Duncan62 Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 Be kind, I'm new to this =) Seems like best of mini digger and dumper in one? Cheaper to buy, run and then sell, rather than constantly hiring digger+dumper? Budget: £5k cheap / £10k ok? £5k machinery seems to be old (Bonus: no electrics to go wrong. Bogus: everything is warn) Buying: How to spot a good one? This useful list may inform? Running cost: hydraulic fluid, hoses, red diesel, inverter, batteries? what am I missing? Use: I can drive a digger no problem, assume this has same learning curve? Parking: we have space for it. Security? Maintenance: brother in-law fixes farm machinery, is 300miles away but always available by phone. Garage (shed, really) in next road are very practical and used to machinery. Talk me out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 What do you mean by a "backhoe loader" and "Seems like best of mini digger and dumper in one?" Any pictures or examples of what you mean? Or do you mean a simple JCB C3X etc? JCB's are good, but heavy and being wheel drive rather than track will chew up a soft / wet site in no time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 I bought a 3cx fir my build, cheap and luckily didn’t go wrong (much), yes it’s heavy and chews the ground up and we had the room. In addition to that it was the greatest fun to drive and always on site so available at short notice for multiple jobs from unloading pallets with the forks, digging trenches as a crane and I had a fair bit of ground to level. Not sure if it was cost effective re hiring but I loved owning it 😎. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 I bought one for an hour in Den Haag. Oh, Backhoe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan62 Posted October 22, 2023 Author Share Posted October 22, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, ProDave said: What do you mean by a "backhoe loader" and "Seems like best of mini digger and dumper in one?" Any pictures or examples of what you mean? Or do you mean a simple JCB C3X etc? JCB's are good, but heavy and being wheel drive rather than track will chew up a soft / wet site in no time. Yes indeed, big scoop on front, bucket with arm on the back. Chews up the ground, noted. Fortunately we are on well draining chalk, but even so, something to be aware of. Thank you @ProDave. Edited October 22, 2023 by Duncan62 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan62 Posted October 22, 2023 Author Share Posted October 22, 2023 1 hour ago, joe90 said: I bought a 3cx fir my build, cheap and luckily didn’t go wrong (much), yes it’s heavy and chews the ground up and we had the room. In addition to that it was the greatest fun to drive and always on site so available at short notice for multiple jobs from unloading pallets with the forks, digging trenches as a crane and I had a fair bit of ground to level. Not sure if it was cost effective re hiring but I loved owning it 😎. Recommended then @joe90?! Any idea what you ran it for (£) over the course of the few years you had it please? 3CX, were parts easy to get hold of? Was it easy to SELL at the end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 SWMBO on the subject..... "Its the very best thing we bought for the build". We maintained ours (Kubota 209 alpha) properly (Kubota agents) and covered the maintenance costs in the re-sale price. And we pulled next door's the JCB out of a hole at least twice - and his cars twice also. Until at moment, I covetted my neighbour's JCB. There is something very attractive about a JCB. Maybe its the generosity of her buckets? In the JCB Snog Marry Avoid stakes, snog one purely for reference and research purpose, but don't marry it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 The reason I asked, was because you mentioned dumper. I once saw a contraption that was a dumper truck with a back hoe on the back of it. Initially I thought what a great bit of lateral thinking. Until I realised there was no way the back hoe would swing round enough to self load the dumpers tub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenki Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 all Q1I bought 12 acres and had a lot to do, trenches, materiels etc. So I bought a ford 550 backhoe loader with pallet forks. It's been fantastic although leaks oil and only starts with a sniff. But, and this is a big but, trenches are not easy, as you have to reposition a lot, and if your in a tight space i.e. working next to a fence then even more moving. There's times when a 360 would have been so much easier, but in general I'm happy I went this route. But it will be sold soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, Duncan62 said: Recommended then @joe90?! Well it was a gamble but it paid off for me, yes it leaked hydraulic oil and all joints were worn but I got used to it. I think I paid about £6k plus VAT (about 8 years ago) and sold it for £4k after about 4 years work 🤷♂️ local engineers supplied parts and mended it when a few things (diesel pump) got clogged. , it’s certainly a man’s toy (tin hat on). Did I mention it turned up the ground? And ours was very wet at times….. (I did get it out) Edited October 22, 2023 by joe90 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Punter Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 I think it is often better to hire a decent sized (4-8 tonne) tracked excavator if it you are doing a one-off house. About £500 a week for a machine worth about £50k. You could do foundations and drains for most self builds in 2-3 weeks. If anything goes wrong the hire firm will sort it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 I bought a very old Kumatsu 3t 360 on steel tracks for my build. I was looking for anything that was cheap and local and bid a silly low price on this one, then went out and blow me down when i got back I found i had won it. It was old, all the joints were worn and it had a Peugeot car engine bodged in in place of the original. But it worked and did everything I asked it to, and i sold it for exactly what i paid for it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan62 Posted October 22, 2023 Author Share Posted October 22, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, Mr Punter said: I think it is often better to hire a decent sized (4-8 tonne) tracked excavator if it you are doing a one-off house. About £500 a week for a machine worth about £50k. You could do foundations and drains for most self builds in 2-3 weeks. If anything goes wrong the hire firm will sort it. This is the best attempt at talking me out of it so far @Mr Punter. All makes perfect sense. Spend £2k and have a BIG digger for a month. Everyone else, please stop showing me pictures of your machinery... It's not talking me out of it =p Edited October 22, 2023 by Duncan62 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 The best bit of buying your own digger is it is there, all the time. I had mine about 3 years, not only did it get used for all the digging tasks, foundations, drainage, treatment plant, landscaping, it was damned handy having it there to be used any time you wanted it. Often it would just get 5 minutes work to move something, you can't hire a digger in for that. