International S9B skidder Vs Caterpillar 518 Skidder

[acco1840]

I have a mate who has an International S9B skidder for sale. Low work, only used as Firewood skidder, VGC, good tyres with 2 spares, nice shiny paint and ready to go for $10000. Sounds cheap to me, but I learnt on my cousins 1977 Caterpillar 518 cable skidder, and am leaning towards one of them for $12000. What do you think?? Has anyone operated either or both??

 

[Wood Hick]

The S9 is the better deal, the cat is probably the stronger machine. Both prices are good in my opinion.

 

[Logger4Life]

518

A buddy of mine has a 79 with 20,000 original hours on the machine and engine still pulling 3 loads a day 5 days week 1 trans mission rebuild and a winch rebuild but he runs 9 to 10 slides all the time and he cuts over story removals big oak cherry its a tough pulling skidder We run 2 franklin grapples and thats the only other cable skidder I would even tkink about getting just turn the engine off while you are cutting up and you will be spursized how much you get you per gallon of fuel if you load the skidder

 

[T_F_E]

We run an s10 they'll pull the world if you can find a way to wrap a choker around it.

 

[acco1840]

Have made up my mind. "Mate" who owns the s9 has bit me for $1100. Am buying the Caterpillar 518.