I am demoing a 262c cat skid steer. Also I am going to tryy a new 650 bobcat which is the old s-250. Anyone have any expierience with either of them. Thanks In advance. Sully
I have to say no, but if you are trying them, I would say make your own opinion, based on how the operation of the units works for you, how available service is in your area, and last but not lest, is the color right? close to the same,
sorry, not familiar with those model #s but I couldnt do without the wrist controls. never cared for bobcats foot controls. I know nothing about the cat skidsteer at all. When it comes to skidsteer I loved every Case I have ever been on. Like drobertson mentioned (and it seems your looking brand new?) then consider their service times and location to/from you.
mark
CustomSawyer just got a NEW HOLLAND skid steer. Maybe he knows something about the ones you are asking about. He'll probably chime in, in a little while.
We have had both at work in addition to a Gehl 4625. The new Bobcats can be ordered with hand or foot control. Most people prefer hand control for sure. Bobcat makes a nice machine, I like them A LOT more than a John Deere or New Holland. But, if you spent 2 hours in the Bobcat and then 2 hours in the CAT, I doubt you would want to get out and go back. Either has great aftermarket support. If money is not a big issue, buy the CAT. If the Bobcat is significantly less expensive, don't test drive the CAT and you'll be fine :D I just bought an old Bobcat 873 with foot controls and a blown engine . But that's because money WAS a big issue ;D And, I love orphaned junk, just ask my wife and anyone that knows me :laugh:
I have run the Bobcat s250 and t190 both were excellent controls. A lot of farmers near me have New Holland skid steers and they run great and take a lot of abuse. Never had a chance to run a Cat skid steer, but judging by there other equipment I don't think you could go wrong with them either. I personally like the foot controls but that's just what I'm use to, haven't had much time on machines with joy sticks. From a maintaince point of view when it comes to construction equipment and tractors I tend the choice the machine with less electronics. As far as the john deere's go you couldn't give me a new one.
I have both a Cat 262 and a Bobcat 763. The Cat is by FAR the better machine. Bought it new in 2002, only trouble Ive had was putting in a bushing around throttle rod at injector pump. It has been used in the woods and around the mill its whole life. Great machine. The Bobcat is used only around the mill, and has had no issues. I sure like the hand controls on the Cat better than the feet/hand controls on the Bobcat.
I've used Bobcat, Case and Cat and very much prefer the hand controls. When you demo it ask them to let you hit a few curbs and uneven ground, you may find on rough terrain the foot controls can foul you up on occasion. I also feel the Case and Cat felt more stable on side hills and loading/unloading on uneven ground.
Allan
before i got my last new loader. i had all 4 brand at the mill the same day for me to try side by side. cat, n.h. bobcat, j.d.at the end of the day(no pun) i went with the more expensive one.
its a 2010 and i have 1100 hrs on it now and i simply love it but, then i was pretty sure i would. it was the most nimble, easy to get the feel of, the best in cab visability, biggest feeling cab, quitest cab. i could keep going.the dealers were all about the same distance from me.so i went with same brand i've had for 15 yrs prior. john deere :D sorry guys but for me its still the best machine i can run.
A while back my son and I picked up a 325 jd used low hrs ,It's so far a great machine but it"s our first skidsteer so it"s hard to compare.I do like the hand controls and the power it's strong.
Thanks for the replies both of the machines are 2012 the cat has 250 hours on a city lease return. Still a little under 40k. Bobcat just told me he has a new no hour unit with joystick controls for 40 I am going to demo that one friday. I do like how the cat can move around 20' 36" wide walnut with the rootball on. I hate spending money. Sully
Run them all and decide which one you like. Personally I love my Bobcat with foot controls for the bucket. Others complain about them but I have great control with my feet so it leaves me hands free to run everything else. It all comes down to personal preference really.
Also I will be using the machine to shear. Pile. And shred cedar trees so it will be pushed fairly hard.
find out the hydralic flows, get high flow if you can. if your going to be using the axuliary hydralics you'll want it. just curious are the cabs pressurized for dust and sound? i know deere's are which makes for real quite operation. i dont need the stereo blasting to hear it :)
They say that they are pressurised. The cat is pretty quiet in the cab. I am having a heck of a time finding high flow. This machine will probably be standard flow. And the in a few months this machine will be on a grappel only and I will get a larger machine with high flow. Thanks sully
Quote from: red oaks lumber on March 26, 2013, 07:00:01 AM
before i got my last new loader. i had all 4 brand at the mill the same day for me to try side by side. cat, n.h. bobcat, j.d.at the end of the day(no pun) i went with the more expensive one.
its a 2010 and i have 1100 hrs on it now and i simply love it but, then i was pretty sure i would. it was the most nimble, easy to get the feel of, the best in cab visability, biggest feeling cab, quitest cab. i could keep going.the dealers were all about the same distance from me.so i went with same brand i've had for 15 yrs prior. john deere :D sorry guys but for me its still the best machine i can run.
