Head to head
Bobcat S70 against Cat 242D3
The Cat 242D3 carries 1,440 lb more once both are rated the same way; the Cat 242D3 moves 11.1 GPM more through the auxiliary circuit.
| Spec | Bobcat S70 | Cat 242D3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29,512 | Dealer quote only |
| Rated capacity, as advertised | 760 lbs | 2,200 lbs |
| Rated at | 50% of tipping load | 50% of tipping load |
| Tipping load | 1,520 lbs | 4,400 lbs |
| Capacity at its class convention | 760 lbs | 2,200 lbs |
| Engine power | 23.5 hp | 74 hp |
| Engine | Bobcat (model not published) | Cat C3.3B DIT |
| Auxiliary flow | 8.9 GPM | 20 GPM |
| Lift height | 94.5 in | 121.1 in |
| Operating weight | 2,892 lbs | 7,138 lbs |
| Lift path | Radial Lift | Vertical Lift |
| Rubber tracks | No | No |
| High flow available | No | Yes |
| Enclosed cab available | Yes | Yes |
| Two-speed travel available | No | Yes |
| Self-levelling available | No | Yes |
| A/C and heat available | No | Yes |
| Warranty | 2 yr / 2,000 hr | 2 yr / 2,000 hr |
What owners say about each
Bobcat S70
- At $29,512 it is by a wide margin the cheapest machine Bobcat sells, roughly half the price of the next model up, the S450.
- A 2,892 lb operating weight means a half-ton pickup and a light trailer move it, so no second truck is needed to get to the job.
- An enclosed cab is still on the options list at this size, so it is not restricted to fair-weather work the way most mini loaders are.
- It is part of the 2026 Classic line rather than a leftover, so parts, attachments and dealer support come from the same network as the full-size machines.
- 760 lb of rated capacity will not lift a full pallet of pavers or sod - this is a bucket-and-broom machine.
- 8.9 GPM of auxiliary flow with no high-flow option rules out mulchers, planers and most hydraulic attachments outright.
- It is the only Bobcat loader with no two-speed option at all, so moving between work areas is slow.
- The 94.5 in lift height is more than a foot short of the S450's, which puts loading a tall dump truck out of reach.
- 23.5 hp is a fraction of a mid-frame machine's output, so sustained production work belongs on a bigger loader.
Cat 242D3
- Vertical lift geometry keeps the load close and reaches highest at full extension, which is what loading a high-sided truck actually needs.
- At 7,138 lb it is the lighter of the two 2,200 lb D3 wheeled machines, so it tows behind less truck than the radial-lift 246D3.
- The 30 GPM high-flow option covers most attachments short of a large mulcher.
- Being an outgoing generation is the point: dealers discount D3 stock against the next-gen 250 sitting beside it.
- Cat publishes no MSRP for it, so there is no list price to negotiate against — everything depends on what the dealer has to move.
- It is the generation Cat is replacing, which will shorten how long dealers stock parts and attachments specific to it.
- 20 GPM standard flow is the lowest of the mid-frame D3 wheeled machines; the 246D3 and 262D3 both start at 23.
- Cat parts and dealer labour sit at the top of the market whatever generation you buy.