Bobcat T86-2 vs John Deere 333 P-Tier

Bobcat

Bobcat T86-2

$99,000

4.7★ (45)

John Deere

$99,000

4.7★ (90)

Quick take: The Bobcat T86-2 has a higher rated operating capacity (3,925 vs 3,850 lbs); the Bobcat T86-2 has more engine power (115 vs 108 hp).

✓The bump to 115 hp makes the T86-2 the most powerful loader Bobcat has ever built, and paired with super-flow hydraulics it runs mulchers and planers that stall smaller flagships.
✓Rated capacity climbs to 3,925 lb with an 11,215 lb tipping load, keeping it among the strongest vertical-lift CTLs on the market.
✓The three-tier hydraulic lineup - standard, high-flow (36.6 GPM), and super-flow (42 GPM) - remains unique in the class, letting one machine cover every attachment a fleet owns.
✓The redesigned -2 electrical architecture with the 8-inch touchscreen, operator profiles, and Machine IQ telematics directly targets the harness and sensor gremlins reported on R-Series machines.
✓Four drive modes with precision drive software let operators soften the 12,000 lb machine for grading passes or sharpen it for aggressive production work.
✓The 132-inch hinge-pin vertical lift path loads the tallest trucks effortlessly, and the 5-link torsion suspension keeps loads stable over rough ground.
✓Optional Bobcat Sense object detection and available Jobsite Companion voice controls bring genuine safety and convenience firsts to the flagship CTL class.
✓Bobcat's dealer network and the T86's proven resale strength carry over, protecting the substantial investment better than lesser-known flagships.

✗Six-figure territory once super-flow, tracks, and Sense options are added - the T86-2 costs more than some compact excavators.
✗First-model-year -2 electronics are unproven, a real risk on a machine bought for maximum-production work where downtime is expensive.
✗The 115 hp 3.4L keeps its DPF emissions system, which frustrates owners during light-duty cycles and extended idling.
✗At over 12,000 lb it demands a heavy-duty truck and trailer combination, and many crews need a CDL to move it legally.
✗Bobcat parts and labor pricing is among the industry's highest, and the electronics-dense platform deepens dealer dependence.
✗Rubber tracks on a 12,000 lb machine running super-flow attachments wear fast, and replacement sets are a four-figure recurring cost.
✗The big frame gives up the tight-site agility that draws buyers to mid-frame CTLs, limiting versatility for general contractors.
✗Resale for the new -2 generation is unproven while clean used T86s on dealer lots undercut it by five figures.

✓The 108.5 hp turbo Yanmar out-muscles the 333G it replaced by 8%, and operators cutting pads report it carries a full six-way blade through heavy clay without losing track speed.
✓The 11,000 lb tipping load and 12,183 lb operating weight make it planted at full lift height, so loading tandems and feeding hoppers at the 132-inch hinge pin feels secure.
✓Factory SmartGrade with Topcon 3D turns it into a true grading machine - site-prep crews say it puts finish grade within a tenth without a dedicated grader on smaller pads.
✓The optional 44 GPM high-flow package runs big mulching heads and cold planers at production rates that used to require a dedicated forestry machine.
✓The one-piece pressurized cab is the biggest day-to-day upgrade over the 333G - quieter, nearly dust-proof, and the heated/ventilated seat makes long grading shifts far less fatiguing.
✓The 36-gallon fuel tank runs a full day even under high hydraulic load, eliminating the mid-afternoon fuel stop that interrupted 333G mulching crews.
✓Attachment Manager automatically configures flow and pressure for recognized attachments, protecting expensive tools from being run at the wrong settings.
✓Deere's 333-series has years of proven demand behind it, and the dealer network's parts availability keeps these machines earning instead of waiting on service.

✗A SmartGrade-equipped unit with high-flow pushes well into six figures, territory where small dozers and used motor graders start to make financial sense.
✗The ROC gain over the 333G is modest on paper, so owners who don't need the new cab or SmartGrade see limited reason to trade a low-hour G-Series.
✗At over 12,000 lbs plus attachments, transport requires CDL-class towing, which complicates logistics for small outfits used to mid-frame machines.
✗First-year electronics have shown teething issues, and SmartGrade calibration problems in early builds required multiple dealer visits for some owners.
✗Undercarriage wear remains the dominant operating cost, and running the machine hard on rock or demolition sites eats tracks, rollers, and idlers quickly.
✗Tier 4 Final DEF and regen cycles add running cost, and the bigger engine consumes fuel noticeably faster than the mid-frame machines when working hydraulic attachments.
✗The high-tech cab and grade control mean more sensors and screens that only a dealer can diagnose, a concern for owners in remote areas.
✗Resale on P-Tier machines is unproven, and buyers paying the SmartGrade premium can't yet count on recouping it at trade-in like they could with established Topcon-equipped dozers.