Which 5 ton mini - ex

[imjustdave]

Ok I have been looking at the following

Kubota KX161-3
Kobelco 50SR-3
Hitachi and deer 50 class
Yanmar 55 or 45 class

I own a JD CT 332 so I would like to have an mini-ex in the same weight- performace class + I have a truck and trailer to move it, though only 1 at a time. Anyways I feel these are some of the nicer machines out there, but I seem to be finding that they are also the most expensive.... Im looking for some advice, opinions, and ideas, I seem to be getting a lot of work latly for excavation, and demo's of small homes and garages etc.

I have some rental experiance on the smaller kubota KX121-3 and can rent it for really cheap, but its not allways avaiable, or convienant, for pick up or drop off. I like the machine but I feel that its a little small, a little slow and with the option of renting for cheap I might as well get bigger if I do decide to buy a mini, But Im worried the 2 pump design is a limiting factor and I do notice the 121-3 slow down when I use a 3rd funtion......

Local deer can't sell the deer Ex something about another buisness has that contract so they sell the yanmar, it look good, has some nice options, but the don't have a lot of invintory of the yanmar line,

hitatch deer Ex I can get about 15 miles away but I feel like with a small unit help might not be there and the sales guy didn't seem to really want to talk.

the Kobelco is a local dealer too, lots of units big and small and they seem to really want to sell one to me even though its a small comish for them, but they still want like 75K for it with a cab.


I dont' have a lot of experiace with the mini, but I do expect more and then some from every piece of equipment I use, not abusive but I do demand a lot.

I plan on doing excavation for homes, back filling, utility work, small demo, clearing of some land and trees, retaining walls ETC. I would consideer used but there hard to find and then theres financing issues with used and interest rates, and I want and need to make $$$$ not sit and fix stuff.

So any help or advice is welcomed,

 

[Squizzy246B]

Done a lot research on this recently and ended up buying the Yanmar. The dealer thing is at your judgement but in the 3 & 4 tonne machines I could hardly pick the difference between the Hitachi and Yanmar (both have Yanmar engines). I have been very happy with the Vio to date.

We have a 161-3 with nearly 4000 hrs on it...no problems and is holding up well. The Cat 305 has more get up and go than the Kubota but I'm not complaining.

 

[Nac]

What about Komatsu pc-50. Are you looking to buy new?

 

[dayexco]

$75k for a mini? have you done some looking on www.machinerytrader.com ? i'd even look at some of the stuff on ebay.

that seems REAL spendy for a mini.

 

[imjustdave]

$75k for a mini? have you done some looking on www.machinerytrader.com ? i'd even look at some of the stuff on ebay.

that seems REAL spendy for a mini.

Ok it was 64 + tax just looked up the quote. Heat, AC, 3 buckets and a progresive link thumb. I know it pricy, but Im not to sure about used machines, you never really know what was done to them, or what the service maintainance really was like, This would be my first mini to actually own, so I guess in some ways I dont' want to buy a used headach.

What in terms of HRS is a lot for used machine?
Any brands to really stay away from?


Thanks everyody

 

[Ford LT-9000]

Stay away from gray market machines the cheaper price might look good but when it comes to getting parts you might have troubles.

As for brands if you are going near new or new most brands are pretty equal. Kubota is a good brand the 161 is a decent machine it has some quirks but every machine does.

Komatsu is getting pretty common the with the little PC series machines.

Keep in mind what are you going to move the machine with the 10,000-12,000lb machines are out of the range for a trailer behind a P/U truck. Your going to need a 3 ton truck to properly carry a 5-6 ton mini on a tag trailer. A gooseneck trailer with a F-550 or 5500 sized truck will probably carry a 161 sized machine.

With a mini the newer the better it seems to be mini's get beat on more than a fullsize exavator especially if its been a rental machine or belonged to a larger company. People are always trying to do stuff with a mini that it was never designed for.

 

[NateV]

The Kobelco is a great machine. My dad has one and has had no problems what so ever with it. He bought it new in 01 or 02. His is the 45sr-2 which is the same as the new 50sr-3. I would look at Case as well. They are a kobelco machine just painted up in Case colors. I have some pic in my sig.

 

[DigDug]

HEres the Case pic of a 50

 

[KSSS]

I have been very happy with my Takeuchi TB53. It is a near zero tail (within inches) and zero swing. The side to side boom is a great feature and hands down better than the swing boom set up that is common on most. The machine weighs 12.5K but specs with most machines in the 16K range. I am lookings at updating mine to the new 153 series (getting a cab this time). Price is 58K cab/ac, no thumb or coupler (putting on myself). If you have a dealer they are worth a look. The machine more than pays its way.

