Advice on purchasing a Bobcat

[r2.ha]

Going to be purchasing a Bobcat but I don't know anything about them. Would like some advice on some good models to do some outdoor reno's. Also will be buying used as well.

[klumsy_tumbler]

Nothing of value to contribute here, just wanted to commend you on an excellent life decision. Those things are worth their weight in GOLD.

[VWEvo]

I have an acreage and was seriously considering one. Firstly they are super costly as I found out when I went shopping. Used ones typically have crazy number of hours on them and can require some serious maintenance. I ended up buying a Kubota Bx25 instead. It was a lot less costly, actually more versatile since it has a back hoe as well. Comparing it to a bobcat, my Kubota can do pretty much everything. The resale on it is insane, don't even bother buying it used as they are almost as much as new. Maybe worth thinking about.

[sillysod]

I have a buddy that has a landscaping company and swears that if you pay for your own machine and run it yourself - buy a Bobcat.

The cabs on them actually seal properly so when you are working in the summer the dust is kept out of the cab and in the winter it says nice and warm. If the cab isn't sealed properly a lot of guys end up removing the front door in the summer and it makes for a dusty dirty day.

He's running a S220 and says its the best machine he has had to date.

[corsvette]

Bobcat/Cat (TIE)

Overall It's very close between Caterpillar and Bobcat. Cat has the options of rubber tracks which are amazing (as does ASV but I've never had one and they're very uncommon) The rubber tracks are pricey, about $2500 to replace, but generally last 3-6,000 hours or more. I find rubber tracks are now by far the most sought after feature on skidsteers. Bobcat engines are very sturdy, Cats are decent but hate cold weather. Personally I love the way Cat's operate, very smooth.

Deere machines are kinda junk imo. Hydraulics are very jumpy and loud, generally a low rent feeling machine compared to Cat's. Any other odd brand machines I know nothing about, they are uncommon for a reason.

High hours isn't usually too huge a deal if priced right. I've replaced many pumps/turbos/a/c systems/hoses etc on low hour units, and had high time machines that work perfect, luck of the draw I guess. The hydraulic pump is going to be the most expensive single thing to replace on a machine, a line pressure test is really the only way to test it's health. Look for engine blow by, take off the oil cap when running idle warm and check for smoke, a little is ok but excessive means worn rings. These really are simple machines, gentle use will bring years of worry free operation. We have a 97 Bobcat 263 at the shop for going on 12 years without any work other than maintenance.

Really tricky to buy Skidsteers, hour meters can get dicked with and new paint makes them look new again. I bring them in from the US and have had fairly good luck thus far, figure on 25-30K for a good clean machine. Cat 247 with tracks can be had mid 20's with under 2000 hours.

[ottamania]

When it comes to skidsteers, your skidsteer dealer is the most important one to decide on a brand IMO. If anything goes wrong with your unit, the dealer should be able to service it asap. I have a mustang skidsteer and we have a dealer for that brand in airdrie here. Paid 32k for the unit and it is a 2012 had 600hr on it when i bought it. I use it all year around since we do landscaping and snow removal. Never had a problem with that unit. I took it in for a yearly maintenance service today and they were able to take it in right of way. I ll pick it up tomorrow. Now, if i had a bobcat from cervus, my downtime would have been like 2 weeks at best. I cant afford to wait that long since i got jobs already scheduled in. So yea, dealer is convenient for me and thats why i went with mustang brand.

[CapnCrunch]

You should probably clear up whether this is for business or just your own personal use.

[Ven]

I have 3 fairly new Bobtcats and they're a decent machine. I've run every brand in nearly every working condition and I find them all competitive, I'm not brand loyal. Going with a dealer that can send out a mobile tech is crucial for me, at the very least a loaner unit they can send out or I can send someone to get. I retire my machines at about 3000hrs if they're tracked, slightly longer for the wheeled units. I would never buy a used machine unless it's a spare or for farting around on the acreage.

[78si]

Originally posted by Ven
I have 3 fairly new Bobtcats and they're a decent machine. I've run every brand in nearly every working condition and I find them all competitive, I'm not brand loyal. Going with a dealer that can send out a mobile tech is crucial for me, at the very least a loaner unit they can send out or I can send someone to get. I retire my machines at about 3000hrs if they're tracked, slightly longer for the wheeled units. I would never buy a used machine unless it's a spare or for farting around on the acreage.

I'm looking for a bobcat for my acreage. Let me know if your ever selling.

[Maxt]

I have a case 1840 with a cummins 3.9 BT. I use it a lot in winter clearing my driveway and my community's main road. Over the years in summer I have dug big poplar stumps out with it, used it for digging some holes, made an inverted shark tooth attachment for trenching in a gas line it, built a pin in hitch for backing in my car hauler into tight spaces, and made a boom attachment so I can use it as a crane with a chain hoist. It was a super tool to have when I built my mezzanine in my shop.
I bought the machine in High River from the Case dealer with high hours on it 7 years ago. I was actually there to buy a Bobcat brand skid steer that they had advertised, but when I got there, the advertised one was leaving on a trailer. Another guy was trading up to a bigger machine, they offered me the case for 10K as it arrived, not inspected. I took a chance, and its been a very good machine. I haven't had to do anything to it besides the basic maintenance in the owner the manual.
Apparently what kills these machines is running them cold, they need to be warmed up for 20 minutes at mid throttle before using, or the pump gets chewed up. My machine was traded in by a concrete contractor that never ran it in winter, it still has the original Ether cold start bottle on it which I and the previous owner have never used.

[Adrenaline101]

If it is for personal use buy a CAT. Then if it needs parts get them from Montreal Tracteur out in Quebec. They buy parts directly from CAT without the huge dealer mark up we suffer from here. Think turbos at half the price.
We have 2 246's at work and 2 new rental CATs, the older ones have 7 and 10k hours on them and our operators are rough on equipment. No serious engine work so far.