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which big mtl to buy?

hmearth

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 10, 2014
Messages
238
Location
Australia.
Welcome arron
end of the day does it matter what you get it boils down to what you need general biulders work wheeled every time it doesn't matter if you are stuck because it's wet or bogy you already made your money by not having the expense of tracks i found the salesman sells the first machine and the work shop sells the rest look at the back up side of things warranty.so far hitachi or john deere have beaten terex cat new holland and kobelco hands down when i ring there the others say we'll get back to you. good luck with what you get.
and what neck of woods are you from.
 

pafarmer

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2010
Messages
883
Location
Somewhere in the woods !
Occupation
Land clearing, demo, site prep etc. Ex Pro Motocro
Welcome arron
end of the day does it matter what you get it boils down to what you need general biulders work wheeled every time it doesn't matter if you are stuck because it's wet or bogy you already made your money by not having the expense of tracks i found the salesman sells the first machine and the work shop sells the rest look at the back up side of things warranty.so far hitachi or john deere have beaten terex cat new holland and kobelco hands down when i ring there the others say we'll get back to you. good luck with what you get.
and what neck of woods are you from.

I read your post three times and still can't figure out what you are trying to say.....Is this written in " down up code " ?
He he he
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,246
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
The major brands of CTL's have all gotten their products to a very competitive level as far as the manufactured machine goes. The difference is the your local dealer and how they run their show. This will vary from area to area, region to region and country to country.

I have been a Bobcat fan for over 20 years, a Perkins powered 843 was the first machine I ever ran. The dealer in my area sucks to say the least and I've done business with them for many years. My divorce from Bobcat will not be a joyful experience as I like the product and their current offerings but rather a decision of necessity due to the ineptness of the dealer - it's gotten worse over the years. When you can order parts from a dealer in Atlanta, have them shipped 200 miles and still be cheaper than your local dealer, it's time to make a change.:cool2

Bobcat pricing locally is higher than comparable Cat machines. Yes I am a "Cat guy", only because they take care of me and I have a good relationship with the dealer. Now my experience is my experience and in no way advocates one brand over the other, that's your decision based on what and who you have to deal with in your respective area.
 

pafarmer

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2010
Messages
883
Location
Somewhere in the woods !
Occupation
Land clearing, demo, site prep etc. Ex Pro Motocro
The major brands of CTL's have all gotten their products to a very competitive level as far as the manufactured machine goes. The difference is the your local dealer and how they run their show. This will vary from area to area, region to region and country to country.

I have been a Bobcat fan for over 20 years, a Perkins powered 843 was the first machine I ever ran. The dealer in my area sucks to say the least and I've done business with them for many years. My divorce from Bobcat will not be a joyful experience as I like the product and their current offerings but rather a decision of necessity due to the ineptness of the dealer - it's gotten worse over the years. When you can order parts from a dealer in Atlanta, have them shipped 200 miles and still be cheaper than your local dealer, it's time to make a change.:cool2

Bobcat pricing locally is higher than comparable Cat machines. Yes I am a "Cat guy", only because they take care of me and I have a good relationship with the dealer. Now my experience is my experience and in no way advocates one brand over the other, that's your decision based on what and who you have to deal with in your respective area.

My story echo's yours to the last detail CM....I am now too strictly CAT because they value MY business and Bobcat did not even after 30 plus years of faithful business to the brand from me. Most all of today's machines are fantastic, in fact in the past ten years the technology has grown in leaps and bounds across the board. I have my own mechanic and shop to service my iron , when we need parts, I have to have them now because contractually, downtime can ruin my business very quickly. CAT takes care of my machines with parts overnight in every case from day one. With close to two dozen pieces Of equipment running daily, the dealer support after the sale becomes the most important thing to me and should be paramount in any purchase of heavy equipment be it one machine or 2 dozen , they treat everyone the same and that's what makes them so successful at what they do...
 
