ANOTHER NEWBIE SKID STEER PURCHASE THREAD

I've only put a couple of hours on the machine so far but am really liking it. I'm cleaning up gravel from the parking area when we built about 4 years ago and moving dirt from one area and using it for around the house for landscaping/grass bed. The ground is a bit damp and digging is fairly easy with the smooth bucket but a toothbar/bucket is probably going to be necessary near summer.

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The machine will pay for itself in no time. A few jobs for friends and you will be ready for another machine. It is a never ending cycle, they keep getting bigger for me. Stay safe and don't forget to be safe. They can hurt you in a blink of an eye.

Georgia Iron said:

The machine will pay for itself in no time. A few jobs for friends and you will be ready for another machine. It is a never ending cycle, they keep getting bigger for me. Stay safe and don't forget to be safe. They can hurt you in a blink of an eye.

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I'm just getting around to doing the final grading around our house and shop after building it about 4 years ago...robbing good black dirt from one area around my shop in the photo and putting it around the house and saving a bundle by doing it myself instead of buying black dirt and renting a skid steer. Paid $8,350.00 for my skid steer and it will be money well spent if I get my chores done with it and no major breakdowns.
I sold my skid steer trailer last year and this skid steer should never leave our house and no paying jobs or doing work for friends with this machine...I helped friends out with my previous Cat 226 and not going there with this one.
I would LOVE to have a larger/enclosed cab machine as I originally sought and I can't say never but it probably doesn't make sense (as my wife pointed out) to pay $20,000.00+ for a machine and only use it a couple of hours a week.
Thanks for all the comments and hopefully you won't see me on here asking "How Do I" or "My Skid Steer Won't Start" questions
Seems like a good group of people here and think I'll' hang around for awhile.

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I had an LX565 for several years. It was an excellent machine that I used in my sports lighting business.

Personally, I don't think I would buy one without aux hydraulics. I wonder if that is something that could be added?

The machine I have now is a NH L190 with a cab, Heat and AC. Down here in Texas, AC was a must for me. In the spring and fall I find myself taking the door off so I can enjoy the fresh air. The door comes off my L190 easily.

tmc_31 said:

I had an LX565 for several years. It was an excellent machine that I used in my sports lighting business.

Personally, I don't think I would buy one without aux hydraulics. I wonder if that is something that could be added?

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I was told that several years back the aux hydraulics kit was available from a dealer and not priced to badly but the kit is no longer available and cost prohibitive to add now....I may check into cost sometime.
I don't have any immediate tasks to do around the house so if it is too hot out I'll leave it in the shed and if it's too cold out it will stay in the shed also....the last time I used it I power washed it off and then put it in the shed and waxed most of it the next day...now I'll wait until the ground is dry so no mud on it

Terry Summers said:

I owned an almost new Cat 226 with enclosed cab and really, really liked that machine...rented Bobcats skids and Gehl mini-excavator when building our home several years ago and good machines as well and I know I would be very happy with either of these brand machines also. I will also be EXTREMELY happy that I don't need to use a pick, shovel, and wheelbarrow any longer to finish landscaping on our house.
Asking price was $9,350.00 and dealer accepted my offer of $8,350.00 delivered to my home about 30 miles from their yard. I do appreciate everyones feedback and I just came across a deal I couldn't pass up and this machine should do everything I need.

https://www.machinerytrader.com/lis...pment/for-sale/23139273/1996-new-holland-l565

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I spent 2 years of my life in Afghanistan running 2 brands of skid steers, and with out a doubt the Cat skid steer was a beast! I was not impressed with the bob cat , the military sent 10 brand new ones with every attachment available , and it barely had enough power to turn the auger WTF! so we rigged it up for the old cat to drill the holes , it was a beast. but it did not have all the fancy cabs etc.. But I own a Bobcat mini excavator and it is a dream to run, loads of power smooth, really nice digger.