Buying Advice Bobcat tractor's new "Orphan Brand" status.

[Gittyup]

I understand that BC tractors cost less to begin with and, therefore, have a lower resale value. And it's good to know some dealers still want to give fair market value. But it sure sounds like some dealers don't want anything to do with them, thereby negatively affecting demand and pushing the value down to lower than what it should be. BC should make deals play fair, I think.

 

[jonnyc1999]

I understand where Wallace is coming from, but I believe that what Gittyup reports is actually happening as well. My CT122 cost me roughly $13,000 one year ago, and the offer I was given a few weeks ago was less than $8k. My dealer has no problem selling their tractors, and in fact sell more CUT's than construction equip! It was such an insulting offer that my dealer didn't even want to tell me. He suggested I sell it on craigslist and wait until spring for the real sales!
I have no plans to give away my tractor, but I'd love to get a bigger model someday even if it is an "orphan" tractor.

 

[krazsk]

Jonnyc, do you think the difference to trade up is way different now than it would have been a couple of months ago before Bobcat decided to abandon CUTs? I don't know, I am just asking, but you can't expect to trade in on last year's retail price and buy at this year's wholesale closeout price. I heard from a Bobcat employee speculation that they are getting out of the tractor business was influenced by Kubota being mad about them entering the business. Kubota apparently supplies all the engines for their skid steers and threatened that supply and threatened to get into making skid steers, so Bobcat decided to get out of the tractor business, since it wasn't doing that well financially for it anyway.

 

[joshuabardwell]

The biggest problem, I think, is that you are competing with Bobcat dealers who are trying to clear inventory at dimes on the dollar. That, more than anything, is what is going to drive your resale down.

 

[kiotiken]

Ya,that's no good. After 1 year and 135 hours my dealer gave me 95% of what I paid

 

[EHR]

Kubota IS making skidsteers

 

[94BULLITT]

Kubota IS making skidsteers

and mini excavators.

 

[kiotiken]

Kubota IS making skidsteers

and mini excavators.

Yup, and Deere makes everything from dozers to excavators not to mention Case and New Holland. It's not that companies can't do well selling both, but Bobcat is known for making smaller construction equipment and skid steers in particular, not for tractors, and that's tough nut to crack. For the most part the other players seem to run them as separate companies. Around here anyway, you don't see construction equipment at the Deere dealership nor do I at the Case dealer I use frequently.

 

[qed-cat225]

Don't forget there also is a red version of this same tractor at McCormick, maybe check them out for a trade in as well.
McCormick X10 Tractor | Compact & Utility Tractor | Mccormick USA

 

[94BULLITT]

Yup, and Deere makes everything from dozers to excavators not to mention Case and New Holland. It's not that companies can't do well selling both, but Bobcat is known for making smaller construction equipment and skid steers in particular, not for tractors, and that's tough nut to crack. For the most part the other players seem to run them as separate companies. Around here anyway, you don't see construction equipment at the Deere dealership nor do I at the Case dealer I use frequently.

I would have thought the landscapers that use Bobcat skid steers would have got Bobcat tractors. I think the main problem was most of the dealers really did not want to sell them.

I think there is a difference between a Deere tractor and construction dealer and the same for NH and case. New holland has 2 separate websites.