Yes its too bad Ingersoll or Bob Cat did not further refine this back hoe. With a few changes it, nothing in its class would compare. Last fall I bought a Earthforce EF4 2000 model (just when Bob cat bought them out) . No one machine can do everything excellent. Its hard to beat a small track hoe when it comes to digging. I had a JD 50 trackhoe, but at times I was on the job and would need some dirt moved and it just was'nt practical or wanted to travel across a field and it took too long . I had a JD 240 skid steer, that I would haul to my job site but that took extra time and fuel. If I just bought out the skid steer, with the back hoe on it, then needed to spread some dirt then I had to switch the backhoe off of it. Then if I was doing a job on soft ground in a persons yard, when I got done with the skid steer it looked like a bunch of wild hogs had been routing around for acorns. I bought the Earthforce and used it for awhile to see how it worked out. I dont feel it matches the speed and mobility of the skid steer. But you cant have everything in one piece of equipement. I just sold the JD skid steer and trackhoe a couple of weeks ago. The Earthforce had cut down on my traveling cost and speeded up my overall efficency. It doesnt tear the ground up near as much as the skid steer. Mine has only 275hrs on it. I dont perticular like the forward and reverse control on the shift lever . Its ackward for me. I like the mobility of it, the room it has, the smoothness of the controls. I dont think there is any thing made under 10000 lbs that will match it. A larger tractor would be too big for what I do. I, like every one else is wondering what the parts situation will be in a few years. I was wondering how it would compare to a JCB 210? Has any one had any experience with one of them and what do they weigh? Is it as mobile as the Earthforce.