I found a bobcat 743 sitting behind someone’s house. I stopped and talked to the guy about it and its been sitting for six years. It ran and everything worked when it was parked. He said he didn't want to sell it. He may use it again someday. After I talked to him for a while he said he may want to sell it. So my question is what is this machine worth just the way it sits not being used or started in six years? It has a bucket, forks, and a quick way snow plow attachment. Tires are decent and have not yet gone flat just a little soft. the machine seems in good shape. The hour meter showed about 3000 hours.
743
- Thread starter Dillon
- Start date
I see them listed on ebay from anywhere from $3500 to $8000. I bought my 1990 for $5600 with a new bucket ($630) but the moter blew up a short time later. Bought a used motor $1599 (refer motor) and installed. Then I picked up a 1989 one owner with a hole in the side of the block for $800. Wish I had found that first. Around here in Washington state they go for around 4500- 7000 good running machines. Your find with 3000 hrs ( which isn't that high) with the factory forks (400-700) bucket (200-400) and snow plow (varies if it has hydraulics and size of blade) 1000-3000. Check your local craislist.org and surrounding areas, and ebay for 743 prices. They seem to vary from state to state. hope this helps.... Mike
It all depends on what you are looking for and what you expect. When you say it all worked and ran when it was parked do you mean 6 years ago and it doesnt now? Here is the deal as a 743 owner. I picked up one for if I remember right 1000.00 needed a motor and was told that hydrualics were good. It had also been sitting up for a few years. I bought a remann motor for I think almost 4000 maybe a little less because I wanted a machine that was going to last. I had the dealer install the motor and get it back running and that was another few thousand. I had the dealer rebuild all of the cylinders and change a few hydraulic lines and replace all of the steel ones that go down the arms as they were rusted. So in fairness they did a lot for that money but I could have saved a lot doing it myself. Once that motor cranked up all of those lines that had been sitting had rotted and rusted and they just were no longer good. Some here will tell you that you can use solder and brazen the line and clean them up and that may be true for a little while but a rusted through line is a rusted through line and you will be doing it failry often in my opinion if you try that. Same with many other things here and advice you will get. Its all abouit preference and what you want on your machine. Even after I got it out of the shop I spent a couple thousand more changing out the rest of the lines and the hydraulic fluid cooler because they all rusted through. So I now have about 10,000 or more in a 743 I picked up for 1000.00. I knew I planned on keeping the machine so I wanted new or like new parts. I will never get my money back trying to sell it I'm sure. It just all depends on what you do yourself and what you want. They way I see it is if you pick up a running 743 for 3500.00 because it has high hours and then a few hundred hours later you are replacing the motor anyway for 4000 to 5000 then you are still 8500.00 into a machine with old hydraulic lines and the same as me doing the work yourself. If you pay the dealer like I did then you or further upside down then me. So again it all depends on what you want and are looking for in a machine. We have a lot of guys here on the site that can take these things apart and put them back together in their sleep. Tazza being one of them however I'm not. If you cannot do that work yourself be real careful especially with it sitting up. You could end up with more in that machine then buying one you know has been running recently. Changing hoses and hydraulic lines are not cheap or fun. My machine that set up literally took changing out everything in the machine. The onlything that has not been rebuilt or changed in my machine other than the frame itself is the hydrostatic tranny and pumps, I have not fooled with the gearcase or wheel bearings as of yet and I plan on changing the radiator soon as it seems as rusted as the hydraulic cooler was that is under it from being rained on from sitting out. So just be careful when you fool with a machine that has been sitting because you think it is a good deal that you can buy for little money.
This is very true, i remember your saga with that..... Even when you almost had a fire from the hoses they changed.
Hoses will prerish with age, if they are kept in the sun light they will crack and leak even quicker. Hoses aren't too expensive if you get them from a hose shop where they can match them for you, but if you need to replace all the hoses, it will get expensive and FAST.
Good luck
My suggestion - don't buy it. The guy may know that machine has tons of problems, but him acting like he doesn't want to sell it may (without you realizing it) make you want it more. It is like reverse sales pressure.... Bottom line - a use 743 is EASY to find. Get online, eBay/CL/look at local mags/classifieds. Find somebody who uses their machine and knows about it. You shouldn't have a problem finding one for $6000 or less that you can go see, talk to the owner, drive, inspect, ect. Lots of good info on this website and I am sure guys on here will tell you what to look for/ask. I wouldn't touch this machine that has been sitting unless you can get a deal on it. Ask the guy how many $100 bills he wants for it.... deduct the price of the attachments, $1500, and then think about the machine from there... My 2 cents....
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At least do yourself this favor if you are going to buy it. If you can get it running then great. If you have to pull the motor for any reason take any rusted hydraulic lines and especially all of the hard to get to hoses while the motor is out and replace them. You can usually go a hydraulic shop and have them cut them to fit. I had them even change the steel lines that run through the engine compartment out with rubber lines to replace them and have not had any trouble. I would not give that guy more than 1000 or 1500 pusing it for that machine. There is way too much that can be wrong. Calculate what the attachments are worth on your own by shopping around so at least you know you can get your money back on them if needed. If you can replace the motor yourself and are handy at mechanics then I can put you in touch with the guy I bought my remann from or there are others here that can direct you if it comes to that. You may even luck out and someone may have good running used motor if you want to save a few dollars. If you can do it yourself you can get a motor for 3500 to 4000 putting you in the machine with a new motor for 5000 to 5500 which still would not be a bad price especially with the new motor. I would think if you change the hydraulic line on your own you can get out of it for a few hundred more and would do so while the motor is out with at tleast the lines that are too hard to change with the motor in. This way at least you can sell the machine and get the cash you have in it back if needed. If your pump or tranny is in trouble then you are going to be in the red more than likely no matter what you do butat least it will not hurt as bad. Every guy here learned how to fool with these by looking for a bargain or a DIY project more than likely. I think they will also attest that they have learned from their mistakes onthese "deals". It is not meant to discourage you but more as a warning so you do not end up in a money pit. Unless you have time to save up or a few thousand to throw at that machine do not buy it. Chances are you will not be doing some minor cleanout to get her purring again.
Thanks for the info guys. I don't think the guy is trying to be dishonest and there are things wrong with the machine. The guy has a store next to his house and he used the machine to plow the driveway and do odd jobs around his property. He started having someone plow the drive way and stopping using the machine. It was covered up until about a year or two ago. I have no problem working on the machine. I have lots of mechanical knowledge. I think I’ am going to make him an offer this spring.
