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Caterpillar - 336 reviews

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4.3
Average score of Caterpillar
11 reviews
3.3
3.3 Price
4.7
4.7 Reliability
4.2
4.2 Maintenance
4.8
4.8 Operation
4.3
4.3 Convenience
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4.2
Excavator Caterpillar 336
2020 Year
3.0 Price
4.0 Reliability
4.0 Maintenance
5.0 Operation
5.0 Convenience
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Been in a 336 (the newer cab/tech package) on trench and mass-excavation jobs. The Cat GRADE 2D + Grade Assist being standard is honestly the thing you notice first. You set your depth/slope and it keeps you from chasing grade all day. Swing Assist is nice for truck loading too, it stops you where you want so you don’t keep bumping past your spot.

Hydraulics feel tight. It’s got that balanced control where you can do fine trim work but still pull hard when you need it. Smart mode does what it says most of the time, it backs the rpm down when the cut gets easy. I burned less fuel compared to older 336s/336F I ran, not a night-and-day thing every hour, but over a week you see it.

Cab is way less tiring. Wide seat, good spacing on the controls, and the mounts cut a lot of vibration. Only gripe is if you don’t like touchscreens, the 10" display can feel like “one more thing” when you just want to hop in and dig. After a couple days it’s fine.
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4.4
Excavator Caterpillar 336
2018 Year
3.0 Price
5.0 Reliability
4.0 Maintenance
5.0 Operation
5.0 Convenience
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I’ve put a few weeks on the new Cat 336 and gotta say, the tech is pretty wild. The grade assist and 2D grading system make a world of difference, especially when you’re running long days. No more second guessing if you’re on grade, that’s for sure. The touchscreen is easy to figure out, even for old hands who aren’t into gadgets. Ride is smooth with that new seat - my back actually hurts less after a shift. Only thing, the price is way up there, even for what you get. I get why, but still doesn’t feel cheap. If you’re tired of fussing about precision digs and want less headaches after work, this cab setup helps a ton. Wish the price was more realistic though.
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4.4
Excavator Caterpillar 336
2018 Year
5.0 Price
4.0 Reliability
4.0 Maintenance
5.0 Operation
4.0 Convenience
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Used plenty of Cats, this 336 is right up there in terms of digging force. That hydraulic system actually delivers, not just on paper. Auto heavy lift is handy, lets you push it a bit when you need more out of the bucket. The stick steer is fun-didn't expect to care but it makes getting around tighter sites less annoying. Wouldn’t say the Bluetooth key stuff changes my day. Filter intervals are a positive but didn’t notice any big downtime savings yet (maybe if you run constantly you’d see more). All in, good controls, solid uptime, not perfect but trustworthy.
4.2
Excavator Caterpillar 336
2023 Year
3.0 Price
5.0 Reliability
4.0 Maintenance
5.0 Operation
4.0 Convenience
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I mostly run midsize iron, but I did a month on a Cat 336 doing mass excavation and loading out. It moves material fast. Big tank means you’re not stopping all the time, and Smart Mode does take the edge off fuel burn if you’re not pushing max all day.

Controls are easy to live with. It’ll do fine work around pipes if you take your time, and you can set up limits with E-Fence which is useful in tight spots near live traffic. Telematics is more for the boss, but it does catch issues early.

Cost wise… yeah it’s not cheap. I get why some guys go for the 336 GC if they just need a solid digger without all the extras.
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4.4
Excavator Caterpillar 336
2023 Year
4.0 Price
5.0 Reliability
4.0 Maintenance
5.0 Operation
4.0 Convenience
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Had the 336 out on some tough projects. The power on this thing is solid, hasn't let me down moving heavy loads. Engine seems like it'll last forever, too. Really like the eco and smart modes for fuel-helps keep the costs predictable. Only thing, the high altitude and temperature stuff doesn't mean much in my area, but it's nice knowing the machine can handle it if needed. Cab is decent-no complaints-but some of the tech features like all the operator IDs and joystick settings feel like overkill if you just want to get to work. Easy enough to ignore though. Would say it's reliable and does what you ask.
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4.2
Excavator Caterpillar 336
2020 Year
3.0 Price
5.0 Reliability
5.0 Maintenance
4.0 Operation
4.0 Convenience
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I mostly use the 336 for site prep and heavy lifting. The lifting power is great, no complaints there. Having GPS tracking and remote monitoring means less hassle checking up on the machine, that’s handy for our crew. Swapping between buckets and hammers doesn’t take forever, which is a win.

