New Canadian

[Coastal]

Hey everyone, new guy here from Abbotsford BC, Canada, I've been doing this kinda work for about 7 years now. I just traded in my bobcat 430 mini excavator for a Kubota KX 161-3, I get it later this week and i'm VERY excited!!!

I also own a Bobcat T-300 tracked skid steer. See yah on the forums!

Rob

[nobull1]

Great to see another new member. I really like the idea you are moving into the premium machines LOL

[Steve Frazier]

Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums!!:drinkup

Feel free to jump in anywhere you like. It's good to have you aboard!!

[bobcatuser]

Good to see someone from the lower mainland on here, I'm from Richmond. What type of work do you specialize in?

[Coastal]

Well, I started out landscaping, then specialized in ponds and water features for a few years, and now I've switched almost exclusively to machine work. Most of my work seems to be new construction, with a bit of farm trenching and drainage type stuff. I still do large water features as I really enjoy building them. How about you??

[bobcatuser]

Half of my work is residential, excavations for additions, drainage and landscape grading. The rest of the time I bid on municipal park renovation type work. I have almost given up on finding reliable experienced operators, so I have started sub-contracting parts of my contracts to owner operators.

[Coastal]

I too have given up on hiring, I'm just a one man show now, and life is a lot better! If you need any help on a job let me know, I'm always looking for new contacts.

Heres my website: www.coastalcreations.ca

It hasnt been updated with my new excavator yet, soon it will...


Rob

[bobcatuser]

Sometimes I get calls from Langley or Abbotsford, I don’t like the travel time so I normally recommend the caller to look in the yellow pages for someone local. What areas are you willing to work in?

I really need to upgrade my website, but I never get a chance to. Here’s the address www.stevesbobcat.com

[Coastal]

Sometimes I get calls from Langley or Abbotsford, I don’t like the travel time so I normally recommend the caller to look in the yellow pages for someone local. What areas are you willing to work in?

I really need to upgrade my website, but I never get a chance to. Here’s the address www.stevesbobcat.com

I like to work from whiterock to chilliwack, avoiding the bridges :thumbsup

Your site looks good, lots of pics! What equipment do you have??

[bobcatuser]

I have:

S185 with over tire rubber tracks, 4 in 1 bucket, push broom, grapple bucket, forks,1 yd light material and 56" tooth buckets.

334 with hydraulic thumb, 3 buckets, clearing rake and single tine ripper attachments.

L8000 tandem dump truck with 10,000 lb trailer

Any other machines or attachments I need are rented or hired. I have been looking for a 15,000 lb excavator but they are hard to find used for a reasonable price. A new Bobcat 442 is over one hundred thousand plus tax.

What was the deciding factor for buying you're new Kubota? Did you get a fair price for the 430 you traded in?

[Coastal]

It took me a long time to pick the Kubota, I demo'd pretty much every machine out there. I almost bought the new hitachi 50D, but we had some issues involving my trade in at the last minute, and they made me really mad. I'm glad though, because after driving the Kubota again, in my opinion it is the best mini out there. The best way I can put it is, that it's "refined", not a new machine thats gonna have problems like some of the new Deere's. The controls are so smooth, the dealership is great (avenue equipment) and yes they gave me a very fair trade in for the machine. Its getting a thumb put on right now, and a 42" hydraulic tilt bucket too, I should have it early next week! Now I'm waiting for ramps for my truck.....


How do you like the rake??

[Ford LT-9000]

You just have to watch when you say new Canadian as you prolly know what that means :yup

I like the 161 Kubota too but the only beef is the travel pedals suck you probably get used to them but :confused:

Myself I spent more time on 16-20 ton machines they travel a little bit slower and you have to push harder on the travel pedals. The Kubota it turned so quick.

The money is in the 11,000-12,000 mini market small enough to get into most places and large enough to-do quite a few jobs.

Avenue Farm equipment is a decent company to deal with I know a few people that have delt with them and nothing bad to say.

If I was buying a new or used machine it would have a CWS manual quick connect on it along with a CWS thumb.

[Coastal]

LoL, I thought about "New Canadian" after I posted it....

I looked at the larger companies like CWS, Weldco-Beale and Accurate. They are way overpriced, their thumbs are around $4-5000, i got mine for $2400, and its a thing of beauty. I was hoping to get the machine back this weekend, but it doesnt look like its gonna be ready....