Backhoe Question

Billdog350

Member

Equipment
Kubota L3710 HST,L2230A QT,forks,Takeuchi TB125, 60" Luck Now pto Snowblower
Jan 6, 2014
468
6
18
East Hampton, CT
BAP and Brendawg, Craigslist is your friend. Search it often, the best deals may only appear for a few HOURS.....

I picked up my L3710 with over $2500 in recent maintenance and repairs in good mechanical condition for $8800. I also picked up my 2002 Takeuchi TB125 with thumb, newer tracks, and two buckets for $7500. Both deals had to be jumped on with CASH immediately.

I drove from CT to North Conway NH to grab my 3710....less than 12 hours after it was posted. I feel I got an awesome deal, but I had to get the cash and get to the machine faster than anyone else. Luckily the seller honored me calling first and let me drive up as quickly as I could the next day. He said literally a dozen people called the morning after I had spoken with him.

The deals do exist, and they exist everywhere in the country. You just need to be the "early bird" to get them....don't think that looking at equipment trader or glancing at Craigslist every few days or weeks is going to net you the smoking deals.

The key is having available cash, tow rig, and time. If you can get cash, take time off of work, and jump in your rig and pick it up...you can save yourself thousands....
 

Bulldog

Well-known member

Equipment
M 9000 DTC, L 3000 DT
Mar 30, 2010
5,440
73
48
Rocky Face, Georgia
Like Billdog350 said, the deals are out there. Hard part is the timing to find them first. Friend of mine just bought a big Samsung trackhoe for $22k. Brought it home and went right to work, machine was nearly perfect. I never find those deals, just hear about them after the fact.
 

Billdog350

Member

Equipment
Kubota L3710 HST,L2230A QT,forks,Takeuchi TB125, 60" Luck Now pto Snowblower
Jan 6, 2014
468
6
18
East Hampton, CT
Bulldog, another point I've seen is that Mini's demand a premium over the larger excavators. I'm sure partially because you can't tow the large guys without a CDL and big rig/tri axle.

You can get a decent 20,000-40,000lb machine in a similar price range as a 8000-12,000lb X...and sometimes even cheaper. Of course the big guys can do more but they're less portable, maintenance is more, fuel consumption is higher, etc.

I really like my 6k machine. 8k would be even better...but any larger and I'd need a gooseneck and would head down a path of a lot of overhead costs.
 

Bulldog

Well-known member

Equipment
M 9000 DTC, L 3000 DT
Mar 30, 2010
5,440
73
48
Rocky Face, Georgia
My Bobcat is like 7K and I wish it was bigger. I guess it spoiled me when I had a 4300 Linkbelt at work, it was a beast.