Compact Track Loader or Compact Utiliy Tractor or Skid Steer- New acreage

[cdika17]

Hi Folks

Will be moving to our new acreage in the spring, I want to get a machine, just unsure what I need.

From northern Alberta, Canada, lots of snow in winter and ground is fairly soft being in the trees during rest of seasons.

Info:
5 acres, 1 acre cleared rest is trees. Space is limited.
300m of driveway
Will be doing all the landscaping after build is done. Hauling in fill, topsoil, rocks, etc.

Been clearing the snow with atv and blade thus far, piles and windrows are getting pretty high, so whatever i choose ill be getting a snow blower.

So need a machine for:
landscaping
snow removal
brush removal/cleaning
hauling dirt/gravel

Acreage type stuff.

I first thought a CTL would be good for the soft ground and traction, great maneuverability, can do almost all my list.

Then i thought a CUT with FEL would be good comfort wise, bigger machine, to only have one machine do all, thought maybe the best choice.

Then i seen a Bobcat toolcat, intrigue me a little, kind of a swiss army knife, 2 seats is very cool, son would love to join daddy with duties.

I can only afford to buy one machine and wondering what I should get. Suggestions?

 

[mddorange]

:welcome:
To the forum from Alabama. I would a CUT with FEL.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I've put a lot of hours on both a skid steer and a CUT. Skid steer has a lot tougher loader and can do more of that kind of work faster. CUT has the ability to do a wider variety of work but is slower in the FEL department. Not as heavy duty either.

I don't know if this applies to your acreage but a CUT is lighter on it's feet. It won't get stuck as fast in soft dirt and also won't cut up the lawn as much.

 

[Grandad4]

The CTL and Toolcat options are in a different league regarding initial cost and the cost of attachments. If that's not an issue for you, by all means check them out. Most people with a few acres find there are good tractor options for getting their work done, although the size, brand and features vary greatly and reflect differing needs and preferences.

 

[cdika17]

More specifically i was looking at:

CTL - Bobcat T300
CUT - Kubota L3560HSTCC
Skid steer loader style - Bobcat 5610 Toolcat

All seem to be in the $40-50K CAD range

Being up in the oil patch, anything used seems to be used and abused hard, so I was looking at new, with 0% financing over 60 months on most stuff, seems like a no brainer, just wondering how these new machines are with the DPF issues i keep hearing about, especially when we get such frigid temperatures.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I'd love to have a Bobcat Toolcat. Check out some of xfaxman's posts on here to see some of his feats with his toolcat. But I'd still want a tractor of some sort just because they're so handy and useful at so many things.

If you don't have an unlimited budget, be sure to check out the cost of skid steer front-mount implements vs. 3 point implements. They are typically double the cost or more of a 3 point implement.

On a CTL or skid steer, one of the great things is that the bucket is right in front of you and you're right on top of the action so the visibility to the front is great. The trade-off is that the visibility to the rear sucks. And they ride rough as heck. And they're a lot more expensive than tractors. For the price of a used T300 with 1,500 hours on it, you can buy a brand new tractor that would be all you need for your 5 acres (and probably have money left over).

 

[RichardGD]

Have both, Gehl CTL60 compact track loader and Massey 1742 utility tractor with cab/hydro. 3 out of 4 times I use the CTL. Much more powerful/rugged, better stability on hills, goes through anything except ice, and has great visibility which make it quick/easy to swap implements. But there are some downsides as others mention. Attachments are more expensive but also much more rugged. And traction on snow/ice is not great. The only thing I use the utility tractor for is plowing snow, spraying weeds and bush hogging. I use the CTL for clearing land/cutting firewood, grading, digging post holes, moving hay bales and any other heavy loader work. I think I could get by with either, but I would keep the CTL if I had to choose.

 

[GManBart]

I borrow my neighbor's Bobcat T-200 from time to time, and it's pretty impressive. The only big negative is that it's kind of slow getting from A to B. Getting one with a two-speed transmission would probably help a lot. If you're not plowing, mowing, etc, you don't necessarily need a tractor with a PTO.

 

[Xfaxman]

Toolcats do not have DPF: Tier 4: Doosan Engine Announcement Frequently Asked Questions FAQs - Bobcat Company

Just in case you haven't seen the Toolcat Forum here on TBN: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/toolcat/

Toolcats are very well liked for snow removal.

You get what you pay for, quality and versatility cost more.