Here’s the reality check no one gives you on the lot: The cheapest Bobcat E85 on the lot is often the most expensive machine you’ll ever own. I learned this the hard way in 2019 when I bought a used compact excavator based on price alone. It seemed like a steal. Within six months, I’d spent more on repairs and downtime than the damn thing was worth. That mistake cost me roughly $8,000 in lost billable hours and parts. I now calculate Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) before I even look at a price tag. If you’re shopping for a skid steer, mini excavator, or even an ichabod crane for your jobsite, read this before you make my mistake.
I’m a fleet manager for a mid-sized construction outfit in the Midwest. I’ve been handling equipment procurement for about 12 years, and I’ve personally made—and documented—eight significant purchasing mistakes, totaling roughly $34,000 in wasted budget. Now, I’m the guy who writes the pre-purchase checklists. This isn’t theory. This is field experience I’m sharing so you don't burn your budget.
The First Mistake: Comparing Only the Sticker Price
It’s tempting to think you can just compare the base price of a Bobcat 331 excavator versus a competing model. But that’s the simplification fallacy. The 'compare the unit price' advice ignores the biggest cost drivers in real-world construction: downtime, parts availability, and attachment compatibility.
For example, I once spec’d a job that required a specific breaker box for a concrete demo. My partner bought a cheaper, non-Bobcat hydraulic breaker to save $600 upfront. It sort of fit our Bobcat E85, but the flow wasn't quite right. The result? The breaker underperformed, we broke a hose fitting, and lost a day and a half waiting for a replacement adapter. That $600 savings turned into a $1,400 loss on that single job. The total cost of ownership for that cheap breaker was a disaster.
What TCO Actually Includes
When I evaluate equipment now, I break it down into five categories. This applies whether it’s a new mini excavator, a used skid steer, or even a specialized piece like an ichabod crane for lifting on soft ground.
- Service & Parts Availability: Can you get parts tomorrow? Bobcat’s parts network is one of their key advantages. A cheaper machine might have a 3-week wait for a simple hydraulic pump seal. That’s lost revenue.
- Attachment Versatility: A universal attachment plate saves time swapping between a bucket, auger, or breaker. If your machine has a proprietary mount, you’re locked in.
- Resale Value: A well-maintained Bobcat with a service history will always fetch a higher price than an off-brand unit. That’s equity you’re leaving on the table.
- Operator Productivity: An intuitive machine with good visibility (like the Bobcat E85’s cab layout) can save hours per week. Fatigue is a real cost.
- Support Network: A local dealer who knows your fleet is worth its weight in gold. A remote dealer offering a low price can’t help you with an emergency breakdown.
A Real-World TCO Case: The Bobcat 331 vs. The Alternative
I had a buddy who was dead set on buying a cheaper mini excavator because the initial quote was $4,000 less than a comparable Bobcat 331. He said, “It’s basically the same specs.” He assumed identical specs meant identical performance. Difference in outcomes was massive.
That cheaper machine had a less robust final drive. It packed more hydraulic pressure but lacked the finesse in low-flow modes needed for precise grading. He had to rent a Bobcat 331 for the finishing work anyway. Plus, getting parts for the cheaper unit was a nightmare. He learned a tough lesson: total cost of ownership is the only metric that matters.
The 'Classified' Case: Ichabod Crane Misconceptions
Speaking of misunderstood costs, I see a lot of folks looking at a “classified ichabod crane” as a cheap lifting solution. Honestly, the purchase price can be really tempting. But what is a 2 stage air compressor that powers it? Is it a reliable diesel unit, or a cheap electric one that will bog down? The cost of the compressed air system often exceeds the cost of the crane itself. Plus, the duty cycle and the hoses are hidden expenses. If you skip on the quality of the compressor, you’ll burn time and fuel.
I’ve got a (now defunct) 2-stage air compressor sitting in my shop that I bought for a song. I thought I was saving money. I wasn’t. The maintenance on that thing was a killer. It’s the same with any specialized tool—the ancillary gear often costs more than the headline item.
The 'Breaker Box' Trap
Another huge misstep I see is related to the breaker box. Not the electrical kind, but the hydraulic breaker housing. People will buy a cheap, generic breaker box thinking it’s a commodity. But the breaker is the tool that makes you money on a demo job. A cheap box with poor vibration damping will beat up your operator and your machine. You’ll save $100 on the box but lose $500 in operator fatigue and machine wear. It’s one of those components where the lowest price almost guarantees the highest TCO.
When Price-First Thinking Backfires: My $3,200 Mistake
In September 2022, I submitted a purchase request for a fleet of buckets. I found a supplier that was 20% cheaper than Bobcat’s OEM buckets. The price looked fine on my screen. The result came back… garbage. The steel was thinner, the cutting edge wore out after 40 hours, and the weld quality was poor. Twenty buckets, $3,200, straight to the scrap pile. That’s when I learned that a Bobcat bucket, while more expensive upfront, is engineered to last across its specific model range. The attachments are part of the system.
The Bottom Line (and the Caveat)
So, to wrap up: Stop comparing prices. Start comparing total cost of ownership. A Bobcat E85 excavator with a Bobcat breaker, serviced by a dealer you trust, is almost always a better long-term investment than a cheaper machine from a vendor you can’t call for help. The $500 savings upfront can easily turn into $2,000 in lost time and repairs.
But, here’s the honest caveat: if you’re a cash-strapped startup who needs *any* working machine *today* and you have a mechanic on staff who can rebuild anything, the cheap machine might be a calculated risk. Know your limits.
If you're a pro, run the numbers. I’ve built my whole buying process around this TCO checklist. I’ve caught 47 potential bad buys using it in the past 18 months. You should do the same. It’s not about being fancy—it’s about not being broke.
