CAT 308CR Next Gen Excavator Review

I review the 2021 new generation CAT 308CR midi excavator, give my thoughts on how it drives, how stick steer works, and I go through the endless features within the control screen.
In a very hotly contested weight category, can the CAT outshine the competition from Takeuchi, Kubota and JCB.
Machine: CAT 308 CR
Attachments: Buckets by Rhinox
Location: Hampshire, UK
Instagram @olliegunns
www.gunnscontractors.co.uk

[@markbenson1411]

I really found your review informitive. I have a unit on order and this was very helpful. Steping up and adding this to the 304 I own. Thanks

[@rayhein8205]

Great review! Thanks for sharing your experience with the machine.

[@henrymahoney7072]

Love these long reviews. I’d be interested in more new excavators like new Kubotas or Hitachis

[@Olliegunns]

And I would love to review them! It just depends on what I can hire, and the type of job I'm doing at the time. I've driven some great machines but couldn't do a video on them because of the site or location etc so its not always that straightforward.

[@Fable3000]

Hi Olli thank you for the great videos, I am just about to buy a 8026 myself, I similar to yourself as a one mans band and your advice has been great, still thinking about the idig laser. 👍

[@rockstargrader]

Very informative video dude

[@fearlesswhetu4555]

“It’s got some features” 😂😂😂 Great Information as usual Ollie

[@madratter]

Just as CAT 308 is well thought out so too is this review. Thank you sir

[@seamusbreen8485]

Great review

[@kevocos]

Lovely sized machine. Brilliant review as per usual Ollie👍☘

[@3406Accert]

Well done Buddy, had to tune myself in to the English Slang & accent like Slew for Swing or Spanner for wrench but I caught on eventually, Definitely am a big fan of the Neat Stick Steer more generic function's on one Joystick & less on multiple Levers , pedals etc etc , a Skidsteer steering feature with Boom, stick and scooper bucket, Never Ran a High Hoe, or Trackhoe that's a Old slang in Canada for a Excavator in my life but always wanted to Especially this Brand Caterpillar & the D series New gen machine. Thanks from Northwestern Alberta Canada , And one of the better machine review's I've ever seen on this website. Your also right about how Cat totally misses out on the Places to store a operation File, invoices cabinet in the cab. Big miss on that one l think cat figures a forman or Supervisor will look after Paperwork and let the operator concentrate on scooping & digging dirt. But Good point.

[@bcmineresearch]

High Hoe was a brand, many years ago. I've called them High Hoes generically for a long time.

[@ConstructionChannelLuxembourg]

Another smashing review! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it! Kobelco have a full-size cab on their SK 85, which I find impressive.

[@Olliegunns]

We have a mid 2000's Kobelco on the farm and its a nice machine for its age. I haven't had the pleasure of trying a new one out, they aren't very common around my area due partly I guess to the lack of dealer nearby.

[@ShellAgri]

Another great video ollie🤙

[@Olliegunns]

Thanks 👍 Glad you enjoyed it

[@cliffwebber4703]

My last Case 130c and D both had radio mute and single window wipe on leaver buttons. Shame about the hydraulic system 😕

[@fedjustin7690]

Great content as usual Ollie. Have you though about doing a review of your pickup and towing setup for your digger? Thanks

[@Olliegunns]

I hadn't but I can do. As usual I have my thoughts on what could be improved!

[@Wyliemann]

How would it add up against a Tb290?

[@NiklasAdv]

We got the older generation 308 and i love it, amazing hydraulic!

[@Olliegunns]

The older 308 is still a great machine, but this new one is on another level comfort wise

[@NiklasAdv]

@@Olliegunns Im looking at the getting a new gen :)

[@NiklasAdv]

@@Olliegunns just bought a 309 vab 🎉 will arrive in q2 2023 😊

[@SUROBLEDEKchannel]

Good job

[@donaldduncan1374]

I stumbled on this great review about a year late from the point at which you made it. I was all excited about these new gen machines and went to a job site and climbed all over a CAT rental on a weekend. Then after a short period, that unit went away in favor of the earlier model 308 for several months. I stopped by that site one day and chatted with the operator. He mentioned that the new gen machine had been having problems with the electronics. That having scared me somewht, I ended up buying a used TB290 which was my initial preference. I like to work on my own eauipment, and I have a great fear of the price tag of everything CAT . I was worried about the reliability of just those sophhisticated electronics. It's kind of like never buying a new model car because you don't know what to expect in term of reliability. I think the new gen machines are beautiful and innovative, but they are scary expensive as all CAT machines I have looked at are. But then again they have the name - even with that new logo.

