99 873f series considering buy one and would like some input thanks

[playerone]

Looking at possiblely picking up a 1999 bobcat 873 f series. It has 1,8xx hours and looks very clean. 1 owner, said he only really used it to clear snow for the parking lot of his hotel and was always kept in a garage also Said they just put a new belt on for preventative measures so that seems good as I've read when it goes it can get messy. It comes with forks, bucket, snowblower, grappler, metal tracks, and a new set of tires with rims as well as snow chains.. priced at 36obo. I think I could talk him down some. I'm gonna go look at all this here soon anything to look for and what seems like a good price?

I'm gonna be using it for my property, clearing brush trees, light landscaping moving stuff. Clearing snow in winter and possibly getting a wood processor to save my back.

Thanks for any input

 

[mrbb]

not sure where your located at but IMO< if he's asking 36 grand for this, that is way way way high, even with all that comes with it
its 26 yrs don't forget, hours might be low, but everything on this is old and time has a way of wearing things out just like use!

it does look nice and clean, which is a plus, but I think IMO he's about 10 k too high to be called a deal IMO!

BUT area also maters when pricing things, in my area this would be extremely high asking price, maybe , , where your at, prices may vary, but I still say 36 is high!
MY 2 cents ?

 

[playerone]

not sure where your located at but IMO< if he's asking 36 grand for this, that is way way way high, even with all that comes with it
its 26 yrs don't forget, hours might be low, but everything on this is old and time has a way of wearing things out just like use!

it does look nice and clean, which is a plus, but I think IMO he's about 10 k too high to be called a deal IMO!

BUT area also maters when pricing things, in my area this would be extremely high asking price, maybe , , where your at, prices may vary, but I still say 36 is high!
MY 2 cents ?

I'm located northern Michigan. So things are usually a little bit higher then Midwest or southern area

 

[Tlawdogg]

36K with everything is a bit High. It's 26 years old. $25K would sound correct. Timing belt changed? Proof of it with hours by a dealer?
Or just drive belt and fan belt?
It's supply & demand on Skid steers. Depending on where you live makes a huge difference.
My two cents.
Todd

 

[playerone]

Yes timing belt. Said it was done by a bobcat dealer and has paperwork. I am northern Michigan so thing are a little bit more expensive around here.

 

[mrbb]

I'm located northern Michigan. So things are usually a little bit higher then Midwest or southern area

I snowmobiled up in the UP for yrs, so get the added costs, But I still says he is asking top dollar and then some
as you can have a machine shipped to you for a most likely about 2k from most states in the USA
BUT when buying else where you may NOT get to know the previous owner and or history on a machine

so, it going to come down to IMO< is if your willing to over pay for the fact its closer to you and you MAY be getting a honest story with the machine
and I say MAYBE

as sadly way too many folks lie today even nice old folks

the one skid I have I bought off a 80+ yr old guy that had a stroke and couldn;t use it any more due to being parallelized on one side after stroke, even was a friend of a friend of mine, ALL seemed like honest folks
here is an example!
told me only used machine for plowing snow, hr meter only had 1450 hrs on it, told me when he got it NEW there was a issue and New Holland, installed a new motor at about 200 hrs! at local dealer where he bought it

it was less than 25 miles from where I planned to put the machine*(at a hunting property)
looked over machine seems fine , basic wear and tear, and clean other wise
price was OK< not low but not super high, so I bought it
well turned out story on new motor was a lie, (had machine taken to local dealer where he said he bought it, for a full PM,, then found out they never sold the machine to him(he lives 8 miles from dealer, so seemed logical he bought it there as he said he did,
at time of sale any how
then they pulled full records of machine from NH< and well, was never a new motor installed, and minus one service at dealer that actually sold the machine, there was NO other history of machine being at a dealer(which he said he sued for all PM;S due to they were close and he didn;t have some or skills to do himself) dealer also said, HR meter looked like it had been broken for a long time
so, the so called LOW hr, well cared for, new motor machine, was NOT what he said at all
I sank 6 k in machine after first 1 finding issues that were never serviced or in need of repair
I still have and like the machine

but had I known the truth about things, I sure wouldn;t have paid what I did
and I honestly never thought the guy would lie about the things he did!
that was 6 yrs ago now
and I know people today are worse at leaving out details and well, straight out right lying then ever to make a sale

more cheaters than ever sadly, the internet has helped a lot of folks do things that hind truths , fresh paint, new hr meters, dashes, and so on claiming things they know are lies, all for the sake of money,
people just don;t seem to care any more about there name and there reputation as I think people once cared or valued being about to be known as honest!
today, its all about the $$$ and screw everyone and anyone to get it,
buyer beware has never been higher concern

SO< sorry long read, but I would suggest trying to find other like machines and print out some prices and ask the seller if they would come down to a more reasonable price

that or you must have extra money to burn , and good for you if you do!

let us know what you end up with!

 

[reaperman]

That's steep. Forget about the attachments and look what that kind of $$ will buy, a nice Kubota powered unit. The snowblower is nice, the rest of the stuff can be added as needed. The earlier 873 models, I think this one would be included. Had issues with the lift arms cracking around the pins. I can't remember the details but do yourself a favor and search this out. I think the later models beefed up the area around the pins to prevent this from happening.

The steel tracks tell me the machine was put under stress. There is a current post about a 873 with a broken sprocket that also used steel tracks. It's not very common, but over the tire tracks do add stress to the drive train. I'm wondering if the extra set of tires/rims are a little bit smaller to accommodate the tracks. Some machines had issues with the tracks hitting the top of the wheel well area unless a lower profile tire was used.

 

[Markle]

Short reply:
Priced high. I bought mine for 16k used 15 years ago. Seller had meticulous service records and receipts.
I have steel tracks over rubber tires. 873 needed spacers to move tires and wheels outward for clearance. Not smaller rims/tires.
It hasn't really failed me in nursery tree spade work. Replaced head gasket after noticing some external oil seepage=oil cooled Deutz. Otherwise a solid machine, but slow.
If you get it, remember always shut it down at idle. Turning key off at high rpm could starve turbo.