Should I see or upgrade or sell?

[ShawnT]

I have a 2010 B2620 with loader and belly mower. It has about 248 hours and only cosmetic issues on painted surfaces. I have about 4 projects lining up that require/need a backhoe. I am struggling with sourcing a BH65 and frame kit to add to my tractor or sell my tractor and take cash in hand to dealers here in Va to try to source what I need. I no longer mow with this tractor either i moved to a zero turn in last 3 years. What I am looking for is insights on what this B2620 loader and belly mower is worth and if getting a new one is better than trying to add a BH65 to this 10 year old unit. I am the original and only owner as well.

Thanks in advance for the wisdom!

 

[85Hokie]

Good news bad news............

First the good - your machine being a NON-TIER 4 machine and above 25 HP is a good selling point, most people will want an "older" machine that does NOT have all the DPF and regen needs.
With FEL and MMM and that few hours should bring a good amount of money.

I think trading it in would be a mistake - why? It would be easy and clean, but you will lose 2-3 K on the deal, selling on Marketplace or Craigslist will be a PITA, but you will come out ahead money wise, but it might not be worth it - some would rather take a loss and move on than to put up with the BS of those tire kickers.........

Now the bad news ........... lets say you sell it or trade it in...........WILL THE DEALER HAVE A model in stock ready for you to buy??? Everyone here is chopping at the bit to get their new paid for machine and this and that are back ordered and arriving 3 months out........

Look and see what you local Kubota has (Byrd tractor?) and see if they have any L or LX series equipped with FEL and BH.

Lots of dealers in the local area (we have two in the Lynchburg-Roanoke area that might be worth a look - or the ones in NOVA.......... what machine are you looking at with the hoe?

Many will say "rent a backhoe and forget about buying one" ------- I disagree with that, if you have multiple needs and the RESOURCES to buy - buy, that way you will have it everyday that it is needed.

I would say your machine is worth north of 13k easy.

 

[ShawnT]

Thank you 85Hokie for the well thought out feedback! Rather than deal with Northern Va dealers I have been speaking with one in Stuart's Draft and one in Purceville. The rural dealers are so much better to deal with in my humble opinion and 81 is a lovely drive (not). They both have solutions that may work so I am gonna try the waters and see if my tractor will move quick, selling online. I greatly appreciate the reasons why it should move quickly, being spelled out for me. Then I will have additional cash in hand when I go see them. I am currently discussing a L3301 HST with a Woods backhoe as a solution. I guess I will have to wash the damn thing before I take some pictures!

Thank you again for the feedback!

 

[JimmyJazz]

I have a 2010 B2620 with loader and belly mower. It has about 248 hours and only cosmetic issues on painted surfaces. I have about 4 projects lining up that require/need a backhoe. I am struggling with sourcing a BH65 and frame kit to add to my tractor or sell my tractor and take cash in hand to dealers here in Va to try to source what I need. I no longer mow with this tractor either i moved to a zero turn in last 3 years. What I am looking for is insights on what this B2620 loader and belly mower is worth and if getting a new one is better than trying to add a BH65 to this 10 year old unit. I am the original and only owner as well.

Thanks in advance for the wisdom!

I understand the folks on this forum , myself included, like to do things themselves. However, I have hired a full sized backhoe with operator on several occasions at $600 a day and have felt it was money well spent. A good operator can accomplish an incredible amount of work (in my opinion) .All I have to do is look in my garage and barn to realize many of my purchases were poor financial decisions. Thats just my experience. I have an eleven year old son who doesn't listen to anything anyone says. Very frustrating. Many men are still little boys seeking to justify their unneeded wants. Myself included. Pencil it out. I find it a relief to hire on occasion.

 

[BigG]

You have a 10 year old tractor that has less then 250 hrs on it and you want to buy a backhoe? First look at the price of a new tractor in the build a Kubota website. Then look at the price of your tractor in Tractorhouse or Equipment Trader. That will tell you about how much money you will spend. Weight that against renting the backhoe for the jobs you have lined up if you want to do it yourself. Look at renting the hoe for a month. The cost comes down a lot. Then you have your tractor without having spent a good deal of money. No repair or maintenance cost for the hoe. You get to do it yourself and put money in the bank.

 

[ShawnT]

I understand the folks on this forum , myself included, like to do things themselves. However, I have hired a full sized backhoe with operator on several occasions at $600 a day and have felt it was money well spent. A good operator can accomplish an incredible amount of work (in my opinion) .All I have to do is look in my garage and barn to realize many of my purchases were poor financial decisions. Thats just my experience. I have an eleven year old son who doesn't listen to anything anyone says. Very frustrating. Many men are still little boys seeking to justify their unneeded wants. Myself included. Pencil it out. I find it a relief to hire on occasion.

I get a ton of enjoyment doing things with the tractor as I am a desk jockey by trade. Grading my property and doing all the yearly seeding and aerating and upkeep on 10 acres has been a wonderful break for me from the computer screen for the last 18 years. I understand the math really but I still would rather do these things myself, for selfish reasons, with equipment that belongs to me.

