Best place to find Bobcat ?

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m610

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I am still looking for a 743 or 843 but having no luck. Guess they just don't have any around anymore? Did find a Case 1845 for 2500 but it's got some problem with the directional valve it seems, no left side drive and a leak underneath. The late 80's early 90's Bobcats are my favorite, in terms of looks and they seem to be more powerful than the M610 I have and will be restoring soon. Not looking to spend a fortune on a Bobcat but just get a decent project machine. Am kind of regretting not buying the 800.00 burned out 743 I was offered last year. Lately it seems like all Bobcats are the new S- series although I did see several 763's for sale but those are too new, too expensive and have some electronics (yuck). Is it better to get a project bobcat from a landscaper, contractor or one sitting at home?
 

Tazza

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There is a 743 on E-Bay rite now, they seem to come up quite often.
It just depends on what you want to pay. Give it time, you will find one!
I remember when i started looking, it took quite a while but eventually i got an old 731 for 5,000. The best we saw for a bobcat back then was around the 10,000 mark. I quickly snapped it up and never looked back. It did require a bit of work, but it was a great learning experience!
I agree with your wish to stay away from electronic machines. The fully mechanical ones are nice, and you have full control of the hydraulics.
 

goodtech

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There is a 743 on E-Bay rite now, they seem to come up quite often.
It just depends on what you want to pay. Give it time, you will find one!
I remember when i started looking, it took quite a while but eventually i got an old 731 for 5,000. The best we saw for a bobcat back then was around the 10,000 mark. I quickly snapped it up and never looked back. It did require a bit of work, but it was a great learning experience!
I agree with your wish to stay away from electronic machines. The fully mechanical ones are nice, and you have full control of the hydraulics.
The 743's are probally the most wanted by any homeowner. For your price you are going to get a peice of crap. The ones that I see around here that are going for 5,000+ need alot of work even. I would go with tazz and say watch e-bay. Just be ready to put alot of time into the machine, dealerships will kill you working on these.
 
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m610

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The 743's are probally the most wanted by any homeowner. For your price you are going to get a peice of crap. The ones that I see around here that are going for 5,000+ need alot of work even. I would go with tazz and say watch e-bay. Just be ready to put alot of time into the machine, dealerships will kill you working on these.
So is it a better idea to look for an 843? As for dealerships I avoid them. A bobcat project should start from the frame up. No one works on my equipment except for me. Anyone paying 5,000 for a machine that needs a lot of work is an idiot, or just plain ignorant. Maybe a non-Bobcat machine is a better deal?
 
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m610

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So is it a better idea to look for an 843? As for dealerships I avoid them. A bobcat project should start from the frame up. No one works on my equipment except for me. Anyone paying 5,000 for a machine that needs a lot of work is an idiot, or just plain ignorant. Maybe a non-Bobcat machine is a better deal?
I guess this won't let you edit a post. The amount I was mentioning was supposed to be over 5,000, which is considered a fair value for an 80's era 743. I saw a bobcat like mine go for over 6,000 http://cgi.ebay.com/Bobcat-610-Skid-Loader-skidsteer-Like-New-Look-Nice_W0QQitemZ320037509450QQihZ011QQcategoryZ95494QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Now that's crazy!!
 

Tazza

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I guess this won't let you edit a post. The amount I was mentioning was supposed to be over 5,000, which is considered a fair value for an 80's era 743. I saw a bobcat like mine go for over 6,000 http://cgi.ebay.com/Bobcat-610-Skid-Loader-skidsteer-Like-New-Look-Nice_W0QQitemZ320037509450QQihZ011QQcategoryZ95494QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Now that's crazy!!
Well i paid 5,000 for a 743.....
The *good* one i have now i think i paid 3-4,000 for at auction. I have since put another few thousand in it (2,500 of that was engine and injection work). It owes me about 10K, but i know everything is rite (well most of it anyway). There are a few things i need to tinker with, but its now an excellent machine.
The 743 range were the best selling machine Bobcat ever made, they are simple in design and very reliable.
If you have even slight mechanical knowledge you will be able to work on one of these machines.
 

Tazza

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Well i paid 5,000 for a 743.....
The *good* one i have now i think i paid 3-4,000 for at auction. I have since put another few thousand in it (2,500 of that was engine and injection work). It owes me about 10K, but i know everything is rite (well most of it anyway). There are a few things i need to tinker with, but its now an excellent machine.
The 743 range were the best selling machine Bobcat ever made, they are simple in design and very reliable.
If you have even slight mechanical knowledge you will be able to work on one of these machines.
If you do consider going for another brand you must be sure you can get parts and even a service manual.
Don't get a machine that is rare, parts will be murder to source, if they are even available.
The 843 range run a perkins engine, my only worry with them is parts availability. The 743's use a kubota that you can get parts for easily, you can even get non-genuine parts!. The pumps and motors are all standard equipment too.
It all depends on just how much you will need to lift. The 843 is better with being able to lift more, but the machine is also larger. If access is an issue you will need to consider this too.
Let us know how you go with your skid-steer hunt.
 
