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Pecker

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hi, what's up!

Looking at a used 1999 Bobcat 453 with less than 950 hours on it.

- How much would it be worth?
- I'd be using it for moving dirt as well as running attachments: a small 38" tiller, ditch-digger, stump-grinder attachments?

Basically, what is this unit worth with just the bucket and would I need a bigger unit to run these implements without problem (mostly concerned with the tiller)?

Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
You should try to get in touch with Bobcat250 he might have a good idea of what it is worth and what attachments it can run.

I think that It will have no problem running the stuff you want, I think it has the same psi as the MT52 and MT55 which can run those attachments fine. I just got done demoing a MT52 with the stump grinder.
 
#3 ·
****** said:
Hi, what's up!

Looking at a used 1999 Bobcat 453 with less than 950 hours on it.

- How much would it be worth?
- I'd be using it for moving dirt as well as running attachments: a small 38" tiller, ditch-digger, stump-grinder attachments?

Basically, what is this unit worth with just the bucket and would I need a bigger unit to run these implements without problem (mostly concerned with the tiller)?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
I am sure the price of the 453 is reasonable, but if you do any kind of work with any heft, you will need a bigger machine. I wouldn't waste my time with that one. You will be frustrated and not be able to be profitable. To run most hydraulic motored assecories you will need a high flow machine, which I am almost positive the 4 series is not. The intent of that design was for cleaning stalls, getting into small spaces where size was a limitation. I wouldn't look at anything less than a 7 series and do everything you can to go with a diesel motor. I started out with a 742 which was a gas motor machine, and within 6 mos of using it, it was gone and I bought a 843. Now that is on it's way out and a new/used Caterpillar 257 track machine is on the horizon.So as you can see it is a sickness and you will just keep aquiring more and more work for the machine and you will need the capacity. Just my 02cents, but I understand being on a budget and wanting to get your feet wet.
Good luck
David
 
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Discussion starter · #4 ·
First of all, I'd want to thank you both for your responses. Although I have a lawn business, I don't really do much on the landscaping side. This would be mostly for my home/personal use. I have an acre and really enjoy gardening, working my soil, mix soil; I have a putting green which I will be expanding soon; and am getting ready to pour a new driveway which will be about 300'. Also, my uncle is going to put in a retaining wall which will be about 200'. So, it would be mostly for myself and for the occassional landscape or lawn renovation job.

I thought about a tractor, but all that I've found seem to be expensive for their age and not a heavy duty as a construction grade skid steer. Plus, I'm really impressed with the implements available.

A local rental center quoted me $6500 for a 453 with about 1000 hours on it and that would be with a 1 year warranty. Do you think that is a fair price? Should I shy away from a rental unit? I'm thinking that the rental center would do good maintenance and keep it in good running condition to keep customers happy. Nobody want to pay top dollar for a piece of rental equipment that leaves them hanging when they are on a deadline. . .good logic/bad logic?

One more question: how doyou guys get implements for them? Are you able to rent them? Can you buy them used? Do you have to buy new? What would I pay for a new 38" tiller for this thing?

Thanks again. . .I appreciate the info.
 
#5 ·
A friend of mine bought a 1989 Bobcat/Clark 443 model with around 2800 hours on the meter and a 18 hp Kubota and paid $3500 for it.
It does run great but he has had to replace the lift cylinders twice due to overloading the lift capacity of the unit which cost him $500 each time.
The Bobcat dealer came up with a idea to put a pressure relief valve in the hydrolic lifting system to eliminate the bending anymore. You might want to check to see if the 453 has the relief valve and if not see if your local Bobcat dealer can fab one up for you. Just a thought.

But that does not sound like a bad deal at all to me and they are great for tight areas but there will be times when you wish that you had one bigger but that happens most of the time we buy something rite.
 