Last edited:

apetad

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2012
Messages
384
Location
Leander, Texas
Occupation
Compact Construction Equipment Sales
I agree on the parts, Have them the next morning even when ordered at 5:00PM, Have had to wait for some cylinders to come from overseas, but no freight charges!!!
My story echo's yours to the last detail CM....I am now too strictly CAT because they value MY business and Bobcat did not even after 30 plus years of faithful business to the brand from me. Most all of today's machines are fantastic, in fact in the past ten years the technology has grown in leaps and bounds across the board. I have my own mechanic and shop to service my iron , when we need parts, I have to have them now because contractually, downtime can ruin my business very quickly. CAT takes care of my machines with parts overnight in every case from day one. With close to two dozen pieces Of equipment running daily, the dealer support after the sale becomes the most important thing to me and should be paramount in any purchase of heavy equipment be it one machine or 2 dozen , they treat everyone the same and that's what makes them so successful at what they do...
 

KSSS

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2005
Messages
4,316
Location
Idaho
Occupation
excavation
The major brands of CTL's have all gotten their products to a very competitive level as far as the manufactured machine goes. The difference is the your local dealer and how they run their show. This will vary from area to area, region to region and country to country.

I have been a Bobcat fan for over 20 years, a Perkins powered 843 was the first machine I ever ran. The dealer in my area sucks to say the least and I've done business with them for many years. My divorce from Bobcat will not be a joyful experience as I like the product and their current offerings but rather a decision of necessity due to the ineptness of the dealer - it's gotten worse over the years. When you can order parts from a dealer in Atlanta, have them shipped 200 miles and still be cheaper than your local dealer, it's time to make a change.:cool2

Bobcat pricing locally is higher than comparable Cat machines. Yes I am a "Cat guy", only because they take care of me and I have a good relationship with the dealer. Now my experience is my experience and in no way advocates one brand over the other, that's your decision based on what and who you have to deal with in your respective area.


I have a poor BC dealer as well, very poor. It is too bad because it would be nice to have them as an option, as it stands I look to CASE and CAT and have so far ended up buying CASE primarily. CASE takes very good care of me and I am sure CAT would also. I like the guys over there at CAT and they are my first choice to rent from, at some point I am sure we will get together on a purchase.
 

apetad

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2012
Messages
384
Location
Leander, Texas
Occupation
Compact Construction Equipment Sales
I have a poor BC dealer as well, very poor. It is too bad because it would be nice to have them as an option, as it stands I look to CASE and CAT and have so far ended up buying CASE primarily. CASE takes very good care of me and I am sure CAT would also. I like the guys over there at CAT and they are my first choice to rent from, at some point I am sure we will get together on a purchase.

Too far away???http://www.tylerrental.com/
 

shawnied

New Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2015
Messages
4
Location
maywood
hard to get rid of the 1845 good tough machines not too many breakable parts on them. i have same machine and i am considering doing what u wanting to do. i have a takeuchi mini hoe have had no issues with it so makes it hard for me to look at anything other than a Takeuchi
 

snocrete

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2011
Messages
64
Location
illinois
Occupation
concrete, light excavating, snow & ice management
Any customer that is going to demand or even prefer a certain brand for you to use to do a job frankly has their head up their a$$. It should make no difference whatsoever what brand machine I use to do my job. 50 years ago, Caterpillar was looking down from the top of every mountain. 25 years ago, that mountain was not so high. 10 years ago, there were others looking over their shoulder. Today, I don't believe there is much difference at all besides some subtle ergonomics on most machines. Are some better or the best? Maybe, but the premium is no longer worth the quality like it once was. JMHO.

I agree.

