Pecker
08-22-2005, 11:18 PM
Hi all. I was hoping someone could offer some advice. Looking for a small skid steer loader like a Bobcat 463 or maybe an older Case 1816. In my area, north Louisiana, I have not been able to find anything, even at a high price. Its like there are no used skid steers to be sold in existence. Even eBay can't help - all the ssl's I've been interested in for at least 6 months are way up north and besides costing $500 up to ship, I'd be buying blind, and that's not my style. There are plenty of big ones around, but I need something small, even a stand-on would do, although I'd rather sit in one.
I've tried eBay and IronPlanet (which seems hard to use because it won't tell me the city the equipment is located in). I've also posted here on LawnSite several times, but the only responses are from like California, etc. - way too far to drive. The local papers don't have anything. NONE of my local dealers keep used skid steers around because I guess the demand is there. The closest I've come was a 453 1999 with 950 hours at a local rental center. They wanted top dollar at $5500 and high retail was like $5200 and they wouldn't budge at all. In hindsight, I'm glad they wouldn't come down on the price because it was really a rough unit that needed a few things (like the bucket was welded to the unit - I guess to prevent theft; it was missing lugs off a wheel; and it creeped when yokes were int he neutral position; and that was just the things I saw and I'm not much of a mechanic at all - so I lucked up by them playing hardball :cool2: . . .but that's beside the point.
Buying new is out of the budget - BTW if I can find one I would need to keep it less than 5k anyhow, but like I stated, even expensive ones aren't around.
Anyone have any other idears?
I've tried eBay and IronPlanet (which seems hard to use because it won't tell me the city the equipment is located in). I've also posted here on LawnSite several times, but the only responses are from like California, etc. - way too far to drive. The local papers don't have anything. NONE of my local dealers keep used skid steers around because I guess the demand is there. The closest I've come was a 453 1999 with 950 hours at a local rental center. They wanted top dollar at $5500 and high retail was like $5200 and they wouldn't budge at all. In hindsight, I'm glad they wouldn't come down on the price because it was really a rough unit that needed a few things (like the bucket was welded to the unit - I guess to prevent theft; it was missing lugs off a wheel; and it creeped when yokes were int he neutral position; and that was just the things I saw and I'm not much of a mechanic at all - so I lucked up by them playing hardball :cool2: . . .but that's beside the point.
Buying new is out of the budget - BTW if I can find one I would need to keep it less than 5k anyhow, but like I stated, even expensive ones aren't around.
Anyone have any other idears?