Buying Advice To buy or not to buy, that is the question...

[big bubba]

digging graves w/back hoes is just fine. as long as the graves are not the ones financially buying the hoe in the 1st place. (i prefer hand dug graves myself, as i do all my trees, shrubs, & landscaping needs)

 

[highland hunter]

"you get a better deal as opposed to buying a BH afterwards" - davesl708

There in lies my biggest concern. Pay the piper now or pay the piper more later...

 

[highland hunter]

4570Man

"Did I need a backhoe, nope.
Would a shovel have worked, yes.
Would I have rented a backhoe, no.
Am I lazy and used a backhoe, yes. "

Speaks volumes alone. Would I need it, nope. Would I be lazy and use it? YUP

 

[nikerret]

Hi. Welcome to TBN.

Here is the issue. If you get the BH now as part of the purchase you get a better deal as opposed to buying a BH afterwards.
List the things you plan to do with the tractor and see what will need a BH. If the list is short rent a BH for as little as $200 per day and do the work with that.
You can get a lot of rental for the cost of a BH if you don't need it.

I just checked the local rental place. They had a JD 17D mini-excavator for $99/3hrs, $195/day, $595/week(5 days). They have one. If you have one project, and can plan it ahead, and the weather cooperates, and it doesn't matter if you tear up the yard (or you have enough plywood to put down to not tear up the grass), there is no reason to buy.

If you want to use the FEL of a small tractor to move some dirt, the prices are $295/day, $695/week(5 days). Small "city" only has one of each, and I rarely see them in the lot.

I chose to buy the BX25D (includes small BH) because I want to be able to drive all over my yard, use the BH, and not worry about tearing stuff up. I also work terrible hours and get called in pretty regularly. In KS, the weather can change as fast as the mood of a pregnant woman. Yes, I could have rented the BH for eight weeks, but my biggest project will involve ripping the top several inches off the ground with the BH then using the FEL bucket to pick it all up and move it to the trailer, for disposal. For this project, I would need to rent the mini-ex and the CUT. I'm guessing the project will take 2-3 days with the BH and 2-3 days with the CUT. Factor in three kids, other family obligations, and the weather, make that a few hours a day, for 12 days; probably not one after the other.

Add in several other projects with time like that, and I figured I'd just buy and use as time was available.

 

[MonRiver]

I just bought a Kubota BX25D TLB with a 60" MMM last Saturday. It'll be delivered this week. I fought with the idea of spending the extra money then my wife pointed out the things I need to do right now. I have a ditch that needs dug, at least 7 stumps that need removed, she wants to move both of our sidewalks, i need to install at least 2 drainage systems in our yard to eliminate wet spots, and we have large dogs that unfortunately don't get to live forever.

I still debated. I plan on having this tractor for 20 years. Right now I can rent a mini excavator for around $400 per day (that's tax and delivery.). Ten rentals pays for the backhoe--and since my projects aren't going to happen all at once, I'd be renting one 4 times for at least 2 days each time.

And if I decide I'm not using it in a few years, I can always sell or trade it for one without.

 

[teg]

Convince a friend to buy one and borrow it... (don't ask me how I know about this )

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

On my NH property, a SCUT would have very limited digging value. Too many granite rocks WAY too big for it. That doesn't mean there aren't other uses for it though. I just wouldn't plan on doing much digging.

 

[fried1765]

I just bought a Kubota BX25D TLB with a 60" MMM last Saturday. It'll be delivered this week. I fought with the idea of spending the extra money then my wife pointed out the things I need to do right now. I have a ditch that needs dug, at least 7 stumps that need removed, she wants to move both of our sidewalks, i need to install at least 2 drainage systems in our yard to eliminate wet spots, and we have large dogs that unfortunately don't get to live forever.

I still debated. I plan on having this tractor for 20 years. Right now I can rent a mini excavator for around $400 per day (that's tax and delivery.). Ten rentals pays for the backhoe--and since my projects aren't going to happen all at once, I'd be renting one 4 times for at least 2 days each time.

And if I decide I'm not using it in a few years, I can always sell or trade it for one without.

Your logic is exactly correct!
and .....once you have it, you will NEVER sell your TLB (unless you buy a bigger one)!

 

[Tompet]

"you get a better deal as opposed to buying a BH afterwards" - davesl708

There in lies my biggest concern. Pay the piper now or pay the piper more later...

Since you referred to purchasing a scut one other thing to consider is the factory scut tlb's are set up a little different than their counterpart scut non BH models.

I am quite sure of the following two brands as examples: if you were looking at a bx25 tlb or Massey gc1720 tlb and instead bought a bx2370 or a Massey gc1715 you can't add the factory BH to these units after the fact. You would have to buy a Woods or other aftermarket BH. Nothing wrong with that...just pointing out the option would then be different.

Get a price on a bx25 or a Massey gc1720 against their non BH counterparts (bx2370 and gc1715) with a FEL and compare the difference, I think it will be considerably less than adding an aftermarket BH to the counterpart units.

JD or some other scut's may be a different case, but on these two brands that I am familiar, I believe this is the case.


It's not the same with the CUT tractors and adding a backhoe (or not).

 

[paulfun9]

agree with this poster. how often will you really need a b/h compared to other 3ph implements you'd use for utility? b/h is nice when you really need one, but i'd consider rental for that use, and the versatility of interchangeable equipment around the farm you wouldn't be able to use (w/o considerable trouble removing b/h) with the hoe installed... good luck!

My very first time removing and then installing the backhoe on the DK just to see how hard it would be was less than 10 min. There is also no need to remove the 3 point at all just raise it up all the way Now after a few times taking it on and off to use various other attachments I am sure my time taking it off is about 2 min and re-installing it afterwards is probably less than 5 min but I usually take a smoke and coffee break right around the same time as are-installing it so its hard to tell.

Bottom line is do your homework and buy a machine with a quicker attachment than the others, My friend with his JD curses every time he has to take his off and the look on his face when he watched me switch from backhoe to grader was priceless.