 

[JimmyJazz]

I get a ton of enjoyment doing things with the tractor as I am a desk jockey by trade. Grading my property and doing all the yearly seeding and aerating and upkeep on 10 acres has been a wonderful break for me from the computer screen for the last 18 years. I understand the math really but I still would rather do these things myself, for selfish reasons, with equipment that belongs to me.

I understand perfectly. I am in the same boat. As an aside, take a look at the "super split" log splitter. A nice way of spending time away from the desk while remaining productive. Good luck and have fun.

 

[PaulL]

If you want a backhoe you should buy one.

On how you buy one, a new tractor is always a good idea. The B2620 is a 26HP machine i think? So it's not that valuable, as all 26HP machines have no emissions controls - a L2501 has no emissions, a B2650 has no emissions.

Having said that, as someone who bought a BX2350 then added a loader, I can say that adding to an existing machine is a mistake. It would have been substantially more cost effective (taking resale into account) to have bought a machine with a loader. I now have a 15 year old machine with a 3 year old loader - effectively the loader is worth the same as a 15 year old loader, as nobody cares that it's new.

There's nothing wrong with a Woods backhoe as such, but the Kubota ones are better. I'd take a careful look at whether you can get a machine with original equipment backhoe (even if new with finance). I think long term you'll appreciate it. I think Messicks has a video on it - my recollection is most after market backhoes (I presume including the Woods) mount to the 3ph, and stick out further than the Kubota ones that are mounted to the chassis. That impacts your departure angle - when you drive up ramps (onto a trailer, or otherwise) the backhoe digs into the ground. I think there are other limitations on capability too - the Kubota ones are quite capable for the size.

Another option, if you work out your total cost to change, would be to buy a second machine - a mini-excavator. They can be found relatively inexpensively (even if they're a bit worn or ex rental units). A mini-ex would do twice or more as much work in a day as a tractor backhoe, and two machines is always better - say if you have your tractor with the trailer on it, load it with the mini-ex, then tow it away for dumping. Or if a friend or your life partner wants to drive one machine, one of you can be digging, another taking away spoil with the FEL (we did this when I dug out my tractor shed, and borrowed my father's mini-ex, and it was way quicker and more fun with two of us and two machines).

 

[Tughill Tom]

I have a 2010 B2620 with loader and belly mower. It has about 248 hours and only cosmetic issues on painted surfaces. I have about 4 projects lining up that require/need a backhoe. I am struggling with sourcing a BH65 and frame kit to add to my tractor or sell my tractor and take cash in hand to dealers here in Va to try to source what I need. I no longer mow with this tractor either i moved to a zero turn in last 3 years. What I am looking for is insights on what this B2620 loader and belly mower is worth and if getting a new one is better than trying to add a BH65 to this 10 year old unit. I am the original and only owner as well.

Thanks in advance for the wisdom!

Have you tried Woods Equipment? I have a BH 70X on my B3200 and love it, its basically a clone of a Kubota and every bit as heavy. They do make a BH65 as well

 

[mikester]

Rent a mini-ex and don't look back.

 

[ShawnT]

Have you tried Woods Equipment? I have a BH 70X on my B3200 and love it, its basically a clone of a Kubota and every bit as heavy. They do make a BH65 as well

Everyone I have gone to is sold out of BH65 in woods. March until back orders arrive, I think.

 

[torch]

On the flip side: If you buy a backhoe, especially a used backhoe, you can sell it after your projects and recover most or all of your original expense. Can't do that if you rent or hire.

 

[skeets]

Just my 2 cents, like mikester said just rent one if you want to do it your self.
For my money if I had jobs that would be extensive, then a hoe with an operator is money well spent. As a plus should he bugger up the machine, its on him and not out of your pocket,, if he hits a water, gas or phone line again not on you. And even if you KNOW there are no utilities around,, do the one call!
I recall some time back, a guy that owned a small company was asked by the little league people if you would do some ditching around their field so the water would drain away. He did, and snagged an underground phone line that NO BODY that lived around the field, knew was there! Long story short, he lost everything, after the law suits from Wall street and scads of others that lost commination's that day. All because he was tiring to do something nice

 

[ItBmine]

I just got a backhoe for my 2013 B2620. Dealer had two new ones in stock that never sold so I got a deal.
Like has been said, I realize a mini-ex or renting one can get a lot more done, but I have lots of ditching and small stumps and a power line trench to dig, so I can play around at my own leisure now.

My other reason for doing this (take note I am in Canada with Canadian Dollars).......I went and looked at a new 26 h.p. LX with cab. I was thinking of upgrading.
Dealer was going to give me $18,000 for my 730 hour B2620. This included the loader, mm mower and snowblower as I would have bought new bigger ones for the LX.
With the $18,000 trade, that still left me owing $32,000 on the new LX cab.
Just not worth it to me. I have better things I can do with my 32 grand.

And my dealer said if I do decide to trade he will give me full money for the backhoe I am adding.
I have an F550 plow truck I now no longer use so if it sells I may upgrade.....or buy an RTV with a vee plow and still keep my B.

 

[ShawnT]

Happy to report I sold at $13k and now have moved to another brand but 35HP with a cab. Thanks for all the input and opinions people. You helped me with my deliberations and education!