Volvo MC70 skid steer

[dsb]

I am think of starting a skid steer business on the side. I looked at a Volvo MC70 yesterday, does anyone know anything about this machine? It has a 60hp Kubota turbo diesel and hand controls, not to many frills but seemed to be a good machine. I can get this machine for $5500.00 less than a CAT. Resale is the main thing that worries me is if the business does'nt work out, can I sell the Volvo and not loose my tail!.................thanks :help:

[ksss]

No, I don't think you'll be able to resale it. The Volvo skid steer is a repainted Skat Trac. As far as durabiity I really don't know, but it looks crude and is as ergonomic as an anvil. I would look for Volvo to redesign this machine in the very near future which will further reduce the desirablity of this series. I sat in one and thought my old high school shop teacher could have fabbed a better skid steer in his shop. If your starting a business you'll have tons of overhead you can't avoid. I would avoid a new skid steer payment and get a quality used machine. If it don't work out atleast you wont loss your shirt on your skid steer.

[Tigerotor77W]

Resale on the Volvo may be difficult. If you are dead-set on Volvo, I'd consider leasing one first, then deciding if you've done well, if the machine is for you, or if you want to continue in the business.

Volvo bought the entire Scat Trak line of skid steers and will be releasing a new line this year or next. It should be interesting to see where they go with the design... I have high hopes, but given the rather bland features of the major equipment manufacturers, there is always the possibility of another dud. Hopefully the ergonomic and efficient European side can kick in for Volvo and produce a great skid.

[dsb]

Ksss and BobcatS250,

Thanks for your replies, I really enjoy reading your posts on this forum and Iam sure alot of other people do too. I've learned alot about skid steers from you guys.

I tested a CAT 226B out yesterday, man that is twice the machine compared to the Volvo. I still need to try the CASE out. After running the CAT and you guys confirmed the resale value Volvo is off my list.

Ksss,

I would rather buy a used machine, but it seems like around here you have to pay $15-17000 to get a decent machine. I got quoted $24,000 for a new CAT 226 with 0% interest for 4 years. I need to find a decent machine for $10-12,000 any suggestions on brand and size for light excavating, site cleanup, and finish grading?

Ksss, when you started out, was there any competition in your area and did you get more work than you thought you would?


thanks

[Scag48]

That's a bummer that Volvo's skids are no good, their excavators are superb, what happened with the skids?! S250, is Volvo producing Terex excavators? Saw an ad in a mag for Terex excavators and could have sworn it was a rebadged Volvo.

dsb - We bought a 2003 216 and love the machine, basically a 226 with 100 pounds less ROC and a few less ponies. It sounds like you were impressed with the 226? I've been itching to try out the new B series controls, they look like something out of an F-15. I would suggest finding a used 226 through www.catused.com You can usually find an 800-1,000 Hr. unit for about $16K if I remember correctly. Cat's are extremely well built, as well as Case and Bobcat, any of which brands with higher amounts of hours would be fine, they're all quality. The main thing that sold me on the Cat units was the controls, they are far better than anything ever produced, period. I know everyone has their favorites but there is just no way I'm going to jump in a Bobcat and push and pull those levers all day. Also with a Cat machine since all the controls are with your hands, your right foot controls the throttle. This feature is worth it's weight in gold, we save alot of fuel. It's nice being able to give it more juice when you need it and back off when you don't, on the fly rather than having to stop the machine and adjust engine speed. Just my .02

[Tigerotor77W]

Scag: as far as I know, Schaeff makes the Terex excavator. The Volvo excavator is one of few that is produced by the company itself (for example, Deere minis aren't Deere; they're Hitachi or possibly Yanmar... NH excavators were Schaeff and are now Kobelco... Cat is Mitsubishi-design in some models... and so on). So basically, I don't believe the Terex is a Volvo. Things may have changed in the last month, but I wouldn't be inclined to think so 9yet, anyhow).

The largest mini Schaeff machines' rights were bought by IR, so IR/Bobcat markets Schaeff excavators (IR, Bobcat) and wheel loaders (IR). Terex used to market the Schaeff compact wheel loaders; not sure how that works now with IR in the mix.