Normally, I'm a JD man. I worked at a JD dealership for 4 years as a mechanic and 2 years as service manager. I have a 2355 and a 750 tractor on the farm and a couple of riding mowers (316 and 345) for the grass. Those, I wouldn't trade for anything else. The JD skid steers I have run, however, had a seat belt instead of a safety bar which was nearly impossible to hook up with bulky coveralls and gloves, the seat was at a funny angle so it felt like you were sliding out all the time, the controls were almost impossible to "feather" enough to move the bucket without jerking and the worst thing was that you had to lean your wrist over to the side to activate the auxillary hydraulic function. I rented one once with a hammer attachment and had tendonitus in my elbow for 6 months afterward. Not sure what they were thinking when they did that.
I run a Case 75xt which is super smooth, last year I put about 200 hours on a Bobcat 190t the controls wre jerky and hard to operate compared the my Case. Have heard nothing but good about Cat. Steve
I got the NH. It has a 90 HP engine. It is not a bad machine I think I am just a bad operator. I have less than 20 hours running this machine so I doubt if I would be the best one to ask as to how good the machine is. For a fair assessment I think it should be run by someone that knows what they are doing. The main thing that I can say for it is that the better I learn how to operate it the better it does.
the only thing i can add to this thread is that machines differ greatly even when they're made by the same company. for example we run both a bobcat 150 and 130 at work. the 150 is smooth and easy to feather and the 130 is crazy jumpy. you really have to be careful when running it. both machines are the same age but operate very differently. just something to consider. :)
All I can add is that the track machines generally have a heavier lift capacity, and are much more stable.
For people who are getting a bit long in the tooth, much less likelihood of feeling like you were in a car accident after spending a few hours operating one.
We run New Hollands, a 185 and a 190. We wouldn't run anything else. They have been tough running, hard working, never break down type of machines. I must say it threw me the first time I got in one and kept trying to pull the bar down over me like the bobcats had. It bothered me for awhile just having the seat belt. Got used to it. The main thing is, if you do have to work on them, you can get to everything so much easier than a bobcat, unless they have changed their design. That is one thing you might look at between the bobcat and cat. Which one has easier access to the engine and such.
I am with rmack. The newer skid steers with the tracks are twice the machine as the old style. They are not as bouncy and you dont feel like you got beat up as bad at the end of the day. We use them for construction and they will go twice the places the tired ones will. They are much harder to get stuck. If you can afford the newer style, I would go that route. Much more veritile machine if you work in muddy or snowy areas.
I like both cat and bobcat. Owned a new holland with steel tracks for awhile, it did fine but wasn't anywhere near as cushy as the cat we're using now. Probably used bobcat more than any other. IMO it boils down to service, who's got the part when you need it and can get you up and running again.
I'd debate the the track machines not beating you up. The rigid rubber u/c machines will beat you up bad, especially once the tracks get worn down a bit. They are definitely more stable though.
I demoed the cat for a week and only drove the bobcat around the lot. Cat seems much more smooth in ride. It is easier to see everything in a bobcat. Power seems the same. I wil decide today. I would like to get the tracked version but I can't justify the 10000 extra right now I also ordered a timberking 2000. I did notice the joysticks in the cat seemed jumpy compared to the joysticks in the bobcat. Thanks sully
If you are looking at rubber tire machines, the longer the wheelbase the more stable they tend to be. Also, over the tire steel tracks make them much more aggresive and stable. One thing about the Cat machines- with the vertical lift models, if you work in tight spaces, you will back into stuff with it.
tire size make a huge differance! i run 14 x 17.5 gives me 11" of ground clearance and a very smooth ride.
i cant speak of other brands but, deere has settings in the computer to adjust and fine tune all the hydralic settings to your own likes. which once you have them set how you like it becomes a whole new machine. also if your not a good operator the brand dosent matter, skill is everything.
I've driven too many bobcats (not all) that were jerky, something no operator can overcome. Steve
Cat and ASV run the same bottom ends on the tracked units. Stay away from them unless you absolutely need the lift capacity. The bottom ends are very expensive to keep up. I have ran alot of different machines and they all have their good points and bad. Cat and Bobcat are expensive names. Parts are expensive for both as well. I have a preferance to cat but that's because I have worked on them, understand their crazy parts system and have the most saddle time in them. See which dealer is willing to give you better deal and most importantly who will give you a better warranty.
Quote from: barbender on April 01, 2013, 10:48:38 AM
I'd debate the the track machines not beating you up. The rigid rubber u/c machines will beat you up bad, especially once the tracks get worn down a bit. They are definitely more stable though.
Thats why the air ride seats in the CAT's are nice.
One of the main reasons we use CAT is that we have a part drop box in my town. I can order a part in the afternoon and have it at 7:30 in the morning at the drop box. CAT is more expensive it seems but getting parts without having to drive for 2 to 3 hours round trip is nice.