06-29-2025, 10:24 PM
Li, a construction equipment owner from Xianghe County, Langfang City, Hebei Province, made headlines last year when he bought a CAT 306E mini-excavator. Now, just six months later, he's purchased a second one. What prompted this decision? Let's take a look at his experience and how these machines are performing in his daily operations.
Purchasing the Machines
Li's first CAT 306E was purchased outright, which meant no monthly payment burden. Satisfied with the performance of the first unit, he decided to expand his operations by buying a second one. A salesperson from the Beijing branch of the dealer offered Li a demo model with under 80 working hours, lightly used on the company's site for customer testing. The machine was available at a discounted price, and Li secured a bank loan to purchase it for 360,000 RMB. With monthly payments of only around 2,000 RMB, Li found the financial pressure manageable.
Driver Situation
When Li only had one machine, he operated it himself. However, as his fleet grew, the workload increased. With many construction projects nearing completion at the end of the year, there were fewer jobs available. For the time being, Li hired a temporary driver at 300 RMB per day. Li plans to recruit a permanent driver in the new year, with salaries in the local Langfang area ranging from 4,000 to 4,500 RMB with food and accommodation included, or 5,000 RMB without.
Equipment Usage and Work Conditions
Li's first CAT 306E has been in use for about a year and has logged 1,100 to 1,200 working hours. The primary tasks have been municipal construction, including high and low voltage pipeline installation, water supply and gas pipeline digging, and landscaping. The jobs are typically short-term, with most lasting only 2 to 3 days.
In the Langfang area, the average work rates for 60 or 70 mini-excavators are as follows:
Li is satisfied with the work efficiency of the CAT 306E. The digging speed is fast, the movements are smooth, and the joystick sensitivity is high, allowing for precise control. Li has received positive feedback from workers on his construction sites, who also praise the machine's speed.
As for fuel consumption, Li noted that the CAT 306E consumes around 200 RMB per workday, which is relatively high. However, the machine’s engine has a 43 kW power output, and Li accepts the fuel consumption as a trade-off for the performance it offers.
Li has used various types of diesel, including those from Sinopec, PetroChina, and local fuel trucks, with no issues regarding engine performance.
Product Performance and Issues
Li expressed satisfaction with the after-sales service, which, although there was a four-day wait for parts during the throttle motor replacement, is generally responsive. The local dealer, West, provides maintenance services that are part of the package, with the first three services free of charge. For future services, Li plans to do the maintenance himself after the warranty expires.
Li has not yet decided whether he will continue to use the dealer’s parts after the warranty period or switch to third-party parts for maintenance.
Conclusion
Li's experience with the CAT 306E has been positive, with the machine’s strong performance in municipal construction tasks and its reliable fuel consumption. Despite encountering minor issues such as the throttle motor and hydraulic hose, the manufacturer and dealer have responded promptly to resolve them. Li’s decision to purchase a second CAT 306E, based on his satisfaction with the first machine, shows the confidence he has in the equipment. His insights provide valuable information for those considering investing in mini-excavators, as user feedback is often the most reliable source of information.
Purchasing the Machines
Li's first CAT 306E was purchased outright, which meant no monthly payment burden. Satisfied with the performance of the first unit, he decided to expand his operations by buying a second one. A salesperson from the Beijing branch of the dealer offered Li a demo model with under 80 working hours, lightly used on the company's site for customer testing. The machine was available at a discounted price, and Li secured a bank loan to purchase it for 360,000 RMB. With monthly payments of only around 2,000 RMB, Li found the financial pressure manageable.
Driver Situation
When Li only had one machine, he operated it himself. However, as his fleet grew, the workload increased. With many construction projects nearing completion at the end of the year, there were fewer jobs available. For the time being, Li hired a temporary driver at 300 RMB per day. Li plans to recruit a permanent driver in the new year, with salaries in the local Langfang area ranging from 4,000 to 4,500 RMB with food and accommodation included, or 5,000 RMB without.
Equipment Usage and Work Conditions
Li's first CAT 306E has been in use for about a year and has logged 1,100 to 1,200 working hours. The primary tasks have been municipal construction, including high and low voltage pipeline installation, water supply and gas pipeline digging, and landscaping. The jobs are typically short-term, with most lasting only 2 to 3 days.
In the Langfang area, the average work rates for 60 or 70 mini-excavators are as follows:
- Hourly: 90–100 RMB
- Half-day: 500–600 RMB
- Full-day: 800 RMB
Li is satisfied with the work efficiency of the CAT 306E. The digging speed is fast, the movements are smooth, and the joystick sensitivity is high, allowing for precise control. Li has received positive feedback from workers on his construction sites, who also praise the machine's speed.
As for fuel consumption, Li noted that the CAT 306E consumes around 200 RMB per workday, which is relatively high. However, the machine’s engine has a 43 kW power output, and Li accepts the fuel consumption as a trade-off for the performance it offers.
Li has used various types of diesel, including those from Sinopec, PetroChina, and local fuel trucks, with no issues regarding engine performance.
Product Performance and Issues
- Engine:
Li mentioned that the engine is relatively noisy, sometimes making it sound like the throttle is open more than it is, even when set to just 2–3 notches. After several hundred hours of use, the throttle motor developed a fault, but the dealer replaced it free of charge under warranty.
- Hydraulic System:
The hydraulic system experienced a minor issue when a hose on the boom burst. Due to urgency, Li replaced it himself before the dealer could arrive. However, the dealer later provided a replacement hose for free as a spare.
- Work Equipment:
The machine’s work equipment, especially the arm, performs with strong power. Li shared that during winter, while working on a trench for pipeline installation in frozen ground, the CAT 306E handled the task without any significant effort.
- Other Issues:
Li found the walking pedals to be too narrow, making it uncomfortable to operate the machine, and he suggested that this design could be improved.
Li expressed satisfaction with the after-sales service, which, although there was a four-day wait for parts during the throttle motor replacement, is generally responsive. The local dealer, West, provides maintenance services that are part of the package, with the first three services free of charge. For future services, Li plans to do the maintenance himself after the warranty expires.
Li has not yet decided whether he will continue to use the dealer’s parts after the warranty period or switch to third-party parts for maintenance.
Conclusion
Li's experience with the CAT 306E has been positive, with the machine’s strong performance in municipal construction tasks and its reliable fuel consumption. Despite encountering minor issues such as the throttle motor and hydraulic hose, the manufacturer and dealer have responded promptly to resolve them. Li’s decision to purchase a second CAT 306E, based on his satisfaction with the first machine, shows the confidence he has in the equipment. His insights provide valuable information for those considering investing in mini-excavators, as user feedback is often the most reliable source of information.