This stuff reminds me of the time I was called to help remove snow at a CAT facility about 10yrs ago. It was a Thanksgiving blizzard that snuck up on us and this facility was basically caught with their pants down, trying to find owner/operators to come in and move snow.....only "requirement" was, you have to be running CAT equipment (LOL)...I own all Bobcat equip. They said come anyway. The guard at the gate was blown away, he said in the 20+yrs of being there he never saw another brand of equipment (that CAT made) come through that gate. I kick myself for not getting pics.
 

winger_bros

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
6
Location
north dakota
Occupation
Power Industry
a little late

Own a T770 2012 with 1475hrs, have had some issues with the machine (bought it used). It has been a workhorse though. Most recent issue is swashplate sensor for the right drive motor - could be a joystick or something else, but if its the motor sensor you have to remove/replace the engine to change it - ugly and 20+ hrs labor - so may do it myself. If I do I would still need the dealer to set certain parameters in the machine when I am done.
So, due to the problems, I have asked for pricing on new Bobcat, new/used CAT, new/used Kubota. I love the track machine compared to my rubber-tire one (2008 Cat 252B2). But the 252 beats shoveling....
I have two Cat pieces - the 252 and a 2014 420F backhoe. The local dealer is very good, and I have worked for two Cat dealers in a past life as a diesel mech.
I will see who comes back with the best deals and go from there. When I bought the T770, it was an extra so to speak as I was only looking for a mini-ex and bundled the T770 with a E55 - got good pricing so cannot complain. Love the E55 compared to the Cats I tried out.
 

winger_bros

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
6
Location
north dakota
Occupation
Power Industry
I have had same issue on a T870 few years ago...turns out the hydrostat pump for the one side was goofed:(

I hope it is not the motor and just a sensor or joystick. Without a warranty this could be expensive and I really don't need that right now. What year T870? hours?
 

bobatack

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2012
Messages
87
Location
Ontario, Canada
The 870 is a 2011 which i bought used with bout 1825 hrs
Pump went out 7 hrs after i got it and was replaced @ no cost by dealer i bought it from
 

winger_bros

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
6
Location
north dakota
Occupation
Power Industry
The 870 is a 2011 which i bought used with bout 1825 hrs
Pump went out 7 hrs after i got it and was replaced @ no cost by dealer i bought it from

This threw a swashplate code for the right side motor - so I am hoping that it is the sensor, wiring, or joystick control. When I bought it I had the engine oil, coolant, and hydraulic all changed and sampled all fluids (kind of funny, they sent the samples to the CAT dealer for analysis). Nothing bad showed up. If it is the swashplate sensor, I may tackle it myself. There is one for each side and I think I would replace them both if its a mess to get at. I know I would need to take it back for calibration afterward, but don't know if it is worth 20hrs dealer labor.
 

winger_bros

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
6
Location
north dakota
Occupation
Power Industry
that's what the Bobcat Dealer told me - so am basing it on that. since I live in ND, and Bobcat's R&D center is here, I have emailed one of the Bobcat engineers and he offered advice too - suggesting swapping both out if you tackle the project, and that they have done it in the R&D center, and tilted the engine to get access.
The only other thing I have done to it is replace the hydraulic pump tensioner assembly. The machine started making a "bell like" sound at idle and I couldn't figure it out. Then I noticed the tensioner pulley wobbling. It was striking the engine flywheel and hence the bell sound. Not cheap - $625 for the assembly - belt was $70 (not bad I thought). not a bad job either.
 

apetad

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2012
Messages
384
Location
Leander, Texas
Occupation
Compact Construction Equipment Sales
that's what the Bobcat Dealer told me - so am basing it on that. since I live in ND, and Bobcat's R&D center is here, I have emailed one of the Bobcat engineers and he offered advice too - suggesting swapping both out if you tackle the project, and that they have done it in the R&D center, and tilted the engine to get access.
The only other thing I have done to it is replace the hydraulic pump tensioner assembly. The machine started making a "bell like" sound at idle and I couldn't figure it out. Then I noticed the tensioner pulley wobbling. It was striking the engine flywheel and hence the bell sound. Not cheap - $625 for the assembly - belt was $70 (not bad I thought). not a bad job either.

Mustangs and Gehls are built near you, Oughta check out their Crawlers, best service access I have ever seen, very clean design and nice big cab, reliability is fantastic now.

cab raised (1).jpgcab raised (2).jpgcab raised (3).jpg
 

apetad

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2012
Messages
384
Location
Leander, Texas
Occupation
Compact Construction Equipment Sales
NEW FOR 2017 From Mustang
 

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