Looking at buying a new ctl within 2 weeks.I have ran case and had nothing but problems with them so they are out.I rented kubota and seemed ok but want to buy american made.John deere Ive always owned as far as wheel loaders and backhoes and have always been good machines.The ag pro dealership here doesnt seem to motivated to sell one to me , but rdo equipment has a 317G with 200 hrs for $42K semms like a good deal .The bobcat dealership here seems the most motivated and willing to swing deals on a new T66 fully loaded for $62K.I have tryed to get a price from cat on a 259D3 but the process I have to go thru just to talk to a salesman is insane to put it nicely.I did talke to one 2 weeks ago and he assured me they were going to be the most expensive but never really gabe me a price , he just continued the vetting process.I mean come on I want to buy a machine.So my question is should I go with a bobcat ? They are willing to let me test one for a day and throw in a few rental attchments when I need them.
Bobcats aren't cheap, neither are cats for sure. The deere seems like a good price, and will save you a lot! I'd demo each before you commit. Personally though, I'd go with a Takeuchi or Kubota, but they're not made here... Though Kubota is starting to make the smaller track machine here i believe.
Own a 13 Cat 299d xhp, bought used for my small operation. Parts are ridiculously expensive from dealer. Selling water pumps for $300 . Didn’t know better until we found out it’s a rebranded kubota motor. End up being $100 after my research. Also ended up deleting the dpf for half the price we’ve paid for serving it. Definitely buy something with a warranty, or something that you’re able to maintain yourself. Without the dealer bending you over. We’ve eyed the kubota recently, kinda over Cat and the constant down time. The local dealer seems to only want to deal with the big boys and not small guys. IMO
My son-in-law has 4 tracked skidsteers in his little fleet. He started with Bobcats about 9 years ago, but now is switching over to Cats. There are good dealers here for both brands. However, he says the Bobcats are starting to get a cheap feel to them. Lots of plastic inside, and lots of wiring problems over the last year or two. So far, the Cats, while expensive, seem to be holding up better than the Bobcats of late. He is thinking that Doosan has started to cut costs on the Bobcats, thus he is seeing more wear and more problems with them. Jeff
So I have decided to go with a new cat 259d3 cab model. I just couldn't get past the seats hitting me in the middle of my back in the JD and bobcat .Cat feels like a step up from all of them plus the extended warranty , 500hr service and $500 worth of attachment rentals they are throwing in. Bobcat never offered anything unless I asked for it or said what cat was doing. At first bobcat said I could buy a new seat and put it in so I decided to go 1 county over and just make sure the seats were not to my liking and they weren't. Within 15 minutes my original salesman texts me asking if I wanted him to buy the seat no cost to me and I just left it at that tested the cat and it's awesome.I probably will have a hard time putting a 100-120hrs a year on so it won't get worked hard I just hate paying for rentals .
Congrats on the new machine.
Takeuchi, Kubota! If you need a good traction - ASV.
When it comes to Bobcat, JCB and GEHL - don’t even look that way!!! IMHO!
Um, on the used ones I've been looking at in tracked machines- the Gehl and the tak are the same machine with different paint. So I don't know how you can recommend the tak and not the gehl unless its a dealer issue? Hope your new Cat works out well basscat.
The later model gehl machines are their own new design.
I was also trying to buy as much American made as possible also.You know buy American hire American.
Well! I think you better look at the name plate of the piece of equipment you buying and see where it was made! you might be surprised! If it is American brand, it doesn’t mean it was made here, especially on compact and subcompact equipment!
The Gehl CTL and Mustang MTL line are the Tak TL1xx and TL2xx series. For instance a Gehl CTL60 and Mustang MTL16 are a Tak TL130 with a different cab. A CTL65/MTL316 would be a TL230 (newer) When you get into the Gehl and Mustang RT series those have nothing to do with Tak anymore.
This far more true then I even thought. I had an interesting conversation with a major equipment oem person over the weekend and learned some things about that I wasn't aware of. Even the Japanese Heavy Equipment OEMs are using China extensively to build major portions of their machines. Major portions are built in China, shipped to Japan, assembled so they can be listed as made in Japan. Given the fact that Japanese and Chinese are not exactly friends, I was surprised a little by that, but when money is at stake somethings can be overlooked I guess. The work the Chinese do is done considerably cheaper than the Americans and Japanese can do themselves. Machines that you all thought were built in Japan, (and I am sure America as well, although my conversation was focused on Japan) largely are not, at least to the degree we probably assumed they were. So the bottom line is, built in America or Japan isn't as much of an insurance policy as it might initially sound like.