Mini digger appraisal service

[jtbjtb]

where are you and how long you been trawling ????

soon get to spot the genuine ones and there are quite a few on there, once spotted ..... if it's cheap it's a scam .... no such thing as a cheap mini .... ever , just the occasional good buy/tidy machine for the money .... but you gotsta pay the going rates

In Sussex, and only a few weeks. I'd like a 3t machine ideally, because I'd like to be able to lift bulk bags (850kg) off the back of my truck and I'm advised that anything less than 3t won't manage this. I'd go up to 5t if the right thing came along (hence my interest in that Volvo 5t ebay listing above). Don't mind high hours because I inevitably won't be putting many hours on it. Budget up to £15k.

[v8druid]

In Sussex, and only a few weeks. I'd like a 3t machine ideally, because I'd like to be able to lift bulk bags (850kg) off the back of my truck and I'm advised that anything less than 3t won't manage this. I'd go up to 5t if the right thing came along (hence my interest in that Volvo 5t ebay listing above). Don't mind high hours because I inevitably won't be putting many hours on it. Budget up to £15k.

you're gonna have to travel if you want to find what you really want ... did a 500 mile round trip to buy my 'Drema.

here's your machine ..... these guys are decent ppl .....



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TAKEUCHI-...cAAOSw-cFbl3zf

know a few ppl who have bought off these guys and all speak highly of them
they don't buy crap

have even considered this one myself, but ideally would like a 3.5 tonner for the nigglier bits I struggle with, with my 15 tonne duck

[v8druid]

plus t'other half'd have an eppy if I went and spent 12k on that

[v8druid]

they got this too, but doubt it'd lift a dumpy ??


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HITACHI-E...AAAOSw~Wtbmna5

again very tidy and not that dear for what it is ... ignore the age .... it's very clean and a Tachi

[v8druid]

or there're these .... I've known John for pushing 30 years as a customer and friend .... decent bloke and doesn't buy crap .... 10 miles from me and I've bought from John .... my jake and my Thwaites.



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KUBOTA-U4...0AAOSwx-1bh8jN



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KUBOTA-KX...EAAOSwDypbn5kL

he knows the market and what stuff is worth ... so if he's priced it at that ..... it's what you'll have to pay to match it.
he will also deliver nationwide, personally and 90% of the time will buy a m/c back if you've finished with it ... 'less you've trashed it

Are you VAT reg. or having to swallow it .... a right pisser, having been VAT reg for 30+ years, now having to take it on the chin

[Wazza]

Looks like only one with a quick hitch , wouldnt that drive you insane changing attachments ?? .........

[v8druid]

Looks like only one with a quick hitch , wouldnt that drive you insane changing attachments ?? .........

'spose it'd depend on how much you use it Boyo ..... several times a day ... perhaps .....but TBH, it doesn't take that long, done right , on a m/c of those sort of sizes

[Wazza]

'spose it'd depend on how much you use it Boyo ..... several times a day ... perhaps .....but TBH, it doesn't take that long, done right , on a m/c of those sort of sizes

I guess Im getting old cos I dont wanna leave the seat to swap .

[jtbjtb]

you're gonna have to travel if you want to find what you really want ... did a 500 mile round trip to buy my 'Drema.

here's your machine ..... these guys are decent ppl .....


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TAKEUCHI-...cAAOSw-cFbl3zf

know a few ppl who have bought off these guys and all speak highly of them
they don't buy crap

have even considered this one myself, but ideally would like a 3.5 tonner for the nigglier bits I struggle with, with my 15 tonne duck

Thanks for this - really helpful. Nice machine but (thinking about eventual resale) the hours are too high at 12000+. Useful to get a recommendation for the firm though - I've looked at a few listings from them.

[jtbjtb]

they got this too, but doubt it'd lift a dumpy ??


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HITACHI-E...AAAOSw~Wtbmna5

again very tidy and not that dear for what it is ... ignore the age .... it's very clean and a Tachi

Helpful comment about lifting ability. I do need that, so this one is also a strike for me.

[jtbjtb]

or there're these .... I've known John for pushing 30 years as a customer and friend .... decent bloke and doesn't buy crap .... 10 miles from me and I've bought from John .... my jake and my Thwaites.



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KUBOTA-U4...0AAOSwx-1bh8jN


he knows the market and what stuff is worth ... so if he's priced it at that ..... it's what you'll have to pay to match it.
he will also deliver nationwide, personally and 90% of the time will buy a m/c back if you've finished with it ... 'less you've trashed it

Are you VAT reg. or having to swallow it .... a right pisser, having been VAT reg for 30+ years, now having to take it on the chin

Now this one I like. This is only about 3 hours from me so I think that's where I'll be headed tomorrow.

Unfortunately although I am vat registered, it's for a completely different business and my accountant says there is no chance of putting a digger through the company. So yep I have to wear the vat.

Thanks again for all the pointers, really appreciated.

[Muz]

A 2.7 - 3 tonner will lift 650 kg if you are lucky, and only that right close in with support from the blade, lifting anything at radius you are down to 250 - 350 kgs max

[v8druid]

Now this one I like. This is only about 3 hours from me so I think that's where I'll be headed tomorrow.

Unfortunately although I am vat registered, it's for a completely different business and my accountant says there is no chance of putting a digger through the company. So yep I have to wear the vat.

Thanks again for all the pointers, really appreciated.

tell John or Jonathan, his son, that Graham Hookham put you on to them .... might get you a bit of discount or me some brownie points ... I'm 15 minutes from John's that Kub does look nice TBF

where did you see 12k hours for the Taki ????? ... bloody clean if it is .... they do head gaskets at 6k hrs, so either just had its third, or due one

[jtbjtb]

tell John or Jonathan, his son, that Graham Hookham put you on to them .... might get you a bit of discount or me some brownie points ... I'm 15 minutes from John's that Kub does look nice TBF

where did you see 12k hours for the Taki ????? ... bloody clean if it is .... they do head gaskets at 6k hrs, so either just had its third, or due one

Tee-hee, thanks, I will. Ref the hours for the Takeuchi - if you look at their youtube video for the machine at 2'58 it shows the hour meter at 12626.2.

[jtbjtb]

With thanks for the help provided, I just wanted to tie this thread off. I did indeed go to both Manor Farm (Howard and Sons) and John Barnes last week. Manor Farm is more of a tractor dealer, they only had a couple of diggers, and for a newbie it was quite an intimidating place to go. One thing I did immediately realise though was that a 5t machine just felt too big for the sort of self-build work I have in mind, so I quickly downgraded my ambition to something in the 2.5-3t class. From there I went to John Barnes in Abergavenny. I found both John and Johnathan to be really straightforward people to deal with, very helpful and informative, let me spend a bit of time looking over their stock (they've got a *lot*). I liked the look of the Kubota KX61 but the one they had in had worked quite hard.

Next day I went off to Devon Plant Services in, guess where, Devon. Liked the people and saw a very tidy KX61 with 3100 hours. Did the deal on Friday afternoon and it was delivered here today. Now I need a dumper...