TB 145 demo

[AWJ Services]

The salesman dropped it off at the house today.
My wife called and wanted too know what that thing was in her driveway.:)

Took it for a quick spin.
I had it equipped with a 36 inch bucket and it handles it well.
The Cat I demoed has no where near the digging power this machine does.
I am taking some pictures and will post in a while.

[AWJ Services]

Here are a few pics.
I will post some more later.

[fhdesign]

That 145 is a nice machine, I've been spending a lot of time looking at the 135, mainly because of the weight difference. I'm going to look at some Cat's tomorrow, open house at a local dealer, but I'm still not crazy about zts, didn't you want a machine with a cab?

[AWJ Services]

didn't you want a machine with a cab?

Yeah that was what I wanted.
My salesman said this was the next unit he had available and he added that he sales about 10 no cabs too every cab unit.
So it would be better for him if I demoed this unit.
The TB153 was too heavy for him too deliver so I took this one for simplicity sake.
I went down too the lake and pulled up heaping loads of muck too test the stability.
I was impressed even over the sides.

I am sold on Takeuchi.
No machine I have ever run comes close except Kubota.

[fhdesign]

I have very little experience on minis, but a lot on larger machines, my local Takeuchi dealer is really good and honest, so if I buy new... I'd probably stick with them that plus I've been dealing with them for 25+ years.
They really like the 145 more than the 153, main reason being most of there customers really don't need or use the ssb.
In our area of the northeast almost all the machines are sold with a cab and most with a/c.

[RockSet N' Grade]

I wish our Takehoochi dealer around here was worth his salt, cause I would love to have one over the yellow mini's.

[ksss]

There customers don't like the SSB. I don't see how that is possible. Everything the 145 does, the 153 does better. The only issue I see with the SSB is the number of grease zerks.

[AWJ Services]

There customers don't like the SSB. I don't see how that is possible. Everything the 145 does, the 153 does better. The only issue I see with the SSB is the number of grease zerks.

I agree.
He uses a F450 and a trailer too move the machines and the TB 153 puts him overweight so they have too have a big truck move the machine for demo which makes it harder too get a demo in a hurry.
I wanted too demo this before I decided on the Cat 305.

I will probally get a 153 .TRhe 145 specs almost I dentical so it is a good measuring stick on digging performance.

I now have too decide between open canopy or cab.
For some reason I like open cabs.
We only have about 10 cold days a year here.
It does get hot in the summer but that does not bother me.

[ksss]

I would give my thoughts on my 153 but I have not even picked it up yet. I made my first payment on the 28th. I have been waiting for Werk Brau to send my thumb, coupler and a 30" bucket. Well the items came several days ago only to find out that WB built the wrong thumb design. Short story they are building new one. I will have the wrong one mounted until the one I wanted is here. A side note the WB problem solver/customer is pissed representative tried to sell me on the atributes of the thumb I received over the one I ordered.:hammerhead: Several things I have noticed that maybe specific to my area, but the money spent on the cab comes back in resale. Dollar for dollar here, that may not be true in Ga. I would maybe have your salesman run the resale value on a TB53 with cab (ac was not a factory installed deal until the 153) the AC was available from a 3rd party supplier and see what the difference in values are. If you get half or more of that back I would do it. The door locks open, the front window rotates over head and the side windows open up, almost like no cab. The only issue is getting in and out is not as easy on an OROPS machine.
On a side note you will have a good looking operation, TK loader and excavator. I wanted to own a CASE mini ex for that reason. The performance gap however was too large between the 153/53 and the 50B

I put 400 hours on my TB53 since the machine was last appraised. Ouch. They are not going to be happy when they see that.

[fhdesign]

Please don't take it the wrong way... to clarify I do like the ssb and zts on the 153 a lot, but in my area the 145 is still a much more popular machine. I don't think it has as much to do with the zerks as it does with the slightly higher cost and more weight.
I also think it's a very good point to consider keeping the same brand equipment, just more professional looking.
I was at a Cat demo day today jumping in and out of all the excavators, the canopy ones are easier getting in and out but if I bought new machine, I would only consider one with cab and a/c.

[AWJ Services]

The Cat Canopy was for lack of better words falling apart on the machine that I demoed after only 400 hours.

It made me cautious about the cab.


I ran it some more today and overall it is the best mini ex I have ever used.
The controls are wonderful and the digging power is unbelievable.
I would really like too see a KX-161 head too head with the TB-145.

[RockSet N' Grade]

AWJ...........just couldn't help myself here. I keep going back to your "bucket full of kids", and gotta tell ya......the little rascal sticking his tongue out has just got to be a handful! I can see a free spirited adventerous "I want to do it my way" kinda kid..........looking at that picture makes me smile from ear to ear.

[RockSet N' Grade]

AWJ.....I like to keep as clean as possible and not eat dust if I can help it. A cab is a real benefit, and with a cab you can always slide the windows open and pin the door back to give you that open feeling........but when you hit a wasp nest or rain or whatever......there is nothing like an enclosed environment.....It's also nice to be able to lock the cab up when you leave, which is somewhat of a deterant to vandalism.

[AWJ Services]

AWJ...........just couldn't help myself here. I keep going back to your "bucket full of kids", and gotta tell ya......the little rascal sticking his tongue out has just got to be a handful! I can see a free spirited adventerous "I want to do it my way" kinda kid..........looking at that picture makes me smile from ear to ear.

I appreciate the comments.He is definantly different.
We were coming back from Fla and the love bugs were really bad so he looks up at the window and sees them connected and says "Look that bug has 2 heads"
He sees things different for sure.


AWJ.....I like to keep as clean as possible and not eat dust if I can help it. A cab is a real benefit, and with a cab you can always slide the windows open and pin the door back to give you that open feeling........but when you hit a wasp nest or rain or whatever......there is nothing like an enclosed environment.....It's also nice to be able to lock the cab up when you leave, which is somewhat of a deterant to vandalism.

Good points for sure.

However isn't eating dust part of the joys of the job.:)

[fhdesign]

However isn't eating dust part of the joys of the job.:)[/QUOTE]

This is not directed at you AWJ... but to the younger guys and gals starting out in this business reading these threads.

Protect your lungs... dust can be as harmful as smoking all day!