• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

Thomas Skidsteers??

FullMetalBucket

Active Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2007
Messages
29
Location
Port Dover, Ontario, Canada
I bought a Thomas T133 about 3 years ago and it's been a great little work horse. Hasn't needed any replacement parts other than a few hydraulic lines. Now it's become a business asset and is still working flawlessly. I'd like to get something a bit bigger in the future, I've driven a 245, but does anyone have any long term experience with the larger Thomas machines, or are we better off looking at Case or Bobcat as far as replacement parts and attachments go?? Real pleased with the small Thomas though.....
Thanks :drinkup
 

atgreene

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2005
Messages
508
Location
Sebago, Maine
Thomas was in bankrupcy, last I knew. Are they still in production, or are they working through bankrupcy?
 

FullMetalBucket

Active Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2007
Messages
29
Location
Port Dover, Ontario, Canada
That's something I've been trying to figure out. I did a search on the forum and saw that they were bought out, then bought out agein or something but there didn't seem to be alot of opinions one way or the other on the actual equipment.....
 

KSSS

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2005
Messages
4,319
Location
Idaho
Occupation
excavation
Personally, if your in business I would want to purchase assets that will have some value when your ready to upgrade or sell out. I don't think that is Thomas. Thomas will either get bought out or die and really one or the other needs to happen similiar to what happened to Scat Trak. They maybe a fine machine but there are other fine machines out there that will hold their value.
 

atgreene

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2005
Messages
508
Location
Sebago, Maine
From what I've seen, they're stout machines with very little problems. Simple, straightforward, easy to work on. The problem will be parts if they get bought-out or go away all-together. I'd buy one, as long as they get reorganized.

Look at Bobcat, they just got bought out, I'm sure they'll continue, but what kind of machine will they become under new ownership?
 

KSSS

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2005
Messages
4,319
Location
Idaho
Occupation
excavation
Parts will have to be made for the 5 years following closing of their doors. They are simple machines. But why invest in something that has no value no will only be worse after they get bought out or go under.

Its kinda like the old saying "I started with nothing and still have most of that left".
 

FullMetalBucket

Active Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2007
Messages
29
Location
Port Dover, Ontario, Canada
Ya, I think you make some good points KSSS. Maybe we should sell it while it still has some value.... I found a bobcat 853 in pretty mint shape for a '98 (I think) and the guy's asking $12000 (keep in mind that's CDN$$$) but it has no attachments. We'll have to see what happens. None of the #'s I found for Thomas today got me anywhere so it might be best to buy bigger/better/newer.....
 

TALLRICK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
195
Location
florida
If Thomas will be going out of business, does that mean that used machines will be selling for a reduced value? That being the case I think my next machine will be a Thomas. They kind of remind me of what Bobcat used to be!
 

RobVG

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2009
Messages
1,028
Location
Seattle WA
Occupation
17 excavators and a stewpot of other stuff
Thomas

I know this thread is 2 years old but I'd like to add just a little bit about Thomas.

I heard the rumors about Thomas going bankrupt. I found them online and got ahold of their parts manager.

http://thomasloaders.com/

They said they're not going anywhere and were very helpful with parts and a service manual. I was able to order axle seals and bearings for our 2200 last winter. I called last month on price and availability for a starter. They were still there and still helpful.

The only hitch is, they used to sell parts only to dealers. Now you can order parts yourself but you must pay C.O.D They don't take credit card orders.

Hope this helps someone looking for Thomas parts.

Rob
 

Digdeep

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2007
Messages
704
Location
Wisconsin
I know this thread is 2 years old but I'd like to add just a little bit about Thomas.

I heard the rumors about Thomas going bankrupt. I found them online and got ahold of their parts manager.

http://thomasloaders.com/

They said they're not going anywhere and were very helpful with parts and a service manual. I was able to order axle seals and bearings for our 2200 last winter. I called last month on price and availability for a starter. They were still there and still helpful.

The only hitch is, they used to sell parts only to dealers. Now you can order parts yourself but you must pay C.O.D They don't take credit card orders.

Hope this helps someone looking for Thomas parts.

Rob

Thomas did go bankrupt a little over a year or so ago. they've since exited bankruptcy and continue to build product on a limited scale. they sell direct now because the majority of their dealers were left holding the bag and went different directions. They are still quite cash strapped. Imagine what its like there if CAT shuts down their plants every two weeks?
 

TALLRICK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
195
Location
florida
All I can say is that I hope that they stay around. Every time I have worked on one I was impressed with how they hold up. A friend may be buying one as well, from an electrician who is selling off equipment that has not been used. Thomas 205 for around 5,000.00 seemed like a good deal to me and it looks and runs great.
 

up4wesn

New Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
1
Location
reno
i own a 2003 245hdk i beat it up regularly and it had NEVER quit on me yet i also own a bobcat 800 series, i must admit thomas's uncertainty has been a distraction but as far as their equipment! i would purchase one before a bobcat ANYDAY the biggest problem i have is trying to find someone who makes mounting brackets so i can mount mt 8811 backhoe attachment to the thomas 245 skid steer!?!?
 

