Buying a Bobcat in the UAE? See when it can pay you back

If you're thinking about buying a Bobcat S510 for rental income in the UAE, the main question is simple: how many months will it take to recover your buying price?

In this article, we will discuss:

• How much your Bobcat S510 can make on a single shift
• What it may generate on a double-shift setup
• The real yearly running costs of your machine
• How many months it may take to recover the purchase price
• How much you could make over 3 years if you resell it well

Looking to buy a Bobcat skid steer? Cost of a 2018 S510

Used Bobcat S510 prices in the UAE usually sit somewhere between AED 71,000 and AED 95,000, depending on model year, hours, condition, and overall cleanliness.

A realistic range for a 2017 or 2018 Bobcat S510 is usually around AED 71,000 to AED 77,000. A newer and cleaner 2021 or 2022 model can go up to around AED 95,000.

For this article, we'll use AED 77,000 as the buying price for a 2018 S510. That gives us a clean baseline for the ROI calculations below.

How much can your Bobcat S510 make on a single shift

If you're buying a Bobcat S510 to rent it out, do not assume it will work non-stop for 12 straight months. Expect at least 2 months in the year where the machine sits idle because of slower projects, contractor gaps, off-seasons, or job delays.

So for the single-shift example, let’s use these assumptions:

• Monthly rental rate for one shift: AED 8,000
• Full-year rental potential: AED 8,000 × 12 = AED 96,000
• Realistic utilization rate: 80%
• Estimated annual rental income: AED 96,000 × 80% = AED 76,800

The monthly rental rate in this example is AED 8,000 for one shift. If the machine stays rented throughout the full year, the full-year gross potential would be AED 96,000, based on AED 8,000 × 12 months. But with a more realistic 80% utilization rate, the estimated annual rental income comes to AED 76,800.

So the gross rental income under this model is AED 76,800 per year.

This is an important point. Gross income is not profit. It is only the top line. The real return starts to show after operating costs.

The Real Costs Of Renting Out a Bobcat S510

The important thing here is to keep the cost logic consistent with the income logic. If you are assuming 80% utilization, then the operator and running-cost side should also follow that same usage pattern, not a full 12-month workload.

In many rental setups, fuel is covered by the renter. That helps. But you still need to budget for operator cost, service items, and the usual unexpected expenses that come with heavy equipment.

For a single-shift setup, the full-year running costs can be estimated as follows:

• Operator cost: AED 3,000 × 12 = AED 36,000
• Oil filters, service, and routine maintenance: AED 500 × 12 = AED 6,000
• Miscellaneous and unexpected costs: AED 200 × 12 = AED 2,400

This gives a total full-year cost base of AED 44,400.

Using the same 80% utilization rate as the income section, the adjusted yearly running costs come to:

• AED 44,400 × 80% = AED 35,520

That leaves the single-shift calculation as follows:

• Estimated annual rental income: AED 76,800
• Estimated annual running costs: AED 35,520
• Estimated annual return: AED 41,280

Maintenance here includes regular oil service, filters, small wear items, and basic essentials. It does not assume a major hydraulic failure or a full tyre replacement cycle. If the machine is clean, low-hour, and maintained well, the return can stay healthy. If it is rough, the return falls fast.

Double shift, double income. How much you can make.

If your Bobcat runs on two shifts, the full-year rental potential would be:

• AED 16,000 × 12 = AED 192,000

To keep this estimate realistic, the calculation uses a 70% utilization rate instead of the 80% used in the single-shift example. 

A double-shift setup is harder to maintain throughout the year, and in some cases, utilization may even fall closer to 60%.

Based on a 70% utilization rate:

• Estimated annual rental income: AED 192,000 × 70% = AED 134,400

That leaves:

• Annual rental income: AED 134,400
• Estimated annual running costs: AED 62,160
• Estimated annual return on a double-shift setup: AED 72,240
•  

How Many Months to Break Even on a Bobcat

We’ll use the same purchase price in this article:

Machine price: AED 77,000

Single-shift setup

• Estimated yearly return: AED 41,280
• Payback period: AED 77,000 ÷ AED 41,280 = 1.87 years
• That is about 22 months

Double-shift setup

• Estimated yearly return: AED 72,240
• Payback period: AED 77,000 ÷ AED 72,240 = 1.07 years
• That is about 13 months

So, in simple terms:

• With a single shift, a 2018 Bobcat S510 can pay for itself in about 22 months
• With a double shift, it can pay for itself in about 13 months

Run your Bobcat for 3 years, then resell it: what do you actually make.

A Bobcat S510 is not only about monthly rental income. It is also about what you can still sell it for after 3 years if you keep the machine clean and well maintained.

Let’s calculate both working scenarios using the same AED 77,000 purchase price.

If you run your Bobcat on a single shift for 3 years

• Estimated yearly return: AED 41,280
• 3-year operating return: AED 41,280 × 3 = AED 123,840

Now add resale value.

If the machine keeps 70% to 80% of its value after 3 years:

• 70% resale value: AED 53,900
• 80% resale value: AED 61,600

So your total cash back becomes:

• Operating return + resale at 70%: AED 123,840 + AED 53,900 = AED 177,740
• Operating return + resale at 80%: AED 123,840 + AED 61,600 = AED 185,440

Now subtract your original purchase price:

• Net gain above your AED 77,000 purchase at 70% resale: AED 100,740
• Net gain above your AED 77,000 purchase at 80% resale: AED 108,440

If you run your Bobcat on a double shift for 3 years

Now let’s look at the second case.

• Estimated yearly return: AED 72,240
• 3-year operating return: AED 72,240 × 3 = AED 216,720

Add the same resale logic:

• 70% resale value: AED 53,900
• 80% resale value: AED 61,600

So your total cash back becomes:

• Operating return + resale at 70%: AED 216,720 + AED 53,900 = AED 270,620
• Operating return + resale at 80%: AED 216,720 + AED 61,600 = AED 278,320

Now subtract the original purchase price:

• Net gain above your AED 77,000 purchase at 70% resale: AED 193,620
• Net gain above your AED 77,000 purchase at 80% resale: AED 201,320

That is why resale matters. A buyer who looks only at the purchase price misses half the story. The real question is how much the machine earns while working, and how much value it still holds when you sell it.

Ready to invest in a Bobcat S510 in the UAE?

If you are looking at a Bobcat S510 as an income-generating machine, focus on the numbers that matter most, expected rental income, payback period, running costs, and resale value.

Looking for a well-maintained Bobcat S510? Explore Makana’s listings of low-hour 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2022 Bobcat S510 machines, and review the available inspection reports, machine condition, and specifications before making your decision.

Need help evaluating the investment side of the deal? Contact Makana team to speak with an expert who can help you assess the machine, the pricing, and the return potential.