small excavators best good brands

[niamek]

I want to buy small excavator about 2-2,5 tone. I just check all excavator brands near where I live.
They are
CAT, JCB, Komatsu, Atlas, Sany, Takeuchi, Kubota, Yanmar, Wacker Neuson, Case, Bobcat, Volvo, Doosan.
Which are better than the other. Which got best quality for the price ?

 

[Clguest]

There is no single answer that most would agree to; but here was my experience. I had a interest in one brand; but after demoing a low hour 1 year old machine I determined that the machine size (weight and reach) was right; but the demo unit had several problems that the dealer should have attended to before delivering the machine to me. These included AC not working, the boom drifting down fairly quickly, cab resonated at some engine speeds, and others. Next I looked at what I believe to be the most popular brand in our area, Bobcat. I bought one, again low hour 1 year old machine. It was a good choice. I recommend that you start with the most popularl brand you see in your area and demo several units to confirm the size is right for your needs.

 

[John Canfield]

Takeuchi, Kubota, Yanmar have a good reputation on this forum. Doosan owns Bobcat, I have been happy with my Bobcat E42. Buy from a dealer that offers great service.

 

[OTG AuGres]

I’ve been happy with my Bobcat E42. I have a great dealer. Seems there are several good brands out there. Dealer support is a big thing.

 

[Tyler d4c]

Well my take is cat. Reason is we buy junk rebuild it then use it. If I need a part I can get it.

 

[KSSS]

Wacker Nueson. Popular through out the EU.

 

[PeterG]

I would suggest you buy used but newer than a 2000 model, pre-Tier 4, a canopy version with thumb, and get a digging bucket and cleanout bucket at the time of purchase. Takeuchi is easy to buy used, as many of them are United/Hertz ex-rentals. The Takeuchi TB016 is about the 2 ton range, and they have a few models going up to the TB240 size. I would also look at Models like the Deere 27D, 35D. Kubota makes great machines. Regarding the other brands, find some models in your size, then check Machinery trader to see how popular they are. What Dealers are near you? You don't say if this is for a business or for something for your property but that may be a factor as well and if you are going to work on it yourself.

 

[suladas]

I've rented Takeuchi, Bobcat, Deere and Volvo in that size and found them all to be pretty good machines and quite similar. Rented a 8 ton WU, absolutely garbage, only had about 2000 hours on it either the machine was beat really bad or they make a really bad machine. No digging power, and controls so loose you couldn't be fast. Except for the fewer of the less common like sany, doosan, and atlas I would strongly pick based on what's available, and dealer support.

No idea on Sany, but there was a bunch of brand new 200's that went through RB here last month, went for about $80k, so either no one knows about them or they are complete junk.

 

[KSSS]

If by WU you mean WN, your rented machine was an anomaly. The WN ET90 gives up nothing to the Taki TB290. I own Taki mini excavators but that ET90 is an amazing machine. It is fast and powerful and even though I am more familiar with Taki, if had to chose between the two 9 ton machines it would have been the WN. Go to Europe where the OP is at in WN is a popular excavator.

 

[niamek]

Wacker cost more than Cat here and its made in Austia... nothing good comes from there...

 

[KSSS]

Up until recently WN made CAT's smaller mini excavators. I have been to Linz several times. State of the art factory.

 

[suladas]

If by WU you mean WN, your rented machine was an anomaly. The WN ET90 gives up nothing to the Taki TB290. I own Taki mini excavators but that ET90 is an amazing machine. It is fast and powerful and even though I am more familiar with Taki, if had to chose between the two 9 ton machines it would have been the WN. Go to Europe where the OP is at in WN is a popular excavator.

Yea WN. I would hope so considering it was a 8 ton machine and my Takeuchi is only 6 tons and would dig circles around it.

 

[KSSS]

Well like I said, the machine you ran isn't indicative of their excavators. I have run the ET65 against the Taki 260 and the ET90 against the Taki 290. The ET65 was considerable stronger than the 260 and the 9 tons came down to preference, but as good as the Taki 9 ton is, the WN 9 ton was every bit as strong and fast. Your experience is yours, if want to judge the entire line off of the machine you ran, that's up to. Realize that is the same as going to Rent a Wreck driving a Ford pickup, and saying they are all a POS. I have run them side by side, for 2 days, in the same ground conditions. The WN makes a high performing excavator and like I said, I have owned Taki excavators (TB153's) since 03.