Buying Advice too many choices !

[bellbird]

Hello every one

I have $40 grand AUSTRALIAN to spend on some machinery ( Lucky old me hey !) to use on my property and possibly to develop a landscaping business
We live on 3.5 acres about an hour North of Sydney in New South Wales
The property has some quite steep slopes - up to 30 degrees, and half of it is covered with rainforest with mature gum trees and other natives.

I want to use the new gear to amongst other things -

Landscape the ground cutting into the bank to make more useable areas
Help to build a number of buildings one of which will require grading the land up to 2 m
Remove tree stumps -some of old gums up to 1 m wide
Remove none native trees from the bush again some 1 m wide
Remove privit, lantarna and other invasive species
Be of use in general garden maintenance - shifting mulch, collecting cuttings to be dumped, digging planting holes ect.
Drilling post holes for fencing

The options I have considered so far are

Split the money approx. 50/50 on a second hand skid steer/loader( wheeled the tracked are way toooo much ) and an excavator (1.5 to 3.5 tonne)
Buy a new Kubota BX25d - price quoted $25,000
Buy a new Kubta L3800 with BH77 backhoe and LA 524 4 in 1 FEL- price $34,000

It goes without saying the less money spent the better!

The only other thing is I got the quote on the L3800 because on initial appearance the BX looked a little too like my dads ride on John Deere - only a
better color !

Thank you and ANY advice will be very much welcomed.

G'day

Rob

 

[KiwiBro]

G'Day Rob,

Digger is certainly a faster option than a tractor for the excavating and more useful for things like footings if that's what you had in mind for the buildings.
We used to work on 1/3 out of the ground, 2/3rds in when building pole retaining walls so if that's how you'll be retaining where needed, the excavator would be better for that drilling also.

I'd spend the $ on a tractor and hire a digger. I'd find the tractor more useful and versatile in the long run and with some good planning you can knock out all the digger work in one or maybe two hires and the tractor can support it dumping trailers, levelling, bringing in poles and supplies, etc.

Editing to add, I'd be looking at the Yanmar LX490 for AU$34k (including grab snatch and take). It's a super, 49HP tractor, with the FEL, power shift, 4-1 bucket, etc. Just really nice Japanese quality (if it's that rather than the orange paint that attracts you to the Kubotas).

For a cheaper but still good option, the Case Farmall B series tractors are made by LS in South Korea.

 

[bellbird]

Good Evening KiwiBro

Thanks the the quick and detailed reply
just for know thanks again and will get back with more detailed reply
and what choices I make !
kind Regards
Rob

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