Craig's Story — Georgia Site Development & Grading
After years of renting wheeled skid steers and watching them spin out on Georgia clay after every rainstorm, Craig Reynolds bought a 2017 Caterpillar 299D2 compact track loader with 1,840 hours for $52,800. Tracks solved the traction problem and cut rental costs to zero.
"You can't grade a parking lot on wet clay with wheels. I'd spent ten years fighting that problem. Tracks ended it."
Craig runs a four-man crew doing residential site prep and commercial grading around Atlanta. Clearing lots, cutting pads, grading driveways, finish work on parking lots. Georgia clay doesn't drain—it turns into grease after a half-inch of rain.
For years he rented wheeled skid steers. They work fine in dry conditions. But spring and fall in Georgia? You'd get two days of rain, show up Monday morning, and spend the first hour watching wheels spin. Can't grade. Can't push material. Can't do anything except tear up the site and waste time.
"I was paying $1,800 a week for a wheeled machine that sat useless every time it rained," Craig says. "And in Georgia, that's about forty percent of the year."
New Cat 299D2 runs about $107,700 fully equipped. That's a lot of rental fees, but it's also a six-figure check for a small contractor. Banks want 20% down on used equipment, 30% on new. Craig had the cash for used, not new.
He looked at smaller tracked machines—the 279D, the 289D. Cheaper, sure. But not enough lift capacity for the material buckets and grapples he runs. The 299D2 gives you 4,600 pounds of rated operating capacity at 50%. That's real work capacity, not promotional numbers.
Considered buying wheeled and just dealing with the weather. But when you lose two days a week to mud, the math doesn't work anymore.
We found a 2017 Cat 299D2 from a Florida commercial contractor who'd bought three units for a shopping center project and was selling the extras after completion. Enclosed cab with heat and AC, high-flow hydraulics (32 GPM), hydraulic quick-attach, two-speed travel, backup camera. 1,840 hours on the clock, all dealer-maintained, complete service records.
Tracks were at 75%—about 1,400 hours left before replacement. No hydraulic leaks, no unusual wear on pins or bushings. The Cat C3.8 engine is straightforward—95 horsepower, Tier 4 Final, runs strong. High-flow hydraulics matter for running brush cutters or cold planers, which Craig uses for parking lot repairs.
"I flew to Jacksonville, spent three hours running it through every function I could think of. Lifted loads, pushed dirt, ran the hydraulics hot. Machine performed exactly like the hour meter said it would."
Asking price was $54,500. Negotiated to $52,800 based on Craig paying transport separately and closing within a week. That's nearly $55,000 less than new for a machine with plenty of life left.
We arranged transport from Florida to Georgia—$950 on a lowboy. Machine showed up Tuesday, Craig had it working Thursday morning. Spent a day getting familiar with the controls, adjusting hydraulic flow settings, learning the response characteristics.
Craig's 299D2 now shows 2,680 hours. That's 840 hours of grading, clearing, and material handling that would've cost him $70,000 in rentals at his old rate. Instead, he owns the machine outright and bills every hour it runs.
The traction difference is everything. Wet clay that would've stopped a wheeled machine cold? The Cat tracks through it without hesitation. Ground pressure with tracks is about 4 PSI versus 12-15 PSI for wheels—less turf damage on finished areas, better flotation on soft ground.
"I worked through a three-day rainstorm last spring on a commercial pad," Craig says. "Wheeled machines would've torn the site to pieces. The 299 just kept working."
High-flow hydraulics run his brush cutter at full capacity—32 GPM is enough for serious land clearing attachments. Two-speed travel means he can move between job sites at 8 MPH without trailering for close work.
Maintenance has been oil changes, filters, grease, and one track tensioner adjustment. No major repairs, no unexpected breakdowns. Tracks are now at about 50%—probably good for another 700-800 hours before replacement at roughly $3,500 per track.
"If your ground is soft half the year, tracks aren't optional," Craig says. "They're the difference between working and sitting."
His advice: Don't buy tracks if you're only working hardpack and asphalt—wheels are cheaper and faster. But if you're dealing with clay, sand, or any ground that holds water, tracks pay for themselves in lost downtime alone.
For buying used, look for dealer-maintained machines with complete service records. Commercial contractors who buy multiple units for specific projects are good sources—they maintain equipment properly and sell before major wear items need replacement.
Check track wear carefully. Tracks aren't cheap ($3,000-$4,000 per side), but if you're buying a machine with 60%+ track life remaining, that's 1,000+ hours before you're writing that check.
Would Recommend: "I tell every site contractor I know—if you're renting because weather shuts you down, you're losing money twice. Buy tracks and keep working."
Tell us about your ground conditions—we'll find a tracked machine that keeps you working when wheels won't.