Replies

1. 
   ned_greyhound | Jul 15, 2000 04:16am | #1

   *
   Kent, what can you afford? Verify the prices of each of the brands you mentioned. You'll see that the price varies greatly. I find it better to hire relatives who will work cheap. Do you know anyone like that. But the bottom line is go with a Bobcat.

1. 
   Frenchy_Dampier | Jul 16, 2000 05:50pm | #2

   *John Deere if you want a solid hard working one that doesn't beat you up the way bobcat does. I like the fact that it's the quietest out there and here in Minnesota there must be 300+ dealers all beating each other up to sell at the lowest price. I got my 270 series by taking a case, new holland, and gehl price to my local dealer, he was within 1% of the lowest price. Caterpillar has not had the acceptance yet (probably because they easily have the highest price) to get all the bugs out (they tend to let the first owners do the developement work for them) Bobcat has steadily been losing market share, probably because their ownership has changed so many times in the last decade, with each new owner seeing Bobcat as a cash-cow to be butchered a little before selling it to the next owner. They hang on to what market they have left by owners that just replace what they have with whatever the dealer sells them the next time. My friends with Bobcat's seem to have much higher maintinance bills then my John Deere does. In fact with a 1000 hrs. the only bills I have are routine maintinance except for the one dumb sh*t thing I don't want to talk about. My friends Bobcat's average over $1.00 per operating hour in non- scheduled repairs. I guess when you use second grade math rather then judgement to base your decision on, You wind up paying a buck an hour in maintinance.

1. 
   tacbob_evol | Jul 18, 2000 04:34am | #3

   *Just bought my first new leader Bobcat 751G, love it.This is the forth leader that I've had the last one was a Bobcat also, got what I paid for it three years ago when I sold it, resale was great and had no nonscheduled repairs. I've run Case 1840s and Mustang 2040. I'd recommend a Bobcat to anyone.

1. 
   Armin_Hammer | Jul 18, 2000 04:34am | #4

   *I have a New Holland LX665 equipped with optional hand controls and steel tracks. I love it. Prior to purshase I leased a John Deere and a Case. Of the 3 the Case was the quietest and had the smoothest hand controls. I picked the New Holland because it had the best visibility out of the cage and I liked the local dealer. The price was several 1000 less than the others.

1. 
   Will_Allen | Jul 26, 2000 05:57am | #5

   *Bobcat is a decent machine for small stuff. If it is production you want, go for a bigger New Holland. Two speed, top speed of 12 mph vs 7. Able to load tandems. More stable, more power, more lifting power. I know the original founders of Bobcat so I hope they don't read this but I wouldn't buy one of their machines.

2. 
   Phill_Giles | Aug 08, 2000 11:52pm | #6

   *Might as well look at Kubota too - they make really good equipment. I would guess you don't have a local Hitachi Equipment dealer, not bad either.

3. 
   Mark_"if_I_were_a_carpenter | Aug 13, 2000 05:41pm | #7

   *Someone asked this same question a couple of months ago, check the archives, they got a lot of really great information and advice. The top points that I remember were... Check your local rental places and see what brand of machine that they have accesories for. the more neat attatchments that you can rent easily (trenchers,augers for post holes, big spinning broom thingy for cleaning up after yourself and snow removal,....) the more useful the machine becomes to you. That is probably the biggest one. Also, who will be running the machine? make sure they are in on the decision. It's awfully important to have the person running the machine feel comfortable in it as well as being adept at operatiiong it. I've seen guys that can make a new holland dance, but you put them in a different brand of machine and they are like a fish out of water. I personally cannot operate the kind with foot-controls for the bucket. (bobcat, new holland, etc. ) and am much happier in something with the hand controls. (Case)... anyway, like I said, check the archives, and good luck!

2. 
   Kent_Trahan | Aug 13, 2000 05:41pm | #8

   *
   We are interested in purchasing a new skid steer loader. We have only used the Bobcat brand in the past. Have you had any success with other brands? Mustang? New Holland? Catepillar? ???