No real breakdowns so far and the pressurized cab stays clean inside, that’s a plus if you work in dust. Gets decent fuel mileage too. Still, there's never nothing to fix-had a sensor go flaky on me, minor headache but support sorted it fast. It’s reliable, runs strong, and keeps the site moving. Price is up there but I guess you get what you pay for.
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4.4
Excavator Caterpillar 336
2020 Year
3.0 Price
5.0 Reliability
4.0 Maintenance
5.0 Operation
5.0 Convenience
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Been running the Cat 336, latest standard model, for a while now mostly for heavy earthmoving and it's a solid machine. The cab has proper noise reduction and I appreciate that after 9 hour shifts. The touchscreen is not my favorite, takes some getting used to, but after a few days I barely think about it. The adjustable seat actually helps my back which is rare. Fuel efficiency's been decent. We switched to Smart Mode for most jobs and it does cut down on fuel, no joke. Not the cheapest machine on the market but Cat's got a rep for a reason. Only thing, the tech can be a little intimidating if you're more used to the old-school levers-and-dials setup. Maintenance intervals seem fair but service parts prices are absolutely Cat-level, so that's something to plan for.
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4.0
Excavator Caterpillar 336
2020 Year
3.0 Price
4.0 Reliability
4.0 Maintenance
5.0 Operation
4.0 Convenience
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I spend my time mostly doing demo jobs and highway prep work, and the 336 FL has been my main rig for about a year. The long undercarriage gives it great balance, especially when you're hauling big buckets full of rock. That means less pucker on uneven ground-not that it's flawless, just better than some I've used. The payload feature is handy if you care about getting the most out of every run. Fast travel speed, swings are smooth. Only gripe is the camera system...decent, but the optional 360 cam should just be standard on a machine at this price. Service could be a pain if you don't have Cat nearby, everything's networked and high-tech now. But for control and reliability, she's dialed. Comfort, not much to complain about after a long day.
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4.4
Excavator Caterpillar 336
2023 Year
3.0 Price
5.0 Reliability
5.0 Maintenance
4.0 Operation
5.0 Convenience
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We’ve had a 336 in the fleet for mixed work, trenching one week then moving big chunks the next. It feels stable for an 80k-ish machine, and it’ll pick and place without making you sweat every lift. Swing assist / auto features are nice, but I still run it mostly manual.

Cab is roomy. Seat adjustment is solid and the visibility is good with the big glass. Rear camera is handy in tight sites, takes some stress off.

Maintenance side, dealer support is usually the reason these stay working. Parts are easy to get, and the remote monitoring helps catch dumb stuff before it turns into downtime. Not saying it never breaks, but it’s predictable.
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4.0
Excavator Caterpillar 336
2022 Year
3.0 Price
5.0 Reliability
4.0 Maintenance
5.0 Operation
3.0 Convenience
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Ran the 336 on a demo project and gotta say, the hydraulics are crazy responsive. Even moving heavy debris or swinging big loads around, it all feels pretty steady. The cab is big, controls are light and touchscreen stuff is good if you don’t mind tech. Just, maybe I'm old school-the seat could use a little more padding after a 12 hour shift. The built-in rearview cameras and ROPS make me chill about safety-pretty solid for a machine this size.

Didn’t have any downtime during the whole job, and swapping attachments was smooth, so not much to complain on reliability or operation. New machines are all expensive, but this one burns less fuel than some older rigs I’ve worked. Service intervals are long but I still keep an eye on the small stuff.
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