Hours and Help with Machine Purchase (for a newbie)

[silentconquest]

Hey All,

I am looking at a mini excavator for some simple landscaping at my property. I have a JD27D, used, with 3400 hours I am looking at purchasing. It is an old rental machine, so should be well serviced. Any issues with the hours, if so, what do I look out for. Basically, I am going to put 200 to 500 hours on it, and then sell it when I am done. They are asking $23,500K Canadian for the machine. I basically need to lift and place rocks up to 1500 lbs, plus dig irrigation trench etc. I care about re-sale value, when I am done, I want to sell it for as close to what I purchase it for as I can.

Any help appreciated.

 

[MDig]

Price seems high for the hours, my guess it should be mid teens for that amount of hours, a little more if it has a thumb. My experience with our mini excavators is they start to cost a lot more money to maintain around 3500 to 4000 hours, things like rollers, drive motors, bushings/line boring, pins etc.

 

[mikebramel]

A zero tail that small is going to have problems picking up 1500lbs. The hours don't really mean much. The machine runs good or it doesnt. When buying a used machine you have to realize Track motor $3000, track $800, engine $4000, etc and they can go at anytime because you don't know what it has been subjected to

 

[silentconquest]

Thanks guys, appreciate that. I am still on the fence with the machine. My rocks that I need to lift are at very most, a three foot round, so probably not as heavy as I indicated. If you have 200 to 500 hrs to put on a machine, is it just better to rent, or purchase and re-sell? Thoughts?

 

[old-iron-habit]

That is a loaded question. If you buy a used machine that craps you lose. If you rent you are guaranteed to spend some rent money, but the machine will do the job. A good used machine bought at a fair price may be a cheap source if all works out without repairs and you can find a buyer at your price. A new rental machine may do your job faster taking less hours. You can make sure you got the right machine for your project. How much time can you devote to the job. Can you do 200 hrs in a month? If your work is flexible on timing, there can often be rental deals negoitated for better rates at the slow time of the year when the rental lots are full. Just a bunch of food for thought. One more thought. Once you have the machine you might find out you can not live without it.LOL

I think you may be under estimating the weight of a 3 ft diameter rock. Someone here will know but I guesstimate one to be closer to 3,000 lbs.

 

[Delmer]

3' diameter=14 cubic feetx166pounds per cf= roughly 2,400 pounds

 

[eric12]

That seems high for that size machine and number of hours. also rental machines are usually beat on because the people that run them don't own them. if you only need it for 200-500 hours id look at leasing a machine for a month from the dealer brand new and not have to deal with anything except get in it and run it. or rent a machine for a week here and there or weekends till your done with it. the other benefit of renting a machine is you can rent different sizes or rent an excavator then a skid steer for the next weekend if different machines would work better for different parts of the job. if you really want to buy it and have the cash so you aren't paying interest on it, then id keep looking for a 35 sized machine closer to $15,000 and use it then resell it.

 

[eric12]

the lifting capacity of a 27 is like 1000lbs over the side and just shy of 2000lbs over the front with the blade down and a 35 is 1500lbs over the side and 3000 over the front with the blade down I believe. you might be able to handle and move around rocks or lift with the bucket and blade and make it by but those are some numbers to keep in mind. Ive set some rocks for walls with my 35 and it works pretty well, sometimes you have to get creative but it'll do it.

 

[silentconquest]

Ok, so, I am now looking at a CAT 303 CR. Dont have a price yet, but it has 2500 hrs on it, and seems like it is in good shape, except the rubber tracks will need to be replaced at some point. What would be a reasonably price to pay for this machine? In looking at online prices, it seems to be around $25K or so. In looking at the specs, with blade down, I should be able to at least man handle the few big rocks (i.e., the 3 ft rounds) I have. The rest it should handle no problem. Also, I have a JD tractor to use in lieu of a skid steer. Not quite as good, but will do the job. My problem with rentals is that it is hard for me to put together long periods of time. I will usually just be a weekend warrior, or a few hours at night. This is where the own/re-sell come in, I can work when I want. Also, as a newbie, if I rent, I know my first few days will be learning, meaning I will probably spend $1K just learning.

Thanks again for all the help, it is appreciated.

 

[cdm123]

I would suggest a monthly lease also on your assumption that a ex rental machine is well maintained, I have one at a thousand hours It seams like the bucket will fall off the pin is so worn, there are decals on it saying the renter is responsible for maintenance, if you had a piece of equipment rented for say a weekend and it came due for it's thousand hour maintenance would you change all the filters and fluids adjust the valves etc ? Or even be aware that it's required after all its not like they drop off all the manuals with it most people just run it till their done and give it back

 

[TreeHogger]

'Xactly, granite is just a smidge shy of 169 pounds per cubic foot, obviously, sedimentary rocks a wee less...