sold my trusty d3 and would like to buy a newer dozer while prices are low, looked at a case 450c w 1800hrs and a new bottom also a komatsu d20p with 2500k hrs with rubber tracks, small little bugger but would be nice for those tight spots but maybe to lite to push anything but screened soil and a case 550g with 1300hrs any opinons on these machines ? anyone have seat time and reconmondations as to a good replacement for the d3 thanks in advance
I'm a dozer newbie, but if you liked your D3, I would try to match the weight of it to whatever you are looking at. I think the D20 would be a lightweight compared to the D3. My D39 is (I think) a really nice size (19,000 lbs) to do some good work and it is pretty simple to work on (no electronic diagnostics.)
If you liked you D3 make sure you talk to CAT, I just traded in my D3 on a new (slightly used, we're talking 200 hr repo) D3K XL and the new machine is great. In fact it's been winning over a lot of our deere guys. My CAT rep said they have a lot of repo machines like the one I just bought.
damn cat dealer has never returned my calls , we just were in the market for a 30k class excavator and when we called the cat rep (Twice) he never returned the call, sorry but i work to hard and will not do business with cat because of this attitude, the other local dealer had a repo with 71 hrs on it that we now own looking for a dozer now sorry cat
I vote for a 550H. A friend of mine has one and it will push hard for a little guy. It specs out very favorably against a D3G-K.
You are saying you called Newington Ct and got no reply. If you don't mind post your hometown in CT
norwalk westport called twice no return call
what would the difference be between the case 550h and the case 550g?
Sorry, i should have mentioned i was talking about a Deere dozer and not a case one. I forgot that case made a 550H too.
bought the case 550g yesterday and had it on the job this am , nice machine, very smooth compared to my d3 , quiet and tight, going to do a complete fluid and filter service asap , should i consider servicing the finals ? the previous owner bought it new and machine seems to have been well taken care of it has 1372 hr on it ,, the owner had no dates on service intervels but said it was serviced before winter at 1200 hrs looks like just oil, air and fuel filter service, pics coming:usa
congrats!
:usa
Picked a Case 550 over a Cat D3? ......... IMHO, you should have considered keeping the D3; better balanced tractor. I've been threatening to replace my (2) little 1988 model D3C's for years, but have not, because frankly, I've never seen another dozer in that class (small and narrow) that can grade as smoothly and as predictable as a D3C. As a matter of fact, I just continue to rebuild those little 1988 model D3C's. Then, in a pinch for another small finishing tractor, I bought another "used" D3C for about $25000 just last year; it's immaculate and is just as good as the older ones, albeit an inline six cylinder, with even more power, instead of the little 4 cylinder engines. As far as a Komatsu D32, Whew!.... better not lose your concentration when grading with that one, or you're gonna have one hell of a long day in the washboards.... got one of those also. I find just about all Case equipment to be just too light in weight to work effectively.
the d3c is a later model then the 1979 d3 i owned,, it was a strong little dozer but with the dry brakes and other old stuff it was time to part ways,, i cant agree with you on the cat/ case thing, i own several machines and for the money id go with almost anything other then cat, imho just way over priced and over hyped , you said you just paid 25k for a 80's d3c well thats 10k more then i paided for the 1999 550g , i was in the seat all day today and in a few more billable days the case will have earned its purchase price then ill be making all profit every time i start it ,, thats why im in this business to earn profit, the dealer service is another reason ill pass, the local cat dealer wanted 1k just to come out and work on the d3 last summer which was another reason i wanted to get away from it, basicly they dont want to talk to you if your not a big time contractor,, after reading this post the cat dealer was nice enough to send me an email about a used dozer to the tune of 45k lol thanks but ill pass on cat but good luck with your stuff
Well, it's like this. The D3C that I bought was not a "sister machine" to the (2)older 1988 model units that I originally bought "new." It is probably about a 2000-ish model, w/ the larger engine......... and everybody says it is as nimble as the older D3C's, but with more grunt. I used to run lots of Case dozers.... particularly 1150's. Had an 1150B, 1150C, and (2) 1150E's. I'm no stranger to 'em. They're o.k.; engines are very good (Cummins, I think), but too light to work behind 14 cy tandem trucks. We graduated to Komatsu D58's, then to Cat D6M LGP's..... and can't believe that we were married to the Case machines. Well, really, I know why......... mainly purchase price. And to be honest, the Case machines did a good job. Case, in my opinion, has always been light in class, however. And like it or not, Caterpillar sets the class..... because they were here first. IE: D3, D4, D5, D6, D7, D8, D9, D10, etc..........Case has always been "light" in class; no matter the model; and they still don't offer large dozers. I recall demo'ing a D5 class dozer back in the late 90's. Deere brought a 750, Komatsu brought a D58, and Cat brought a D5H........ then lagging behind the prompt arrivals, came a Case 1150G. After running the whole mess of 'em, the best operator asked me a comical question. "Jason, ya know why Case took so long to get an 1150 demo unit out here??" I looked at him in dismay. He then laughingly said, "Because Wal-Mart was temporarily out-of-stock on that unit" (He thought it was cute; but I didn't care) as I was only interested in the best of class) This just underscores my point; they are, and have always been "light in class" All this said, the Case 550 that you have pictured is really larger than a D3; it's sized between a D3 and a D4............ fitting for Case Eqt Co. It's a long track machine and that helps alot; it is also a spunky little tractor, and I'd give it a thumbs up..... but it will never be a Caterpillar. I don't feel Cat is overpriced; it's the price paid for good metallurgy and sound engineering. Think about this: When you visit a doctor and he sticks his finger up your posterior, "Do you think that he's charging you $60 for him to stick his finger in your buttocks?" No, surely not. You are paying for the years of college and experience that he has obtained to fix your ailment. That's the difference. Glad you like your tractor. It's gonna serve you well. You asked for opinions; I just gave you what I feel, is a valid one. Good luck.
all good points , the machines you have refered to are large iron and big contractor stuff, im sure the cat dealer in your area loves to hear from ya, as well as the bank :usa i guess it boils down to service
Your particular cat dealer must really suck because I just took quotes on cat, case, and deere d3 class machines and Cat was 6k less than the deere and 15k less than the case. Not to mention in our area Cat service techs are second to none and resale value is a big deal for me. To me it sounds like you have a chip on your shoulder, but it's possible your Cat dealer needs a good smack in the back of the head. Anyway good luck with the new machine.
thanks for the good luck, no chip here,, all points have been well made just made a choice and hope it works out for me :usa
Salesperson in the Fairfield county area retired and a permenant replacement wasn't / isn't in place per local dealership. Used equipment salesperson was told about this post.
Cracking machine you got there! :drinkup