[@Olliegunns]

I wonder if we will see a resurgence in contractors refurbing old kit to keep it running rather than buying new to avoid the issues appearing with modern technology in machines such as these excavators. I think its already happening in farming with older tractors being kept working. There's a lot of wiring in those next gen CAT's and you have to wonder how many are still going to be working in 20+ years - but of course, from a manufacturers point of view, you want to sell new machines regularly and older machines still in service are not helping your sales...

[@columbo301]

Do you really think it's quit ? I have the 307.5 and I think it makes to much noise ... We have a kobelco 8 ton and it's much more quit inside the cab

[@Aaron71304]

I love quiet.

[@fishingwithfilitsa]

Very nice

[@matthewella8280]

always wanted a CAT machine but seem expensive the new JCB are about 43,000-50,000 but the CAT's Ive seen this one used for about 70,000

[@Olliegunns]

I would imagine they are more expensive than any competitors machine, although the previous generation to this wasn't ever too bad when I got a price on one once. However this new 308 will run rings around the competition in terms of comfort and hydraulic flow. And if those are important to you then its the only machine for the job.

[@TheGrizzlyBeer]

Oh yeah, heater controls on the screen... Last year I had to drive a Volvo mobile excavator (is that the right term? Excavator with tires...) back to the rental shop without having operated it on the jobsite... I almost drove over a traffic sign trying to change the heater settings while driving...

[@Olliegunns]

I have no idea why manufacturers want to make everything more complicated. Not like there isn't enough room in the cab for switches!

[@BrokenSpur_Treeservice]

I bought a used cat 305.5 that was supposedly going over seas it has those valve boxes on two of the cylinders i see yours have them could you tell me what and why they are there i live in usa

[@Olliegunns]

They are hose burst check valves, they stop the ram failing in the event of a hose bursting. Commonly fitted to any machine that does lifting duties here as it is a legal requirement.

[@dadoflyfishing4053]

Can the camera be turned on all the time or only when the excavator is going backwards. Thanks

[@Olliegunns]

Yes, you can have it up on the screen all the time, it takes the place of where the heater or radio is displayed and isn't the biggest screen if I'm honest but quite high definition

[@dadoflyfishing4053]

@@Olliegunns Thank you very much. I'll set up the camera

[@martingroemer149]

Very nice review. Could you tell me how long it runs on a full fuel tank? (Or the hourly fuel consumption)

[@Olliegunns]

Difficult to say as I was doing a mix of hard digging followed by backfilling, which would have been a lot easier on the machine. But it would last over 2 days on average work for me. Which I didn't think was bad - but it does have a larger tank than most for memory.

[@martingroemer149]

@@Olliegunns ok thanks a lot!

[@NiklasAdv]

@@Olliegunns roughly the same as the previous generation 308?

[@KelikakuCoutin]

Thanks for the content. Keep up the good work. בסיד

[@MrDakkyz]

What do you do for parts as it isn't a cat engine they don't hold parts for it.

[@Olliegunns]

Well you would hope CAT UK would keep stock of common parts for their engines, regardless of who actually manufacturers them. As I don't own this machine, I cant comment on the backup really, its the serious amount of electrics in it that would worry me for causing downtime more than parts availability.

[@robkenny1529]

How do you rate the 308 to the Bobcat E85?

[@Olliegunns]

I haven't driven the E85 so cant really comment. But the 308 was a much bigger "8 tonner" than any of the other brands, and weighs a lot more too. If its a real 8t machine you are after, the 308 is more of a 10 ton class

[@tylerwentzlaff]

On the 336 next gen you can set the mute button on the joystick.

[@Olliegunns]

How? Please tell us! Best feature ever if you can. I'd also like the windscreen wiper on the joystick too, make it so easy to give it a quick wipe in light rain when you don't need it on all the time.

[@tylerwentzlaff]

@@Olliegunns I’ll have to look on Friday with out the screen in front of me I can’t remember

[@tylerwentzlaff]

@@Olliegunns kzbin.infop-ykJM3RztQ?feature=share

[@whitman55]

Did you get used to the joysticks? I had a go on one yesterday and I found it almost overly responsive

[@Olliegunns]

Did you not find the setting to make the joysticks less responsive!!! Yes they are a bit light and it took a couple of days to really make it sing.

[@whitman55]

@@Olliegunns it took long enough to get radio 2 on I didn't watch your video until last night 🤦 I still think I'd have a -3kubota or a et90 Wacker in this class

[@ashsimons8481]

They suck