Bentley PowerCivil vs. AutoCad Land Development Software

[TerraSouth]

I'm thinking about switching over to Bentley PowerCivil.

http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Promo/YDB+Civil/Software+Solutions/PowerCivil.htm

AutoCad's high price, contants "forced" upgrades, and other pains in the rear have me looking for another drafting and design tool.

Bentley's price is right, they seem ready to address the problems with Autocad, and it's fully compatable with .dwg files.

Anyone have any knowledge of Bentley's PowerCivil?

I'm ready to jump off the Autocad bandwagon (NOW!)

 

[francesca]

Words cannot describe how much I detest AutoCAD. Bentley is superior software. I mostly used Terramodel recently, but TDOT switched from Terramodel to Microstation a while back and people I worked with who used both pieces of software called Terramodel "Terrible Model" after experiencing Microstation.

Bently recently purchased Haestad Methods, so look for SewerCAD, WaterCAD and StormCAD seamlessly interfacing with Microstation in the near future... whether that's a blessing or a curse is another matter. Prior to the take-over, Haestad Methods' direction had been toward GIS integration, with SewerGEMS and presumably WaterGEMS and StormGEMS. There was no indication that they would change the underlying engine of their SewerCAD/GEMS software to allow it to correctly model an air & vacuum relief valve, however, and I still regard their SewerCAD with contempt.

I guess I was spoiled on traffic modeling software.

 

[mickcwa]

Well before you jump ship, have you checked the price of the Bentley software? The company I used to work for also was forced to use Microstation and Geopak because of TDOT standards. I used both LDD and Bentley's software, but it seems that there wasn't much price difference in the two.

 

[TerraSouth]

Bentley has the Powercivil right now for $3000.00 if you are switching from a licenced copy of Autocad
Vs. Land development AND Civil Design module for approx. $7,600.

Big difference!

 

[TerryScan]

I'm not an advocate for either package, but why would you want to skew your numbers so?

If you are going to use an upgrade price for Bentley (competitive upgrade in this case) Why not use the upgrade price for LDD? Or ...just use list prices for both?

 

[francesca]

He is listing the prices as they are available to him. Bentley obviously offers a discount rate to holders of valid AutoCAD licences, which LDD apparently doesn't. In this case, it looks like Bentley's superior marketing is going to get them a new customer ahead of LDD as nobody on these forums can offer any reason why LDD should be worth more than double the outlay to TerraSouth.

 

[TerraSouth]

TerryScan,

You have a point. My numbers are slightly skewed. oops
The LDD price is $7,600 for a new account, this is LDD plus the Civil Design module. The Bentley price for NEW account is $4,000.00 complete package deal. I did'nt mean to mislead anyone..

I will be trading with Bentley and droping LDD.