average age for your bobcat?

[ironman1952]

I am just curious what the average age of all the bobcat owners here that have posted problems with their machines? The reason I ask is I just bought a E35R2
series excavator. I am wondering how old this machine will get before things start to fail.

I am also curious if the habit that one has on maintaining their machines and how that would affect the longevity of the machine before it started to fail.
For instance Bobcat requires certain services at certain intervals. If a person cut all of their expectations in half ie instead of waiting 1000 hours between oil change how about 500 or 300. Same would be true about air filters, hydraulic filters etc..

Also the greasing of machine joints and cleaning off the older stuff that oozes out before it petrifies

I have seen some videos where skid steers are packed with mud and debris under the cab, leaving wires, hoses as well as other mechanical things in an unclean state.

One last thing, I have my machine in my heated garage. I know not everyone has a garage let alone a heated one. If the machine were in a more controlled climate when not in use do you think it would again increase the time before things started to fail?

Sorry for the length, I just think at 75k or more it might pay to do these things. keep the machine clean. I may be wrong, what do you think??? Regards, Ironman

 

[Alan W.]

2000 763G. No real problems other than usual maintenance and tires.
Lived most of its life outside on job sites.

 

[KenBike]

Keeping it in the garage will help with hose life and sun bleaching plastic parts. Would also think it would improve the life of electric parts staying dry and not exposed to blowing rain and snow.

 

[ironman1952]

All great thoughts I suppose this is all in the so called perfect world. I realize that most of us cant afford to keep a machine under cover. The costs of repairs and parts is so out there that I am interested in warding that off as long as possible.

I have watched about every video on the YouTube channel entitled, "How I did it" Brady is a great mechanic and someone who while running a business is really concerned about other equipment owners and the price that we all pay when we hire others to do maintenance and repairs. I find his skill set incredible.

I love the videos and while I will do some of my own repairs some things are beyond my skill set and especially since I am almost 74 would be wise having a Bobcat mechanic do them.

Still our greatest value comes from the life experience of others much like yourself that are willing to share what they have learned and sometimes the hard way.
Those lessons last the longest!

Thanks everyone for sharing

 

[Rustyiron]

Are you considering buying a used mini? I'm not sure if you're simply asking how old others machines are.
If you're "shopping", a properly maintained and operated excavator with 3-4000 hours would work for years in a personal use situation. Most of the problems will be replacing hyd lines (as they fail) and servicing the pins, most all of them are not that big of a deal to access. If once in a while you have to have a mobile mechanic out, just bite the bullet. You'll forget about it once you're back behind the controls!

 

[KeithT]

Have A 2016 E42 mini excavator. Had 600 hours in it when I got it (2021). 840 now. I keep it in a carport. No problems. This is my third. 325 and e26 prior. All have been good machines for me.