Need to buy a machine for the spring here and can't decide which way to go. It will be used for backfilling basements, the occasional driveway/garage pad prep, breaking out concrete, snow removal, etc. The biggest use will be dirt work, the others is just rare. Basically to go with my 6 ton mini ex to help with anything it can't do. I was hoping to budget about $20k, which will get me a decent wheeled machine, but I need to spend at the very least $30k to get a decent track machine. My only experience running a track machine is a PT30 which was nice, but hear nothing but bad things about places i've rented them from. None of them would carry them if someone else made a comparable machine, a lot of problems and incredibly expensive to maintain, so not even considering one and it's a bit small anyway. I really don't like the idea of spending $30k on a machine that might see 300 hours a year, and one big repair and the machine is costing me a fortune when it's not getting used a lot. If I would use it less i'd rent, but i'm guessing i'd spend about $10k a year in rent, which easily justifies the purchase to me. If I spent $15k on a wheeled machine I wouldn't be heartbroken to have to rent a track machine a few times a year for the tough ones.
A lot of basements I do have 4-5' sideyard so not much room to work. I mostly try to reach in from the ends with the mini, but a 5' skidsteer would help a lot, and the flotation of tracks would be ideal. I've got by with a 6' wheeled machine ok and for the right price I think i'm ok buying one like it. A nice one would be something like a Case 60xt with 12x16.5 tire, fairly light and narrow but still the wide tires so would have more flotation then a heavier machine.
Units i've looked at are Case 420-440ct (series 3), Case TR270, TR320, Takeuchi's I have the mini ex and it's been good and i've heard they are a reliable machine. Reviews seem to be mixed about over tire tracks, and I don't like the possibility of damaging a chain, i'm not even sure if that's a worthwhile option? But it seems like peoples opinions are a track machine isn't a good buy over 3,000 hours unless it's had a lot of work? For my price point i'm looking at maybe a 2008-2012 with anywhere from 2000-4000 hours in a track.
Things I like about CTL
Flotation
Can do almost anything a wheeled machine can do, but not the other way around
Narrower
Will do the job faster in the mud, etc
Things I like about wheeled machine
Lower purchase price
Lower cost to operate
Lower potential cost of repairs like drive motors
Easier to maintain
A lot of basements I do have 4-5' sideyard so not much room to work. I mostly try to reach in from the ends with the mini, but a 5' skidsteer would help a lot, and the flotation of tracks would be ideal. I've got by with a 6' wheeled machine ok and for the right price I think i'm ok buying one like it. A nice one would be something like a Case 60xt with 12x16.5 tire, fairly light and narrow but still the wide tires so would have more flotation then a heavier machine.
Units i've looked at are Case 420-440ct (series 3), Case TR270, TR320, Takeuchi's I have the mini ex and it's been good and i've heard they are a reliable machine. Reviews seem to be mixed about over tire tracks, and I don't like the possibility of damaging a chain, i'm not even sure if that's a worthwhile option? But it seems like peoples opinions are a track machine isn't a good buy over 3,000 hours unless it's had a lot of work? For my price point i'm looking at maybe a 2008-2012 with anywhere from 2000-4000 hours in a track.
Things I like about CTL
Flotation
Can do almost anything a wheeled machine can do, but not the other way around
Narrower
Will do the job faster in the mud, etc
Things I like about wheeled machine
Lower purchase price
Lower cost to operate
Lower potential cost of repairs like drive motors
Easier to maintain