Newer Mustang or Gehl skid steers

[Okienative56]

Hi all! New member here but I have read hundreds of posts here. I'm looking at buying a skid steer and I'm leaning towards the Gehl or Mustangs. I live in the Oklahoma Panhandle and don't really have any Cat, Deere, or Gehl/ Mustang dealers close by so dealer support is not a factor...I'm going to have to drive to ANY dealer for parts or service.

My question is for anyone that has a Gehl/Mustang V270, V330, 2700V or 3300V...how do you like the machines? Any problem areas or breakdowns?

I will be using the machine to do odd jobs around my acreage. Some excavating for small concrete jobs and loading round bales. Any replies would be greatly appreciated!

 

[CM1995]

Welcome to the Forums Okie! Glad to have you.

As for Gehl I am not a fan and have never been one. I don't like their telehandlers I've ran and still remember the T handle drive Mustangs (makes full body shake..).

IMO the best machine Gehl had was a yellow painted Tak CTL back when Tak made them for Gehl.

Just my very opinionated $.02.

 

[Okienative56]

Thanks for the reply CM1995. I have ran the older Gehls with the T-bar controls and always thought they were an abortion, but the newer Ghels with the pilot controls is what I'm looking at. The old Gehls were solid machines but I hated the controls.

 

[Okienative56]

I have read through the forums and saw where skid steer pricing on Machinery Trader and places like that are grossly overpriced as far as their advertised price. Looking at auction result pricing I'm inclined to believe they are WAY overpriced. I guess it all depends on the auction. I have been to auctions where people paid almost new prices for used equipment. I guess I will start watching auctions to find a skid steer. I like the way Ritchie Bros. sell. The auctioneer doesn't drag his feet and try to beg more money out of the equipment...short, fast and done.

 

[Vetech63]

I guess I will start watching auctions to find a skid steer.

YIKES!!!

 

[Okienative56]

Vetech63...why yikes? I'm mostly watching local farm auctions. Something I can drive to and inspect if I'm interested.

 

[mks]

I’ll leave this here.
https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/auction-equipment-discuss.78922/

 

[crane operator]

Don't mind vtech63, he's just the mechanic that gets hired to come fix all his customer's cheap auction finds. Cheap auction equipment has made him bitter.

All used equipment is going to have problems. Typically someone that doesn't want to deal with a problem machine, will send it to a auction where their name isn't attached to it.

Some of the best deals I've seen price wise, was coming from the rental houses (united rentals- sunbelt- etc.). Of course nothing gets abused like rental stuff, but most of it is low hour and not totally destroyed. I had a rental salesman quote me some prices on used skids, that were a lot newer than the private market had, and at similar or even lesser prices. He was under $20,000 for 3-4 year old machines, and most of the local skids for sale were 10 years older, with twice to four times the hours on them for the same $$.

The gehl/ mustangs that are tak's are usually priced less than the same taki. That's a easy win for yellow paint instead of red.

 

[Okienative56]

Crane operator, I'm not going to buy sight unseen. I will drive to auctions to look at whatever I'm interested in buying. Equipment is not a new thing for me. I ran dozers, D10's and 11's(cat) and LeTourneau loaders for 25 years at a open pit coal mine in Wyoming. Skid steers, I have ran off and on for personal use, but not to make a living. I was asking about Gehls and Mustangs (wheeled) because I'm looking at machines in the 3000-3300 roc class. They seem to be at the price point I'm looking, and I'm not buying to make a living with it.

 

[Okienative56]

I read the posts that mks listed about auctions. A skid steer that I was watching on machinery trader is selling tomorrow. This skid steer was supposedly sold in December last year and now it's for sale again....same hours, same auction company. Hmmm

 

[Vetech63]

Don't mind vtech63, he's just the mechanic that gets hired to come fix all his customer's cheap auction finds. Cheap auction equipment has made him bitter.

This is FACT! LOL

I read the posts that mks listed about auctions. A skid steer that I was watching on machinery trader is selling tomorrow. This skid steer was supposedly sold in December last year and now it's for sale again....same hours, same auction company. HmmmView attachment 241476 View attachment 241477

That happens for 2 reasons only.
1. They bought it, made some repairs, and are looking to make a profit.
2. It was a POS when they bought it and is going to cost more than they want to spend to fix it.

 

[Okienative56]

That happens for 2 reasons only.
1. They bought it, made some repairs, and are looking to make a profit.
2. It was a POS when they bought it and is going to cost more than they want to spend to fix it.

That's what I was worried about. I can't get to that auction to look at it in person. I will watch the auction and see what it brings this time around.

 

[cw4Bray]

Okie,
How much does your round bale weigh ? 1700 Lb. ? Some of the less expensive (older) skid steers aren't heavy enough to counterbalance a large bulky bale - way out front.
I'd love a skid steer, just for the fun factor BUT they've gotten much too popular $$$. Everyone wants a skid steer for snow removal. Dollar for dollar you could do better with an old tractor loader. Some skid steers are painfully slow. In a drag race, my money is on the less than 40 HP, 1946 tractor.

 

[Acoals]

Auctions are great if you have a lot of cash floating around and are a good mechanic that enjoys finding surprises deep in the most inaccessible and expensive parts of a machine ....
Stuff is at an auction for a reason.

 

[Acoals]

That happens for 2 reasons only.
1. They bought it, made some repairs, and are looking to make a profit.
2. It was a POS when they bought it and is going to cost more than they want to spend to fix it.

Usually reason #2 ....

 

[mowingman]

If you are going to local farm auctions and such, you should be ok. That machinery is often not worn out junk. I have liked the Mustang and Gehl skidsteers/CTL's, that we have rented now and then over the last 10 or12 years. However, The dealers around north Texas were never very good at parts and service, so those were not a brand we would buy. We always went with Bobcat, due to the dealerships in the area. I think both of those brands are usually found at a lower price on the market, as there are not that many dealerships that handle those brands. Lack of good local dealers, has a lot to do with pricing, from what I have observed.
Jeff

 

[MarshallPowerGen]

My experiences with the modern V and VT series;
The size and design of the ass end leaves you pretty much blind unless it has a back up camera kit installed.
They are literally the worst skid steer to service as far as the access to and location of filters (especially Fuel and Hyrdaulic)
The DEF quality sensor will have issues
The plugs between the Yanmar engine and cab harness on Gehls are mounted so wires rub together after low hours, usually frying the EGR Pressure Sensor.