If you had $30-$35,000 . What would you buy? I’ve always been a bobcat guy. Had a 743 and a T300. Would like to get a joystick machine. My boss has 2 T650’s and they have me spoiled. But I don’t have his money. The T300 was way to much machine for my needs. I have a 953 on the farm for my big stuff already. Was looking at T550 and T590’s but would consider another brand.
My T595 is a little beast. Not sure if you could find a used one in your price range, but maybe worth a try.
I’ve seen a few close to my budget. What engine is in it? I’m getting not so great reviews on the Doosan engines
74 hp. My only complaint is that it uses a lot of fuel. Friend has a T740 with the same engine, and he has the same issue. I’ve got just shy of 300 hours and it’s been perfect.
Yeah my t300 has the 81hp turbo Kubota and it’s hard on fuel too.
If I had the money I'd be buying Kubota or Takeuchi they are pretty tough machines and that comes from personal experience. I've never had a Bobcat from new they were usually beaters except for one mini-ex but that's for a different thread or forum on my thoughts about them. But for the most part my experience with Bobcat has been pretty negative but like I said that was for a particular reason.
after allot of shopping before I bought my NH, I saw allot of the bobcat models cant exchange the final drive fluid from outside. To me thats an issue
Not the most comfortable, but Takeuchi are near the top for toughness and reliability. Plus their hydraulic over hydraulic controls are the best type in my opinion.
Yeah that's what I liked about the Kubota machines you can't beat pilot hydraulics but sadly it seems like many are going for electronic controls these days. I worked with a utility installation crew that ran SVL-90-2's. And even through our brutal winters and their tracks half full of frozen mud they just keep going. I do like how the cab door rolls up in to the roof or ceiling of the cab. At least if the engine dies and the arms are up you can still get out. And I do generally find the visibility pretty good and the cab comfortable but I am 5' 6" so I don't have the height problems that some people do.
Went to the bobcat dealer with a pocket full of cash to look at a 2017 T550 with 800 hrs on it. It was beat on badly by a demo company. Cab was even tweeked from something big falling against the front. Left side track was making a hell of a grinding noise. Looked it over and nothing stuck in it. So a bearing failure in a idler or a final issue. They wanted $32,900....... but was willing to work on the price with me for the issues. Then I spotted another T550. I took it for a spin and a good look over. Happened to be a 2015 T550 cab with A/C and joysticks and radio. 1200hrs. Looks to had a new controller installed and calibrated 2 hours ago and a new Battery as it had a low voltage warning. Same price! I dropped $28k on the counter and pointed to my roll off with a flat bed. Said I’m out today to take something home. He said deal and wrote it up and apologized about the original one I drove 3 hours to look at.
Congrats on the new machine. Do you have to remove the tracks and sprocket on those bobcats too, to change the final drive fluid? I'd change that fluid if you don't know the service history.
Nice looking machine. Congrats. Seems like there is not a lot of love on here for Bobcat, probably from guys with much more experience than me, but mine have been great. It doesn’t hurt that I’ve got a great dealer. Good luck with your new toy.
Yes there’s no provisions to drain or fill with the sprocket on. My T300 was a breeze to change. Looks like I’m gonna sweat on this one. I’ve got the dealer info that sold it originally. Gonna call them Monday see if they have service history on it. The oil filter was just changed at 1212hrs. So there was just something serviced. I’m going to tilt the cab tomorrow and check everything else for dates. Pulling the tracks off and putting them back on aint to hateful.
well we always ran bobcats at the demo company and then things took a beating. 20-30yrs ago. So they won us for resilience. But I don’t have any experience past a 2008 T300 that I just sold. My boss has 2 T650 that I love fooling around with. But we are a crane rental company so there use is limited to spreading millings in the shop yard or going to the farm and doing stuff for him with them. Those joystick machines spoiled me. So now that me and the wife have a farm I made the jump to a newer style machine. If my 550 sees 150 hrs a year then I’m really doing something.