Kubota L39 with 2400 hours

[Grandad4]

Seems LD1 and I are saying pretty much the same things about your project list.

That Ford is a good example of going with a full-sized machine, although it's not a low-hour machine any more and may or may not be wanting some major maintenance. You'd get your excavating and dirt moving work done faster with it than with a smaller TLB setup, but that option means you'll put more of the burden on your TO30 to handle the grading and leveling work with 3 point implements. If the old gal isn't up to that work, you might be shopping for another tractor anyways. Of course having two machines for a big project isn't necessarily a bad thing, if your budget has room for it.

Without having seen your property and the work to be done, I think it might get down to what kind of equipment you actually find available.

 

[LD1]

Nothing wrong with a high hour machine IF it checks out and the backhoe isnt really sloppy..

Whatever they are asking, if it is in reason you can probably resell when you are done for the same as you pay. Cause when shopping used (or selling used) there isnt much difference between 8500 hours and 8800 hours....

 

[scoutcub]

Thanks again for all your input. It is hard to lever open the wallet for this kind of cash without much experience.

jc

Given that fact, I would seriously consider hiring an experienced mechanic to go thru the 8500 hour hoe, or any other piece of equipment with signifigant hours on it.
I was in your shoes several years ago looking for an excavator and found a great deal...after I hired a local heavy equipment mechanic to check it out, it seemed not to be such a good deal at all. The owner started dropping the price, and I still ran away.....best 100 bucks I ever spent.

As others have said, buy a good piece of heavier equipment, do all the heavy work....then sell it for what you paid or near to it....then buy the smaller 4X4 for the smaller jobs and to keep.

Good luck!

 

[DocDiesel]

I'd go look at and sit on each. There are some things that are better to be hired out. I was in a similar predicament, ended up with a used 110 with a bunch of goodies. If I could do it over I'd suck it up buy a new Kubota M59 with all the goodies. I was thinking about the larger 90's TLB's as well, but looking back they are too large and inconvenient for a lot of the average joes work. Any of the compact TLB's would work much better for you. After having the creep to repo with the backhoe, I wouldn't buy a backhoe with out something similar. I'd keep looking at the Kubota's and 110...

 

[Tomtint]

It is a bit far from you but there is a 700 hr L35 on the Boston CL for $16,500