#6 ·
...sold it, and just bought a new 463 a couple weeks ago, so obviously I like the baby of the Bobcat family. The 463 has more horsepower and is diesel but still doesn't excavate worth a crap. I rented out the 450 frequently for $200 per day to a couple of contractor friends. One had no machine, the other has a couple of bigger machines and an excavator but liked the small machine for certain jobs. When I sold it they both fought over who got it. Sold it to the one who had none for $4,500, after owning it ten years. Never once had it in the shop either.

If your focus is landscaping or you do a lot of excavating, get a bigger machine. If you regularly need to move more than 30 tons of topsoil daily or something, get a bigger machine. If you just want to auger holes for planting, move 5 to 25 ton of topsoil around, build beds, dig out for small walkway installations and shallow trenches, move landscape timbers, spread gravel, remove snow, rip out beds and such, the 463 does a great job and definitely beats shoveling/hand labor.

I also like it because the 463 is a lot cheaper to purchase, can get into tighter places, is less costly to run, and needs only a small trailer/truck to move it as opposed to a 700 series or whatever. There are times/jobs I need a bigger machine, so I rent a bigger one a few times per year. For digging I bring in a guy with an excavator and work in tandem- he digs, I use the 463 to move the dirt wherever. Other than the house I bought for 8K, rented out at a nice profit while I owned it, and sold for 60K, the 450 was by far the best investment I ever made, paying off in multiple ways. You won't regret having one, regardless.


:waving:
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
Gilla Gorilla said:
relief valve
Click to expand...
I'll check into that. Thank you.

new2nash, sounds like you liked the 453. . . and the uses you described is perfect for myself.

Do you guys think it will run attachments well? a small 38" tiller, ditch-digger, stump-grinder, etc.
 
#8 ·
If you want a small machine it wil work we just bought a 743 2140hrs new tires. runs like a top with $400 for service as i wanted it to be checked out before the season. I paid $3,000 for it new paint on it and stickers now it looks like a brand new one. As far as excavating or scraping you 300' driveway i dont think you will be able to do it. For once and a while jobs to justify $6.5k i dont know. It will be able to run a 38" tiller with 8gpm hydraulic flow.

Jason
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
LawnsRUsInc. said:
For once and a while jobs to justify $6.5k i dont know. It will be able to run a 38" tiller with 8gpm hydraulic flow.

Jason
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info. I hear ya on the once in a while part. Not that I can really justify it on that part. . .it would definately be in the "toy" category as I don't intend on making a return or profit with it. I've just got sooo many projects and improvements and garden chores around the house that it would be useful for + if I decide to sell it later on it would be something that I feel would hold its value really well. . .
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
LawnsRus,

Is pump capacity the same as hydraulic flow (I'm still new to all this stuff)?

Model 453F
Pump Capacity 6.8 GPM

I pulled this from the website on the spec page. Will it work?
 
Discussion starter · #11 ·
LawnsRus,

One more question: Is it big enough to scrape off a few inches of dirt/clay at a time (which is what I will need to be able to do to make the ground level for the concrete driveway)?
 
#12 ·
With that model iam not sure what it is but 6.8gpm that seems about right. You can run a small tiller iam sure i know you cant run a harley rake for grading the lowest is 8gpm requirements. My bobcat and most everyone i have tried was a little tippy. To be honest with you "******" it will all matter based upon what the ground conditions are to dry wont work to wet it wont work but moist will scrape with the bucket fine. I have used a 110hp or something 2 speed mustang and the darn thing would not scrape the ground because it was dry and hard as a rock. Hope that helps but it would be an awesome machine for around the house. Also keep your eyes out for a larger one as it will do just a tad more. Iam mad that i bought a small loader even though i bought it and make a profit off it. The dealer i was working with for a new one offered me twice what i paid for it.

Jason
 
#14 ·
I know this is a 7 year old post, but it was very informative and I am about to purchase a 453 myself and every question I had was answered.

Thanks :drinkup:

-Michael

(I wish other people would use the search bar, their have been 5 or 6 threads in the past week about what size walk behind is right for them.)
 
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