Buying Advice Buying backhoe with the tractor upfront.

[DK35vince]

I've just had to have a powerline and waterline trenched for my daughter's new house. Might have been a bit cheaper if I'd had a bh, but with depth, it would have taken a 50hp or larger tractor.

How deep are they ??
I can dig 8 1/2' deep with my 35 HP tractor.
My water and power lines here in Western, Pa. I dug at 40" deep.

 

[Torvy]

Apparently you never used a small bucket on a backhoe to dig out For a mailbox. A half hour? Took him about 2 min. Not kidding!

That is another consideration...if, like me, you have zero practical experience using a backhoe (unless you count the Tonka one we used in the sandbox as kids), the time and potential mistakes may not be worth it compared to hiring it out. Unless, of course, you have more than a few tasks that are best done by a backhoe. I would guess that many people who bought a backhoe have found uses for it that could have been done other ways. (Much in the same way most of us seem to fill up a garage no matter how big we make it). Personally, I can 100% see things I might do with a backhoe. The problem for me comes in figuring out of it is worth that extra money. The initial outlay for Kubota is in the 7-10K range for a CUT BH. Add in various buckets and maintenance...that is a pretty big outlay for a tool that will get occasional use. For others, the BH may be more of a daily use thing, I am not seeing it for me. The tractor and FEL will be used frequently. That is the difference between just hiring out all the work versus hiring out BH work. So, at the end of the day, if the dealership wants to throw in a BH for cheap, I will likely use it. I'll not likely buy one otherwise.

 

[fried1765]

How deep are they ??
I can dig 8 1/2' deep with my 35 HP tractor.
My water and power lines here in Western, Pa. I dug at 40" deep.

My 48HP Kubota will dig to 11'

 

[DK35vince]

My 48HP Kubota will dig to 11'

So his utilities were dug between 8 1/2' - 11' or more deep in Ar ?

 

[Williy]

The LS tractor has more standard options than a Kubota
compare both tractors with the same options and you will
find that buying the LS you can own a backhoe plus other
attachments and still have money instead of buying a
Kubota! Don't just take my word for this check it out for
yourself! Also test drive both tractors so you can get a
feel for what you want!

willy

 

[Torvy]

The LS tractor has more standard options than a Kubota
compare both tractors with the same options and you will
find that buying the LS you can own a backhoe plus other
attachments and still have money instead of buying a
Kubota! Don't just take my word for this check it out for
yourself! Also test drive both tractors so you can get a
feel for what you want!

willy

Thanks. That gives me another line of research to do...more work, but a good problem to have. The nearest LS dealership is in Tyler...44 miles from my place. Could be a PITA if there is a problem. To be fair though, only Kubota and JD have dealerships significantly closer to me. The only problem I am having with LS is that they don't publish an MSRP. Hard to compare if I don't know what the base prices are.

 

[shooterdon]

Well It looks like you have a cab tractor that I am guessing cost more than $30,000. You probably have a lot of implements and attachments as well. Plus upkeep costs and fuel and garage space wasted. You could have saved all that money and just hired someone to maintain your property for cheaper than that. So I dont think anyone is buying any of these scuts or cuts or tlbs to save money, lol. Because you are not unless you use it in a business. Also there is always a faster machine you could rent to do anything you are doing with your tractor. So anyone saying a bh attachment is an unnecessary thing because its "cheaper" or "faster" to rent a mini ex should also be saying it's better to not buy the tractor in the first place because it's better to rent one, lol.

My point being that the majority of people are buying these scuts or cuts or tlbs because they are handy tools we buy to own and have available when we want them because we enjoy using them. Not because it is a money saver or time saver. So my advice is get what you want, what you can afford and go have fun and enjoy the accomplishment of doing your own projects and/or maintainence with your property.

I made up an extensive spreadsheet. Factored in the jobs that must be done regularly as well as those that are not done regularly. Estimated the cost of having stuff done for me. Looked at a 15 year time frame. Also, the resale value when I am too old and must move off the property. My tractor is a tool and not a toy to impress anyone or play with. I live where snow is an issue, and getting plowed out can be hit or miss. Heating costs are high (propane only) so we burn wood for most of our heat. My method of handling firewood requires almost no manual labor but works best with a tractor that can lift over 2000 lbs. Those two issues alone provided sufficient payback for my situation. Suggesting the OP make up a list of jobs is good advice if he wants to take it.

I agree with buying what you can afford but I tend to address needs rather than wants. If someone wants a "toy" because they can afford it, it is their business. Might be a waste of money but it is their money. Not everyone is able to waste money.

For many folks the $5k BH on a small tractor might be better invested in a more capable tractor or attachments they can utilize more frequently. For others, it may work out differently.

I shared my experience honestly. In 9 years I have had $600 of BH work on my 20 acres. I had the BH work done before I had a tractor....no BH work since then. It would have been stupid to invest in a BH.

So far, all the OP has planned to do is trench for a water line and deal with a couple of trees that may be too big for his machine anyway.

Suggesting what someone should purchase based on our needs is not helpful unless they are very similar. The OP is closer to having my needs than yours. He has less than $600 of BH work to do. So his "convenience cost" will be $4000 to have the BH available for whatever jobs may pop up in the future. Like you said...nothing wrong with that if that is what he wants. I think he is better off putting that $4k towards a bigger and more capable machine.

 

[DieselBound]

My neighbor got a used small Kubota with a backhoe. I haven't seen him use the backhoe at all. And it's never been off that tractor: I've done some mowing for him. I was going to have him dig up some buried lines I had but I ended up doing that by hand (lots of probing): every once in a while it's good to break out in a sweat. Usually, when I have to dig I REALLY have to dig, be it a pond or getting out huge stumps (and burying them).

As shooterdan says above, it's best to do a cost analysis. AND, don't forget maintenance and repairs (if you're not breaking it you're not using it enough)! Hard to break commercial grade equipment.

I rent, but only on well-defined projects.

Hiring out for a one-off is also something worth costing out.

 

[Omega Woods]

I have a Branson 4520 with a hoe. I use it a lot but in batches. However, I agree with Jeff that I would have been money ahead to rent a mini-ex once a year and do everything I need to do.

Given the size of the tractor you're thinking of buying, I might be reluctant to get a hoe. I also have a BX2380 and I don't think a hoe on that would be nearly as useful as on my bigger unit.

If your main concern is resale, you won't recoup the extra cost for a hoe when you go to resell, most likely.

 

[streamin]

I didn't get a BH with mine although I wanted too. I think in 5 years I only needed it once, however, once you have something like that you find uses you didn't know would help. I was always of the thought( if you can afford it) of having a separate machine for the BH, maybe find and old used one for 5-10K with a buckek on front. That way it would also be a bigger heavier unit for doing bigger jobs. I always thought the BH for a 50hp tractor was too small anyway. Just my opinion. no experience with one. My main use would be to dig out stumps.