Skid Steer

[CWP37]

Maybe looking to purchase a new skid steer before the end of the year. Looking for reviews/advice/pricing/financing info. Main uses will be:

1) We have about 25 acres of cactus to clear out.
2) Moving round bales.
3) Clearing shooting lanes / senderos for deer hunting.
4) Prep ground (level) for food plots.
5) Hopefully, some construction use.

My questions are:

What size? What brand? What attachments? What cost am I looking at?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Hey chip. Right of the bat I see two major requirements. The ability to lift heavy objects and the need for high hyd hp. If you want to complete your list without any reservation the biggest of a couple brands is what is needed. I personally like a ASV 100 or the new big cats would do well. Then that brings us to new or used? and then to attachments? And also the hauling said equipment and paying for the monster. Are you going to want a mulcher or will a big bushhogg attachment do? Chew on that and see. Robbie

 

[MrJimi]

New Hollands have a little more lift than others in same class due to the way they are configured
Lots of good brands out there
Jim

 

[backyardtrack]

We've bought 2 new hollands and have had great luck with them. I'm not sure if it's just our location or our local dealer but we've always gotten much more machine for the money when we've gone with new holland. They also are offering a 3 year powertrain warranty and 0% for 44 months.

 

[capt_met]

looking at your list of things to do i would look to a tractor. you will be able to move round bales off both ends, can still run a bushhog, with a grapple bucket up front and backhoe you should be able to get rid of the cactus. the idea of bouncing around 25 acres in a skid steer doesn't sound like fun either. for the price of the skid you could get a good sized tractor with all the amenities or as many have suggested before find a good used tlb.
good luck,

 

[CWP37]

I've talked to a few dealers thus far...general recs are an 80 hp machine. They all come in around $30k. The financing on new skid steers is pretty friendly. Better than the new tractor financing I've been seeing.

I guess I should mention that I'm looking at getting a tractor as well (JD 4720 or 5203).

I'm leaning toward a 5203 MFWD w/out the loader and a skid steer on top of that.

My pricing thus far:
New Holland L185 - $30k
New Holland L180 - $28,300
Mustang 2086 - $$31k

Haven't heard back from the Bobcat or Deere guys.

Looking into ASV.

 

[MrJimi]

Nice choices but I think I see a heavy duty trailer and a strong tow vehicle in your future.
Good luck with your purchases
Jim

 

[BarryinMN]

Any reason your'e looking at similar capability tracked/wheeled SS & tractor/TLB?

Larger on one vs other gets small spaces covered & bigger tasks made easier. Digging with a SS is in your face close up on an open station & wearing some of that work happens. Tracks add a lot of flotation, stability & reduced surface damage but hard surface operation maintenance costs can be $5-10/hr.

I'll bet wanting more reach becomes important reconsider a loader for the tractor.

 

[asver1]

If you want to go used, look at Skid Steer of Texas. I am pleased with my ASV SR 80. Saw an ASV RC 85 sell today for $17,300.00. SR has a Perkins Engine and the RC has a Cat engine.

 

[Johndeere3720]

I have operated numerous brands of skid steers and CTL's and personally favor Deere over the rest. I personally have a 2004 Deere 317 skid steer and absolutely love it. The lift capacity w/ rear weights is about 1 ton, it is compact enough to get into tight spaces (I have done some residential side jobs with it before), it has the power to do some serious digging, and you can access almost anything when you raise the boom up and remove the side panels. The new D series is very much alike the "older" 300 series however the inside of the cab IMHO is much nicer, the buttons and gauges are laid out better and I really like the new cooling system Deere implemented into the D series. Just from experience, you can get a used Deere for almost half the cost of a new one, I paid less than half of new on my 317 with only 1036 hours on it. I highly recommend over the tire tracks, it is pretty easy to get into a bind and eventually get stuck in a skid steer, my 317 has been stuck once and it took an hour and a 1 ton truck to pull it out. I also had brand new tires on at the time. With over the tire tracks you get the traction needed for muddy soils, much lower operating costs vs/ a CTL, and they are removable/weldable when they need work done to them. At the same time a CTL has much higher lifting capacities and floats across uneven ground vs/ the jarring effects of a skid steer. As far as other brands go, Bobcat and New Holland make great machines, I personally believe the cab on the new Deere is nicer than the new New Hollands. With ASV and the older Cats you get an undercarriage made of plastic components, it doesn't strike me as the most reliable system and at $10k to replace an undercarriage it doesn't make financial sense to run that as a personal machine. Case and Gehl make reliable units as well, the New Case is exactly the same as the New Holland so you could use that to you advantage on the price end. Just my :2cents: