# 2016 Skidsteer Seasonal Rental Prices



## MatthewG (Jun 16, 2009)

Last year I rented a New Deere 332E for $1150 a month x 3 months

This year the 16' Deere 326E is a whopping $1425 a month x 3 months

I was sticker shocked, should I just skip it and buy something used?

At $100 an hour after my operator is paid it will take 15 hours a month to just break even(not including fuel), with a minimum of 45 hours on the season. Eastern PA is no guarantee for snow.

That's all for now, just disappointed its so much, is it even worth it to rent?


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

That's cheap compared to here. 2500 ROC machines rent here for a minimum of 1800 a month and they require 5 months to get that price.

Other than the ability to call and say it's broke, come fix it NOW, I see no benefit to renting.


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## robber27 (Oct 29, 2012)

To me it isn't worth renting when your laying out $4225 just for 3 months. There are plenty of good proven skip's for sale in the 15 to 20k range, 2000hr's doesn't scare me if the machine is complete and appears takeing care of. Your on the hook for breakdowns and parts now but historicaly lthey aren't high matiance machines I think the risk is worth the reward. Best part is after 4 or 5 years you'll have something to show for it


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## born2farm (Dec 24, 2007)

Were paying $950/month for s590 Bobcats and $1200/month for s650 Bobcats. Right now it makes the most s6ince for us to rent.


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Can you PM where you're getting those machines Brock? I'd love to phase out more trucks.


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## Masssnowfighter (Sep 22, 2012)

Long term renting(more then a day or a week)is a financially stupid move. For example, 2 years ago I bought a Cat 242b3 in the fall for $16k, I used it to plow all winter then when spring time came I sold it for $22k. So not only did I get a free winter rental I also put several grand in my pocket just from owning it for less then 5 months. There is plenty of good deals out there for used skids, you just have to put your time in searching for them. There is some decent money to be made flipping plowing equipment. Bottom line renting is stupid


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## ponyboy (Dec 19, 2006)

For bobcat they want $1200 a month for a 650 for 5 months and 200 hours it's better to lease for whole year unlimited hours


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## Ne1 (Jan 15, 2007)

Hire a sub contractor and provide the snow pusher. There's lots of guys with new skid loaders looking to make a little extra money in there off season. Those rental rates are crazy.


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## MIDTOWNPC (Feb 17, 2007)

Try to make the plan a deal 
$500 a month min and then pay do much per hr on the clock 

The $500 a month goes against the hours used 

You only get what you negotiate for. 
Try going to a dealer and asking them I they have anyone who they think might want to connect with you and sub their skid.


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## born2farm (Dec 24, 2007)

Ne1;2045984 said:


> Hire a sub contractor and provide the snow pusher. There's lots of guys with new skid loaders looking to make a little extra money in there off season. Those rental rates are crazy.


We do this too, but you can't always find enough guys.



ponyboy;2045937 said:


> For bobcat they want $1200 a month for a 650 for 5 months and 200 hours it's better to lease for whole year unlimited hours


We've looked at leasing, but we have no need for these the rest of the year. I know we could just let them sit, but then we would need a bigger shop/storage.



Masssnowfighter;2045923 said:


> Long term renting(more then a day or a week)is a financially stupid move. For example, 2 years ago I bought a Cat 242b3 in the fall for $16k, I used it to plow all winter then when spring time came I sold it for $22k. So not only did I get a free winter rental I also put several grand in my pocket just from owning it for less then 5 months. There is plenty of good deals out there for used skids, you just have to put your time in searching for them. There is some decent money to be made flipping plowing equipment. Bottom line renting is stupid


This may work if your only needing one machine. You start buying 5-6 used machines to flip, and you run into the risk of large repair bills. With our rentals we get a 200-300hr machines and the repair is on them. All our rental loaders are on seasonal accounts, so we figure the price in to the contract.


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## Ben C (Oct 28, 2015)

Just a thought to keep in mind when comparing the rent/own options. At the end of the year you can write off all of what you paid in rental fees, and you're not on the hook for the maintenance/break downs (so long as it wasn't your fault by doing something totally stupid and depending on who you rent it from). 
But if you buy the machine you'll be depreciating that cost out over the course of typically at least 5 years. AND paying for all the repairs/maintenance on the machine as well. 

Plus, if you're flipping the machine, and making a profit, there is the potential to run into capital gains taxes.


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## rob_cook2001 (Nov 15, 2008)

Different things work for different people but to me, renting is like throwing money into a trashcan. If you get a slow winter all that money was waisted. You can find a nice 500-1000 hour s250,s300 for 30k. As long as it wasn't beat on it will be extremely reliable.


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## djagusch (Oct 15, 2007)

I bought my first skid steer used 4 yrs ago. It was a 2010 bobcat s205 2spd, etc, 4000hrs, $14k. It was a dairy farm unit used 2 yrs. I have 4700 hrs on it now and about $2k in repairs. An alternator issue in the first storm and after that it's been preventative maintenance or a seal here or there. Seemed like a good deal.

Last year I needed another machine. Rented a cat 242 for $850 per month 5 months. Seemed decent and no issues besides ice in the fuel filter. This year they wanted $975 for the same machine.

