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Reviews Construction equipment Caterpillar - 312

4.2

Average score of Caterpillar

5 reviews

3.8

3.8 Price

4.4

4.4 Reliability

4.2

4.2 Maintenance

4.6

4.6 Operation

4.0

4.0 Convenience

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4.2

Excavator Caterpillar 312

2020 Year

4.0 Price

5.0 Reliability

4.0 Maintenance

4.0 Operation

4.0 Convenience

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Used these 312Bs before. They’re heavy but move pretty smooth for their size, and the controls are basic-no surprises. Didn’t love the top speed, felt a tad slow getting around big sites (just 3.5 mph or so), but it’s got steady pull and strong lift. Always feels reliable, but don’t expect to race anyone. Service-wise, as long as you do the scheduled maintenance you’re pretty golden, parts are easy to find. The bucket had 100% teeth left, so that’s a bonus. I liked that there’s no weird leaks or loose pins at all, but nothing really stands out in terms of fancy extras, just a solid old school machine.

4.4

Excavator Caterpillar 312

2021 Year

3.0 Price

5.0 Reliability

5.0 Maintenance

5.0 Operation

4.0 Convenience

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I've ran a few Caterpillar 312s over the years and this one's no exception to what I've come to expect. I like that it's still on the original paint, has tight pins and bushings even after over 7000 hours. The 3064 T engine's pretty solid in my experience, fires right up and no leaks anywhere. Controls feel smooth, hydraulics are strong, tracks are 65% which ain't bad considering the hours. Only real complaint, the cab is fine but nothing fancy - just the basic stuff, AC and heat do work at least. Under the hood, everything's where I'd want it if I was taking over a used machine. Not much to ask for really when you're spending this kind of money. Maintenance seems sorted too, no headaches so far.

4.6

Excavator Caterpillar 312

2020 Year

4.0 Price

4.0 Reliability

5.0 Maintenance

5.0 Operation

5.0 Convenience

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Been in the seat of a few 312Bs, just like this one with the enclosed cab and cold AC (that’s important for me in the south). The controls are responsive, hydraulics felt sharp, you can really tell it’s well maintained. Only thing that bugged me was the lack of strikeoff blade since sometimes I do a lot of small grade work, but at least you can plumb one in if you want. Machine’s got a beefy drawbar pull and offense on the bucket front too, makes loading trucks way faster. Long days are pretty easy, seat adjustment is smooth, but I always wonder how much longer these panels will hold-all good so far though!

3.8

Excavator Caterpillar 312

2019 Year

4.0 Price

4.0 Reliability

4.0 Maintenance

4.0 Operation

3.0 Convenience

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We’ve got a few 312Ds in the fleet. I like the durability, honestly. We beat these up on rough sites and the undercarriage just keeps going. Tracks do wear out if you run on rocky ground daily - but that’s any tracked machine. Service is decent, not a pain to do regular oil and filter swaps. You get the usual Cat build, heavy and stable. Controls are predictable but I have mixed feelings about the seat. It claims to be ergonomic but long shifts still get to my back, maybe it’s just me getting old. Machine starts fine, though sometimes in cold it takes a few tries. Would say reliability has been good, only dealt with an electrical sensor problem once. Happy with them for the most part.

4.0

Excavator Caterpillar 312

2019 Year

4.0 Price

4.0 Reliability

3.0 Maintenance

5.0 Operation

4.0 Convenience

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I've been running a 312D for a couple years on all kinds of ground. Straight away, the controls are smooth, feels natural to feather the boom or bucket for tricky work. Visibility is pretty good but I did wish the side panels were a bit less chunky sometimes, especially when working close to walls. Cab’s comfy enough, I’ll give it that - not cramped, and those simple, chunky controls suit me. Only thing, noticed the hydraulic hoses can get leaky after heavy use and it’s not always quick to spot. Checks take a bit more time than ideal. Price-wise, wasn’t the cheapest but feels fair for a Cat. Not the best fuel use out there but not bad. Overall, a solid, straightforward digger if you stay on top of maintenance.

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Details on Caterpillar 312

Caterpillar 312D USD 27,000 Tracked excavator 2023 72 kW (97.96 HP) China, Hefei City, Anhui Province

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Caterpillar 315D2 312 315 320 325 336 USD 22,000 Tracked excavator 2023 211 m/h China, Shanghai

Caterpillar 312D USD 25,900 Tracked excavator 2022 72 kW (97.96 HP) China, Shanghai