Compact Track Loader, whos the best?

[paulsharvey]

But I don't believe that New Holland will do 2.2x the amount of work the machine is linked earlier will.

 

[Hay Dude]

I like Takeuchi. A Tak on tracks is tough to beat. I rent the TL12V2 regularly and as far as I have seen, it’s the heaviest & strongest and lifts the most. I think only ASV is bigger. There was one for sale at Deere Country for 39K with 2000 hours and Hi-flow that was really tempting to buy, but I’m saving for other equipment purchases.

I also demoed a JCB teleskid and it was nice, but at 79HP it lacked the power you need for those really tough jobs. The side entry and telescoping boom were incredibly nice features.
If they build a 100HP large frame skid loader with the boom and side door, they’d have something special.

 

[Hay Dude]

Every diesel over 25 hp sold in America and several other countries since approximately 2010 I’m not sure about the exact date has a DPF.

2012

 

[Hay Dude]

In 2007-8 I was making $75/hr with a Cat-257 class machine, and honestly, just getting by. At the time, New, they were like $45k. Now, if i could have had it working 30 hrs per week, i would have been doing pretty well, but it was half side hustle, half start up...

You were underselling yourself. You need to be making $1,000+ a day on a machine like that. I’d want to be making close to $150/hr in today’s high fuel cost, high parts & insurance cost market.

 

[TheRealWorld]

Dang, I didn't realize just how much the upper power machines had crept up. $147,031. Yes, it's AC and Heat, and 114hp, but its also 16,100 lbs, and it comes with just a bucket, although it includes teeth...View attachment 2249060View attachment 2249061

in price a bunch, I have three prices now and Cat comes in with the best price, and John Deere is the highest. They are not exact comparisons, and I think I am going with the Cat, but John Deere has a few things I wish I got on the Cat. I will share the prices when I am done. I wish I was good at the Art Of The Deal!

 

[TheRealWorld]

These machines vary a bunch in price, but I have a few reasonable prices, and the best one I think is from Cat. I will let you know what I decide and the prices. Thanks for all your interest and great input.

 

[paulsharvey]

You were underselling yourself. You need to be making $1,000+ a day on a machine like that. I’d want to be making close to $150/hr in today’s high fuel cost, high parts & insurance cost market.

Was talking to a guy Friday at work, and we were talking about exactly this. He said most guys are at $150/hr and 4 hour min. He said he's $300 to show, and $100/hr after first 3 hours. He also said he bills himself at $40/hr. We were also talking about another job he did that i was very familiar with, he bid and won at $12k, and the next closest was $20,000. Didnt knkw how to bring up to him, you got to bill yourself at more than $40... even of the other $60 covers the machine, insurance, fuel, ect, $40 isn't enough for your risk/time/head ache. We also discussed the constant, 2 days or a week later call, "I need you to come grade out some dump truck ruts, that's included in the price, right"

Friday as an example, he had meet client twice onsite, and me onsite, and he didn't even know if he was getting the job... and he's got 3+ hours in it,

 

[TheRealWorld]

Was talking to a guy Friday at work, and we were talking about exactly this. He said most guys are at $150/hr and 4 hour min. He said he's $300 to show, and $100/hr after first 3 hours. He also said he bills himself at $40/hr. We were also talking about another job he did that i was very familiar with, he bid and won at $12k, and the next closest was $20,000. Didnt knkw how to bring up to him, you got to bill yourself at more than $40... even of the other $60 covers the machine, insurance, fuel, ect, $40 isn't enough for your risk/time/head ache. We also discussed the constant, 2 days or a week later call, "I need you to come grade out some dump truck ruts, that's included in the price, right"

Friday as an example, he had meet client twice onsite, and me onsite, and he didn't even know if he was getting the job... and he's got 3+ hours in it,

One of my biggest issues in business is the people who weasel a bunch of time out of me as they are either weasels or I am just too nice of a guy. I would have been long retired had I billed out my full hours over the years. I did not mind doing a bit extra, but it gets old after they pull that 3 or 4 times. I tell young people you need to look out for yourself!

 

[Hay Dude]

Was talking to a guy Friday at work, and we were talking about exactly this. He said most guys are at $150/hr and 4 hour min. He said he's $300 to show, and $100/hr after first 3 hours. He also said he bills himself at $40/hr. We were also talking about another job he did that i was very familiar with, he bid and won at $12k, and the next closest was $20,000. Didnt knkw how to bring up to him, you got to bill yourself at more than $40... even of the other $60 covers the machine, insurance, fuel, ect, $40 isn't enough for your risk/time/head ache. We also discussed the constant, 2 days or a week later call, "I need you to come grade out some dump truck ruts, that's included in the price, right"

Friday as an example, he had meet client twice onsite, and me onsite, and he didn't even know if he was getting the job... and he's got 3+ hours in it,

Whenever you bid yourself out by the hour, you instantly enter “the race to the bottom” because I guarantee you there’s a guy who is cheaper.
I tell other guys in these types of businesses we are in to bid by the job, not the hour. Bidding by the job guarantees the customer you'll complete the job, and guarantees you you know what you’ll make.
Let’s face it, even when you do bid by the hour, all customers want to know “ok, how many hours will it take?” If you bid by the job and you don’t tell them your rate, they don’t know how much you are making. You really want to avoid letting your customer find out you are charging them $150/hour because they will think youre making attorney money, because they don’t understand what it costs to own/operate a machine like that.

 

[paulsharvey]

Every now and again, I'll see folks doing bush hogging for $35/hr....