What is the best self-propelled, tracked, backyard lift for the money?

[nateinoklahoma]

Currently demo-ing an Altec TDA58 with a 63 ft working height. It's awesome, but the price tag is nothing short of insane at $217K. Looking into Teupen and Spyder Lift as well. I don't necessarily have to have an insulated unit (and the Altec is) but it would be nice. Looking for the best combination of safety, versatility, functionality, durability, ease of transport, low damage to turf.... you know, everything any of us would want out of a lift in this business. Below is the lift we are currently trying out for a month. We have found a use for it every single day we've had it already. If it is truly worth that kind of money, that is one thing, but if the competitor's product is just as good for $75-100K less, it clearly wouldn't make any sense.
Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[mckeetree]

You can do better for $217,000. Only an idiot would pay that for that unit.

 

[tree MDS]

You can do better for $217,000. Only an idiot would pay that for that unit.

Lmao. You ain’t kidding! It seems as though given the opportunity Altec will send it home like no tomorrow. Seems to be their thing.

 

[j_d]

I think he gave around 130k for it. 83'.

 

[since16]

The cmc 72 was 100 last year. I have heard very few complaints about the platform basket i may get that when i do buy.

 

[mike515]

Not knocking one brand or another but that $217k Altec is probably going to have 20% surface rust before you know it. It seems like everything in our industry except for truck cabs rusts like crazy in no time unless you treat it like a newborn child.

 

[mike515]

You can do better for $217,000. Only an idiot would pay that for that unit.

Or power companies who don't really care because the person in change of buying isn't spending his/her own money. They need to spend their budget to get the same amount of money next year.

 

[250R]

Never knew Altec made a spider. Probably because of the price, no one has one.

 

[tree MDS]

Somewhere along the way altec got my email address. Every month or so they send me something showing the latest garbage they’re trying to get rid of. I kinda get a kick out of looking at it. This month they have a 52’ rear mount (long wheel base) with an elevator, giving it 62’ of working height. They’re asking 288k for that bad boy. Lol.

 

[tree MDS]

I think the thing with altec is they could give two ***** about the little guy (at least that’s the way it seemed when I contacted them about an elevator bucket). They’ve got plenty of sweetheart contracts with the utility guys.

My regional Terex guy was a different story. Just a regular dude wanting to make a sale and willing to help out with any issues or questions afterwards.

 

[ClimberBusinessman]

You can get a CMC 83' HD for around 150k, and a CMC 92' HD for around 180k. I think both are insulated. Now, I've heard bad things about the electronics breaking down from a couple different tree guys. You might want to look into Easylift, (made in Italy and sold up in Canada, although it might be hard to get a trucker right now due to the mandates). Easylift has few breakable electronics. I think they are in the similar price range. Omnelift is around 200k, and they are another option made by a Danish company and sold in PA. 215k is crazy for a 63' lift. I'd never spend that.

 

[Kingwillie]

Currently demo-ing an Altec TDA58 with a 63 ft working height. It's awesome, but the price tag is nothing short of insane at $217K. Looking into Teupen and Spyder Lift as well. I don't necessarily have to have an insulated unit (and the Altec is) but it would be nice. Looking for the best combination of safety, versatility, functionality, durability, ease of transport, low damage to turf.... you know, everything any of us would want out of a lift in this business. Below is the lift we are currently trying out for a month. We have found a use for it every single day we've had it already. If it is truly worth that kind of money, that is one thing, but if the competitor's product is just as good for $75-100K less, it clearly wouldn't make any sense.
Thanks in advance for your input.
View attachment 899400View attachment 899402

Ommelift 2750. Simple machine, 90' working height, outriggers don't take up so much space.

 

[CIAmike11]

Our cmc 83hd is great while it’s functioning, but must admit we’ve had at least 4 different occasions in the last year or so where it completely locked the user in the bucket out… stuck in the air or trying to return to the home position, and each time it’s kind of a nightmare. Tech support is great… when you can reach them. But it always involves them walking you through taking all the covers off the bases, and a myriad of sequences to get it operational again or at least to the point where the man in the bucket can come back to the ground. You have to really pay attention because the wrong sequence of movements or combination of moves may trigger the what seems like 100s of sensitive sensors in the thing and therefore makes it to where you can’t do anything until you do exactly what the machine wants you to do. Which sounds great from a safety standpoint point right??
it would be if there was prompts on the electronic bucket control panel in the basket to prompt you on what you did wrong and what movements it wants you to do to “unlock” itself. However this is not the case… if it stops based on what the sensors deem as an incorrect movement… there are no prompts in the basket while aloft to tell you what it wants you to do to get it moving again

 

[CIAmike11]

Furthermore, we bought our machine and when delivered the sales rep was giving demos and a small training on operations of the machine. When they delivered it, there was barely any fuel in, the sale rep in my mind should of known or made us aware as we have fuel cells on the other side of the property, but we didn’t know. And while a crew member was flying it in our parking lot.. it ran out of fuel. On top of that rain was threatening to come in on the day it was delivered so the whole “mock Demo/ machine run down” was very rushed and didn’t feel thorough at all in my opinion. By no means trying to knock CMC or deter sales of their products. Just sharing real world experiences with inquiring minds

 

[tree MDS]

Furthermore, we bought our machine and when delivered the sales rep was giving demos and a small training on operations of the machine. When they delivered it, there was barely any fuel in, the sale rep in my mind should of known or made us aware as we have fuel cells on the other side of the property, but we didn’t know. And while a crew member was flying it in our parking lot.. it ran out of fuel. On top of that rain was threatening to come in on the day it was delivered so the whole “mock Demo/ machine run down” was very rushed and didn’t feel thorough at all in my opinion. By no means trying to not CMC or deter sales of their products. Just sharing real world experiences with inquiring minds

I take it those aren't hybrid then, just the diesel engine?

 

[CIAmike11]

The 83hd does have an optional hybrid package, diesel and lithium ion battery… last I checked it was a $15,500 upgrade

 

[bck]

Furthermore, we bought our machine and when delivered the sales rep was giving demos and a small training on operations of the machine. When they delivered it, there was barely any fuel in, the sale rep in my mind should of known or made us aware as we have fuel cells on the other side of the property, but we didn’t know. And while a crew member was flying it in our parking lot.. it ran out of fuel. On top of that rain was threatening to come in on the day it was delivered so the whole “mock Demo/ machine run down” was very rushed and didn’t feel thorough at all in my opinion. By no means trying to knock CMC or deter sales of their products. Just sharing real world experiences with inquiring minds

So the question is would you buy the CMC again if you didn’t have a lift ?!

 

[CIAmike11]

Honestly I don’t know that we would. As it is we are talking of selling it and getting a different spider lift. So there’s your answer.