Hi, I own a small farm with a few horses and cattle in ND. I’m looking at a used skid steer for chores, snow removal, and moving hay. I don’t have a huge budget and am currently debating 2 used machines with an identical price tag. One is a 2010 New Holland L170 w/8,000 hours. The other is a 2003 Bobcat S250 w/5,000 hours. Both are 2 speed with high flow and heated cabs. My only experience owning a skid steer is a Bobcat 743. I have a front wheel assist loader tractor that I use to move snow and hay currently, but it’s open station and a bit long in the tooth and doesn’t fit in some building to clean manure. Im getting tired of freezing my butt off when moving snow in -40. I plan on keeping the tractor for muddy times. Any advice on either of these machines? Thanks!!!
Hello, the Bobcat S250 is a solid choice. It’s super reliable, and you can get aftermarket parts way cheaper. Just make sure to check the hydraulic motors – if they sound good, you’re fine to buy it. If not, replacing them can be a real headache. We’ve had ours running for over 12,000 hours!