Backhoe Who regrets their Backhoe Decision?
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CTyler
Veteran Member
I've had the tractor and hoe for almost 1 1/2 years now and 460 hours later... NO regrets. It would have been cheaper to rent but a quick tally is 2k worth of rental expenses. That doesn't include all the little convieneint uses like holding logs for the chain saw, planting trees, digging up some stumps etc... I still have plenty of time consuming projects to do with the BH.
mahlers
Gold Member
My only regret is that I'm now on the neighborhood list of "call that guy to get your stumps dug up, etc." Otherwise, the BH rivals the loader as being indispensable and I wouldn't even consider not having one. I use it like a gigantic extension of my arm to do anything that I would have done 'by hand' if I were a giant.
Ledgemere Farm
Veteran Member
I agree. My dealer quoted me in the neighborhood of $6500 for a backhoe. I have a friend with a huge Caterpillar excavator that will come over and do in 15 minutes what a little backhoe couldn't do in a day. For me, a backhoe would just be a huge waste of money. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
TWINKLE_TOES
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2000
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So the only folks who are sorry they spent money on a backhoe are those that didn't? </font>
Bingo!! You got it Mike /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Wish I had got mine a long time ago. <font color="blue"> </font>
So the only folks who are sorry they spent money on a backhoe are those that didn't? </font>
Bingo!! You got it Mike /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Wish I had got mine a long time ago. <font color="blue"> </font>
<font color="blue"> So the only folks who are sorry they spent money on a backhoe are those that didn't? </font>
I think that a few of us only answered the original question regarding our "backhoe decision" of not purchasing one and not with any regrets. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Who said anything about spending money that they didn't? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
If I had one, I probably would have found many, many uses for it also - but mostly conveniences to me with respect to the considerable cost.
I've done things that would have been easier with a BH (taking out trees, putting in drains, etc), but still couldn't justify buying one. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I think that a few of us only answered the original question regarding our "backhoe decision" of not purchasing one and not with any regrets. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Who said anything about spending money that they didn't? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
If I had one, I probably would have found many, many uses for it also - but mostly conveniences to me with respect to the considerable cost.
I've done things that would have been easier with a BH (taking out trees, putting in drains, etc), but still couldn't justify buying one. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
NIXON
Veteran Member
I regret my backhoe decision ! I didn't buy one ! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
I have a lot of uses for one that come to mind . Oh well maybe this time next year i'll have one . John
I have a lot of uses for one that come to mind . Oh well maybe this time next year i'll have one . John
rockyridgefarm
Elite Member
Sorry - even i don't fully understand the Backhoe Economics Axiom i just made up!!! Do you REALLY think Archemedes relly knew what eureks means? Heck, he was stark naked running mad!
MadDog
Platinum Member
The responses on this thread certainly tend to show that MOST people profess to be happy with what they actually did, whether it was buying or not buying.
...reasonable points on both sides and I guess that I am no exception; I bought my B7800n with a subframe mounted Woods 7500 and have NO regrets at all either about buying the BH or buying the largest one that my tractor could handle.
Boy, has it been useful! So far, I have used it to dig stumps and uprooting sapplings from about one half acre of very thickly overgrown back land. I tried doing some of the sapling removal with the FEL, but it is MUCH faster and easier with the BH. Digging the stumps might have been possible with the FEL but would have taken many times longer than the BH and put a hell of a lot more wear and strain on the entire tractor. I cleared this land of all but the large trees that I wanted to keep in a few weekends. Without the BH it would have been a most-of-the-summer project. ....unless, of course, I rented a BH and if I made a habit of that, by the time I get done with the remaining 2+ acres (not to speak of the 30 waiting for me in the Berkshires) I would have paid for the BH without owning it).....
