Good Deal on this Tachutchi TB235?

[Courage]

Hey guys, yqll have been a huge help with shopping for equipment. Just wabted to get you take on this machine. Seemed like if might be a gpod deal, but wasnt sure if the unknown hours should scare me away. Here's the description.

2013 Takeuchi TB235 Mini Excavator – New Tracks, Thumb, Offset Boom

2013 Takeuchi TB235 mini excavator in good working condition. Machine runs strong and all functions operate as they should. Recently installed new rubber tracks that are nearly brand new.

Equipped with:
• 12” digging bucket
• 18” digging bucket
• Hydraulic thumb (fully functional)
• Straight dozer blade (up/down)
• Offset/rotating boom at the cab

Hours:
The hour meter is not currently working. Previous owner stated the machine had approximately 2,200 hours, but this cannot be verified.

Known notes:
• Operator seat has a rip; replacement seat is inexpensive and easy to install
• Open cab machine

Approximate Specs:
• Operating weight: ~7,500 lbs
• Engine: ~33 HP diesel

 

[Allan M]

Hey Courage: I personally am suspicious when an hour meter isn’t working on any piece of equipment. Does the owner have service records? That said, if you check the tracks, drive gears for wear, cylinders and connections for leaks, the pins for slop and make sure all electrical appears to be working correctly you may have a good deal.

The Yanmar diesel in these beasts are reliable as the Takeuchi brand in general. If the engine starts, runs solid, no smoke, clean oil, etc… I think you can tell if this has been maintained or abused. Note: Always be around to start an engine from “cold” not already warmed up when you get there. Cold engines can’t hide wear and tear issues--and might reveal things that a warm engine won't.

One last thought...is this the original owner? If yes, check out his other equipment to see how well it is maintained. If this is a broker or dealer then they will just tell you what you want to hear to flip the thing. If I sound a bit cynical it's because I've made some bad equipment purchases. I let my emotion override the mechanical facts/reality that I'm actually smart enough to see. I just wanted it too bad.

Good luck.

 

[Courage]

Hey Courage: I personally am suspicious when an hour meter isn’t working on any piece of equipment. Does the owner have service records? That said, if you check the tracks, drive gears for wear, cylinders and connections for leaks, the pins for slop and make sure all electrical appears to be working correctly you may have a good deal.

The Yanmar diesel in these beasts are reliable as the Takeuchi brand in general. If the engine starts, runs solid, no smoke, clean oil, etc… I think you can tell if this has been maintained or abused. Note: Always be around to start an engine from “cold” not already warmed up when you get there. Cold engines can’t hide wear and tear issues--and might reveal things that a warm engine won't.

One last thought...is this the original owner? If yes, check out his other equipment to see how well it is maintained. If this is a broker or dealer then they will just tell you what you want to hear to flip the thing. If I sound a bit cynical it's because I've made some bad equipment purchases. I let my emotion override the mechanical facts/reality that I'm actually smart enough to see. I just wanted it too bad.

Good luck.

Thanks so much for your detailed reply! I really appreciate it!

I realized that I never included the price. ‍♂
He's asking $19,500. I was thinking of making an offer on it, but not 100% on where I'd need to be for it to be a good deal, assuming everything checks out on it.

He's not the original owner, unfortunately. I'll ask about service records. I've seen quite a few Tachutchi mini excavators with non working hour meters, so I didn't know if maybe they were a known problem.

Lastly, I haven't been able to find much negative stuff about Tachutchis on line, and i thought they were one of the recommended brands from a different thread, but one of my buddies who is a diesel mechanic sure doesn't care for them. Are they a lower tier machine manufacturer than say Cat, Case, Deere, or Bobcat?

