School me on mini-mini excavators

[jbrockmann]

I had a tak tb007 for several years before upgrading to a kubota u15 a year or two ago. Basically twice the machine the little guy was. I've only missed the small tak once, but even then that was only for a days work. In basements with the rops off a one ton mini is worth it's weight in gold. Otherwise I'd stick to the two ton machine. Jmo.
I found the brand I wanted and then started looking at all those dealers close to me, slowly expanding the circle. Couldn't find one on the larger used websites. Also, found my track loader on Craigslist, private owner. Did a national search for that, not local.
Most of the rental places around here have one ton minis in stock for rent. I would think you can find one around you also if you look hard enough.

[alldayrj]

I think I'm going to have to wait it out for one to pop up locally like my dump truck. At this point in my company i can't gamble 8/10/12 k on an auction machine and hope its good when it gets here.

I like hearing all these good things. The ability to swap attachments and get into places where only a wheelbarrow would fit previously is going to be insane.
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[AEL]

I own a u17 and love the machine I hardly use it ( 50 hours in 8 months) but its there for the right job when I need it
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[bobw]

We have both a Cat 301.8c and a Bobcat 323. The Cat has a few hundred more hours on it than the Bobcat and probably has twice the digging power as well.

Definitely try different machines out because there are some big differences in their capabilities, even when the machines are in the same weight class.

[SP Landscaping]

I have a case cx14 with 1900hrs on it, 18" digging bucket 12" digging bucket and a 30" grading bucket. Tracks Shrink down to 32". The thing is a life saver great for trenching, footing drains. It's a 04 I bought it used in 07 with 1000 hrs on

[alldayrj]

Are hours on these machines the same as skid steers? Worse? Better? I would like to get something in the 1000s but I've only put 700 hrs on my skid in 5 years so even something in the 2000s should be reliable for at least a starter machine until i can really pinpoint my needs as the biz grows
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[SP Landscaping]

Originally Posted by alldayrj

Are hours on these machines the same as skid steers? Worse? Better? I would like to get something in the 1000s but I've only put 700 hrs on my skid in 5 years so even something in the 2000s should be reliable for at least a starter machine until i can really pinpoint my needs as the biz grows
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All depends on the operator. Mine has 1900 and looks like it did the day it came off the production line sure I run the balls of of her but don't beat it, I blew a line one day and couldn't get one for a day so I went to united rental and rented the same machine with 500 hrs and the thing looked like it was 50 years old with 20,000 hrs on it every panel was destroyed pistons bent and leaking

[alldayrj]

I hear that.
This guy is cheap but it looks old even though its been repainted.
http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/grd/3401010257.html
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[alldayrj]

Also this little vermeer seems like a good deal
http://columbus.craigslist.org/bfs/3468826196.html
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[Darryl G]

Thought you guys would get a kick out of this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsJsgG0RrB8