Skid Steer Bobcat: What the Iron Says Before You Buy

The phrase skid steer bobcat gets used as if it describes one machine. It does not. A skid steer is a type of compact loader; Bobcat is a manufacturer that built much of the category. That distinction matters when you are comparing a used S650 with a competing Deere, Case, or CAT machine. The badge tells you who built it. The hours, hydraulic condition, service records, and operator history tell you whether it deserves your money.

I have inspected enough skid steers in Arizona dust to know that a clean paint job can hide an expensive hydraulic problem. A buyer looking at a skid steer bobcat should spend less time admiring the bucket and more time checking the boom pins, auxiliary circuit, tires, cooling package, and drive response. One neglected loader can consume $8,000 to $20,000 before it earns its first productive month.

Start With the Job, Not the Badge

A skid steer bobcat is usually chosen for versatility. With a universal quick-attach plate, one chassis can run a bucket in the morning, a grapple after lunch, and a trencher the next day. That versatility has a price: attachments place different loads on the machine. A cold planer or high-flow brush cutter can expose weak auxiliary hydraulics much faster than a light dirt bucket.

For general grading, loading, and site cleanup, a 2,600- to 3,000-pound rated operating capacity is a useful middle ground. Bobcat models such as the S650 and S76 sit in that working range, although exact capacity depends on configuration and operating conditions. A smaller S590 is easier on narrow residential sites and often costs less to maintain, but it gives up lift capacity and stability when the load moves away from the machine.

Check the lift path as well. Radial-lift machines tend to work well for digging and reaching at lower heights. Vertical-lift designs are useful when loading dump trucks or placing material over a tall sidewall. Neither design is automatically better. The correct choice depends on whether the machine spends its life digging below grade or lifting pallets and aggregate.

The Hydraulic System Tells the Real Story

When I evaluate a skid steer bobcat, the auxiliary hydraulics get tested before the cab comfort. Start the machine cold and listen during the first hydraulic cycle. A brief change in engine note is normal. A sharp whine, pulsing sound, or slow boom response deserves investigation. The symptom is inconsistent hydraulic flow. The likely causes include contaminated oil, a worn pump, a restricted filter, or a relief valve problem. The next step is a pressure and flow test, not a guess based on sound alone.

Look for oil around the drive motors, loader cylinders, auxiliary couplers, and valve block. A wet fitting is not automatically a failed component, but repeated leakage leaves a trail of dust that shows where the problem has been living. Replacing a hose might cost $150 to $500. Rebuilding a hydraulic pump or drive motor can push the repair beyond $3,000, and dealer labor can add substantially more.

Ask for the hydraulic oil change history. Many owners track engine oil but treat hydraulic fluid as permanent. It is not. Heat, water, and fine abrasive material wear pump surfaces. On a machine working in demolition, recycling, or dusty earthmoving, fluid sampling is cheap insurance. A laboratory report can identify elevated wear metals and contamination before the pump starts making noise.

What to Inspect on a Used Machine

The best skid steer bobcat inspection starts with the undercarriage and frame, not the hour meter. A machine showing 3,500 hours with tight pins and consistent service may be a better purchase than one showing 1,800 hours with loose lift arms and cracked welds. Hour meters can be replaced, but wear patterns are harder to disguise.

Raise the boom with a rated support device and inspect the pivot points safely; never work beneath unsupported arms. Look for oval pin bores, broken grease fittings, and weld repairs around the loader towers. Cycle the bucket and watch for drift after the controls return to neutral. Some settling is normal, but rapid movement can point to cylinder leakage or valve wear.

Inside the cab, test every switch, display warning, seat belt, door interlock, and backup alarm. A failed interlock is not a minor annoyance. It is a safety issue and can prevent the machine from starting or operating correctly. Inspect the tires for matching sizes and sidewall damage. Four replacement solid tires can cost roughly $1,200 to $2,500, while a tracked configuration brings its own expense through tracks, rollers, and sprockets.

Comparing Operating Cost, Not Just Purchase Price

A used skid steer bobcat priced at $32,000 may look attractive beside a $48,000 machine. The cheaper unit is not cheaper if it needs tires, a seat, two hydraulic hoses, a cooling-system flush, and a drive-chain repair during the first 200 hours. Build a repair reserve into the purchase decision. For older equipment, I commonly budget $5,000 to $10,000 immediately unless service records and inspection results justify a smaller reserve.

Fuel use depends heavily on load, idle time, attachment, and engine condition. A loader spending half its shift idling can burn money without moving dirt. Set an idle policy, keep the radiator and charge-air cooler clean, and match the attachment to the machine. A high-flow tool on a standard-flow setup can deliver disappointing production while generating unnecessary heat.

Compare dealer support before the machine fails. Bobcat has a broad dealer network, while Deere, Case, and CAT dealers may be stronger in particular regions or fleets. Parts availability, technician travel time, and loaner equipment can be worth more than a small difference in the initial purchase price. Downtime at a $1,500-per-day grading job changes the math quickly.

Common Problems That Change the Deal

On a skid steer bobcat, drive-system weakness often appears as uneven travel, sluggish turning, or a machine that pulls to one side under load. The symptom is poor propulsion. The root cause might be a drive motor, charge pressure issue, chain-case problem, or calibration fault. What to do about it is simple: measure pressures and inspect the chain cases before negotiating a price.

Cooling problems deserve the same attention. Packed debris between the radiator and oil cooler restricts airflow, especially on machines running a brush cutter or working in dry vegetation. Check for bent fins, missing seals, and evidence that someone has washed the exterior without cleaning the internal stack. Overheating can turn a manageable maintenance issue into engine, turbocharger, or hydraulic damage.

Cracked quick-attach plates and worn attachment wedges also matter. Excess movement lets a bucket hammer the coupler and loader arms. A replacement coupler can run from several hundred dollars to well over $2,000, depending on model and labor. Bring a known-good attachment to the inspection when possible. It reveals looseness more clearly than an empty coupler.

My Buying Procedure Before the Money Moves

I want maintenance invoices, serial-number confirmation, cold-start access, and at least 30 minutes of operating time. I record engine hours, tire or track condition, hydraulic temperature, warning codes, and visible leaks. I test the machine with the intended attachment rather than accepting a smooth bucket demonstration on flat ground.

Then I price the defects in writing. A seller may discount $2,000 for worn tires, but the real replacement cost could be higher. Get parts prices from a dealer or reputable supplier, add labor, and include transport. If the seller refuses a cold start or will not allow an independent inspection, I treat that refusal as information. A machine worth buying should survive measured scrutiny.

The right skid steer bobcat can be a productive tool for excavation, landscaping, agriculture, snow removal, and utility work. The wrong one becomes a parked invoice with a seat. Buy the condition and support network, not the bright paint or a low hour number. The iron does not lie.

Hours logged: inspection data from field machines and used-equipment evaluations. Fluid samples pulled: when condition justified laboratory testing. Parts replaced: priced before negotiation, not after failure. Iron tested. Iron told.