Is there anything good about the toolcat?

[jmfox]

Leaky hoses, electrical problems, rust, lack of power, etc. etc.? I currently own a Polaris Ranger, and after 3 years I have not one complaint or once taken it to the dealer for repairs. Now that I need to clear and maintain 40 acres, I was looking to upgrade to a toolcat, that is until I started reading the posts here. It seems that only the new owners are impressed, while the veterans have a lot to complain about. Is the toolcat more cool than do? Would it be a mistake to believe that I can jump in this thing and do some work, day in and day, out as I do with the Polaris Ranger (plowing snow, grading, hauling, etc.)? One of the things I couldn't do with the Ranger is transplant some 9 foot pines. This was an easy chore with a skid steer (with the standard bucket), but with only 1500 lbs of lift I'm not sure the toolcat can do it either.

jmf

 

[dylan]

There are a myriad of uses ... paperweight, boat anchor, nice view from the front seat.
the list goes on and on ...
Just kidding of course. Even with all the problems my machine works everyday and I am always amazed by the new uses I find for it.
Unless it turns out to be a real lemon and never leaves the shop ... I like it.

 

[dsb5610]

jmfox,

Between the owners that have been experiencing problems and the non-owner's descriptions of all the limitations I can certainly understand why someone would be leary. If I would have discovered this site with the recent posts before I purchased one I may not be an owner. Fortunately, that was not the case and I do have one but I would not tell you that a Toolcat is, or is not, for you.

I have a 2003 'A' model that I purchased used early this year. My unit had just over 230 hours on it when I purchased, it now has over 450 hours on it and I have not had any trouble. There are certainly things that I would like changed but I can say that for just about any piece of equipment I've operated for any length of time.

dsb

 

[theoshin]

I traded from an 85 hp tractor to maintain my 200 acres.

I put more hours in the first month on the toolcat than the tractor for 6 months. I also find it much easier to use around the house and barns as it is much more precise with the bucket. It has many more uses. In terms of using the bucket and broom I have had no problems. I am working on my new snowblower performance issues. It is probably not as reliable as a bobcat skidsteer as the engineering is more complex and much newer. Any machine thas does real work (vs a polaris ranger - I have an xp700) will have more maintenance issues. It is a relatively new machine and with that comes more potential issues. I am still glad I bought it (2006 "c"). It just has many more uses than my tractor 3pt. Also, I can switch from bucket to snowblower, mower, or broom in less than 5 minutes and don't end up with gloves full of pto grease.

I believe the tree planter from bobcat is too heavy for the toolcat. it can run many buckets and auger/poll digger.

TS

 

[Dargo]

FWIW, jmfox, I've heard far more complaints from Polaris Ranger owners than I've heard from Toolcat owners. Again, not to slam Polaris, but if you're pleased with the reliability of a Polaris, you ought to be thrilled with the overall reliability of Bobcat products. As others here have seen me post in the past, I was all set to buy a Ranger 700 EFI unit until several of my friends who own them talked me out of buying one. They claim, and have shown me, that they have had nothing but trouble and one of them is pursuing legal action against Polaris.

Since you seem to like yours and say you've had no trouble, from where I sit it looks like you are a lucky one. Based simply on owner feedback, I'd be more willing to take a chance on a Toolcat. Again, I'm only speaking from what I've been told and read, but that is the way you are viewing the Toolcat.

 

[jmfox]

I dig the pines out with a regular bucket. They are shallow rooted and easy to dig, but I'm wondering if the toolcat loader hydraulics and front end are capable of lifting a 4 to 6 inch pine. Before I set up a demo I try to do as much homework as I can.

It is encouraging to hear that the toolcat can replace an 86hp tractor. I like the concept and willing to be clever in handling various applications, but it needs to be stronger than am and reliable. Most commercial tractors would last for decades without a bit of trouble when driven by a single operator on a farm or estate. My old Ford 4000 has about 40hp and it can still idle up a 30 degree grade with a 6 foot finish mower attached.


jmf

 

[jmfox]

My Ranger is a 4x4 500. The XP dual cylinder 700s were detuned to accommodate legal restrictions and a frame designed around the torque of the single cylinder. The result was a very troublesome overheating problem. Also there were some broken axles that were caused by third party lift kits added to accommodate larger tires. A 500 without modification is still is rock solid machine with little to no trouble. That's what I am looking for here. I need some advice about how to equip the machine and what to avoid.

jmf

FWIW, jmfox, I've heard far more complaints from Polaris Ranger owners than I've heard from Toolcat owners. Again, not to slam Polaris, but if you're pleased with the reliability of a Polaris, you ought to be thrilled with the overall reliability of Bobcat products. As others here have seen me post in the past, I was all set to buy a Ranger 700 EFI unit until several of my friends who own them talked me out of buying one. They claim, and have shown me, that they have had nothing but trouble and one of them is pursuing legal action against Polaris.

Since you seem to like yours and say you've had no trouble, from where I sit it looks like you are a lucky one. Based simply on owner feedback, I'd be more willing to take a chance on a Toolcat. Again, I'm only speaking from what I've been told and read, but that is the way you are viewing the Toolcat.

 

[theoshin]

07 xp700 has heat issue fixed. i own one. i waited for them to work the kinks out before buying an xp. polaris dropped the ball on the heat issue.
they knew it was a problem and denied until legal threats. they also did a
band-aid fix for 2005 owners. i don't trust polaris but liked the ranger best.
i do trust bobcat.

bobcat has a much better reputation. they need to keep those happy that make a living using their equipment in a very competitive skid steer market.
my dealer has been very good about repairs. most should be. bobcat also watches their dealers in terms of owner satisfaction much more than polaris.

the toolcat is much better in tight quarters than a tractor. it will spin near donuts which is very handy around any buildings or narrow drives/roads. the tractor will also go places the toolcat can't as there is no comparison in terms of traction and ground clearance. it all depends on what you need it for. for me i use it for landscaping, grounds maintenance, mowing, snow removal, and odd jobs around the house/barns. i can get to places the tractor would never fit and get jobs in tighter quarters done much faster and cleaner. with the tractor i could mow my 16 acres of pastures faster and pull out my dumptruck when it got stuck much easier. they really are for two different needs. my tractor (mccormick cx85 with delux cab) weighed 2x the toolcat but was a bit like a bull in the china shop for grounds care. it trumped the toolcat when big was better (using a 8ft mower vs the brushcat 60inch). it was just too big for most jobs. the toolcat is also small enough to store in one of my heated garages which is a big plus for 7am snow removal prior to going to work.

where i think the toolcat wins is when it is compared to equally powered utility tractors (aka jd 4000 series). i know, i had one of those too!

ts

 

[Dargo]

07 xp700 has heat issue fixed.

Good, that was sort of my point but I didn't know for sure that they'd fixed the issue. My point was just because you hear of some issues, the company isn't necessarily a bad company, and their products are not all bad. I seriously doubt all Polaris Rangers could be considered bad just as I seriously doubt that all Toolcats could be considered bad. Ditto for their manufacturers. I don't consider either of them as being "bad".

However, I know only too well how frustrating it is to have something that has an apparent defect. I wish the best of luck to those with units that have issues. Hopefully they will be fixed promptly and correctly.

 

[jmfox]

I know the concept is quite different, but how does the Toolcat compare to the Ranger in traveling through muddy and hilly terrain? I don't do any trail riding or any high speed runs on fire roads, but do need to get around my 40 acres full of gullies, woods, water traps etc. My plan is to sell or trade in my Ranger on the toolcat.

jmf