They are a great looking machine (especially the vertical lift machine). They are very well built. I think they will be well received. The next machines will be the smaller ones. They will absolutely take on the best of what the industry is currently offering. After those will be the 100 hp machines which is what I am waiting for.
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Wacker Neuson Skid Steer
- Thread starter AAAlandscape
- Start date
Mikefromcny
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure how I feel about them. I played with one at a dealer not long ago. To look at them, they remind me of a large version of a generic skid steer toy you'd buy for a child. Time will tell I guess. It could be a Kubota from the 70's where no one knew they'd still be running 40 years later and just bad mouthed them, or they could be an early 2000s deere skid steer.
I really think they're going to struggle. A lot of their small product already goes through Cat rental stores and some of their compact is sold through other OEM dealerships such as Case and NH dealers. Not sure how big of an independent stand alone dealer network they have or if they can compete price wise in the rental channel with Bobcat, Kubota, Takeuchi or Deere.
I've seen the machines recently and would rank the JCB as having a nicer cab and a stronger brand and more mature dealer network, yet JCB still struggles mightily. These factors are all independent of how the machine operates. It is a very crowded market and will be even more so this Spring when Kubota launches their two vertical lift path SSLs in the 1800lb and 2600lb class. I'm sure they will be capable machines at the typical low price that Kubota sells at.
I've seen the machines recently and would rank the JCB as having a nicer cab and a stronger brand and more mature dealer network, yet JCB still struggles mightily. These factors are all independent of how the machine operates. It is a very crowded market and will be even more so this Spring when Kubota launches their two vertical lift path SSLs in the 1800lb and 2600lb class. I'm sure they will be capable machines at the typical low price that Kubota sells at.
I think those are separate discussions. The quality and innovation in the machine will be there (that is the first discussion). The impact they have in the market will take time to mature, there is no doubt about that. I think it will follow Takeuchi's entry and success in the market, the machines will first need to establish a strong reputation for durability and capability and the rest will develop out of that reputation, that does not occur overnight but it will occur if the machines deliver (which I think they will). Given WN strong presence in the rental market, their SSL/CTLs will enter the rental market and that will be most guys first contact with them and hopefully it will grow from there. I ran one for about a month this Spring it was a 75hp radial CTL.
ksss...I agree. My comments had nothing to do with how they perform.
I still think that they will have difficulty breaking into the rental channel primarily due to pricing. Bobcat and the other larger OEMs aren't going to give up their rental volume easily (and the market share) and they have much larger economies of scale that allow them to sell to the rental companies inexpensively so Wacker will have to essentially give the machines away if they want any real rental penetration particularly with the larger rental chains like United, Sunbelt, Hertz, etc.
I still think that they will have difficulty breaking into the rental channel primarily due to pricing. Bobcat and the other larger OEMs aren't going to give up their rental volume easily (and the market share) and they have much larger economies of scale that allow them to sell to the rental companies inexpensively so Wacker will have to essentially give the machines away if they want any real rental penetration particularly with the larger rental chains like United, Sunbelt, Hertz, etc.
apetad
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2012
- Messages
- 384
- Location
- Leander, Texas
- Occupation
- Compact Construction Equipment Sales
Saw a brand new one with a Kohler Diesel, anyone know anything AT ALL about a Tier 4 Kohler Diesel????
I don't really know much about the Kohler diesels. I do know that they are Lombardini diesel engines, as Kohler bought out Lombardini a few years ago to get into the small diesel engine market.
The Lombardini diesels I have used back in the 80's, were loud, vibrated a lot, and smoked like a chimney, but seemed to run forever with few problems and used very little fuel.
The Lombardini diesels I have used back in the 80's, were loud, vibrated a lot, and smoked like a chimney, but seemed to run forever with few problems and used very little fuel.
Jeepwalker
Senior Member
These guys sell them in SW WI (or at least did last I recall). If anyone was interested, they could call and talk to the parts guys and see how they've been holding up. They used to be Deere dealers and have sold other equipment so they should have a pretty good handle on what 'good' is. I doubt they're going to cut their own product down. From what I saw they DO look like good machines.
http://www.muellerrental.com/equipment/new-used/gravely-corner/
http://www.muellerrental.com/equipment/new-used/gravely-corner/
I have not run the recently released midframe machines. They have been very well received by dealers I have heard. These machines were designed and built in the US by the same guys that have designed and built some of the most popular skid steers on the planet. They will be competitive with any machine in their class, that you can be certain. The Kohler engine has some big advantages. The fact that they have a 4k hour warranty says a lot about what Kohler thinks of their engines. As to seeing them on the job sites, like I said, this is going to take time to establish their reputation in the market. If the machines perform well (that I have no concerns about), they stand behind the machines they build (I know they will), and can provide adequate dealer support (that remains to be seen in my opinion) they will see success in the NA market. They are coming into the market at a great time, economy is growing, SSL's and CTL's are selling, that should help their cause.
clintm
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2013
- Messages
- 974
- Location
- charlotte nc
- Occupation
- trucking,concrete recycling,grading, demolition
I looked at them at con expo they seem to be plain and simple easy to work on . nice clean routing of interior hyd line and wiring
gearhead82
Member
My dealer here has the CTL's. He said that the SSL's are on the way. He said that they are already back-ordered because the plant cannot keep up with orders so that says someone is interested. I sat in the cab of the track loader and it is the roomiest cab I have ever been in....AND this is on a smaller sized CTL.
I have not had a chance to operate it but have seen a few out on rent around here.
I have not had a chance to operate it but have seen a few out on rent around here.
North Texan
Well-Known Member
The local Case IH house is a WN dealer because the construction outfit has the skid steer line. I'd sure be interested to hear more about them as some of you guys get some time in them.
I've seen the WN CTLs on job sites quite a bit over the last year in my neck of the woods. I've looked them over and I'll say they look like we'll built machines with very roomy cabs.
One of the largest residential grading outfits out my way has taken on the WN line and must like them as they've become a dealer.
They were running bobcat and takeucki with the odd Terex mixed in there.
I spoke with one of the guys who's been running a large WN ctl and he seemed to have nothing bad to say.
I will say that if the outfit that I see running them has good things to say about them then they must be a reliable and tough machine. Those guys put a bazzion hours on their machines every year running them at least 8 hours a day 6-7 days a week digging in tough Manitoba gumbo which is the heaviest, stickiest clay around.
Only time will tell if they can gain more market share.
One of the largest residential grading outfits out my way has taken on the WN line and must like them as they've become a dealer.
They were running bobcat and takeucki with the odd Terex mixed in there.
I spoke with one of the guys who's been running a large WN ctl and he seemed to have nothing bad to say.
I will say that if the outfit that I see running them has good things to say about them then they must be a reliable and tough machine. Those guys put a bazzion hours on their machines every year running them at least 8 hours a day 6-7 days a week digging in tough Manitoba gumbo which is the heaviest, stickiest clay around.
Only time will tell if they can gain more market share.
Fine Touch Landscaping
New Member
I rented an ST28 last week and was extremely impressed. Seemed to have quiet a bit more power than the T550 on our site. Wasn't sure if I'd like the no lap-bar feature at first, but ended up really warming up to it as it helps open up additional cab space.