Buying Advice Looking at a Cat 242B skid steer with high hours

[Sparx]

I'm looking at a Cat 242B skid steer with 4000 hours on it. I would be using it for occasional work around the farm and running a large snow blower in the winter. The price is 17K from a dealer that has gone through it, but there is no warranty. I need the high flow hydraulics that this machine has for the snow blower, but can't really justify the expense of a similar machine with low hours. I am aware that Cats are well built and reliable, but can be pricey to repair.

I'm looking for opinions on how risky buying this skid steer might be.

Thanx

 

[JJZ 109]

Not sure what year the machine you're looking at is, but last year I paid $18,500 for a 2008 Bobcat S185 (61 HP turbo) with just over 1200 hours on it. Enclosed cab with heat & AC with deluxe instrument panel. No high flow but I got a 73 inch Erskine snow blower that doesn't require high flow. It does just fine. Hopefully that gives you a little something for price comparison.
Luckily for me the machine was purchased new locally and the local Bobcat parts manager is a friend. He checked it out and found no service issues noted in the past.

 

[Sparx]

Thanks for your reply and information. The machine I'm looking at is a 2008. The snow blower I'm looking at is an 84" Bobcat that requires a minimum of 25 gpm. How does your Erskine handle 3' to 4' drifts? Maybe what I'm looking at is a little bit of an overkill, but I have a 1/2 mile drive I need to keep open that regularly drifts that much in several places.

 

[Tomtint]

I use a Cat 246 all the time moving snow. I had a blower and could not wait to sell it. The slightest wet heavy snow and it loaded up. 1/2 mile is not much to clear with a snow bucket or a angle plow. This year I have a snow box for the front of mine, that should speed things up even more. IMO .. Snowblower is a waste unless you have absolutely no where to pile snow.

 

[JJZ 109]

Thanks for your reply and information. The machine I'm looking at is a 2008. The snow blower I'm looking at is an 84" Bobcat that requires a minimum of 25 gpm. How does your Erskine handle 3' to 4' drifts? Maybe what I'm looking at is a little bit of an overkill, but I have a 1/2 mile drive I need to keep open that regularly drifts that much in several places.

Last winter was my first with both Bobcat and snow blower. Before that I had a Kubota B3030 cab with loader and 60 inch blower on the back. I may have had a couple of feet of snow at times, but any deeper drifts I may have gotten really didn't run the length of the driveway, so I cannot answer your question honestly. Add to that the fact that my driveway is probably 70 or 75 feet long at most and 50 or 60 feet at the widest point. I certainly have nowhere near the half mile that you're looking at.
Wish I had more for you because I'd sure hate to see you buy a used up machine that dies 1/4 mile in on your 1/2 mile drive.

 

[Sparx]

I'd sure hate to see you buy a used up machine that dies 1/4 mile in on your 1/2 mile drive.

"Used up machine" addresses my original question, although I appreciate the bonus discussion about snow moval (<- I really prefer to move the stuff once). Is 4000 hours on a Cat machine considered "used up"?

The reason I prefer to use a blower over a plow or bucket is that the driveway is situated such that any light blowing snow will fill in between piles along side the drive. I have a plow truck for the lighter snows, but I'll throw the piles into the field if they get too high (aka snow removal). Had to come home from the day job last winter on a nice sunny breezy day because it had drifted shut and the neighbor on the shared driveway couldn't get out to get her kids from school.

I've been using an 84" IH 3 pt on the back of my JD 4440. I know that's a lot of power for a 60 hp rated blower, but that tractor has a cab and I didn't like looking like a snowman when I used to run it behind my 4020. I have it rigged with a 1000 rpm in/540 rpm out pto slip clutch to protect the snow blower and to allow me to utilize the power of the bigger tractor at a lower running speed. Nice working setup, but I'm getting too old to be twisting around backwards while working the clutch when I hit the heavy stuff. I though maybe a skid steer with a blower would be the answer, but if not, it's better to find out now before spending the money.

 

[Buppies]

Cat the rental store side has auctions from now thru December this may be a place for you to look. Last fall some really good prices on lower hour machines

 

[Sparx]

Cat the rental store side has auctions from now thru December this may be a place for you to look. Last fall some really good prices on lower hour machines

Thanks, but "rental" and "auction" (unless I have an opportunity for a thorough inspection) are a couple things I've made a habit of avoiding when buying this type of equipment.

 

[Buppies]

Thanks, but "rental" and "auction" (unless I have an opportunity for a thorough inspection) are a couple things I've made a habit of avoiding when buying this type of equipment.

Just a thought we had had good luck doing this ourselves backhoe,skid loader,roller just to name a few. Still running them today going on 11 years. Good luck

 

[Sparx]

Just a thought we had had good luck doing this ourselves backhoe,skid loader,roller just to name a few. Still running them today going on 11 years. Good luck

I suppose rolling the dice on a high hour machine would be just as risky as a rental auction. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience with them.