If you're stuck between a Bobcat E85 excavator and a track loader for your next job, here's the short answer: Get the E85 if you're digging deep foundations or trenching for utilities. Get the track loader if you're moving mountains of dirt, grading, or swapping attachments every 20 minutes.
But that's just the headline. The real decision comes down to how you make money, and I've seen too many contractors get it wrong. In my role coordinating heavy equipment for a mid-sized construction outfit, I've handled 47 rush orders—and a few very expensive regrets.
Why You Should Listen to Me
I'm a procurement specialist at a construction equipment rental company. I've processed over 200 equipment orders in the last two years, including the mess-ups. In March 2024, a client called at 4 PM needing a compact excavator for a utility job starting at 7 AM the next day. Normal turnaround is 3 days. We paid $850 extra in rush fees (on top of the $1,200 base rental) and delivered it at 6:30 AM. The client's alternative was a $6,000 delay penalty from the city.
That experience taught me that the most expensive equipment isn't the one with the highest rental price—it's the one that can't do the job. So, when you're choosing between the Bobcat E85 and a track loader, you need to be brutally honest about your workload.
Bobcat E85 Excavator: The Specialist
The E85 is a compact excavator with a lot of power. It's fantastic for deep digging, trenching, and demolition. I went back and forth between recommending it to a client and suggesting a track loader for two weeks. The E85 offered superior digging depth (over 10 feet), but the track loader offered versatility with attachments. Ultimately, we chose the E85 because the client was 90% foundations and utility work.
Best for:
- Foundations and basements
- Precision trenching for utilities (water, gas, fiber)
- Demolition with a breaker attachment
- Working in tight spaces where a larger machine can't fit
What it's not great at:
- Loading trucks (the reach isn't ideal)
- Grading large areas (a loader is more efficient)
- Swapping between digging and lifting tasks (it's slower)
I should mention: the E85 is a tracked machine, so it's great on soft or muddy ground. But its swing radius, while compact, can be limiting if you're working in a wide-open space.
Bobcat Track Loaders: The Swiss Army Knife
Bobcat track loaders (skid-steer or compact track loaders) are the workhorses of the jobsite. They're not as good at deep digging, but they're phenomenal at everything else. The most frustrating part of my job: seeing a contractor rent an excavator when a track loader with a grapple bucket would have been 50% faster for clearing a lot and grading it.
You'd think the choice is obvious: digger for digging, loader for loading. But the reality is messier. A track loader with the right attachments—a bucket, a pallet fork, a grader, a snow blade—can do 70% of a job site's work. The E85 is better at the remaining 30%.
Best for:
- Bulk material handling (dirt, gravel, debris)
- Grading and backfilling
- Snow removal
- Multi-tasking (demolition, cleanup, lifting)
- High-productivity attachment changes (Bobcat's system is excellent)
What it's not great at:
- Deep digging (you'll need an excavator for anything below 3-4 feet)
- Precision work near foundations (the reach is different)
- Working in extremely tight, confined spaces
The One Question That Decides It
After 3 failed rush orders where contractors rented the wrong machine, our company now requires a simple question before any recommendation: What is the single most time-consuming task on your next three projects?
I hit 'confirm' on a rental order for a track loader last week and immediately thought 'did I make the right call?' The client wanted to dig a 6-foot trench for a drain line and then grade the entire backyard. If 80% of the job was trenching, the E85 would have been the right choice. But 80% was grading and cleanup. The track loader was the call. Didn't relax until the client called back to say he'd finished a day early.
Here's the honest limitation: I recommend the E85 for situation A (deep digging and precision). I recommend the track loader for situation B (high-variety, high-volume material handling). But if you're dealing with situation C—one massive dig, then nothing but grading for a month—the decision is trickier. You might want to rent the E85 for the dig and then swap to a loader for the grade. It's not the cheapest option, but it's the most effective.
Pricing as of January 2025: Expect to pay $1,500–$2,500 per month for a used E85 or a track loader, depending on hours and condition. Verify current pricing with your local Bobcat dealer (bobcat.com) as rates may have changed.
The decision kept me up at night. On paper, the E85 made sense—more digging power. But my gut said the track loader's versatility would save the client time. Both machines are excellent. The wrong choice costs you time and money. The right choice? It lets you sleep easy.
