Would you think I was crazy if...

[Steppenwolfe]

Here's the question, in all seriousness. Would you think I was crazy if I bought a mini excavator just for myself? We have 80 hilly acres here in SW Virginia, and I would love to put in a bunch a walking, riding trails. We have a few, but need more. We actually have acreage we haven't seen yet because of the terrain. There is only so much I can do with the tractors, and a mini ex is just the ticket. I even has the Boss on board with the idea. Kubota has a great KX-71 for around $38 grand. I figure I could use this for several years, accomplish what I want, then sell for a good price. What do ya'll think?

 

[Parkanzky]

If you have the means, then why not?

I have under five acres and bought myself a 2032R with a bunch of attachments. I don't necessarily need it, but I enjoy playing with it.

If you think it will do the work and you'll have fun doing it, buy it and don't look back!

 

[namesray]

If you can afford it, and it will do what you want, then nothing is a crazy buy. It is all in how we as individuals want to allocate our money. Everybody spends their money differently, and rarely would the next guy spend his money the same way.

I would think with your background you could find many other uses for a mini ex other then just trails and such on your property.

$38k on a piece of equipment at that buy up cost will probably be about $20-$30 dollars per hour to run it depending on how many hours you put on it in a year.

If you bought used, and there seems to be a lot of used ones out there, it would seem to me you would loose a lot less in depreation when you decide to sell in a few years over brand new. These units seem to hold their value though.

One down fall I can think of is the slow transport speed of a mini ex. Any I have run will take you 15 minutes just to go a quarter mile. Will that work for you getting the thing to the sites on your hilly property?

Just some food for thought. Good luck and enjoy whatever you decide. Stay safe on those steep hills.

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

Don't stop at the kx-71,go all out and get a kx-121. Can you really put a price on getting it done ?

 

[dusty3030]

Anything you can take a 179 deduction on? May or may not get it all but at least 25,000 of it as it stands maybe more if congress comes through this year.

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

You're asking the wrong bunch of people. I can't say I have ran into too many posts where TBN members didn't want to spend someone else's money. If you can afford it, go for it:cool2: Now if you were talking to a lot of the wives on here that is a different story.

 

[KiwiBro]

Dozer with a 6-way

 

[MHarryE]

When I retired I was going to get a skid steer to complement my CUT but instead bought a used mini-excavator. Even my wife agrees it is one of our best buys. It's easily paid for itself but I did buy it during the worst market when prices had tanked so I got what I consider an exceptional deal. Beginning to end - I've dug in power lines for new construction and dug graves for the local cemetery. The most fun thing is demolishing mobile homes. With tracks there is no worry about punctures. I would, however, have a hard time justifying a new one although if I had known more about the 179 expensing at the time, it might have been interesting.

 

[hosspuller]

Get a hydraulic thumb. It will allow you to pick up and move stuff you would never think of moving.

 

[boblibido]

I have 40 acres and dream almost daily about getting one...

If you run out of things to do, you can come play with it at my house too.

I guess what I'm saying is you're crazy if you don't get one.