Would you think I was crazy if...

TomSeller · May 7, 2015

Excavators are digging machines. Backhoes are all purpose machines. Big upside to excavator is digging efficiency, huge downside is transportation around your property. Either trailer it or slowly transport while ripping up your grass. Downside to a backhoe is it is not as good at digging, but you can get to the other side of your property in short time assuming you are not on a big ranch.

Roadbuilder6 · May 9, 2015

I would definitely do it, but I would want something a little bigger. My mini was just as if not more useful then my tractor.

Steppenwolfe · May 9, 2015

Thanks, Guys for all of the great advice. I like the idea of trailering the mini around the property. Saves time and track wear. I also think I may have to consider the next size up KX-91, just to be sure. I have thought about a used machine pretty hard, but worry about abusive use from the past. I would have to personally know who I bought the machine from. Too many jokers out there who don't respect their machines. Gotta have a thumb, too. And, yes. It will have to be a Kubota. Too set in my ways, I guess. I'll keep ya'll posted.

ErikVann · May 13, 2015

I think the kx91 would be the minimum useful size for the work you are looking to do. I would seriously consider the kx121 with the six way blade. At 8000lbs the 91 is gonna be on the light side for stumping and other similar tasks. Breakout force will be much higher on the 10,000# kx121. Not sure you can still get a new 121 I think the model has been replaced but there are plenty of good used ones out there.

MossRoad · May 14, 2015

Hey, if you can afford it and want it go for it....:thumbsup:

Personally, I doubt you'll ever get your money's worth out of it if its just for personal use. We can rent one for $230 per day, or $690 per week. I'd just plan out my projects, stake out some areas to be worked and take a week off work and see just how much I could accomplish with one to see if its really worth purchasing VS renting. The reason I say this is many years ago I got one for a weekend rate. That's one day's rental price but got to use it Saturday and Sunday, return Monday morning. I thought it would take a long time to dig out a 24' x 32' garage foundation. I was done in a little over and hour! So I dug out trees for a couple hours and returned the thing with only 4 hours on it. They really do accomplish more than you think at first.

rswyan · May 14, 2015

Over the last 10 years I probably easily have over 2 months worth of rental time (total) with various Kubota mini-ex's (U17, KX-41, KX-91)

If I were going to pull the trigger, I'd be inclined to go with the KX-91 as the minimum size I'd want, as an overall general purpose machine for use around our property ...

The zero tail-swing units are nice for close in work, and even the smaller units will easily out dig the BH4690B backhoe on our B2910.

Hindsight being 20-20, if I had it to do all over again, the $$$ we shelled for the backhoe and the rentals would have made a nice down payment on a mini-ex ...

dusty3030 · May 14, 2015

****** got me looking at prices and thinking about it. I can't right now but you made me look.

ErikVann · May 14, 2015

Around my neck of the woods a 10,000 lb machine rents for $400+ a day.I too have spent about a quarter to a third the cost of a new machine on rentals in the past 3 yrs. I shopped pretty hard for one this spring but ultimately chickened out.

I wouldn't get anything less than 10k lbs for a general purpose machine. If all you were gonna do is dig trenches than a smaller machine would be fine but it sounds to me like you want to do a variety of tasks that would be done significantly quicker and with less wear and tear on a heavier machine. What's the point of spending forty grand on a machine that you are frequently pushing to its max? I bet you will pay more in repair bills than you save by getting the right sized machine from the get go.