New 320 with mulcher

[Pac Coast]

A Bobcat rep gave me a quote today on a new T320. They have a Bobcat/Fecon head that has an hours use on it, so not brand new that could go on it. The T320 has roller suspension, forestry kit, high flow hyd, ac/heat, joystick controls, pretty loaded up. They will sell me the head for $10k less than a brand new one. The T320 with that head on it would come it at $81k. Does that seem like a pretty good deal?

Right now I am comparing that to a used 2007 RC100 that has 320 hours on it, no forestry kit, that comes with a Bradco Magnum mulcher with 10 hours use and a four way bucket. I can get that machine for $55k, maybe a bit less.

The only other thing in the mix right now is renting a Cat 287C with a FAE/Cat carbide mulcher for $530 per day, or renting the 287C by itself when needed and buying something like a viper toothed FAE head to use on it for around $25k.

We need a mulching machine about 5 days per month. Just trying to decide what makes the most financial sense. The rental has appeal, though it doesn't give us anything to depreciate, and it's a smaller machine because the local Cat place doesn't rent any CTLS's larger than the 287C.

 

[yellowdogsvc]

FAE has some deals on demo units. The CAT mulcher will cut with the best of them no matter who tells you different. The magnum cuts good, too, as well as the fecon. Most of your production comes from any of the big brands, a good carrier, and experience.

How much did you get quoted on the T320 by itself? You don't have to have the forestry kit..it's overkill in my opinion. $10k off a head is a good start but there are plenty of deals on used heads out there. You could probably buy 2 different style heads in excellent condition for what you would pay for a new or semi-new head at the bobcat dealer.

 

[Pac Coast]

The T320, equipped with the options I listed was $66,500.

Any suggestions where to look for used heads? I've looked on Ebay and there are only a couple, and I haven't seen any listed at equipment trader.

I assume if I get one that was used on a ASV or something that the only thing I would have to change out to work on a different brand would be the hydralic connectors? I realize it would have to also have the right hyd flow.

 

[palmettobrush]

The head you want is a gyro trac or cimaf they will cut atleast on and a half the amount of the others ones. They leave a better end product faster and the material you are running over isnt messing up the tracks like a magnum of recon or fae would it cuts it clean off with the ground. I wouldnt recommend a bobcat either i have had five asvs and the pt forestry ones with the pressurized cab and reversing fan is the only way to go we have over 2500 hours between two pts that i bought in 2008 and havent hardly had any problems with them. If you will be patient i hear that asv is coming out with a new tractor sometime around april it should be real impressive

 

[yellowdogsvc]

The head you want is a gyro trac or cimaf they will cut atleast on and a half the amount of the others ones. They leave a better end product faster and the material you are running over isnt messing up the tracks like a magnum of recon or fae would it cuts it clean off with the ground. I wouldnt recommend a bobcat either i have had five asvs and the pt forestry ones with the pressurized cab and reversing fan is the only way to go we have over 2500 hours between two pts that i bought in 2008 and havent hardly had any problems with them. If you will be patient i hear that asv is coming out with a new tractor sometime around april it should be real impressive

I don't have issues with my FAE(CAT) head leaving material that can hurt anything. When I ran a magnum, I didn't have that issue either. Maybe it was the operator you saw?

As far as not recommending a Bobcat, I could say the same about ASV. I have owned 9 Bobcats with cab and air... Doesn't mean much. I have also owned a C series CAT for mulching. I'll stick with Bobcat for now. The K series machines don't overheat, are very reliable, and built solid. They are also versatile and don't have an extra long rear end to maneuver in the woods.

To each his own with machines. Bobcat M series CTL in large frame will be an industry leader power and should be released soon but the T320 will have plenty of power for mulching. I run the S330 daily and it is slightly less powerful in the T320 and I can mulch whatever I want and leave an excellent finished product.

 

[Pac Coast]

Thanks for the info yellowdogsvc. I've decided that for now the route that makes the most sense is to rent the 287C with Cat/FAE head and see how it does on a couple of our typical lots. I have a machine reserved for later this month. I figure that there will be a learning curve, but I should get a good sense after spending some time with the rental units. After I mulch I am going to pick up the mulch with a loader and pile it up so that the lot can be tilled to the max depth to break up the vegetative layer overburden as much as possible.

After talking with several people I am guessing that I can probably mulch at least two of our average building lots in a day. Needing to prepare an average of four lots per month would mean only two days per month of equipment use. At that rate the rental unit becomes pretty attractive, or if the head isn't well maintained buying a head and renting the machine to run it makes sense. Even allowing for depreciation benefits of a new machine, for right now it looks like renting will make the most sense.

 

[yellowdogsvc]

good luck with your setup. The C series is awfully nice on the inside.

 

[Pac Coast]

Thanks yellowdogsvc. Renting will give us a chance to determine how well the mulching setup works for us, and given our current needs makes the most financial sense. I am glad that we are able to rent a Cat, as that by far is the closest dealership to where we will be working, and that will be a consideration if we decide to purcahse a machine.