299D XHP or T870 I cant decide

[MrDigOR]

Hello fellow operators!! I'm in a bit of a patch right now. I can't decide between a Bobcat T870 or a 299D XHP. We currently run M series Bobcats in our op, so bringing in an 870 is nothing new and everything familiar. That's a huge plus. There was a dealership change in our area recently...and well that's a huge minus.

Enter the Big Cat. I've yet to demo one. Talked to the salesguy almost two weeks ago to arrange...and have not heard from him since. So, service about on par with Bobcat. What I know about the machine I have only compared on paper to the 870, and the biggest differences I can come up with are these:

The 299 weighs a little less than the 870.
Steel undercarriage option, big plus over the 870.
The 299 has Higher hydraulic flow than the 870 +4 gpm difference.
The 299 has a back up camera.

The biggest difference: the price. I was quoted $155K for the 299D xhp with land management package + steel undercarriage and the 415 cutting head. About $45K higher than the 870 Forestry with Fecon mulcher (but no steel undercarriage, get with it Bobcat).

When that comes out on paper, it is obviously a substantial difference. I'm basically picking between the lesser of two evils as neither dealership has a service advantage to flock to. Already having Bobcats in the stable, I know what to expect. Not being able to test the 299 before writing that kind of check is fairly difficult to justify the difference when the two are so close on paper. :beatsme

If anyone has any insight or experience and you are willing to share I am willing to listen.

Stay safe!

G

 

[movindirt]

Maybe give your Cat dealer a call back and see if you can demo the 299, if he won't call you back just keep calling him I would definitely demo the Cat before buying it if at all possible. Are you running the SJC controls in your bobcats or hand/foot controls?

 

[pafarmer]

Buy a TAK 12....

 

[JNB]

Buy a TAK 12....

It does look pretty interesting.

 

[pafarmer]

It does look pretty interesting.

Yes indeed.... I hear their the cats ass ! No Pun intended !

 

[JNB]

Yes indeed.... I hear their the cats ass ! No Pun intended !

And here I thought that was a camera back there...

 

[grandpa]

Well, whoever you talked to at your Cat dealer needs his arse kicked. Call his boss. My Cat dealer Ziegler is the BEST.

 

[pafarmer]

:drinkup

And here I thought that was a camera back there...

 

[MrDigOR]

Maybe give your Cat dealer a call back and see if you can demo the 299, if he won't call you back just keep calling him I would definitely demo the Cat before buying it if at all possible. Are you running the SJC controls in your bobcats or hand/foot controls?

Yeah, I hear ya. Can't force a square peg in a round hole though. SJC in the Bobcats.

 

[MrDigOR]

Buy a TAK 12....

Takeuchi - Even less support than the two I am choosing between.

 

[MrDigOR]

Well, whoever you talked to at your Cat dealer needs his arse kicked. Call his boss. My Cat dealer Ziegler is the BEST.

I agree, and I did. Unfortunately, it seems to be a top-down issue. I'm not going to chase down a VP to buy a machine. Call me crazy but sales shouldn't work that way.

 

[Oxbow]

I agree, and I did. Unfortunately, it seems to be a top-down issue. I'm not going to chase down a VP to buy a machine. Call me crazy but sales shouldn't work that way.

Is your dealer NC, or Western States?

 

[MrDigOR]

Is your dealer NC, or Western States?

Peterson

 

[pafarmer]

299XHP are at a Premium right now. Production is struggling to keep up with demand....Peterson CAT is a great outfit. I have never heard of a CAT salesman not responding to a customer...how are you attempting to make contact ? Try. Filling out the electronic Demo request on their home page, these are always responded too...

 

[caterpillarmech]

Agreed on Peterson. Heard nothing but good about them and from an ex employee!

 

[Oxbow]

Peterson

I haven't had any dealings with Peterson, but that sure is surprising, especially this time of year.

 

[MrDigOR]

299XHP are at a Premium right now. Production is struggling to keep up with demand....Peterson CAT is a great outfit. I have never heard of a CAT salesman not responding to a customer...how are you attempting to make contact ? Try. Filling out the electronic Demo request on their home page, these are always responded too...

Thank you for providing that avenue pafarmer, this all started with electronic request. Contact from Peterson in California, referred to local dealer. Started working with local rep. Local rep: here's the price, no demo. I laughed. I called back to original contact point from Peterson in CA. Assigned new sales person. Had a nice conversation with them, but tomorrow will mark two weeks (10 business days) since I have heard from the second Cat salesperson. Like I said before, I'm not going to chase them down, especially not when the tickets go into the six figures.

Construction equipment at a premium? That was never mentioned by either sales person. Had it been, I would have easily referenced CAT's stock performance. You can't be in demand with a share price down 50% over the past 5 years. Furthermore, if the individual machine is in demand I would not know it, from order to delivery I was told less than 3 weeks. "Equipment at a premium," sounds more like salesperson speak to me than anything else. Looking back, it would have been nice if they said that to me, we could have parted ways there.

It is truly affirming that everyone wants to help Cat sell me a machine. The reality is Cat should feel that way about selling me a machine. All of this good will from what I assume are brand owners means that your dealers have taken good care of you. I consider you all fortunate. I would have liked to join your ranks. Regardless, my experiences should also let you know that not all Cat dealers are created equal, nor are the people they hire to represent them. Your mileage may vary.

If anyone wants to discuss the machine differences, that is what I am here for. If you'd like to discuss sales processes (or lack of), macro economics, or anything else we should start a different thread.

 

[pafarmer]

I own a dozen 299XHP and two 259D CAT machines all brand new for sake of conversation. The 299 are 2015 units, the 259 D are 2016 units... There isn't a better machine on the market today in my opinion for what you are describing as your intended need. I have owned all of the others on the market in spades ! My 299 XHP's are full land management units with steel undercarriages and Fecon heads. We clear land, lots and lots of land.
They are the biggest, baddest, most dependable units I have ever owned. Parts are delivered directly too me next day. The little 259 D are also highly capable units running the AFE forestry heads. , pound for pound, dollar for dollar the CAT CTL are hard to beat IMHO....your mileage may vary as well...best of luck...

 

[BradAZLR]

I own a 2016 299d2 xhp with the land management package 2 steel undercarriage extra oil cooler reversing fan and run an hm415b mulcher on it. The machine is a beast and runs and runs and runs. Also own a 2014 299d xhp with the land management package 1 rubber tracks no extra oil cooler no reversing fan and a fecon mulcher. Will be adding a reversing fan on it before the weather warms up. I prefer the cat hm415b mulcher over the fecon. I think the cat mulcher gives a better finished product. Service from my cat dealer is outstanding and when running a mulcher everyday that's important. Will probably be ordering another steel tracked machine in a few months, also eyeing Cats 586c site prep tractor.

 

[KSSS]

The CAT mulcher is actually an FAE. It took a while before CAT got the variable pump on their version of the FAE mulcher. I think the FAE is an excellent mulcher.