This summer, I plan to use the BH for excavating a small (1200-1500 sq. ft.) landscaping pond. If my polebarn site has too many or too large boulders to dig the holes with a PHD, I'll resort to the BH. Since it has already extracted and moved 2' diam boulders without undue difficulty, I am hopeful that it is all I'll need as backup for the PHD and for the FEL when digging and grading the area for the floor slab.
I expect that the amount of my use of the BH, to say nothing of the convenience of being able to use it when I want and for as long as I want on any particular day, will largely return my financial investment in it within 2-3 years.
The "cost/benefit" analysis of buying a BH involves a personal business decision as to the deployment of substantial financial resources. I think that this is a matter for individual judgment for each of us, in light of our own resources and priorities and there simply is no "correct" answer to whether it is sensible to buy a BH or not. Only one of my children is still in college and my wife and I have no substantial future expenses to consider other than our own financial security and eventual retirement. If buying a BH compromised either of those, I would hope that I wouldn't do it.
...reasonable points on both sides and I guess that I am no exception; I bought my B7800n with a subframe mounted Woods 7500 and have NO regrets at all either about buying the BH or buying the largest one that my tractor could handle.
Boy, has it been useful! So far, I have used it to dig stumps and uprooting sapplings from about one half acre of very thickly overgrown back land. I tried doing some of the sapling removal with the FEL, but it is MUCH faster and easier with the BH. Digging the stumps might have been possible with the FEL but would have taken many times longer than the BH and put a hell of a lot more wear and strain on the entire tractor. I cleared this land of all but the large trees that I wanted to keep in a few weekends. Without the BH it would have been a most-of-the-summer project. ....unless, of course, I rented a BH and if I made a habit of that, by the time I get done with the remaining 2+ acres (not to speak of the 30 waiting for me in the Berkshires) I would have paid for the BH without owning it).....
This summer, I plan to use the BH for excavating a small (1200-1500 sq. ft.) landscaping pond. If my polebarn site has too many or too large boulders to dig the holes with a PHD, I'll resort to the BH. Since it has already extracted and moved 2' diam boulders without undue difficulty, I am hopeful that it is all I'll need as backup for the PHD and for the FEL when digging and grading the area for the floor slab.
I expect that the amount of my use of the BH, to say nothing of the convenience of being able to use it when I want and for as long as I want on any particular day, will largely return my financial investment in it within 2-3 years.
The "cost/benefit" analysis of buying a BH involves a personal business decision as to the deployment of substantial financial resources. I think that this is a matter for individual judgment for each of us, in light of our own resources and priorities and there simply is no "correct" answer to whether it is sensible to buy a BH or not. Only one of my children is still in college and my wife and I have no substantial future expenses to consider other than our own financial security and eventual retirement. If buying a BH compromised either of those, I would hope that I wouldn't do it.
PineRidge
Super Member
I rented backhoes and mini-excavators while working on my vacant lot before the house was built. But when it came time for a new tractor purchase I had New Holland include a FEL and backhoe in the package.
I think a backhoe can be used almost as much as a loader and you are only limited by your backhoe length or lack of imagination. I'm always dreaming up new ways to use mine. They are great for plucking large boulders from a creek-bed to be used for accent in my pond. And I can use the backhoe to place the boulders wherever I need one while still remaining high and dry.
Oh, I do us it to dig more than a few trenches and stumps as well. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I think that everyone that owns a backhoe should add one way that they used it other than to just dig a hole to prove how handy they actually are. Maybe some of these guys that don't own one will reconsider the investment. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I think a backhoe can be used almost as much as a loader and you are only limited by your backhoe length or lack of imagination. I'm always dreaming up new ways to use mine. They are great for plucking large boulders from a creek-bed to be used for accent in my pond. And I can use the backhoe to place the boulders wherever I need one while still remaining high and dry.
Oh, I do us it to dig more than a few trenches and stumps as well. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I think that everyone that owns a backhoe should add one way that they used it other than to just dig a hole to prove how handy they actually are. Maybe some of these guys that don't own one will reconsider the investment. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