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m610

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Apr 1, 2006
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If you do consider going for another brand you must be sure you can get parts and even a service manual.
Don't get a machine that is rare, parts will be murder to source, if they are even available.
The 843 range run a perkins engine, my only worry with them is parts availability. The 743's use a kubota that you can get parts for easily, you can even get non-genuine parts!. The pumps and motors are all standard equipment too.
It all depends on just how much you will need to lift. The 843 is better with being able to lift more, but the machine is also larger. If access is an issue you will need to consider this too.
Let us know how you go with your skid-steer hunt.
Tazza your 743 is like new as you went through them totally it seems! I was looking at an 843 in the past but it had an engine other than a Perkins. In fact I think the M700 had Perkins Diesels. I used to see a lot of 743's and used them myself in the past so they were my favorite. The newer Bobcats seem to have the wheelbase longer, with the wheels farther apart for stability. I prefer the older style with close together wheels because they seem to be more responsive, although jumpier. The loader I am thinking of getting is a Thomas, I know where one is sitting and they don't seem to sell for as much as a Bobcat. It has a Kubota engine, and the same type of hydrostat motors like a Bobcat, and seems like the same dimensions as an 843. It's sitting at a sod nursery and they have John Deere loaders now. Also know where a Mustang is rusting away. If the right skid comes my way at the right price I will buy it. Just want something more powerful than my M610 for the tough jobs. Still a machine for home but you won't believe the things I use a skid loader for. Tazza, what do you use your machines to do?
 
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m610

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If you do consider going for another brand you must be sure you can get parts and even a service manual.
Don't get a machine that is rare, parts will be murder to source, if they are even available.
The 843 range run a perkins engine, my only worry with them is parts availability. The 743's use a kubota that you can get parts for easily, you can even get non-genuine parts!. The pumps and motors are all standard equipment too.
It all depends on just how much you will need to lift. The 843 is better with being able to lift more, but the machine is also larger. If access is an issue you will need to consider this too.
Let us know how you go with your skid-steer hunt.
Also size is not an issue. The bigger and more powerful the loader the better. I can stilll use the M610 for the tight work. Need power, even if it's bulky. I prefer skid loaders over tractors, the tractors aren't as versatile and seem to be easier to damage. Around here they break all of the time.
 

Tazza

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Also size is not an issue. The bigger and more powerful the loader the better. I can stilll use the M610 for the tight work. Need power, even if it's bulky. I prefer skid loaders over tractors, the tractors aren't as versatile and seem to be easier to damage. Around here they break all of the time.
I actually have 4 of them at the moment, i'm going to sell 3 and keep the one i just did up. 3 of them are running, 1 had a bad engine that i am currently working on. I'm waiting on the head to check piston heights then its ready to assemble.
I just use mine for working around the yard. We have had a few pool digs dumped so i had to move the dirt around. We also had a heap of mulch dumped and i needed to move that too, what a horrible job! it was mainly palms, and it would stick together and it was hard to grab with the 4 in 1 bucket!
I did take it to a buddies house to move a bit of dirt, thats about the only commercial work it has seen, all 4 hours of it.
The things i have done with them, its amazing. Moving a concrete pipe up a hill, it was so heavy it wouldn't lift it but i tilted it back and got it bouncing off the ground, 2 back wheels were off the ground until i got to the the hill and it was great. Lifting things on to and off my dads truck. I have even used the 4 in 1 bucket to crimp the ends of water pipe. I dragged my car up the driveway when it cracked its head. There isn't a lot that can't be done with a bobcat :) Its especially handy for moving engines on and off my dads truck, gone are the days of manual labor!!!
Thats a good point, you have your small machine for the small jobs, an 843 would do a nice job. There are times i wish i had a larger machine, but you always find ways around the problems.
 

DslDan

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Oct 10, 2006
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I actually have 4 of them at the moment, i'm going to sell 3 and keep the one i just did up. 3 of them are running, 1 had a bad engine that i am currently working on. I'm waiting on the head to check piston heights then its ready to assemble.
I just use mine for working around the yard. We have had a few pool digs dumped so i had to move the dirt around. We also had a heap of mulch dumped and i needed to move that too, what a horrible job! it was mainly palms, and it would stick together and it was hard to grab with the 4 in 1 bucket!
I did take it to a buddies house to move a bit of dirt, thats about the only commercial work it has seen, all 4 hours of it.
The things i have done with them, its amazing. Moving a concrete pipe up a hill, it was so heavy it wouldn't lift it but i tilted it back and got it bouncing off the ground, 2 back wheels were off the ground until i got to the the hill and it was great. Lifting things on to and off my dads truck. I have even used the 4 in 1 bucket to crimp the ends of water pipe. I dragged my car up the driveway when it cracked its head. There isn't a lot that can't be done with a bobcat :) Its especially handy for moving engines on and off my dads truck, gone are the days of manual labor!!!
Thats a good point, you have your small machine for the small jobs, an 843 would do a nice job. There are times i wish i had a larger machine, but you always find ways around the problems.
Here is an older 743 for ya not too sure where you are located though http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/for/226097426.html
 

skidsteer.ca

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Jan 20, 2006
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Here is an older 743 for ya not too sure where you are located though http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/for/226097426.html
If you are passing up the 90's erra machine because of the electonics your making a mistake.
The machines that come with the factory "boss" guages (the bar graph style as opposed to the common 2" round annolog guages) I would stay away from, Once you get to 99, G series machine, they all have the electronic engine protection built into them. (machines with triangle headlights are G series.
However the 94 to 98 machines also had the BICS intelock system, but if they come with the anolog guages (non Boss loaders) I would not hesitate, these machines can have this safety interlock stuff bypassed quite easily. (bics just controls you park pin/brakes and a hydraulic valve that locks you lift and bucket tilt foot pedals.) Also I have had no trouble with the bics on my 553 or 853.
the boss system on my 93 753, and the engine protection on my 773 G have been another story, and i don't recomend them. Not that they were so bad I had to sell the unit, but they will cause unecessary agrivation and engine sensors ($30 to $50 parts) and computers ($800) don't las the life of the machine in my experience.
Ken
 
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m610

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Here is an older 743 for ya not too sure where you are located though http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/for/226097426.html
743 with trailer? Nice but too far. I am south Florida but definately appreciate all leads anyone can find!
 
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