Skid Steer for Side Business?

[Tractorable]

For the sake of argument, what kind of spendy maintenance would a new skid steer need? Busted implements? New tires/tracks every 300hrs?

 

[Tomtint]

For the sake of argument, what kind of spendy maintenance would a new skid steer need? Busted implements? New tires/tracks every 300hrs?

If memory serves me correctly..tires last about 250 hrs as long as nothing damages them first, that is about 1000.00, tracks about 4-500 hrs depending on terrain and pilot experience.. those are in the $2,000 range. Bucket edges wear quickly on asphalt if moving snow. Figure 200.00 ea. Filters, oil, general maintenance etc add to that expense. .. and then there is the unexpected break downs.

 

[EddieWalker]

Don't forget hydraulic oil and hoses. Granted, a new machine should be fine for the first 1,000 hours, but with abusive use, I'd cut that in half and expect operating costs as a rental to be at least twice what an owner operator would expect.

 

[bspeedy]

Maybe renting to a landscape company is the same as driving for Uber. You're not making money - just trading your machine's equity for cash over time. Net return is next to nothing.

The OP's buddy may have found a landscaping company that makes that particular venture profitable, but it likely is not a good idea for most of us.

 

[4570Man]

I'm guessing there isn't many deals like this. Anyone using a machine enough to pay for it owns it themselves. It's not likely you're going to rent a machine to the same person for 2000 hours.

 

[JDWY]

For the sake of argument, what kind of spendy maintenance would a new skid steer need? Busted implements? New tires/tracks every 300hrs?

For one thing, the abuse factor would probably be off the charts. It's not mine so who cares how I operate it? Bent hydraulic piston rods, overheated hydraulic system, etc. all result in high dollar repairs. I'm a retired heavy truck and equipment mechanic and I could write a book on tearing up equipment. I've known guys who could find a way to break an anvil. And a dealership won't warranty a component if they determine it failed due to abuse.

 

[crashz]

I hate to always be a naysayer and bring this up, but insurance is very important here. If the landscaper hurts someone or damages property, what is the likely-hood of him pointing the finger at the owner of the machine? "The brakes failed, we weren't properly trained, etc." There is a whole lot of things that can go wrong and the owner of the machine is not even onsite.

The machine can be repaired or replaced at a hefty cost, but think of the things beyond that which could be damaged. One fiber optic line and loss of service can drastically eclipse the cost of a new skid-steer.