Billy Goat Vacuum, worth it?

I am thinking of purchasing a billy goat vacuum for leaf removal and other landscaping needs. I was wondering peoples opinions on whether or not these vacuums are worth the money. The one I am interesting in buying is used and priced at $900, new at $1200. Do they really come in that handy?

 

Don't own one but have always been told that they work great as long as everything is dry. Do not work well once leaves get wet. Hope that helped!!

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The McGuire Landscape
Richmond, VA.

 

I had one 12 horse and gave up, not enough power it took less time raking the leaves in a tarp and dump'em in the truck...... Until I try my friends, Billy goat 25 horse power, man! that's a sweet machine, I'll get one next season.

 

I love mine (Billy goat 5hp w/honda). I work alone and it does a great job on curbside clean-up and cleaning piles of leaves in smaller areas like back yards that you can;t get anyting into besides a rake and tarp.

 

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We have a Bill Goat, 25hp Subaru , on our Mulch Mule for leaf cleanup. Works great. Well worth the investment if you do a lot of cleanups.

 

We have the 12hp model. Our guys avoid using it because its such a pain emptying the bag once its full. It does a great job of picking up leaves, cigarette butts, grit, .....

 

I bought the Billygoat 18hp loader this season. I don't do a lot of cleanups, but enough that I hate them. That thing is awesome. Dry leaves, wet leaves, even some small sticks, they all get sucked up and shot into the trailer! Getting the leaves to the loader is still a hassle - big blower and tarps with rakes are still needed - but getting them into the trailer is easy as anything. We just did a cleanup last week. Last season we spent 2.5 days and made 6 trips to the dump to get rid of all the leaves; this season - 1 day, 1 dump trip!

 

Loaders will also grind up most leaves so you can get more in the truck or trailer. I can usually get 4 or 5 times the leaves (or more) with the loader instead of loading by hand or tarp. But the bigger the horse power the better the loader. My 18hp does more than three times the work than my 11hp did.

 

I forgot to mention in my earlier post...you will quickly learn to despise that dam% suction hose! That thing is so gangly and hard to maneuver with the metal swing arm and handles on it. I swear every time I have to take it off and load it on the truck or trailer!!!