Thrills

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2009
Messages
22
Location
Center, PA
Occupation
Nuke Operator
I'm new here, and came here to find out about a Thomas 1700 that my neighbor had for sale. It was a 2003 that he bought "new" at an auction. It only had 200 hours on it, and was for his personal use around his property - built house, dug swimming pool, gravel driveway, move snow, etc. He only wanted $9,800.00 for it.

At first, I thought it was a great deal. He let me use it for a week to try it out. I had NO experience with skid-steers, but was able to learn fast, and in a few days was able to run it like a pro. I inquired as to the real value on this site. Here's some of the things I learned:

1) I tried unsuccessfully for 4 or 5 days to get ahold of Thomas on the phone, to ask about parts availablity and about thier "bankruptcy" status, etc. I never got anything but a voice-mail, and never got a call back.

2) I looked for the closest dealer to my location and found it was about 2 hours away. I called the dealer, and they said that they didn't have any better luck getting ahold of Thomas recently, but that parts were still available, although it sometimes took a week or two to get something.

3) I learned that part of Thomas' current re-organization means they are moving thier manufacturing base to GJK, a sub-contractor in China, (this is on their web-site at: http://www.thomasloaders.com/FAQ.asp#FAQ9 ) and their Quality Canadian made machines will be no more. (I don't care what anyone says,... everything from shoes to tools that I have ever purchased that was once made in North America, and then made in China was NEVER as good of quality as the original, and the final price I usually paid for the new product as a result of this "money-saving" move was never any lower than before, it just meant the "company" could make a higher profit.)

4) I learned that when Thomas was trying to establish itself in the United States, they developed a dealer network, but then they wanted to increase their market share faster, so they sold a couple thousand "brand new" units per year for a couple years, at auctions for average of $12K to $15K, which was about 1/2 the newly established dealer network price, so many of the dealers quit trying to sell the Thomas units, and it ended up hurting thier market share, and driving the price & value of the Thomas units down.

5) I learned that if you want to re-sell your Thomas, you have to sell it to someone who doesn't know enough about skid-steers and/or isn't willing to do this much research to learn, in order to get a good price. i.e.: I mentioned above that my neighbor had the '03, 1700 for $9,800.00 with only 200 hours on it, and if it was a Bobcat or other "name brand" that would have been a fantastic price, but since it was a Thomas (even though it is a fine, well-built, simple, powerful machine,) people in the skid-steer industry would not pay that much for it because they knew what the auction prices were. Yoder & Frey Auctioneers sold a similar Thomas unit a month or so ago, a couple miles from my house for only $3,500.00. http://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=6891840&GUID=6d617749fd7348d4a5f8fc5d6ebde903 I started to worry that if I got it, and then wanted to get rid of it for some reason, that I may not be able to get back what I was going to pay, and didn't want to take that chance.

6) After using the 1700 for a few weeks, I found it to be a powerful, comparable unit, simple, easy to work on, easy to maintain, etc. For instance, ALL the oil in the Thomas (engine, drive-chains, hydraulics) was the same 10-30! That was GREAT! But, with the move to China, and the questionable resale value, I ended up not getting the machine for a combination of all these reasons. I'm currently looking at '07 John Deere 317.
 

TALLRICK

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
195
Location
florida
Well this information is much appreciated. Using Chinese made parts assures the decline of the Thomas loader. My friend did buy the 205 at a discounted price of 4400.00 because the seller became motivated to move it out. The odd thing with Thomas equipment is how sellers always seem to ask unreasonably high prices. The machines probably do not sell, but Thomas loader owners get unrealistic expectations of what their equipment is worth. When it comes down to it I believe that only the ignorant pay high dollar for them. I would love to pick one up for a super cheap price just to have it. Years back I used to see them at rental yards and on jobsites, not anymore.
 

Thrills

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2009
Messages
22
Location
Center, PA
Occupation
Nuke Operator
yep!

Tallrick,

Yes, not knowing anything about skid steers, and searching prices a little on the inernet, I thought $9800 was a great price for the machine,... I did run very well and was simple to work/maintain. However, I couldn't get past the fact that the same unit with a little more hours on it sold for $3500 a month before 10 miles from my house.

That's when I started postinq questions here and learning all those details. I am ANAL about details. When I want to purchase / get into something, I will know almost everything about it before I lay down the Green-Backs.

My neighbor ended up selling it to another party, and now I'm looking at Bobcats and Deeres and I am fairly sure I will be happier in the long run with availability of parts, service, and re-sale values...

Good luck!

PS anybody else out there have any info or advice about a '07 Deere 317.

Thanks!
 

sultan

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
298
Location
Ontario, Canada
I might buy a brand new thomas skid steer at an auction if I can get one cheap. It seems that the future of thomas and parts availability for it is still somewhat uncertain. The engines are Kubota, so I am not worried about those, but I am a bit unsure about things like the hydraulic oil filters. Are there hydraulic oil filters by other companies that will fit and work in thomas skid steers?
 

RobVG

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2009
Messages
1,028
Location
Seattle WA
Occupation
17 excavators and a stewpot of other stuff
I crossed the Hydraulic and Kubota with Napa- no problem.

As far as parts- call them. Ask to speak with their parts manager. Last time I called her Name was Debbie Bell.
 
Top