 

[Simon C]

Be a good idea to spend less than $100 to get a Hydraulic sample with it running, get a sample from each planetary, and you could get one from the swing motor.
Look at the filters for dates. Check how clean the radiator core is. They can wash the outside like a woman with lipstick , might not be as good as first look.
Be careful.. A few hundred dollars spent will be like toilet paper if something major is gone.
Simon C

 

[Allan M]

Be a good idea to spend less than $100 to get a Hydraulic sample with it running, get a sample from each planetary, and you could get one from the swing motor.
Look at the filters for dates. Check how clean the radiator core is. They can wash the outside like a woman with lipstick , might not be as good as first look.
Be careful.. A few hundred dollars spent will be like toilet paper if something major is gone.
Simon C

Hi Simon: Are you saying send a hydraulic sample to a lab for analysis or just look at the sample and see if any metal or other debris is in it? Good thoughts.

 

[Allan M]

There are a few pros on this site that have driven most of the machines you list above...and others. I'll bet most name brand machines are pretty good or they wouldn't last in business. Each machine has its idiosyncrasies. Hopefully some of these guys will read this thread and give you their input. I have a Kubota Excavator and Kubota Tractor. I personally like this brand and dealer network. The Takeuchi has a very good reputation for being reliable. If your friend is a mechanic that works on Excavators then why not buy him a beer and let him take a look. If he tells me Yanmar engines are junk I wouldn't believe him. Yanmar engines have a history of reliability and simplicity. Not sure what his beef is with these. If your mechanic friend isn't familiar with Excavators and especially the unique hydraulic functions including the drive, swing, and boom/arm then that doesn't help you much. Along the lines of what Simon was suggesting above, before you sync $20k into a machine pay an experienced mechanic to have a look. It might cost you a bit of time and $300 to $500 but a cheap way to help predict whether this is a good investment or not. The hour meter is still troubling to me. There is a big difference between a machine with 2200 and 6600 hours--with maybe a 10,000 hour life span before major or big dollar work is needed. 2k hours on this machine that is in good condition (with buckets, new tracks, and a thumb) is likely a reasonable price; not if it has 6k+ hours on it though. IMO : )

 

[HarleyHappy]

Couple of issues.
The hour meter.
The repaint, why didn’t they bang out some dents on the sheet metal and do a little bodywork?
Tells me, it is probably a flip.
Only you can know how tight it is, how it starts cold and hot. How it tracks, turns, lifts.
What is the barbecue lighter doing on the counterweight?
Honestly, the price isn’t bad but it’s not great, with a bad hour meter.
I would at least double those hours.
How much wear is on the foot pedals and mat?
The way they did the new lines and paint, makes me question the crap out of it.

 

[Simon C]

Hi Simon: Are you saying send a hydraulic sample to a lab for analysis or just look at the sample and see if any metal or other debris is in it? Good thoughts.

If I blew off the planetary with high pressure air, dumped the oil into a pristine clean white container I have done so many that I could tell you if something is bad or normal inside, along with the magnet if it has. If the owner tells you that he just changed that oil and it comes out dirty, then RUN. Taking plug out and finding way too much oil in planetary or none at all can tell you lots also.
The alternative is to spin the tracks and suck out a sample and send to the lab for probably 20-40 US each is my guess. Each side is worth many thousands
Changing the oil is my choice if the owner allows, because if it has a magnet, any chunks will be there or in bottom of white container.
The oil would cost same as sample or less, but would be instant information.
On the hydraulics side, after you ask and he tells truth or lies a running sample will tell it all. Planetaries are big dollars, pumps and control valves lots also.
With no proof of hours, even a previous repair bill with hours on it would give you an indication of how many hours it has now.
Some prudent buyers get good deals, also some people believe everything and cry alot.
Simon C

 

[jbernielh]

I usually find how much the texturing is worn off the sticks is a pretty good indicator of hours... if they're worn smooth it's a lot more than the 2K hours..

 

[Allan M]

Courage: Based on reading HarleyHappy and Simon C's input (I've always learned a lot on this site) this is experience versus emotional buying speaking to you. Maybe some testing is worthwhile but my gut says I'd walk away from this one and look for something that has a working hour meter and a known history of ownership. Even that 2' dig bucket looks very worn...like a boat load of hours. A

 

[BC Placer gold]

I usually find how much the texturing is worn off the sticks is a pretty good indicator of hours... if they're worn smooth it's a lot more than the 2K hours..

