Cat 260 vs Bobcat S76-2
Quick take: The Cat 260 has a higher rated operating capacity (3,160 vs 2,900 lbs).
| Spec | Cat 260 | Bobcat S76-2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $74,000 | $74,000 |
| Rating | 4.6★ (130) | 4.7★ (55) |
| Type | Wheeled Skid Steer | Wheeled Skid Steer |
| Lift Path | Vertical Lift | Vertical Lift |
| ROC | 3160 lbs | 2900 lbs |
| Engine HP | 74 hp | 74 hp |
| Operating Weight | 8523 lbs | 8615 lbs |
| Tipping Load | 6321 lbs | 5800 lbs |
| Lift Height | 132 in | 128.3 in |
| Hydraulic Flow | 20 GPM | 23.3 GPM |
| Engine | Cat C2.8T | Bobcat (Doosan) D24 |
| Tracks | No | No |
| Vertical lift | Yes | Yes |
| High-flow | Yes | Yes |
| Enclosed cab | Yes | Yes |
| Two-speed | Yes | Yes |
| Self-leveling | Yes | Yes |
| A/C & heat | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 1 yr / 1000 hr | 2 yr / 2000 hr |
Pros & cons
Cat 260
- ✓Rated operating capacity jumps to 3,160 lbs from the 262D3's 2,700, a 17% gain that owners handling brick, seed, and fertilizer pallets notice immediately.
- ✓The 132-inch bucket pin height is a genuine truck-loading height for a mid-frame wheeled machine, clearing dump truck sides the 262D3 strained to reach.
- ✓Torque from the new C2.8T is dramatically improved over the old C3.3B, and operators report the 260 holds ground speed while backdragging and pushing where the D3 bogged.
- ✓The High Flow XPS option brings 34 GPM to a wheeled mid-frame, enough for planers and wheel saws that used to demand a larger, more expensive carrier.
- ✓The sealed one-piece pressurized cab with available heated/ventilated air-ride seat is the same operator station as the big next-gen CTLs - a huge upgrade at this size.
- ✓Staying at 74 hp means no DEF tank or SCR system, keeping maintenance simple for owners who run high annual hours.
- ✓The 8-inch touchscreen with switchable ISO/H controls, rearview camera, and standard telematics matches features Bobcat and Deere charge option money for.
- ✓Cat's vertical lift with dual-direction self-leveling keeps forks level through the whole lift path, which material-handling operators single out as a daily time-saver.
- ✗Standard flow dropped to 20 GPM from the 262D3's 23 GPM, forcing buyers with existing attachments to double-check requirements or budget for the High Flow enablement.
- ✗The next-gen premium prices it against strong competition - a comparably equipped Bobcat S76 or Deere 330G often quotes lower, and owners say Cat dealers hold firm on price.
- ✗At 8,523 lbs it's a couple hundred pounds heavier than the 262D3, nudging total trailer loads closer to 10k limits once attachments come along.
- ✗Early production machines shared the next-gen line's software teething problems, with touchscreen freezes and sensor faults resolved only by dealer updates.
- ✗Buyers wanting more than 74 hp in a wheeled Cat have a big price gap to the 111 hp 270 - there's no intermediate 90 hp option like some competitors offer.
- ✗The added electronics and sealed cab design make some repairs dealer-only, which independent-shop loyalists count against it versus the simpler D3s.
- ✗Resale values for the new series are still unsettled, and some fleet buyers are waiting a cycle before committing, which can soften near-term trade-in offers.
- ✗Wheeled machines remain weather-dependent - several owners note they still end up renting tracks for wet-season work, making the 260 a fair-weather primary.
Bobcat S76-2
- ✓The 128.3-inch hinge pin height and vertical lift path remain the platform's calling card - operators consistently say it clears the sides of full-size dump trucks that shorter mid-frames struggle with.
- ✓The strong 23.3 GPM standard auxiliary flow runs many attachments that force competitors into high-flow packages, and the optional 30.3 GPM high flow handles planers and blowers with headroom to spare.
- ✓The redesigned electrical system directly targets the harness and sensor complaints that dogged R-Series machines, and two-speed travel is now standard rather than optional.
- ✓The DEF-free 74 hp D24 turbo-diesel carries over unchanged, so there's no exhaust fluid to manage and parts commonality with the massive R-Series fleet keeps service familiar.
- ✓The new 8-inch glove-friendly touchscreen with 20 operator profiles, split-screen camera views, and Machine IQ telematics modernizes the cab to match Cat's next-generation loaders.
- ✓Four drive modes with precision drive software let operators soften the machine for pallet work or sharpen it for aggressive digging, a flexibility the one-personality S76 never had.
- ✓Optional Bobcat Sense radar- and camera-based detection can automatically stop the machine near obstacles, plus available Jobsite Companion voice-activated controls - genuine firsts in the wheeled class.
- ✓Integrated in-machine cooling and the refreshed pressurized cab with heated air-ride seat option make long summer days noticeably more tolerable than in the outgoing generation.
- ✗Starting price near $75k - and well past $80k with high flow and Sense options - puts it uncomfortably close to compact track loader money, and plenty of buyers at that price just move to tracks.
- ✗First-model-year electronics are unproven; early adopters are effectively field-testing the new electrical architecture, touchscreen software, and sensor suite.
- ✗Power is unchanged at 74 hp for emissions reasons, so despite the big frame, high-production mulching and cold planing still favor the 100+ hp S86 class.
- ✗The electronics-dense platform increasingly requires dealer diagnostic tools, eroding the wrench-it-yourself appeal that long-time Bobcat owners value.
- ✗Bobcat dealer parts pricing remains among the highest in the industry, and the proprietary Bob-Tach ecosystem nudges owners toward Bobcat-branded attachments.
- ✗At 8,615 lbs it needs a properly rated trailer and tow rig, and the large frame gives up the tight-site maneuverability that draws buyers to the S66 frame.
- ✗Resale for the brand-new -2 generation is unproven, and clean used R-Series S76 machines on dealer lots undercut it by five figures.
- ✗Wheeled machines this heavy rut soft ground badly, and owners doing turf or wet-site work admit they end up renting tracks anyway - the T76-2 costs more but does more.