Looking to buy a backhoe loader. Ford 550 price?

[Alexp08]

Yes, you can buy the oil analysis kits on line, at motorchecklab.com, or at any local Cat tractor dealer.
I am 76 years old, so am likely 90+% already worn out, and I certainly am not rebuildable.
My "oil" samples are done yearly, and in a tiny glass jar ( I don't do oil samples on my tractors since I have owned them for a while)
You may be able to find a mechanical thumb that will work for you on E-Bay, or perhaps from Titanmachinery.com.
For a GOOD mechanical thumb (I think the Titans look flimsy in their photos) you might expect to pay at least $800, plus having it welded on your machine.
For a hydraulic thumb it would likely be twice that.
I had one custom made (mechanical), and it cost me $900 installed, I thought that was a bit pricey, but my hoe bucket is very large.
Do not buy the cheapest thumb out there. It may fit, but you will bend or break it!

Is yours a moveable thumb or stationary. Im wondering how hard it would be to add another hydraulic cylinder and make it like a thumb on a bobcat

 

[fried1765]

Is yours a moveable thumb or stationary. Im wondering how hard it would be to add another hydraulic cylinder and make it like a thumb on a bobcat

By definition, a mechanical thumb is a manual thumb, that is stationary, and may be attached, or detached, manually.
Mine is a stationary manual thumb (it is very easily removed).
You can certainly buy or build a hydraulic thumb, and that is definitely the BEST way to go.
You may need to double or tripple the total installed price estimate for a hydraulic thumb, when comparing cost to a manual one.

 

[D7E]

It would make $10-12,000 here . Old case 580's with no cabs make $6000

 

[Alexp08]

It would make $10-12,000 here . Old case 580's with no cabs make $6000

Well.it has a cab, but no windows and will probably need the hoe cylinder replaced as they welded the top off it after it started leaking. Doesnt inspire confidence in their regular maintenance

 

[newbury]

I'm also interested in a backhoe, but I like to buy my stuff from Public Surplus.

The following list of links are prices I found for various BH's within about a 200 mile radius of Washington, DC since 2013.
Each link should give you prices and pics, but little info. The secretaries/admins listing the stuff usually know diddly about it.
$17.600
$11,307
$5,407
$10,100
$8,200
$11,600
$16,200
$11,600
$24,100
$12,200

This is not an exhaustive list, just ones I was mildly interested in. I looked at a couple, but couldn't afford any. But in my area most of the counties maintain their equipment and excess it after a set number of years. That's how I got my M4700, which I've only replaced several hoses, front tires and one cylinder (cylinder repair was only $40).

But a point is darn few went for less than $10K.

/edit - all from Public Surplus