Rumors

[Eric]

Has anybody heard any rumors about Bobcat coming out with a skidsteer with a 4,000 pound lift capacity??? Its hard to believe that the largest manufacterer of skidsteers cant or is not interested in competeing with or beating the 3,850 pound lift capacity machines of Gehl or Mustang. I asked one of my local dealers a couple of months ago about why or if Bobcat is going to step up to the plate. He said, he had heard a rumor that a 4,000 pound machine was in development. Has anybody else heard about this? If they could make a machine with a 4K lift and the same size as the 963 I would buy it for sure!

 

[salsllc]

My local dealer said that Bobcat is working on an S350....But it still won't compete with the Gehl and will cost allot more....thats why I will buy the Gehl...I don't need the frills or the white paint for 10 grand....

 

[Tigerotor77W]

Eric, the market for a machine that large is somewhat limited. To be sure, the Gehl/Mustang has sold well, but it's likely not Gehl's highest-profit model. When the 963 was in production, its last few years were extremely sloooow...

Bobcat may be studying a "S350" (I would guess S330, however), but whether it becomes available is based on market demand. The Deere and Gehl 332 and 7810E offer higher lifting capacities, but whether contractors really want a 10,000 pound SSL all over again -- specifically, whether enough contractors want that machine -- is the big question Bobcat engineers would be asking. Simply putting it, it's a better idea to let one manufacturer have a market of having 100 machines/year and barely scrape a profit than to have two split it at 50/50 and both operating at a loss... not to mention the R&D that goes into it.

But it'll be interesting for sure, unless they simply throw another 1000 pounds counterweight on the S300 and call it a S330...

 

[Dwan]

Bobcat use to make a 975/974 machine rated @ 3700 lb 975 had a 85 hp John Deer and 974 had a 65 hp. Perkins motor. someware around 1986 they produced the 980 which had a Cummins motor and rating of 4000 lb. it was short lived because of the demand. Bobcat still suprots these machines with parts and tech. help. These machines can be found used for a verry resonable price. I know I have 3 of them. I beleave they still have the tooling and could produce them again anytime they wanted to. as far as pricing I would think they would sell for between $60K and $70K. I would buy a new one in a minute. Mine all have over 7000 hours each and 1 of them has week hydrostadic pumps. Total maintance costs sence I got them in the early 80's has been less then $1000 each less tires and general maintance. Tires on these larger machines only last 1000 hours. Dwan