In My Opinion,
I bought a used T5C about 3 years ago, it was a used rental that was for sale. Paid $6500 for it with the full ROPS and the super wide floatation tires. i primarily used it to dig out about 40 tree stumps in my back yard. A friend and neighbor would use it on occasion with the agreement I would sell it to him for the same money when i was done with it PLUS when he bought it I then could use it when needed. Well The machine was awesome. It dug out every stump I had with no problems. Yes the loader is small but its really a home owner backhoe. A contractor called it a powered wheel barrow! Anyway I missed it so much that I bought another one last year. It is a 1996 with the skinny AG tires on the back and just a roll bar. I like the hydrostat drive, I like that it takes 10w30 motor oil not hydraulic fluid, I like the ease of the forward/reverse pedal with no gears to shift. Yes it travels slow BUT where the heck are you going to drive to on a backhoe? I have just over 2 acres of land and these machines are fantastic workers. I wish I had the smallest hoe bucket for digging stumps and being a welder/fabricator guy I may build one. The 20hp motors do the job these machines are built to do. The Terramite company is there for you but be warned when you order parts they really charge way too much shipping, be sure to get a quote when you have them on the phone. My 96 has been blowing hoses lately and I have decided I should have ordered the complete kit from Terr. for the $450. to be ahead of the game. I have about $200 in replacement hoses so far and I pulled 2 more off yesterday. Luckily I have a hose maker about 1 mile from my house! So sorry to ramble on but I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Terramite at all. The only drawback I see is the hoe is permanently mounted, no 3pt hitch like a small tractor. Thanks for listening 2terras
I bought a used T5C about 3 years ago, it was a used rental that was for sale. Paid $6500 for it with the full ROPS and the super wide floatation tires. i primarily used it to dig out about 40 tree stumps in my back yard. A friend and neighbor would use it on occasion with the agreement I would sell it to him for the same money when i was done with it PLUS when he bought it I then could use it when needed. Well The machine was awesome. It dug out every stump I had with no problems. Yes the loader is small but its really a home owner backhoe. A contractor called it a powered wheel barrow! Anyway I missed it so much that I bought another one last year. It is a 1996 with the skinny AG tires on the back and just a roll bar. I like the hydrostat drive, I like that it takes 10w30 motor oil not hydraulic fluid, I like the ease of the forward/reverse pedal with no gears to shift. Yes it travels slow BUT where the heck are you going to drive to on a backhoe? I have just over 2 acres of land and these machines are fantastic workers. I wish I had the smallest hoe bucket for digging stumps and being a welder/fabricator guy I may build one. The 20hp motors do the job these machines are built to do. The Terramite company is there for you but be warned when you order parts they really charge way too much shipping, be sure to get a quote when you have them on the phone. My 96 has been blowing hoses lately and I have decided I should have ordered the complete kit from Terr. for the $450. to be ahead of the game. I have about $200 in replacement hoses so far and I pulled 2 more off yesterday. Luckily I have a hose maker about 1 mile from my house! So sorry to ramble on but I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Terramite at all. The only drawback I see is the hoe is permanently mounted, no 3pt hitch like a small tractor. Thanks for listening 2terras