Mini Excavators

I’ve always wanted a mini-x but can’t justify the expense. I have a local small engine shop that rents a Bobcat E32 for $250/day and even does $250/weekend (8 hours run time)
 
I was in the same boat a few years ago. Looked for roughly 6 months before I found a used machine with everything I wanted in the price range I wanted. I was looking for a larger machine (midi-ex) that I could still haul behind my 1 ton truck. I ended up with a Volvo EC55 (11,000 lb machine). Several factors played into this, but knowing where it came from, as well as maintenance history is a BIG plus. These things hold value very well, so don't get discouraged looking at a lot of machines. This is a bull market for used machinery.

I will say the best bang for the buck machines I have seen around are the Takeuichi's. My father in law loaned me his for several weeks and I thoroughly enjoyed running it. I am not sure you can go wrong with any of the major brands, but I would shy away from JCB's and Case ( larger machines ). But again, that is my personal opinion.

After looking at 20+ machines I can tell you several things

1. Hours don't mean everything and be sure to RUN the machine to verify if the hour meter actually is working
2. Stay away from rental companies selling equipment. Every single one I looked at was BEAT to hell. I was allured by several people telling me what an "amazing deal" they got from buying used rental equipment. Maybe...but not in my experience.
3. Preferably find one from a company that got regular service done at a dealer. Don't be afraid to ask where/if service was done.
4. Enclosed cabs are not over rated....
5. Prefer to find a machine that had a solid dealer in the area if you need parts or service.
 
BOBCAT E42 Used Mini Excavator

I found this jewel staring at me on Craigslist and it happens to be sitting at my local Bobcat/International dealer right up the road. I stopped by and looked at it through the fence. I'm thinking about swinging by and asking some questions and kicking the...well, tracks, I guess. It's absolutely the wrong time for me to buy anything...so I'll probably buy it.

I MIGHT would pay asking price if they put a new blade on it and a set of tracks.
 
You're crazy to pay that kind of money for something that A) you won't use everyday or B) won't pay for itself in 5 yrs, you know, since you.won't use it every day.

Everyone I know that has or has had a bobcat mini-ex (4 people/companies) dislikes them on account of price of repairs.
 
What's crazy about buying something that I want? I don't care if it pays for itself, that's not why I'm getting one.

How many guys on here have dedicated wheeling rigs that they can't drive every day and probably cost 40k or better?

I'm sure none of them are very cheap to repair, but the only places near by are Bobcat, John Deere, and Cat. There's a Kubota dealer about an hour away, but I'd basically be getting a Kubota if I were to get a Bobcat.
 
Croatan_Kid said:
Not bad! It's in pretty good shape to have 5000 hours on it. That's a 7 hour ride one way though.... Can't lie, it'd be cool to have another piece of orange equipment so it matched my tractor :D
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I saw several of those in the low $20k range with 3k hours when I was looking. The angle blade is worth it's weight in carbide in my opinion.
 
Been running this one at work for last couple weeks. Nice smooth machine with good power.

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Just buy mine for what I have in it (I'd have to check but somewhere around $12k I think) and have yourself a larger, cheaper machine :), that way I have a better excuse to buy a bigger one myself haha.

(Edit, nevermind--its sold)

3 year old not included.

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Gotta have a thumb! Joysticks are nice, too :D
 
Croatan_Kid said:
What's crazy about buying something that I want? I don't care if it pays for itself, that's not why I'm getting one.

How many guys on here have dedicated wheeling rigs that they can't drive every day and probably cost 40k or better?
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For definite buy whatever you want...that said.

If I could rent an offroad rig for $250-$400 per weekend trip and get an assurance that if it broke they'd bring me a new one out to finish the trip at no charge and they would also pay for all maintenance and storage options between trips...I dont think anyone would build a rig again.

I'm in the market for a skid steer now for my recent property purchase so I get it...but no way will I buy a $20k skid steer.
 
Croatan_Kid said:
Gotta have a thumb! Joysticks are nice, too :D
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Joysticks just mean more electronics (and they function the same anyways). A thumb isn't hard to add, I have seen where people put a switching valve on the hydraulics for the offset boom to make it do the function of a hydraulic thumb as well.
 
