Does anybody have any experience with new Cat equipment? Specifically a 563 fellerbuncher, a 535c skidder, and a 559b knuckleboom. Its time to update my stuff and I like the looks of the Caterpillars. The Tigercat brand also looks really nice too, but the dealer support is not what caterpillar is. It is not much of a difference in the money between the two or Deere. I've had bad experience with the Deere in the past once the new emissions standards came into effect so I'm going to avoid them as I would the plague.
I'd look at the Tigercat stuff myself. They're selling a lot of gear around here lately and stealing a lot of what used to be Deere's market. Cat makes a good skidder and I believe the knucklebooms and drive to tree bunchers are based on the Prentice line which always had a good reputation. Whatever you decide I doubt you'll be disapointed.
We have some Cat forestry equipment in our territory and it is working ok. We had some issues with a hot saw and the accumulator arms but Cat got that figured out. The rest is working and hasn't had many problems. The 559C has just been released along with some other new models.
I did get the new cat stuff. Been working with the skidder and loader for about 2 weeks now and the cutter was delivered late this evening. I'll try to get some pictures up sometime in the next day or two.