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crispy_wafer Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 (edited) The opposite and downside to purchasing, I hire and have to save up my jobs and try to tackle them in one hit. over the last year and a bit, I get a machine in probably once a quarter for a week, take time off work and then blast through (Drainage, Trenching, clearing out the drains...). Often at the mercy of weather and having to have materials on site. If I had one full time, I'd be able to tackle the odd job over a summers evening or a Sunday saving me time. Saving grace, a dropped track or a burst hose is their responsibility and I get a day back as a sorry for next hire time. And I can choose the right excavator for the task, I've had micro's up to 5t sized machines now. I'd love one tbh, but just cannot justify having the cash tied up. I do have an old kubota mini tractor and a 2t dumper though. Edited October 22, 2023 by crispy_wafer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanR Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 I felt a cheap Backhoe loader was very handy to have around, although I still brought in the right size 360 machine for quite a few jobs. For the same age and condition the Case 580 are a little cheaper than the JCB 3CX and the Ford 550 are cheaper again. I paid £4.5K for mine, and it has needed a few hoses replacing. Smokes a bit but still loads of power. Good for clearing and grading as well as moving stuff around, but mine has very worn pins. If I was to buy again I'd go for 4 wheel drive, extending backhoe and a £10K budget. I can't tell you if they're easy to sell as I've always got another job in mind for it, but it seems there're are plenty of people looking for them, as I've had a couple of locals try and buy it off me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnb Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 I have a 2.7 tonne tracked 360. I looked at a 3CX backhoe but decided I had far too many trees and things in the way so it would always be too big and heavy thus defeating the benefit of having a loader. The 360 machine always seemed more convenient for digging trenches and grading - things I do a lot of. As for costs, yes hiring would be less risk but there often aren't enough to go around where I live and an always available digger affords me a lot of freedom as to when work gets done, and that alone is worth a lot. As for selling at the end... I don't like parting with tools or vehicles, but I have had a couple of local people interested so I don't think it will be too hard if I ever manage to get somewhere near finished. Sorry, we probably aren't the right crowd to talk you out of buying plant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 12 hours ago, IanR said: If I was to buy again I'd go for 4 wheel drive, I agree, see previous picture 🤷♂️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan62 Posted October 23, 2023 Author Share Posted October 23, 2023 Members Wishlist 4 WD 4 in 1 bucket with Pallet forks Extending backhoe (gives more reach?) any more? worn joints.... this just means there is some play in every joint? makes it a bit wobbly when in use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 Starts when cold, does not smoke (too much) tyres reasonable (expensive) and no excess hydraulic leaks. Worn joints are expected and you can get used to them, paint optional 🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanR Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 16 minutes ago, Duncan62 said: worn joints.... this just means there is some play in every joint? makes it a bit wobbly when in use? Yep, there will be play in the joints, making it less accurate to dig with. Pins and bushes can be replaced, but if a number of joints are worn it may not be economic to do so. Doesn't cause me an issue away from the house, but I wouldn't have used mine to dig the drains around the house, for instance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 On 22/10/2023 at 18:02, Duncan62 said: Everyone else, please stop showing me pictures of your machinery... It's not talking me out of it =p You are about as likely to get talked out of buying a digger here, as you are being talked out of self building a house. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 10 minutes ago, ProDave said: being talked out of self building a house. I do tend to say to be very careful, and the risks are huge. And no, I probably wouldn't buy a digger. I've seen too many expensive breakdowns and write-offs. Factor in the fun and the control it provides and then, maybe. Also if you are remote and the availability and transport costs are an issue. Maybe pay a bit more for an ex-hire with some guarantee? But from a small groundworker, never. On our project we hired a mini digger and a dumper. On and off as requires. Then JCB with driver for the big jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 23 minutes ago, saveasteading said: Factor in the fun and the control it provides and then, maybe. 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan62 Posted October 23, 2023 Author Share Posted October 23, 2023 thank you all, updates: Members Wishlist 4 WD 4 in 1 bucket with Pallet forks Extending backhoe (gives more reach?) Pins not too worn (nice to have) Starts when cold Does not smoke (too much) Tyres reasonable (expensive) No excess hydraulic leaks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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