Best excavator to buy

[Szyman]

Our company is searching for medium track excavator, about 20 metric tons. And now the issue, what machine is the best ? We were thinking about CAT 320 D (or C), but maybe other companys make bether machines. What do you thing about JCB, DOOSAN, and others compared to CAT ?? please help

(sorry for my vocabulary)

 

[Tigerotor77W]

Welcome to HEF! Awesome to see our user base continue to grow.

Are you buying new? How are the dealers in your area?

 

[MrKomatsu]

A Komatsu PC300lc-6lc.....good size unit..#32,000.00 machine. digging depth=24'3", digging reach=36'5"...dump height= 23'5"...6 cylinder....232hp..24volts..variable displacement X2..plus 1 gear pump....

 

[Szyman]

2006 or newer, best dealers are CAT and JCB but dealers are not the problem, we have good service for almoust all kind of heavy equipment. We have 2 CAT's 315c, and i think that CAT is a good machine, but i havent got a touch whith other.

Generally we are looking for 20 - 25t machine (komatsu 300lc is to big), 2006y or newer for max 80 000 euro ( 110 000 dollars) thanks for help

 

[cps]

Hi Szyman, Welcome!

Id say a Volvo EC210B or C, Or maybe a kobelco (Newholland) 210
Both very good machines smooth and fast!

That my opinion, but others are very good also!

CPS

 

[PSDF350]

A Komatsu PC300lc-6lc.....good size unit..#32,000.00 machine. digging depth=24'3", digging reach=36'5"...dump height= 23'5"...6 cylinder....232hp..24volts..variable displacement X2..plus 1 gear pump....

2006 or newer, best dealers are CAT and JCB but dealers are not the problem, we have good service for almoust all kind of heavy equipment. We have 2 CAT's 315c, and i think that CAT is a good machine, but i havent got a touch whith other.

Generally we are looking for 20 - 25t machine (komatsu 300lc is to big), 2006y or newer for max 80 000 euro ( 110 000 dollars) thanks for help

Maybe my math is wrong but 32,000# is 16 ton. So how can it be to big if your looking for 20-25 ton?

 

[Tigerotor77W]

Maybe my math is wrong but 32,000# is 16 ton.

Math is fine but the PC300 is not a 32,000 pound machine... it's a 30-tonne machine (~60,000 pounds, give or take a couple thousand depending on the specific configuration).

 

[swampdog]

My short list of excavators would include Deere, Hitachi, and Cat.

 

[Reuben]

Math is fine but the PC300 is not a 32,000 pound machine... it's a 30-tonne machine (~60,000 pounds, give or take a couple thousand depending on the specific configuration).

thirty metric tons.one metric ton is ~2700 lbs

 

[Panhandler Bob]

Accordin to komatsu's web site a pc300lc-8 with 28" pads weights in at 77,142 lbs. :drinkup

 

[tootalltimmy]

A metric tonne is 1000 kilograms or 2200 lbs. If you want to be exact a kilo is 2.204623 lbs.

 

[joispoi]

PC210 would be the size Komatsu that fits the bill. Volvo and Liebherr are worth looking at, too.

 

[Szyman]

and how about Komatsu, Volvo and Libherr compared to CAT ? which one is the best and why ?

 

[Tigerotor77W]

thirty metric tons.one metric ton is ~2700 lbs

A tonne is a metric ton. I meant to type 66,000 pounds +/-, but it slipped somehow...

Szyman: the issue is this. I've seen numbers suggesting that Cat's small excavators (up to the 320D) are about as good on fuel as anything on the market -- on a volume/fuel/time basis. That is, if you need to move a specific volume of material in a certain time, the Cat does it the cheapest. (Your Cat dealer should be able to help you with this.) If all you do, on the other hand, is at 75% rated speed and don't care about getting maximum production out of your fuel, the Volvo -- and possibly Liebherr -- will be better.

People suggesting Deere -- given that Deere's presence in Europe and the CIS is pretty small, you might as well just start suggesting Hitachi...

I don't know if the Komatsu has much of an advantage anymore... I think Cat's caught up pretty well with them now.

 

[AtlasRob]

Everybody will have thier favourite and many will be able to quote fuel / tonnage / production etc etc, all of which amounts to very little if the person holding the levers cant make it sing

I think most will agree that there is very little difference between the main players is this field now.

But who are you main players locally? Cat, Doosan, Hitachi, Komatsu, Leibherr, New Holland, Volvo. :beatsme

You say you have good support for many makes. How do parts and service backup compare.
Its ok a dealer being near but no good if his two mobile fitters cover several thousand square miles of territory. :drinkup

 

[gggraham]

I'm with Atlas... Look at the area you will be working in and find out what dealers are around. Parts and service support speak volumes. No sense having a machine that you have to truck 300 miles to the nearest dealer. Try the machines out and find the one that you like the most then look at the dealers close to you. Ask other people in the area about the service and parts.

 

[Reuben]

A metric tonne is 1000 kilograms or 2200 lbs. If you want to be exact a kilo is 2.204623 lbs.

huh......ya your right....not sure were i came up with 2700 lbs. I actually knew that but for some stupid reason I typed 2700.

 

[tootalltimmy]

I figured that it was a typo on your part. I wasn't trying to give a hard time about it.

I chose to buy a Case because the dealer is 10 miles from me. John Deere is 70 miles away. Cat and Hitachi are 150 miles. People have their personal preferences but good parts and service will make you happy long after the best price fades away.

 

[joispoi]

and how about Komatsu, Volvo and Libherr compared to CAT ? which one is the best and why ?

You can ask this question to 4 different people and get 4 different answers. Buying one of these brands over the others isn´t going to be a decision that will make or break your company. I would look into what it´s going to cost to not only purchase the machine, but what it´s going to cost to service and maintain the machine. How much is the machine going to cost you after 5 years?...this is a good question to ask each salesman.

 

[Szyman]

bullyboy ->

Location: east-north region of Poland, Europe, near city Bialystok

Kind of work: mostly roads and water pipes,