Ron said:
I'm in the market for a skid steer now for my recent property purchase so I get it...but no way will I buy a $20k skid steer.
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I had a beat up and worn out LX865 new Holland I had hardly anything in even after replacing the tires. It had so many hours the meter didn't work (well over 5k). When I bought my land I quickly figured out I needed something with tracks as the tires just were not cutting it, couldn't do near what I needed to without fear of getting stuck. Sold it (and since I had gotten it cheap I sold it cheap for $6k, probably broke even after having it for 4 years).

If you have any amount of land do yourself a favor and buy a bushhog for the skid steer. We have an old tractor I had though about getting a bushhog for, no more though, couldn't do 1/4 as much as you can with one on a skid steer.

If you have any hills or wet/soft areas, do yourself a favor and get tracks. My 865 got stuck probably 7-10 times, and ALMOST got stuck more times than I can count. The tracks that go over the tires work well but really chew up grass and tear up tires.
 

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If it makes you guys feel any better, all the other E42s I can find are going for 35k and up. They got this one as a trade in.

I stopped by and checked it out today, against my own better judgement. It's definitely a nice machine. We'll see how it plays out though.
 
For the record that E42 is not a terrible deal. Its by no means a 'Smoking' deal, but honestly how often do you come across a smoking deal when you really want/need a whatever it is that you are buying.

If you can hold out, there is surely a better deal to be had, but confidence in a piece of equipment is worth a lot. If you feel solid about it, and it doesn't have a ton of modifications made to it, I would haggle them, and then haggle a little more and see what you can get into it for.
 
The best deal is always the first thing you see, as soon as you start looking. But if you're like me, you'll hesitate since you just started looking, then it will sell, then you will kick yourself for years. The next option is to wait patiently and strike quickly. I don't have patience, which makes me good at the strike quickly part. :lol:
 
jeepinmatt said:
The best deal is always the first thing you see, as soon as you start looking.
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Not so true haha. I bought a T190 Bobcat (auction) after comparing specs to my LX865, then figured out after getting the 190 it wasn't even in the same league. Sold it and bought the T650, was a lot closer to what I was used to on lifting capacity.

Best advice I can give on the excavator is try to get them to let you run it awhile. I have gone to look at a couple recently (and didn't buy them) and you can learn a LOT by using the machine for awhile, as in actually digging with it. If you buy from a dealer you might not really have to worry as much as they normally won't take stuff on trade in that has major faults.
 
I ran it for about 15 minutes when I was there yesterday. Everything worked and I was pleased with it. I did notice a small fuel leak and I want to look at the hydraulic fluid if I go back...its color looked a little odd through the site tube. I didn't say anything negative, just looked very closely while the "hood" was open.
 
Yep, I posted the link a handful of posts back, but here it is again.

BOBCAT E42 Used Mini Excavator

Since it's from a dealer, I'd have to pay sales tax. If they'd knock the price down to make it 25k even after taxes, I'd probably go for it.

I REALLY effed up last night and started looking at bush hog attachments, different buckets, and grinding heads....like a moth to a flame!
 
Croatan_Kid said:
I REALLY effed up last night and started looking at bush hog attachments, different buckets, and grinding heads....like a moth to a flame!
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Just don't ever look at the mulching heads for skid steers. Luckily mine is not a hi-flow machine so for me to buy a mulching head I would have to buy a new skid steer. $$$$$$

The bushhog work great though, one would be awesome on an excavator too.
 
Croatan_Kid said:
Yep, I posted the link a handful of posts back, but here it is again.

BOBCAT E42 Used Mini Excavator
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Yep, even on the same page of this thread. I wasn't trying to be lazy. Oh well.
Croatan_Kid said:
I REALLY effed up last night and started looking at bush hog attachments, different buckets, and grinding heads....like a moth to a flame!
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Tacoma747 said:
Just don't ever look at the mulching heads for skid steers. Luckily mine is not a hi-flow machine so for me to buy a mulching head I would have to buy a new skid steer. $$$$$$

The bushhog work great though, one would be awesome on an excavator too.
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I've contemplated selling my skid steer and dozer and buying a rubber tracked hi Flo enclosed cab skid with a forestry mulcher. Why? Because it looks fun :D
 
The guy that cleared my land has one...he keeps it busy all the time. Even when he's clearing, he'll take the excess brush, pile it up, and mulch it. Keeps him from having to haul more shit away. Awesome machines! I think his was like 147k out the door though!

The aux hydraulics are 20gpm and most of the bush hogs for them use a real short/thick blade and are rated to cut something like 2" thick brush. I think I can deal with that :D
 
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