BOBCRAP!! ???????

[soupcan]

I buddy of ours was an M engineer for BobCat and after listening to his "inside" stories, we would not suggest they are a long lasting or a HD built machines. Over the years, most construction companies have dropped them.

Dont last long?? There are tons of 20+ year old bobcats still going strong. Bobcats live a hard life, especially in the construction world but still remain the most popular for a reason. Sure there are other brands, thats because everyone wants a slice of the pie. From personal experience of operating heavy equipment for 30 years and counting, a bobcat skid steer is the most dependable trouble free machine we have owned. Caterpillar has given us nothing be trouble and a lot of $$$ in repairs, their parts are crazy expensive. Kubota engines are awesome, and I was one who hated to see them be replaced on skidsteers given their track record. I cant comment on Doosan other than they havent given us any issues so far. Nobody likes change especially when something has been working (kubota) for years. But thats big business.

 

[mini14]

ive used their skid steers for years with no problems, I currently own a Doosan skid steer for 6 years now with zero issues. bobcat is well built for the money you pay, Kubota engines in them, standerized pins and bushings, wheel motors and pumps easy to get parts for. its an educated coin toss nowadays balancing pros and cons of each and every machine out there will drive you nuts. My next machine will be an e20 bobcat mini ex. parts are easy to source, dealers everywhere.

 

[Motorboatin]

I buddy of ours was an M engineer for BobCat and after listening to his "inside" stories, we would not suggest they are a long lasting or a HD built machines. Over the years, most construction companies have dropped them.

I spend a lot of time on construction sites and I see plenty of white skid steers. Probably more than all the other brands combined

 

[Rustyiron]

I think ArlyA was thinking in terms of Doosan engines, perhaps un aware that Doosan now owns Bobcat.
I've heard of electrical demons in them and Cat, and everything is electrical on these newer machines, just like today's pickups.
You're talking about spending some real "coin" soon, that should perk up any color dealer's attention. Check out heavy equipment forum, ask some questions to the guy's that run'em for a living.

 

[ArlyA]

Doosan is the Korean company who purchased BC quite a few years back and did make changes. Sometime after that, they came back and said there margins are to low and they'll need to lighten materials used on them. For example, if the frame was 1/4" steel, it was changed to 3/16 and so on. If you check the specs on these machines, there are indeed lighter in weight, than comparable machines from other manufactures. Our buddy among the items he designed for them was rubber tracks for a small backhoe they build. Its life expectancy specifications for them was only 300 hours. That's to short but it does save $$$.

Now some posters can return to a normal level of anger. :fiery:

I think ArlyA was thinking in terms of Doosan engines, perhaps un aware that Doosan now owns Bobcat.
I've heard of electrical demons in them and Cat, and everything is electrical on these newer machines, just like today's pickups.
You're talking about spending some real "coin" soon, that should perk up any color dealer's attention. Check out heavy equipment forum, ask some questions to the guy's that run'em for a living.

 

[Jchonline]

Our local Bobcat dealer was also very engaging and easy to work with. Rentals were also offered at discounts...they even offered to let me demo machines on our property. In the SS, they have just switched from Kubota to a Doosan engine to remove the DPF. They use a high grade low micron fuel filter to make this work, and I read some issues with these causing shutdown and cold start problems newer machines (they need constant fuel flow to make the non DPF tech work). I feel like they might need a few more years in development before they really get this down. In the end it wasn稚 this that kept me from Bobcat. I just decided on a different type of machine that they dont offer. They would still be high on my list, but my Kubota Dealer is so great to work with I would probably by a CTL or MiniEx from them.

 

[dnw64]

With that said, we are concerned about "Doosan" quality.

Is it made by Doosan?

We have a Doosan forklift and it has been about as trouble free as any of the Toyotas, Clarks and Nissans we've had. It's currently maybe 5 years old. No idea on the hours - I don't drive it and PMs are done by the dealer - it's not used 8 hours a day, but pretty regularly. Lots of short (5 minute) runs and occasionally an hour or two at a time.

 

[SJay]

Bought my used CT225 from the local Bobcat dealer. Salesman delivered it for a weekend demo and it hasn’t left. Consumers Energy uses mainly Bobcat equipment, the newer stuff. I doubt Consumers would continue to use stuff that is a problem. They are rentals, but if the equipment isn’t reliable it would still be a pain to return and get fixed. Just my observation.

 

[murphy1244]

Here is what IS going on with Bobcat Doosan Bobcat to enter N. American agricultural tractor market - ???? ???? ??(Pulse)

They stopped making compact tractors in 012 and now are just getting back into the market, so arly a they did not make compacts between those years.

 

[DJGTWO]

I was in the market for a skid steer, so my local dealer bought out a tracked and wheeled Bobcat for me to try for several days. They were both excellent machines, but because of my property terrain and the work I needed to do after a major flood last fall, I went with a tracked T595. I am extremely happy with the Bobcat with the partial property cleanup I got done last fall before winter set in. It has also been a great machine for the snow cleanup this winter.