Decided to buy another 2010 bobcat s185 2sp, etc, 1300hrs. Came with a 16ft trailer, snow bucket , dirt bucket, snow tires, pallet forks for $21k. Had bobcat go through it and is really clean and needed nothing.

Renting worked decent but it's 4500 I never will get back. After 4 to 5 yrs it would pay for the machines I bought and I have value at the end with the machines to sell later.

Buying is the way to go but I can see where renting fits for some. Put the cost in your bids and you will be fine either way.


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## iceman1 (Aug 10, 2011)

Make sure you look at shop expense. We rent a ton and we feel it works. If you already max out your 179 tax deduction and you find that shop expense is high or you just do not have the resources when it snow to keep everything going you better look at renting. We find it to be a full time job just for guys to keep equipment fueled and pusher shoes and blades in good condition. When you look at renting look at the tax benefits, the benefit of not having to work on it, the fact that it is new or like new making it sometimes faster or more efficient, cost of having when you really do not need it and cost of capital (money).


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## MatthewG (Jun 16, 2009)

I don't have much need for a 2nd machine in the spring/summer/fall, so id rather not buy another. My A300 runs weekly and that is just fine with me.

I need another bigger machine for a BX10 pusher, my only other option is my friends takeuchi TL250(the biggest one) Its a tracked machine, halfway worn tracks , about 12K Lbs.

ID offer him say $700 a month or, perhaps a per hour used basis, It would be for 3.5 - 4 months Dec 1 - April 1

There is nothing left to rent around here


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## Flawless440 (Dec 6, 2010)

Check Cat.. Lots good deals..

I'm about to start pricing for a large tall wheel loader that we can drive to sites


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## Ramairfreak98ss (Aug 17, 2005)

MatthewG;2045509 said:


> Last year I rented a New Deere 332E for $1150 a month x 3 months
> 
> This year the 16' Deere 326E is a whopping $1425 a month x 3 months
> 
> ...


interesting.. Matthew are you sure that wasn't some form of 3 month lease? not a rental? We've rented and bought a lot from jesco JD in the past 5 years. And ive NEVER had a rental for any skid steer that cheap. Theyre $300 a day or even their custom tiered winter rates per month are usually $1800+ 
I know of the local bobcat dealer in nj and their rates are fairly similar or slightly more than my rate from the JD dealer. If you've never rented anything from them before, the rate here would be more than i'd pay. I've paid as much as $1950/mo for a couple or few months before... as most our purchases were new machines rented by us then purchased after the season.

I know a 244j, now a 244k is $2800/mo, 310K backhoe are about $3400/mo, 524k loader is $4800~ month or $2250 on a 24 month lease, so leasing for 1-2 years with lower hour limits helps cut rental rates monthly in half basically.

What dealer do you rent from? maybe i need to come out your way!


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## SnowMatic (Sep 21, 2014)

I feel the same as some when it comes to renting specially if its for a few months every year (4 months or so every year during snow season) I feel like im throwing away money by renting. Its guaranteed those seasonal rental rates this year are only going to increase down the road.

on the other hand some of us will have limited hours of use or no use in other months so to buy seems foolish. But the length of time that you may own that machine may justify owing it, depending on the cost of the machine and the rental rates in the future.

So I guess my Question is to those who have bought their skid steers. 
How long do you keep your machines, do you go by years or by hours before getting a new one.?


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## Ramairfreak98ss (Aug 17, 2005)

SnowMatic;2048025 said:


> I feel the same as some when it comes to renting specially if its for a few months every year (4 months or so every year during snow season) I feel like im throwing away money by renting. Its guaranteed those seasonal rental rates this year are only going to increase down the road.
> 
> on the other hand some of us will have limited hours of use or no use in other months so to buy seems foolish. But the length of time that you may own that machine may justify owing it, depending on the cost of the machine and the rental rates in the future.
> 
> ...


I know guys who buy used and new, but no one, including myself, that actually have new or used units that had enough hours to get to the point that we need to "replace" it. my highest hour skid/track JD only has a hair over 600hrs, a 2010 319D, the rest are 400, 300, 250, 200, 200, 175, 150hrs still. Worst of winters, we only put maybe 100hrs on them.


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## Bossman 92 (Sep 27, 2006)

Ramairfreak98ss;2048226 said:


> I know guys who buy used and new, but no one, including myself, that actually have new or used units that had enough hours to get to the point that we need to "replace" it. my highest hour skid/track JD only has a hair over 600hrs, a 2010 319D, the rest are 400, 300, 250, 200, 200, 175, 150hrs still. Worst of winters, we only put maybe 100hrs on them.


100 hrs of use in a bad winter? That seems low to me but this is our first winter leasing skids so I don't know.


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## jhall22guitar (Dec 11, 2011)

Bossman 92;2048281 said:


> 100 hrs of use in a bad winter? That seems low to me but this is our first winter leasing skids so I don't know.


That sounds low, we could put 50 hours on equipment during small storms sometimes, there was one blizzard we put over 150 on a small loader (former employer)


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## Lacymanagement (Aug 26, 2015)

I was getting quote from bobcat for a s650 for 1900 a month with 40 hours per month. This is in NJ


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