 

[d4c24a]

takeuchi

these are good machines and are probably the no 1 seller in the uk the last one we had on rent was a tb145 and it was a good performer much better than the kubota 151 :thumbsup

 

[CascadeScaper]

Komatsu's new dash 8's look to be very nice contenders. I really like Cat's new C series mini's, but I think there are better machines if you have multiple dealers in your area.

 

[LowBoy]

I handle the Cat lineup every day. It starts out at a 301.5. The tracks are narrower than the cab, so they fall over for no reason sometimes. (good for a hoe ram or small excavation,) They go up to a 307C. Depending on your weight class preferences, the 307 is a heck of a machine for it's size. Strong hydraulics, actually has more muscle than rear end.(Trying to stay non-profane...)
Of course, you're going to pay for the 3-letter word quite a bit more than one that runs on soy sauce. Not to bite the hand that feeds me, but for the price difference, one of the soy burning brands are just as good, and easier on the checking account. Flip the hood open on a Cat, and there's the same weird writing on all the engine number and ID tags as there is on the Asian models...:yup
That Hitachi with the built in hoe ram is an interesting design concept. That with a blade and a thumb would be a good, versatile piece. Someone posted a picture of one he bought recently here somewhere, I can't remember who it was.The hammer actually contracts up into the stick when not in use. Pretty clever...Don't even have to remove the bucket; it has a cutout that allows it to bypass it.

 

[atgreene]

My Takeuchi 135 is an amazing digger. I've had some issues, but I doubt that I would have had any better luck with any other machine. For it's size, I haven't found any other that will out power or out dig it.

 

[KSSS]

Of course, you're going to pay for the 3-letter word quite a bit more than one that runs on soy sauce. Not to bite the hand that feeds me, but for the price difference, one of the soy burning brands are just as good, and easier on the checking account. Flip the hood open on a Cat, and there's the same weird writing on all the engine number and ID tags as there is on the Asian models...


Thats because CAT's excavators also run on "SOY" sauce. Made by a company called Mitusbishi.

 

[imjustdave]

You guys who run a Takeuchi have you run other brands?

Most of the rental yards out here rent then out. I had one job and used a 145, seemed ok but honestly every movement seemed to be a little slow, it was like every time I moved the joy stick I was full speed " IE I used the joy stick more of as an on - off device instead of variable use" at the end of 8 hrs, I felt that the machine was just slow, almost painfully slow, seemed slower then the 121 kubota that I usually rent.

I also rented a 135 with 20 hrs on the clock and it was just gutless, I had to take 1/2 to 1/3 scoop just to dig a hole, I rented this about 2 days after the 145 and I deffenatly noticed a big change.

Dont' get me wrong I don't have a lot of experiance with the other brands in the dirt but I haven't been very impressed with the Takeuchi brand, maybe its a matter or differance of Dirt in this area or maybe Im just too dam picky. Yes I got the job done but I'm allways looking to save time and hopfully make more $$.

 

[KSSS]

I owned an IHI excavator before the TK. I very much liked the IHI. When I replaced the IHI, I weighed between the TK and another IHI. I went with TK obvously but I don't think I could have lost with either machine. This is my first TK and it has been almost flawless in operation. I have 1400 hours on it and it is operating in extremely difficult conditions (double digit below zero, 9000 feet in alt.) It is very powerful. I would agree they are not the fastest machines out there but they are some of the most powerful atleast in this weight class.

 

[imjustdave]

Ok I found a really nice looking Kobelco 45SR.... used with about 1000 hrs. Anybody have any experiance with this model?
Good Bad?
Recomendations? on what to look at?
Any big failular points on Mini ?
Price seems fair and a lot less then a new one. I can live with a used one if the deal seems fair.
Its a rental unit at a dealers lot, which can be good and bad but it seems to be an ok unit.

Thanks
Dave

 

[coopers]

That looks like a nice machine.

Blake

 

[CascadeScaper]

Price? Looks like a good machine with 1,000 hours on it, that's for sure. As far as Kobelco goes, great machines as far as I can tell. Never talked to anyone who was disappointed with a Kobelco.

 

[imjustdave]

well were still talking #'s on the machine, does anyone know of a blue book equivlant for equipment?
There is a cab unit avaiable too

But right now Im looking at 2 machines

45-2 Canopy
1000 hrs
$37K


50-3 cab
400 hrs
$52K


Also before I dive right in with this, anybody know if Kobelco or JD is coming out with some killer low interest rates in the next few weeks?

I supose I should just dive in and buy the thing and stop worying, :Banghead but basicly its about $300 a month different in payment for the cab, and a little newer or $10 a day. or I could buy brand new and spends about 400-500 more.

Thanks for the help everyone..... you know its allways easier spending someone elses money :thumbsup