes time to clean the machine, then they SUCK!!!!! They work great in soft terrain though, finance a pusher box for it and make it work this winter pushing snow up there soon, get the heater/AC option, stereo...go big baby!!!!

I've got friends that live in Stewatville, actually race with them and have for years, husband used to work at IBM up there in Rod. and the wife has an office in town there doing contract for for IBM.

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mics_54

yeah...cant let the mud freeze in the tracks
I have a S175....it grunts sometimes with the grapple fork clearing overburden but it's plenty machine for me.

Oh and I have grouser tracks too

joasis

You went waaaayyyyy over budget.

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IHI

ya think LOL!!! about twice over budget actually LMAO!! just hope there's budget left for attachments since that's alot of coin for moving a bit of dirt around

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joasis

I paid $7900 for a bare T200 with 2300 hrs....by the time I replaced a few rollers, bought a new bucket, and one new track, I was less then 11k. I cannot imagine buying a new machine with all the good deals out there, if you know where to look.

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IHI

I agree, it's just having the patience to blood hound the deals prior to purchasing. I understand both sides of th arguement though:
I buy used since they're about half price, and i realize it'll take a bit of elbow grease to fix it like i want it, plus it gives me a chance to blow through the machine personally so i know exactly what i have....plus i have the tools, time, and knowledge to afford myself a bit of a fixer upper.

vs

I would rather spend the money up front to get a machine that by all rights ought to give me a few years of trouble free operation allowing me to focus my time and energy in drumming up business and making money.

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XanadooLTD

The guy is a tool anyhow. He is a painter by trade. Just wanted a bobcat? HMMMMM? Sounds like one of Bobs Ram stories to me.

cdkyle

I currently have a New Holland and a Case. Had, key word is had, as my Bobcat was stolen off jobsite. Always worked Bobcats before, but let me tell ya. The New Holland is by far the superior machine. Worked both machines today in fact in the mud. Lots of mud. And the New Holland wins hands down. No comparison.

Have heard Gehls are good also. Ran a John Deere once and visibility was poor, but that can be with a lot of them according to model.

Most concrete contractors around OKC use the Bobcats because of the durability and reliability.

Joasis I agree. With all the deals available on used machines, it would be foolish in my opinion to buy a new one. But, it does require a little patience and searching.