[ksss]

Volvo bought Samsung and that is how they became to be in the excavator business. I don't know if I would call them a superb excavator but to each his own.

12K will buy a lot of skid steer if you look. I have bid on several mid-90's 1845C on IronPlanet.com I am trying to get one for around 8K but they seem to go for 10-12K (I want to resell them). I would find an 1845C 95-02 , model years. They are easy to spot as they have grey decals. The 94 and prior are brown/red. The 1845C is the largest selling model of skid steer ever produced in the industry and for good reason. Very dependable, decent power and easy to run. They are very capable machines and a lot of machine for the money. This is evident by the continued strong resale of these machines. Even if you paid 12K and ran it for several years and either traded or got out of the business you may not loose anything depending on your market and how much wear you put on the machine.

When I started I had no competion. There were few skid steers in the area and no one had even heard of a Rock Hound. I worked for many other excavation and landscaping companies, most have there own machines now but we have kept them as customers by having some specialized attachments. That was ten years ago and things have changes dramatically. We have had to change as well.

The most important thing is to go in with a plan. Investigate the opportunities that exist in your area. If you exploit those opportunities you can gain entry and make money in that niche area, that will allow you to grow and expand. When I started, it was lawn preparation. The ground is rocky in most places around here. The yards are large and some require hundreds of yards of topsoil. It is difficult to put in your own yard without equipment. That was my niche. We have grown beyond that but we still do a lot of yards. They are now many guys also doing it which had killed the price and pushed me to expand into other areas. I am planning a major purchase shortly which hopefully will fill a niche in this area and prove profitable. When I started I never would have guessed that I would be this busy or that I would have the amount of equipment that I do. I got in at a good time, I guess. We have seen exponential growth in this area.

[Tigerotor77W]

Volvo bought Samsung and that is how they became to be in the excavator business. I don't know if I would call them a superb excavator but to each his own.

Ah putain, I forgot about Samsung. :eek: Volvo bought the Samsung line of excavators back in the late 90s and used their models to help its own line. However, the mini excavators are still Volvos AFAIK.

[UNISCAPER]

There was a guy right in this forum looking to sell a 3 year old Bbocat. Hook up with him the machine has 125 hours on it. Go used on a speculative business, even though Cat has documented higher resale than any machine over the past 40 years, you are still going to loose your greatest amount of money on a new purchase. Heck I might even find some old bone for that and when your phone starts ringing, skid steer availability is pretty good country wide. Then go new. The choice is going to depend on how serious you are about launching the business and how hard you will run your equipment.

As for Volvo, they need to stick to making million mile square boxed ugly as sin cars, that they do well.

[Tigerotor77W]

As for Volvo, they need to stick to making million mile square boxed ugly as sin cars, that they do well.

Haha... :laugh: now now, don't anger our European friends!

[dsb]

Thanks to everyone that replied to my post! You guys are right, I am going to continue my search for a used machine, and if my part-time side business does not work out, hopefully I can resale the machine for close to the price I paid for it.

I work 60 hours a week inside a plant with no windows, and I am sick of it :dizzy: , My thought was to work 4 ten hour days at my job the work 2-3 days with skid steer, doing light excavating, finishing grading, and material cleanup. There is some competition in the area, but he is backed up a couple of months with work, thought I could pickup enough to keep me busy 20+ hours a week.

[dsb]

UNISCAPER,

Where can I find the used bobcat on this site for sale that you mentioned?


Thanks

[wetnwild]

I was talking to a Volvo rep at a equip show.

I was asking if he knew why they mostly use mini-loaders on the other side of the pond, and skid steers on this side.

He didn't know, but we figured it may be a matter of time. He said they were taking some skid steers over to Europe this year to show the engineers and the industry.

Volvo does have a nice line of compact wheel loaders (50-100hp)

[UNISCAPER]

It was some thread posted a day or two ago asking what his 2003 863 with a backhoe attachment is worth. It had 125 hours...I can't remember the name of the thread....

[Tigerotor77W]

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=111385&highlight=863+bobcat

Is that it?

[UNISCAPER]

That would be the one!