Need opinion on my first machine purchase

[straightexhaust]

I have ran some skid steers over the past 10 years. Most recently I operated an 08 S300 and 08 T300 doing snow removal. I have always operated machines with hand and foot controls but am interested in joystick controls. I have two bad knees and operating the pedals especially in cold weather gets painful fast. This will be my first owned machine. I have always borrowed others or worked for someone who had them. I only ever ran them for side work when available. I guess I am looking for a midsize machine. I want to be able to run attachments with auxiliary hydraulics such as stump grinders and snow blowers. I am not sure how much that affects the size requirement of the machine. My usage of the machine as of now would be doing stump grinding on the side, snow removal in the winter, mulching, grading, fill dirt, and light stone/gravel work. I would prefer not to spend over $10000 after the machine, bucket, grinder and possibly a snow blower(all used) I own and operate my own custom automotive shop, so servicing an old machine would be no issue, I just dont want a basket case. Sorry for the long speech, just trying to provide some background beforehand. Thanks everyone!

 

[frogfarmer]

First thing that comes to mind when you mention stump grinders and snow blowers is High Flow. The 300 size machines are the heavy weights but will have the engine horse power to run the High Flow and matching attachments. I know some of the smaller machines offer high flow but I have not been impressed when a true high flow attachment is used on the smaller machines. My knees bother me at times but I have always been able to use the hand and foot controls. Pilots are the best but some of the electronic servo controls work well too. If it were me I would be looking at a machine with pilot controls in the 250-300 class.

 

[Bobcatdan]

First thing that comes to mind when you mention stump grinders and snow blowers is High Flow. The 300 size machines are the heavy weights but will have the engine horse power to run the High Flow and matching attachments. I know some of the smaller machines offer high flow but I have not been impressed when a true high flow attachment is used on the smaller machines. My knees bother me at times but I have always been able to use the hand and foot controls. Pilots are the best but some of the electronic servo controls work well too. If it were me I would be looking at a machine with pilot controls in the 250-300 class.

You are not going to get what you want for $10,000. A stump grinder alone is $8000, a snowblower is at least $5000. $10,000 is about rock bottom for a good machine the doesn't need a lot of work. Stump grinders on skidsteer work ok, but are not the greatest compared to a dedicated machine. Finding one used maybe fun as I don't think there are a lot out there. Used snowblowers are always in demand and when they come up, pull top dollar. Before thinking you have to have highflow, find out what the attachments actually needs. You do not need highflow for a snowblower. A standard flow snowblower will move and throw just as far as a highflow. Only advantage is a guy can feed a highflow faster. I don't know if highflow is a must for stump grinders, I don't deal with them a lot. I'd honestly say everything you want is $30,000 on the low side.

 

[straightexhaust]

You are not going to get what you want for $10,000. A stump grinder alone is $8000, a snowblower is at least $5000. $10,000 is about rock bottom for a good machine the doesn't need a lot of work. Stump grinders on skidsteer work ok, but are not the greatest compared to a dedicated machine. Finding one used maybe fun as I don't think there are a lot out there. Used snowblowers are always in demand and when they come up, pull top dollar. Before thinking you have to have highflow, find out what the attachments actually needs. You do not need highflow for a snowblower. A standard flow snowblower will move and throw just as far as a highflow. Only advantage is a guy can feed a highflow faster. I don't know if highflow is a must for stump grinders, I don't deal with them a lot. I'd honestly say everything you want is $30,000 on the low side.

Sorry I meant to say 10K for the machine and 10K for all of those attachments. I have a few hundred hours in the S300/T300 and love the machines. I have never had any seat time in them with anything other than a bucket though For what small amount of auxiliary attachments that I want to run and being my first machine am I dumb for going with a small setup? I dont want to cut corners and end up with something that I outgrow in 6 months or less, just trying to get into something for a reasonable price

 

[frogfarmer]

Sorry I meant to say 10K for the machine and 10K for all of those attachments. I have a few hundred hours in the S300/T300 and love the machines. I have never had any seat time in them with anything other than a bucket though For what small amount of auxiliary attachments that I want to run and being my first machine am I dumb for going with a small setup? I dont want to cut corners and end up with something that I outgrow in 6 months or less, just trying to get into something for a reasonable price

Going small is a good idea so long as you dont go too small. I consider 1700-1800 the bottom end for small but they make much smaller machines. The 1700-1800 machines have HP ratings in the 50-60 range and perform well. I agree that skid mounted stump grinders are weak compared to dedicated machines but they beat the heck out of a shovel and chainsaw. The only truely capable grinders and blowers I have seen were high flow. The standard flow blowers dont do well in the heavy ice laden snow we get in these parts but most people around here dont run blowers. A budget of 20K for what you are looking for is going to be very tight if doable.

 

[lonewolf]

I have a stump grinding business and also do brush clearing. I have a T300 and like the power it has. It does have high flow which I would recommend. I bought a used stump grinder for $4500. You are not going to get a very good machine for $10,000. I gave $23,000 for mine and it had 2200 hours on it. I had a 853h before and there is no comparison of which I am glad I went to the T300. I have ground all kinds of wood stumps-oak-hedge-anything and have had no problems. I don't have the joysticks and have no experience with them although there are more things to go wrong. But if I ever got a different machine would get one with them. Like the lifting power with the 300 and the weight makes it easy to handle heavy things. Good luck.

 

[reaperman]

http://www.machinerytrader.com/drilldown/models.aspx?ETID=1&catid=1055&Manu=BOBCAT Go to this link, you will find current prices on all bobcat models ever made.

 

[straightexhaust]

http://www.machinerytrader.com/drilldown/models.aspx?ETID=1&catid=1055&Manu=BOBCAT Go to this link, you will find current prices on all bobcat models ever made.

Thank you everyone for all the replies. I just was speaking to my co-worker and his fried is selling a 2006 New Holland LS190 with 580 hours on it for $15000. After looking on machinery trader that price sounds way low. Im going to meet the guy this week and take a look at it. Any thoughts on this machine. It is really close in specs to the Bobcat S300 that I am used to running.

 

[frogfarmer]

Thank you everyone for all the replies. I just was speaking to my co-worker and his fried is selling a 2006 New Holland LS190 with 580 hours on it for $15000. After looking on machinery trader that price sounds way low. Im going to meet the guy this week and take a look at it. Any thoughts on this machine. It is really close in specs to the Bobcat S300 that I am used to running.

I have no experience with an LS190 but love my smaller LS170. Looking at a few auction results these machines are selling for $7000-$10000 with 4000hrs and beat hard. Low hours and hopefully very clean I would think $15000 is very reasonable. As a general rule the LS machines are a little crude compared to some of the others on the market but they are proven performers.

 

[straightexhaust]

I have no experience with an LS190 but love my smaller LS170. Looking at a few auction results these machines are selling for $7000-$10000 with 4000hrs and beat hard. Low hours and hopefully very clean I would think $15000 is very reasonable. As a general rule the LS machines are a little crude compared to some of the others on the market but they are proven performers.

When you say crude do you mean they are of lesser quality or just like stripped down to basics? Also is there some type of database for equipment I could use to search and make sure it is not stolen. To my knowledge they just have serial numbers?

 

[frogfarmer]

When you say crude do you mean they are of lesser quality or just like stripped down to basics? Also is there some type of database for equipment I could use to search and make sure it is not stolen. To my knowledge they just have serial numbers?

Crude meanig they are no frills just function. Cabs are not luxurious and controls are not feathery smooth but they are work horses that can survive little or no maintenance.