[knox gsl]

Hands down a 3 ton class mini-X I've done both and it's way more useful. Must haves is a thumb, 1 and 2 foot digging buckets and 3 foot grading bucket.

 

[knox gsl]

I was thinking like a Yanmar vio35

Those are solid machines

 

[knox gsl]

If your looking at a 35 sized mini ex, you could haul it and a skid steer on a gooseneck trailer to help in mobilization. The 35 sized machine is a good size, big enough you can dig waterlines and so forth with enough lift capacity to be able to put a decent sized rock retaining walls. Yet its light enough that you can transport it easily. A skid steer is just so much faster than a compact tractor or TLB. The 180 degree limitation on a backhoe always seems to be an issue on smaller jobs. There issues with a SSL is it making a mess at times, laying down plywood can be an option on sensitive ground, goes back to what you want to do with it.

I have a good bit of seat time with a bobcat E35 can model. Very smooth, quick and quiet machine. 2 drawbacks for me were the tightness of getting into the cab (I'm 6ft 225lbs) and the proprietary bucket attachment.

 

[knox gsl]

A pin grabber coupler would reduce those concerns but virtually every mini excavator suffers from both of those problems.

That's the only mini I've run with an enclosed cab. All the rest were open platforms. Honestly if I worked with a helper or had crews running the machine I'd stay with an open cab. Cheaper, easier to communicate with a ground guy and the glass is easily busted out by everything. Another reason not to run with a bobcat is not being able to put the bucket on backwards. Very handy feature for concrete work and backfilling.