Buying Advice Bobcat Toolcat- Is it the right tractor for my Facility

steveta · Feb 12, 2016

I have 2 baseball fields plus smaller areas in front of buildings

I have two 100 car parking lots

in the last 3 years I spent over $100,000 on contracted snow removal and landscaping. I want to do it in house with the correct equipment but don't want to over do it.

Jim Timber · Feb 12, 2016

A tractor with a mid mount PTO would run a front end snow thrower and a belly mower. Zero turn is fine, but a cabbed tractor has AC.

murphy1244 · Feb 12, 2016

Try looking at Ventrac. Front mount mower or 25 other attachments and a cab.Ventrac Compact Tractors & Attachments

Paystar · Feb 12, 2016

Jim Timber said:
How much is the budget for all of this?
A new toolcat is 50K plus. You can buy some really sweet stuff for 50K.

50 grand is ALMOST enough to buy a Grand L 3560 with loader, mower and snow blower in Canada, LOL

MESSMAKER · Feb 12, 2016

I would get two separate machines. Spend $10,000 on a good front mount mower. You can plow the small stuff with that. A UTV or CUT will both work for the parking lots and trash duties. Take your pick.

aczlan · Feb 12, 2016

Jim Timber said:
A tractor with a mid mount PTO would run a front end snow thrower and a belly mower. Zero turn is fine, but a cabbed tractor has AC.

Mowing that much, I would get a Kubota F3990 (or a similar Toro).
They are available with a cab and AC and will knock the socks off of a tractor for mowing.

Aaron Z

JJZ 109 · Feb 12, 2016

MessickFarmEqu said:
I've never understood the application for a Toolcat. Its an expensive comprise. You could buy a zero turn mower, UTV, and small tractor for about the same price.

Very expensive. I looked into it for a short time and thought about selling my S185 skid steer. I decided to stay where I am. And you're right. I got a fairly low hour skid steer, 73 inch snowblower, forks, grapple bucket and a Ferris zero turn for far, far less than a new Toolcat with zero attachments.
In my area, even rusted out, high hour Toolcats were going well over $20k.

Jim Timber · Feb 12, 2016

Paystar said:
50 grand is ALMOST enough to buy a Grand L 3560 with loader, mower and snow blower in Canada, LOL

If your dollar was worth more than 3 pesos, you wouldn't have that problem.

OP is in the US.

Xfaxman · Feb 12, 2016

A Toolcat will do all the things you mentioned. They are very popular with commercial snow removers.

The Toolcat costs more because it is commercial quality not home owner quality. You are getting an air tight cab, front and rear independent suspension, four wheel steering, four wheel drive, crab steer and a passenger seat that you can't get on the other machines mentioned.

For mowing get the 5610 model, no overheating issues with grass and dust clogging the radiator screen..

No problem hauling a trash trailer, just don't try this at home!