South Texan
New Member
I have always had the privilege of buying new are close to new equipment in the past. My standing rule was buy them with 12 to 1,500 hours and sell when they hit 6,000. Now that I have started a new company and have no partners with deep pockets a $200,000 machine is out of the question. I need a 345 but a 330 will do. Cat has always been my choice. Cat is what I was brought up with. I know what to expect from Cat service, performance Etc. I'm looking at a 2003 330 with 14,000 hours on it in the high 60s It seems to be in good shape and hasn't been in the rock. A friend has a 02 Hitachi 450 with 8,000 hour for around 100. Both these options scare the crap out of me. I need a big hoe and cash is looking to be my only option. I know I can RPO one but if you can't get the financing at the end all you are doing is paying big rent. Any thoughts? I know people run machines out to 25,000 hours or more. All I remember about the days when I had D6D's, 7G's and a list of other old used equipment was hoping that whatever machine was going to break down that day would do it before 3:00. That way I would have time to get parts for it so after working on it till all hours of the night it would be on the job the next morning. Although is fun to think of those good old days when red fuel was 58 cents a gallon and my hair wasn't turning grey I don't care to relive them. I do most of the small repairs in house. Trackhoe's with all the complicated hydraulics are above my limited skill set. All I keep thinking is if I do this there will be a dealer service truck parked at my pit every week. Please tell me I'm wrong!
P.S. I'm a dirt guy not schooled in grammar so please excuse the mess ups in spelling Etc.
P.S. I'm a dirt guy not schooled in grammar so please excuse the mess ups in spelling Etc.