I do the same, also look at travel pedals for wear.

 

[BC Placer gold]

Courage: Based on reading HarleyHappy and Simon C's input (I've always learned a lot on this site) this is experience versus emotional buying speaking to you. Maybe some testing is worthwhile but my gut says I'd walk away from this one and look for something that has a working hour meter and a known history of ownership. Even that 2' dig bucket looks very worn...like a boat load of hours. A

That bucket shows a lot of wear for sure…

 

[Courage]

Wow guys! Y'all have so much good information! I'm in no hurry to buy a machine, so with everything shared, I'm not even going to waste my time or the seller's time by going to look at a machine that I most likely won't go home with.

How can you tell it's been repainted? I can't find any indicators of that, so I must be missing something.

Changing the hydrolic oil is genius!

As far as my mechanic friend's dislike of Tachutchi's, he said the pins don't last and will be sloppy after 1k hours, and that they're just a cheap/throw away machine. I've seen a lot for sale though in the 6-8k hour range, so I can't imagine them lasting that long if they're junk?

When I'm looking to buy something, I do my best to not get excited about the purchase, so that I can think rationally. I have a rule for myself that if I don't need the item ASAP (which I don't here) that I don't buy good deals, I buy great deals. I'll continue on the search.
Thanks for all of your help! : )
Courage

 

[HarleyHappy]

As to the repaint. You can’t get all them dents and diggers, without scraping some paint off. One pic shows grey overspray. Machine looks way too nice, to have been worked hard. I expect from what I have seen, that machine had a hard life but you never know, if you don’t look.
Your HE friend is biased, those Taks are great machines and do not wear out in 1k hours, unless terribly abused.
Buying a used machine is part being a mechanic, part being an operator and part being a bit of a detective.
Beware friends and family that are biased, it’s the old Ford Vs Chevy and then throw in Dodge and everyone seems to believe THEY are correct.
Buy the machine for YOU as you will be operating it and more than likely working on it.
Do your do diligence and be ready to jump, when needed to.

 

[Simon C]

I have seen excavators with 8000 hours with original pins and they were ready to change but was greased religiously, in other words greased with bucket curled in, then 4-6 hours later greased with bucket rolled out, and same with stick cylinder greased with it fully extended out, then greased with stick fully curled in. The grease goes full circle this way How people do things will determine the condition of equipment.
Simon C

 

[mowingman]

As mentioned above, it is a repaint for sure. In fact, you can see red overspray on the gray corner piece, in the first picture. Plus, all those dings should have various scratch marks.

 

[Courage]

As to the repaint. You can’t get all them dents and diggers, without scraping some paint off. One pic shows grey overspray. Machine looks way too nice, to have been worked hard. I expect from what I have seen, that machine had a hard life but you never know, if you don’t look.
Your HE friend is biased, those Taks are great machines and do not wear out in 1k hours, unless terribly abused.
Buying a used machine is part being a mechanic, part being an operator and part being a bit of a detective.
Beware friends and family that are biased, it’s the old Ford Vs Chevy and then throw in Dodge and everyone seems to believe THEY are correct.
Buy the machine for YOU as you will be operating it and more than likely working on it.
Do your do diligence and be ready to jump, when needed to.

Ohhhh.... thay makes sense about the dents and the repaint. I'm going to continue including Tachutchis in my search then, as there seem to be a lot of them in my area.
Sounds good I'll keep looking.

I have seen excavators with 8000 hours with original pins and they were ready to change but was greased religiously, in other words greased with bucket curled in, then 4-6 hours later greased with bucket rolled out, and same with stick cylinder greased with it fully extended out, then greased with stick fully curled in. The grease goes full circle this way How people do things will determine the condition of equipment.
Simon C

Gotcha. That makes sense. I guess he could have had his experience with an abused Tachutchi...

As mentioned above, it is a repaint for sure. In fact, you can see red overspray on the gray corner piece, in the first picture. Plus, all those dings should have various scratch marks.

Oh gotcha. That makes sense.

Thanks guys for all of the help!