Mini Excavator buying advice
 

I've got several projects on 30 acres of farm land and was thinking it might be better to buy an excavator instead of renting one.

My projects include:

Trench for geothermal ground loop pipe. 10ft x 5ft x 375ft = 700yd^3
Field tile 3ft x 4ft x 900ft = 400yd^3
Boulder removal
Filbert tree removal
Light grading

I want to get something that can be hauled by my truck, so I'm thinking 8-10k pound range. A thumb is a must. I know very little about excavators, so what do I want to look for and what should I avoid? What is the stick length?

The particular auction I'm looking at has these listed:
2004 BOBCAT 435G
2004 BOBCAT 331G
BOBCAT 331
2003 JOHN DEERE 35C
SUMITOMO SH40
TAKEUCHI TB25FR

Are there particular brands that hold a better reputation? All advice is appreciated :)

With the amount of digging you want to do a regular backhoe, sometimes referred to as a TLB would do the work much faster. It also is faster on it's feet and will allow you to carry materials where a mini-x will not. Personally, I've always rented a Bobcat brand mini when I needed one and usually a 337. It's heavy, 11k plus but it's strong and I usually have to mess with stumps so the power is nice. Also, if you're going to be clearing, a backhoe will scoot the trees around pretty easily.:cool:

Thanks for the great advice!

I should have mentioned that I have an old Alice Chalmers 190 setup like this:
http://www.tractorhouse.com/images/T...e/80752746.jpg

Would a backhoe be cheaper than the mini excavator?

Used you should be able to find either one pretty reasonable. The big thing right now is that dealers are still trying to unload as much iron as they can because of the economy. The ability to buy, especially if you can pay cash, makes negotiating favorable for you. Remember to get the machine throughly checked out. Worn bushing are more than an aggravation, they're dangerous and will cost you time as well. The best advice I could give you right now is shop, shop, shop and don't believe anybody who quotes the specs for a brand they don't sell. You can get the specs online yourself. Don't be in a hurry, compare apples to apples and run the machines. There can be night and day differences between them.

We had both the Bobcat 331's and a Takeuchi and personally I liked the Takeuchi a bit better. Seemed like it was beefier and all around better built than the Bobcat.

always make sure that the machine you buy will allways do a little more then you will need

What about this machine for $29,000:

http://i.ebayimg.com/01/!BjB8k-gB2k~...O1dCQ~~_12.JPG

I don't know if it includes the trailer. How much is the trailer worth? What size should I be looking for to complete my projects? I'm thinking about buying something like this for my dad, and maybe he can get some jobs on the side. He was made to be a heavy equipment operator, but just found out too late in life.

you have some good advice already- think mobility for any contract jobs.
mini s can go sideways at a whim, so be careful moving the house , at angle or swinging weight.
for what you want done, the ta'chi is good and sells quick.
for a future keeper, a backhoe.
my three cents

The advice is appreciated, but I'm wondering if the price is right for this machine. I have no experience pricing out this sort of equipment. Just figured there would be a couple people on this forum that have purchased equipment before.

Very good advise. A backhoe is much more versatile and used one's can be had cheaper than even small mini excavator. 30plus years operating.[coffee]

I don't know much about equipment, but I figured an excavator would be more useful because of the traction provided by the treads, and the angle blade for back filling. We already have a loader on the AC, so I don't understand how a backhoe would be more versatile.

I'll check out one of the heavy equipment forums and see what they say.

seems a little high with the way construction is going

As everyone has said, go with the backhoe versus the mini excavator. I have a Ford 4600 with a industrial loader on it. I also have a Case 480F backhoe. The 4600 is nice for light work but can't compare to the backhoe front loader. The front bucket is good for lifting around 5000 lbs. It can push dirt really easy. Not to mention the versatility of the backhoe. Plus it can move quickly where the excavator can't. Although I like the the full rotation of the excavator. I would not trade my backhoe anyday of the week for a mini excavator. Weight wise my 480F is just over 12,000 lbs and the 580 series I believe is 13,000 lbs plus. Plus if your really inclined you can get 3 point hitch setup to put in place of the backhoe. A thumb is a nice attachment to have. I would like to get one for mine someday. $29,000 would certainly buy a nice used backhoe.

I bought a Takeuchi tb145 for $17,000 in excellent condition it weighs in at 10-11K very strong too we have a JD310 and the 145 lifts just a tad more. its a great machine!

Go with a mini ex.. ya already have a tractor with a loader to push stuff around.. I personally like bobcats.. Just had to rent a bobcat 331 to bury a horse and was very pleased with the power, It also had a hyd thumb on it which was pretty strong.. However if I was buying one I'd get a 337 or one a lil biger.. The guy at the bobcat dealer said that the 331 mini ex was an 8,000 lb machine and the 337 was a 12,000 lb machine.. Backhoe's are nice but try pullin out and carying a tree with the front bucket, its next to impossible and will make you mad.. And get em in some mud or on slick ground and you won't go anywhere... If it was my money I would go for the mini ex, but it's your money so its your decision.. Good luck with your buying and have fun :) TractorMike