How to buy a farm use excavator"right"?

[RTSmith]

Hello All! I am hoping that the variety of business owners and operators here can help me ponder this. I am a weekend warrior, and have about 2 years of on and off again work around the farm for a 30-40,000# excavator. Must have a thumb, prefer hydraulic. With total usage only likely to be 500 hours or so, I'd like to buy something, and then be able to readily move it on after I'm done without spending a ton on service nor losing my shirt on the backend.

With that- what can I buy for $40,000 that will work? In reading on another forum, there was a guy grousing that he'd bought a 8,000 hour machine and it worked well. But in trying to resell, it was too small or too many hours for contractors to look at, many farmers or small users like myself wouldn't look at it because it took a lowboy to haul it, and so on. I can buy a 18,000# compact like a Cat 308 that I can haul, but afraid it just won't handle the grubbing I need. I have a 420D backhoe at about 17,000# and it doesn't have the arse to hoss around the rocks I need to pop out.

All the rest of my equipment is Cat. But I see some Kobelcos and such that look to be 20% less for the same year/weight/hours Cat machine. So- what size or weight ranges are just dogs to sell? Is there a point where you just go ahead and buy a little bigger, or newer, because you get it back at the end anyway? Any experience or advice greatly appreciated.

 

[old-iron-habit]

If I was needing a excavator to use on just one property I would buy a big one probably in the 80,000 lb. class. They are more likely to have been owned by a big enough contractor that there is a good chance it was maintained somewhat decent. They are one forth the price of small ones due to high moving costs incurred when they move often. You may get it delivered free if that is the negotiation item that swings the pendulum on wither a sale is made or not. Buy a big one, put the rest of your money into the coffee can, and keep the machine when done. You will always find new uses for the machine. It would always pay to have a "experienced in excavators" heavy equipment mechanic look at it before purchase.

 

[Ct Farmer]

I needed an excavator for the farm and was also looking at 40 to 50k lb machines. None fit my budget. Lot of demand for them. Even at auction price was top shelf. Finally got talking to someone who suggested looking bigger. Ended up buying a 50 ton Volvo for way less than I could get anything else. Cost more to haul it in but I don't plan on moving until I say it so no big deal. Price was almost scrap value.

Actually very glad I got this big of machine. Stumps and trees are no issue. Digging a pond 4 yards at a time really makes a big hole fast. I like the extra reach and abilty to mve some serious rocks etc. Uses more fuel but for the hours I use it who cares.

There are a few negatives though none is too much of an issue. Machine is big and needs extra room moving around. Some parts like hydraulic lines cost a lot more. Did have get a narrower bucket for things like burying irrigation pipe. Hard to find with bigger pins. Had to mod one.

 

[jaclo]

This should be good.

 

[RTSmith]

Well- 2 votes for "bigger is better", and another 2 for keep it rather than sell it. Fair enough.

Good stuff so far. Thanks! What else folks?

 

[Planedriver]

Who am I to go against the rest of the group but ponder this..... Consider paying $30,000 to have your jobs done in a month and just sit in a cabana watching the project. With the remaining $10,000 invest $2,000 in good liquor and mixers. With the leftover $8,000 hire 2 cabana girl servants to keep your glass full....

 

[catman13]

Planedriver that's the best idea

 

[colson04]

I've been kicking around buying an excavator for use on my property for the past year. I was targeting a 160/200 class machine for the ability to move it easier, but after seriously looking at prices of a bigger machine, I think I'll be saying bigger is better.

A Deere 792D just came for sale an hour from me for less than $10,000 that runs. It'll need a thorough inspection before purchase to understand any impending issues, but could be just right for a short term use machine. For a guy that needs to do 200hrs of work over a couple years, it could be just right and given the size and capability, it might not even need to run 200 hrs to get it done.

 

[check]

I had considered the "bigger is better" logic, but here in Montana, used machines are so few and far between, you either pay top dollar or haul one in from 800 miles away. I bought a 7 ton excavator in Seattle and had it hauled East. Hauling a 30 ton from Seattle would have been costly. If I could have bought a bigger excavator cheap and delivered, I would have. 7 tons has been enough for what I'm doing.

 

[DMiller]

Local contractor caught a deal on a somewhat less than maintained Link-Belt, engine seized before he could move it yet he paid less than scrap value for it(at a landfill) The machine is worn slick needs rails, some running gear parts but has a fresh overhaul engine in it, hydraulics recently gone thru so a decent base machine then again is HUGE, 2 1/2 yard bucket looks small on it and needs rebuild, sheet metal he has been hammering on to make better then will paint it, probably double all his investment to sell it.

 

[RTSmith]

Who am I to go against the rest of the group but ponder this..... Consider paying $30,000 to have your jobs done in a month and just sit in a cabana watching the project. With the remaining $10,000 invest $2,000 in good liquor and mixers. With the leftover $8,000 hire 2 cabana girl servants to keep your glass full....

A cool plan- but any other leftover wouldn't quite make up for the then needed alimony... I'm not thinking 8K will be a very long term rental on the cabana help.

Seriously- one item I've run into for 10 years now, is I find things I want done, while working on another project. So hiring somebody to come in gets tough as I'm always trying to add to their list. When it is my list- I just keep on going. And besides- with a weekday desk job with tons of phone time burning diesel fuel through a yellow engine on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon is better therapy than fishing ever thought about being (for me anyway). I used to justify my iron as being less dollars than many folks fishing boats. I'm losing that option now probably.

 

[Delmer]

A I used to justify my iron as being less dollars than many folks fishing boats. I'm losing that option now probably.

Heck no. $10,000 for a fishing boat, you can do a lot better than that. Buy that one out from under Colson